Illinois 4-H

4-H Efforts:
Kansas 4-H member 11 years. Kansas State Collegiate 4-Her, officer. IFYE to India, 1965-66. Extension 4-H & Youth Leader, Polk & Warren Co., Iowa, 1969-76. Kansas Extension Graduate Assistant and 4-H International Exchange Coordinator, 1976-78. lllinois Extension Specialist 4-H/Youth, 1978-2002, Interim Asst. Director, 4-H Youth, 1992 & 1997.

Honors: Santa Fe Railway 4-H Congress Achievement Delegate & Scholarship, 1962. Kansas State Collegiate 4-H Honored Senior, 1965. NAE4-HA Distinguished Service Award, 1981. National 4-H Executive Development Institute, 1987-89. Epsilon Sigma Phi Mid-Career Award, North Central, 1989. USDA Superior Service Team Award for Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow, 1990. NAE4-HA American Spirit Award, 1997.

Mary Kay Munson's 4-H experience began as an eleven-year Kansas 4-H member and continued as a Kansas State collegiate 4-H member and officer. In 1965 she went to India as an IFYE delegate. A few years later she became Extension 4-H and Youth Leader in Polk & Warren Counties, IA. In graduate school at K-State, she was an Extension Graduate Assistant & 4-H International Exchange Coordinator, involving over 400 Kansas host families for Kansas 4-H Japanese Exchanges. In 1978 Mary Kay began 23 years of service in Illinois as Extension Specialist 4-H/Youth and Interim Assistant Director, 4-H Youth. She worked with several national committees, helping produce T3: Training Trainers to Teach and And My World.

Mary Kay has developed many state curricula and materials including Leadership: Skills You Never Outgrow, used in many states and several countries. Active in state affiliates and NAE4-HA, her leadership roles included chair of NAE4-HA Professional Research and Knowledge Base (4-H PRK) Task Force. She consulted on U. N. FAO projects in Uganda to develop a strategic plan for rural youth programs and a curriculum for training youth development professionals, and facilitator for a consultation to set FAO youth programming priorities. She conducted training for extension staff and volunteers with the Polish 4-H Foundation. Since retiring in 2002, she has coordinated Kansas 4-H International Exchange Programs.

"More than one hundred years ago the founders of 4-H had very good instincts. While history tells us they were motivated by helping rural families adopt improved practices, these pioneers were wise enough to know that developing the individual was equally important. They created a program that could adapt to a variety of situations and where most young people could have success. They based it on staffing by volunteer mentors and leadership of older members. I benefited from these 4-H principles fifty years ago as a member and throughout life. I hope I have fostered them for youth ever since."