Grace Garnier of Paulding County was recently awarded the Northwest District William H. Booth Award which recognizes extension agents for exemplary work with youth in the 4-H program.
Presented by Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), the Booth Award recognizes outstanding career achievement of extension agents who work with 4-H. The award is named for Bill Booth, a charter member of Jackson EMC, its general manager for 15 years, and a rural electric pioneer who helped form the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Oglethorpe Power Corp.
“It’s a privilege to honor Grace for her contributions to the Georgia 4-H program,” said Gale Cutler, Georgia EMC public relations coordinator. “Through her work, and that of other deserving extension agents, kids can grow to be independent, productive and contributing members of society.”
Garnier has been a leader in 4-H for many years. She facilitates activities in a number of clubs including Master Gardeners, Horse and Pony, BB gun, Shotgun, Archery, Poultry, Home School, Forestry Judging and Cotton Boll/Consumer Jamboree.
She focuses on enhancing language arts through Project Achievement. In the last decade in Paulding County, senior participants in District Project Achievement have increased from three or four to 20-25 students. Ten years ago, very few high school students participated in 4-H in Paulding County because it was considered a rural club; however, under Garnier’s leadership, the Senior 4-H group has grown to more than 35 members.
“As a former 4-H’er myself, I still get emotional every time I hear youth recite the 4-H pledge,” Garnier said. “The 4-H program is an integral part of the development of leadership, citizenship, character and personality of our valued youth. My view of 4-H is that it is a youth program for all seasons and for all reasons.”
Garnier is a member of the national and state extension agent associations National Association of Extension 4-H Agents and Georgia Association of Extension 4-H Agents, serving as second vice president in charge of membership and current president elect. She is a mentor to fellow agents and is also active as president in Epsilon Sigma Phi – the honorary extension fraternity.
Extension agents are nominated by their peers for the Booth Award and undergo an extensive application and interview process. Nominees are judged on youth development programming, marketing and promotion of 4-H and youth programs, volunteer development, leadership, and philosophy. After careful consideration, awards are presented to one agent in each of Georgia’s four 4-H districts during the annual 4-H State Congress banquet.
Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state’s 42 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Collectively, Georgia’s customer-owned EMCs provide electricity and related services to more than four million people, nearly half of Georgia’s population, across 73 percent of the state’s land area. |