Acadia Parish 4-H Achievement Day set for April 24

After a year of hard work, 4-H’ers from across Acadia Parish will converge upon Midland High School Friday, April 24, to celebrate the year.

The appropriately titled Achievement Day will provide fun, educational opportunities for 4-H’ers and feature the recognition of Julie Hebert as this year’s honoree and Ethan Breaux of Iota Middle 4-H for his winning theme.

Breaux’s theme, “Let’s Sound Off For 4-H!!!!” takes its cues from the armed forces. His drawing also features the 4-H Pledge and military men carrying modified 4-H flags.

As in years past, Hebert will be especially honored at this year’s event.

“Ms. Julie” as she is fondly called, is married to Troy Hebert and has two children, Hanna Hulen and Trent McFarlain. She also has three grandchildren, Mason Dies, Natalie and Nicholas McFarlain. She resides in Iota and has been in the education profession for the past 26 years. 

Hebert is also a member of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the St. Joseph’s Ladies Altar Society and Iota Elementary and Middle schools PTC.

Hebert began her 4-H career as a young fourth grader at Iota Elementary. She was a very active member and carried as many as 12 projects per year, including citizenship, leadership, food and nutrition and consumer education, as well as lambs and poultry.

She won many awards for her excellent project work. These honors include being named a two-time state winner at Short Course; being the Club Congress trip winner in citizenship; being the savings bond winner in Junior Leadership; being silver tray, first place winner at the International Rice Festival and being recognized with the Good Provider Award. 

Hebert loved her involvement in the 4-H program and was selected to speak at many state functions to promote 4-H to businessmen and to elected officials.

After graduation from high school, she took on the role of 4-H leader in 1984. She then went on to McNeese University where she obtained a degree in education. She initially wanted to become a 4-H agent, but changed her major to education after she married and began a family. 

Once Hebert started teaching, she did not forget her 4-H experience and began to share her wealth of knowledge of the 4-H program with her students. Her skills in teaching club members how to do a demonstration proved to be invaluable.

Hebert works tirelessly to promote 4-H and the values the club imparts. Over the year, she has seen her club members grow and blossom into successful adults, ready to take on the challenges of this world.

One of her main goals in the 4-H program is the community service program. Her club has a very positive attitude towards helping others as well as their school. They assist with fundraisers for Heavenly Hats, St. Jude’s, Shriner’s Hospital and food baskets for the needy to name a few.

The club also has a recycling program that has been in place for many years. She has taught her club members the importance of recycling, reusing and redoing. She has donated her time, talent and resources to ensure success in these endeavors.

Even though Hebert is quite capable of doing most of the work at club meetings, community service projects or 4-H projects, she truly believes in the time-proven motto, “Learn By Doing” and has her club members follow it.

She believes club members can and will succeed if someone believes in their capabilities and puts trust and hope in their desire to be the best they can be as well.

Hebert has also assisted in the organization of and helped with many 4-H activities, such as the 4-H Labs Exchange Program, field trips and out-of-state trips.

Not only an extraordinary 4-H leader, Hebert has been selected as Teacher of the Year several times in her years, making a mark on her students year-in and year-out. When her students leave her classroom, they leave with more than just the knowledge she has imparted, but also with the confidence of becoming successful adults.

The day will still feature the song contest and several awards for the contest will be presented – Most Creative Use of Props, Most Original, Best Choreography/Presentation and the contest winners. And the winning club reporter’s scrapbook will be recognized.

Several special awards will also be presented. They include the following:

• Key Club

• Award of Excellence

• Club Performance Awards: 

- Most Improved

- Most Outstanding

- Best Mannered Club

- Most Enthusiastic Club

- Highest Percentage of Record Books and Portfolios 

- Club Service

• Club T-shirt Contest

• Outstanding 4-H Club Award

Achievement awards will also be presented at the elementary, junior, freshmen and senior levels.