Washtenaw County youth elected to Michigan 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees
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EmailWashtenaw County 4-H member Shepherd Thompson was elected to the Michigan 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees in October.
Washtenaw County 4-H member Shepherd Thompson was elected to the Michigan 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees in October. He was elected to serve a three-year term as a youth trustee.
The Michigan 4-H Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that supports the mission and vision of Michigan State University Extension 4-H Youth Development. The foundation receives donations from individuals and organizations to support 4-H youth development activities and to train Michigan 4-H’s adult and older teen volunteers.
Michigan 4-H Foundation trustees are volunteers who serve as community advocates for 4-H and lead and manage the operation of the Michigan 4-H Foundation. Three positions on the 30-member board are reserved for trustees between the ages of 16 and 22. These youth trustees, all 4-H members, provide a youth voice to the board and help it to keep to the 4-H mission.
Thompson has been a Michigan 4-H member for six years, participating in the goat and still project areas. He served on the Washtenaw County 4-H Small Animal Committee and volunteers at the county fair with his club. In addition, Thompson enjoys creating strategic board games, which he exhibits and sells at the 4-H entrepreneur auction at the fair. At the state level, Thompson has attended 4-H Exploration Days and the Michigan 4-H World Food Prize Michigan Youth Institute, where he was selected to represent Michigan at the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute in 2024.
Thompson is a sophomore at Washtenaw Christian Academy, serving as student government vice president and co-captain of his soccer team. Outside his school activities, Thompson has served as a panelist for the Greater Lansing United Nations Association, been an intern with the Virtual International Student Alliance, and is actively involved in his church’s youth leadership team. Although still an underclassman, Thompson is considering a career in packaging as a way to continue exploring his creativity and entrepreneurial interests sparked by the 4-H projects he has created.
To learn more about the Michigan 4-H Foundation, visit https://mi4hfdtn.org/.
