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Three New Board Members Elected at Foundation’s Annual Meeting

The 68th Annual Meeting of the Corporators was held at the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in Westboro on May 9. 2023 featured a slate of speakers from the Foundation and 4-H. This meeting represented the Foundation’s first in-person Annual Meeting in four years. There, the trustees, corporators, and invited guests:

  • Nominated new Trustees and Corporators for the 2023-24 year
  • Heard from Ashley Randle, MDAR Commissioner, Foundation Trustee, and 4-H alumna
  • Saw Steven Borgeson, the President of the Board of Trustees, present the annual Kent Lage Leadership Awards to two deserving graduating seniors, Hannah Swanson and Ella Griswold(link)
  • Enjoyed an inspiring visual presentation from 4-Her Susan Barrows
  • Learned about Massachusetts 4-H’s five-year plan from 4-H Interim Director Meg McDermott
  • The Foundation welcomed new trustees Billy McBride, Associate Director of Athletics – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Amherst College and Jim Hicks, Chief of Police for the Town of Natick, as well as new corporator Kristiana Floss.

Trustees had the opportunity to see animal science and STEM 4-H clubs in action, with several clubs attending and demonstrating their skills, including the Upton Hoofbeats 4-H Club, Sutton Preservationists 4-H Club, Cottontails 4-H Club, Great Scott’s Rabbit & Cavy 4-H Club, and STEM Ambassadors from Holyoke and Springfield.

See you next year!

Five Questions for Carrie Myers, Foundation Executive Director

1. What do you like best about Massachusetts so far?   

We moved to Massachusetts for some adventure and a change of pace. We like that everything is more accessible, including both the city and the country. You can go to Boston for an afternoon, see the ocean in Maine, or spend a weekend in Vermont. We like experiencing new places as a family.

 2. What is your biggest priority for the Foundation?
I want to elevate the 4-H brand and grow the Foundation’s audience. We can share 4-H stories and raise the level of awareness of 4-H in Massachusetts communities. This larger awareness of 4-H will lead to increased fundraising opportunities and strategic partnerships for 4-H programs. My hope is that this focused work will result in program expansion and
accessibility for youth across the state.

3. Which 4-H learning area intrigues you the most?

I am intrigued by the agricultural aspects of 4-H, and that definitely contributed to my initial interest in the job. Farming is important for the future, and it’s also important for kids to understand where their food comes from. 4-H has a long history of connecting youth with the ever-evolving agricultural and food systems landscape. I think we play an important role in connecting youth to these topics.

4. What are your hobbies?

Outside of my kid’s activities? Ha Ha. I love the outdoors, I like to go camping, hiking, and birding. I enjoy woodworking and building things, and I am the fix-it person at our home. We also like to go on adventures as a family.

5. Tell us about your family and your pets!

My wife also works at a nonprofit, and we have two middle-school-aged children. We have four dogs and two cats, who traveled with us to our new home from North Carolina. The dogs include two small Russell terriers, a big hound dog, and a Shepherd mix. We also have two fat and loving cats. They are definitely members of our family!

Foundation Announces Kent Lage Award Winners for 2022

Hannah Denison

Hannah Denison is the recipient of the 2022 1st place, $1,000 Kent Lage Leadership Award. Hannah will attend the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in the fall.
A member of the Stoneybrook Saddle Club for the past 12 years, Hannah has served as her club president and as a 4-H Ambassador. She attended the 4-H Leadership Retreat and currently serves as the President of the Middlesex County 4-H Advisory Council. Hannah was awarded the 4-H Key Award in 2021, which recognizes
4-H members ages 15–18 for their outstanding personal development and overall achievement gained through
4-H participation.
Hannah has excelled in showing horses and in horse knowledge. She rode in the New England Regional Horse Show in the 4-H year of 2020-21, winning several awards. In 2020-21, she achieved 1st place in State Hippology and in Visual Presentations for Extemporaneous Speech. In 2019-20, Hannah earned 1st place in the National Visual Presentations as part of the Massachusetts Communications Team and qualified for the State Visual Presentations in 2022. Hannah earned the Top Senior in Crafts in 2018-19 and 2020-21 at the Middlesex County Fair.

Andrew Zeng

Andrew Zeng is the recipient of the 2nd place, $500 Kent Lage Leadership Award. Andrew plans to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the fall, where he will major in Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences.
As an involved member of the Acton C.R.A.F.T. Club for nine years, Andrew focused not only on crafts but also on community service and public speaking. Andrew achieved success with Visual Presentations, winning the State VPs for six years. He also earned a “Wow” award for his work on his 4-H records. Andrew believes that 4-H gave him both confidence in public speaking and ease in working with teams.
Outside of 4-H, Andrew enjoys playing piano. He also has employed teamwork at his jobs as an Assistant Tutor at Kumon Math & Reading and an Assistant Camp Counselor at Meadowbrook Day Camp.

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