LOUDON — Loudon County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw signed a proclamation on Oct. 1 declaring the week of Oct. 4–10, 2026, as 4-H Week in Loudon County.
The proclamation recognizes the impact 4-H has made across the county and honors the young people, families, volunteers and supporters who have been part of the program through the years.
4-H is the largest youth development program in the country. In Tennessee, it is one of three core components of University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension programming.
In Loudon County, 4-H reaches approximately 2,500 students through in-school programming, with 4-H agents Kennedy Ozburn and Jarrett Tubbs visiting every fourth- through eighth-grade classroom in Loudon County and Lenoir City schools.
Beyond the classroom, youth can take part in project work, after-school club meetings, competitive events and hands-on learning.
Tennessee 4-H offers 29 project areas, including livestock, culinary arts, agricultural engineering, clothing and textiles, outdoor recreation, and shooting sports. Through those projects, members build skills in leadership, citizenship, public speaking, agriculture, science and healthy living all guided by the program’s four H’s: head, heart, hands and health.
“Public speaking is a big part of my job,” Bradshaw said, “I learned that through 4-H.”
National 4-H Week is observed during the first full week of October each year, with communities across Tennessee and the country highlighting the program’s reach and the volunteers who sustain it.
As part of the local celebration, the Loudon County Extension Office invites community members to visit the Loudon County 4-H history exhibit at the Loudon County Government Building, 100 River Road, Loudon, TN 37774. The display is open to the public throughout 4-H Week.
The exhibit gives former members, families and longtime supporters a chance to revisit familiar faces, projects and milestones, while offering current members and newcomers a look into 4-H history.
“The history and traditions of Loudon County 4-H run deep and we are excited for the opportunity to highlight not only those traditions, but the impact that 4-H has made through our history exhibit,” stated Ozburn.
Each day during 4-H Week, the Loudon County Extension Office will share a different way community members can help celebrate Loudon County 4-H on its Facebook page, UT Extension — Loudon County. Residents are encouraged to follow along and take part.
To learn more about youth project opportunities, adult volunteer roles, or ways to support 4-H programming in Loudon County, contact UT Extension 4-H Agents Kennedy Ozburn at ko@utk.edu or Jarrett Tubbs at jtubbs1@utk.edu.
