St. Joseph Resident nominated into Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- This past weekend, longtime St. Joseph Resident Joan Hickman was nominated to the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame at the Buchanan County 4-H Missouri Office.

Hickman has contributed to the program for 33 years, holding the position of trustee for 12 of those years and serving in Andrew, Platte, and Clay counties.

"I can't speak for all for its volunteers, but I'm pretty sure most of us don't do it for the recognition," Hickman said. "The reward we get is seeing them catch their spark by trying different aspects of the program, finding what really means something to them. Then we see them develop and thrive, and that's where our reward comes in."

Throughout her time with Missouri 4-H, Hickman has worked with many youth. She has gotten to see firsthand the opportunities in agriculture that the program offers, including robotics, filmmaking and photography among many others.

"There's so many ways that young people can get involved," Hickman said. "It's important for you to understand what sustains our agricultural community, what supports the population in general. You have to understand the agricultural side of our world in order to understand where your food comes from, how to stay healthy, how to prepare it. All those things are necessary in order to, live a good life."

For additional information on the Missouri 4-H program and for ways to get involved, visit their website.