Bryan Inducted to National 4-H Hall of Fame

Clarence 'Bud" Bryan of Media, Pennsylvania was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame on October 19 for his lifetime achievements and contributions to 4-H.

Honored by the Penn State 4-H Youth Development Program, Bryan was one of 15 people inducted during the ceremony at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

The National 4-H Hall of Fame honorees are nominated by their home states, National 4-H Council; the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA); or 4-H National Headquarters/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based upon their exceptional leadership at the local, state, national and international levels.

Honorees were presented with a National 4-H Hall of Fame medallion, plaque and memory book during the ceremony. The National 4-H Hall of Fame was established in 2002 as part of the Centennial Project of the NAE4-HA in partnership with National 4-H Council and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA. Visit the website for more information about the National 4-H Hall of Fame event and past recipients.

"We are proud to recognize the 2018 National 4-H Hall of Fame honorees for the passion, dedication, vision and leadership they have shown toward young people during their many years of service to 4-H," says Jeannette Rea Keywood, National 4-H Hall of Fame Committee Chair.

For over six decades, Clarence "Bud" Bryan has provided leadership of the Delaware County, Pennsylvania 4-H Program as an educator and a volunteer.

Bud Bryan was a new college graduate when he accepted his position as 4-H Agent in Delaware County, PA, in the suburban Philadelphia area, in June of 1956. He had a degree in Animal Husbandry from Penn State University. Although he was not raised on a farm, his interest in animal science came from raising poultry and dairy goats as a boy and working on farms.

Mr. Bryan's early work with Delaware County 4-H members focused on starting one of the first county 4-H horse programs in the state, which grew to over one hundred members in several years. He worked with community 4-H agricultural clubs in Newtown Square, Glen Mills, Concord Ville, and at an orphanage in Cheney. Early on, he started a plant science program in schools which soon included hundreds of members. Community vegetable gardening projects were started in urban areas including the city of Chester. Many 4-H clubs now meet at the Newtown Square Farm with 355 traditional club members and 2,560 total youth reached.

Bud has been active in many local community organizations but it was his work with the Garrett Williamson Foundation in Newtown Square that changed the face of 4-H in Delaware County. The Foundation owns a 240-acre property and one of the stipulations in the donor's will was that the historic property be maintained as a farm. Through Bryan's efforts, the Delaware County 4-H farm opened its doors on the property in 1985 with summer animal projects consisting of horses, sheep, pigs and poultry. This grew into a year-round program which has continued ever since. In addition to the many members who raise animals and poultry and work with the horses at the farm, over the past thirty years thousands of school children have participated in weekly educational field trips and day camps at the farm.

Bud's retirement in 1998 did not end his interest, nor did it dim his involvement in the Delaware County 4-H program. He became a project leader for the Sheep, Beef and Pig clubs and has served for more than twenty years as a volunteer 4-H leader since his retirement. He shared his expertise as a consultant to the volunteers at the 4-H farm for over ten years beyond retirement and continues as a club leader to this day.

Bud continues to be very active in the community. He is in charge of the Media Food Bank vegetable garden at Media Methodist Church, where all produce grown is distributed through the food bank. He is also a past director of the food bank, a position he held for eleven years. He was also active with Media Rotary Club, especially fundraising for their student recognition and scholarship programs.

Today, at age 83 and twenty years past retirement, Bud is still an active 4-H beef club leader and garden club resource leader. He is heavily involved in events at the 4-H farm. When asked what has been most memorable for him from his 61 years of involvement in Delaware County 4-H, Bud says "in addition to teaching urban and suburban kids about agricultural production, also teaching them good communication skills they will use the rest of their lives."

In the words of current 4-H Educator, Rebecca McCafferty, "Bud brings great energy to our 4-H youth development program. He is a passionate and committed volunteer and promotes 4-H in the community every day. Bud is very positive and willing to help 4-H in any way. His involvement continues to this day, as a resource for me, current volunteers and families, as well as new members and volunteers."

Contact: Jeannette Rea Keywood, National 4-H Hall of Fame Chair, 609-827-0199, reakeywood@njaes.rutgers.edu