Congratulations to Katie Hollingsworth – 2020 Emerald Award Winner! Katie, from Simpson County, has been a 4-Her since age 9 and a Cloverbud before that.
Katie is currently a sophomore at Centre College, Danville, KY. She is majoring in Spanish while on the Pre-Med track. While attending college, she is a member of the swimming and diving team, a sorority member, and part of the ROTC program.
Katie describes 4-H as a place to make lifelong friends, gain experiences and discover whom 
you are. 4-H has no limit to what you can participate. Katie’s 4-H career focused on three main programs including volunteer work, sewing, and 4-H camp. Sewing was one of Katie’s favorite 4-H programs and one she excelled in as she obtained many grand champions, an overall runner-up and two overall grand champions.
Katie says, “The best part [about 4-H] is, you will receive ample amounts of support in your 4-H journey in whatever path you choose to take.”
“Out of all the events I participated in, 4-H camp had the biggest impact on me,” said Katie. “This was the event that cracked open my shell and helped me realize that being myself is the best me there is, and going outside of my comfort zone could be fun!” She goes on to say that, each year she became a little more open and her personality grew more.
“Everyone I looked up to in 4-H was a part of the Achievement Program,” said Katie. “Watching them further their 4-H careers through the program inspired me.” Katie went on to say, she wanted to take her 4-H experience to the next level. She wanted to be an Emerald Award Winner the moment she saw Anna Meador, Simpson County’s first Emerald Award winner, win her award. Katie added, “Hearing everything she accomplished and the change she enacted inspired me to do the same.” Katie then wanted to be Simpson County’s second Emerald Award Winner.
The Achievement Program teaches you no matter how good you think you are at something, you can always improve and challenge yourself. Katie adds the Achievement Program teaches you not to be content with average, challenge yourself to be a better person.
As a young 4-Her coming up in the Achievement Program Katie would tell you, “do not to be afraid to put yourself out there and go outside of your comfort zone!” Traveling outside of your box will help you gain opportunities and experiences that will develop you as a person.
Katie says 4-H is like no other youth development program, it offers a wide range and 
multitude of opportunities. 4-H participants are a diverse group of individuals who participate from all walks of life. “Making the best better” is the 4-H motto and Katie says 4-Hers carry this out in everything they do; and strive to do this within themselves and in the world around them.
“4-H didn’t change me,” said Katie. “It built on what was already there, and made me realize that I had so much more to offer. It made the best me better.”
