Alaskan Among National 4-H Hall of Fame

Submitted by Roxanne Creamer
Phone: (907) 474-5406
08/07/02

Alaskan Lydia Fohn-Hansen is among the first 100 people inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame this year.

Fohn Hansen was the first Home Economist/4-H agent hired in 1930 by the newly created Alaska Cooperative Extension Service. Fohn Hansen was noted for travelling by train, boat, and dog sled to all corners of Alaska delivering Home Economics lectures and starting 4-H Clubs.

Hansen is one of hundreds of thousands of dedicated volunteers and county, state and national professional staff who have helped millions of young people learn valuable life skills through 4-H over the past 100 years.

The Hall will exist exclusively in cyberspace. Anyone with a computer and access to the Internet will be able to visit the 4-H Hall of Fame and learn about the 100 VIP’s who helped create, expand, promote and/or support the nation’s largest youth development program.

Each inductee will have his or her own web page featuring a photograph, a brief biography and a quote. Many of these dedicated people died years ago but as inductees of the Hall of Fame they will not be forgotten.

Honorees were chosen because they made a significant impact on 4-H at the local, state or national level. Every state and Washington, D.C. will have at least one favorite son or daughter inducted. National 4-H Council, USDA and the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents will also be well represented. The Centennial Class of 2002 includes 13 4-H pioneers, 29 State Extension Directors, State Program Leaders or State Staff, six major donors, nine county 4-H agents, ten of the founders of National Associaton of Extension 4-HA, 11 long-term volunteers many with 50 or more years of service, three members of Congress or the U.S. Senate, six National Program Leaders, a songwriter, an astronaut and several very successful businessmen. In 2002, 4-H proudly celebrates 100 years of developing our nation’s leaders and looks forward to another century of providing even greater service to our country’s most valuable natural resource our young people. To learn more about 4-H and what has been accomplished over the past 100 years, visit the National 4-H Hall of Fame web site. The Hall of Fame is a Centennial project of NAE4-HA’s Public Relations and Information Committee. Visit the National 4-H Hall of Fame at http://www.4-h-hof.com/lfhansen.html for more information.

Contact: Jim Douglas, Cooperative Extension Service at (907) 465-8756 or e-mail: jyces@uaf.alaska.edu for more information.