April 17, 2015 - While distractions affect drivers of all ages, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that hand-held cell phone use is highest among 16- to 24-year-olds. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted. In Texas, 46 percent of urban teens and 52 percent of rural teens talk on a cell phone while driving, and nearly the same percentage text while driving. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute).
April 6, 2015 - We all know everything is bigger in Texas! However, one number that we do not want to see bigger is the number of children ages 8-14 who are fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), from 2009-2012, a total of 188 children ages 8-14 were killed in motor vehicle crashes. Nationally, among children fatally injured in this age group, an average of 49% were unrestrained; in Texas, however, the rate of unrestrained fatalities was 58%. Parents and caregivers need to work to change this statistic!
February 23, 2015 - The Shelby County 4-H Photography contest was held on February 10, 2015 in the Shelby County Courthouse. We had a record number of participants ranked by the age divisions of Senior, Intermediate and Junior and judged in 15 different categories.
February 17, 2015 - The Shelby County 4-H Food Project students have been quite busy over the past several months. In November, the Food Project began with educational workshops on Kitchen Safety, Food Safety, Nutrition Basics and Public Speaking.
January 23, 2015 - "Keep Calm and Walk On" was the slogan for the Shelby county - Walk Across Texas contestants as the eleven teams and four solo walkers dusted off their walking shoes and joined in to “Walk Across Texas!” These teams and solo walkers competed with each other to see who could walk the most miles over eight weeks from October 27 – December 19, 2014. Their goal was to walk at least 830 miles (the distance from Longview to El Paso) in eight weeks.
January 16, 2015 - While many people think that 4-H is just about raising livestock, nothing could be further from the truth! We have numerous 4-H’ers involved in projects like clothing & textiles, photography, public speaking, shooting sports, etc. No matter what the project, the goal of 4-H is to develop life skills and leadership within young people so they become productive, contributing members of society. And we could not do it without the time, talent and dedication of 4-H volunteer leaders, so special thanks to them!