News and Press

Fort Valley State 4-H Program receives financial gift from Blue Bird Bus Foundation

by Russell Boone Jr.

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Phillip Petway (fourth from right), Fort Valley State University’s Twiggs County 4-H agent, poses with members of the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation which donated $5,000 to FVSU’s Twiggs County 4-H Program. 

 

Fort Valley State University’s (FVSU) Twiggs County 4-H Program recently received a donation from a local company’s foundation. 

The Blue Bird School Bus Foundation donated $5,000 to FVSU’s Twiggs County 4-H Program during a community empowerment event. 

Phillip Petway, FVSU’s Twiggs County 4-H agent, learned about the foundation from a community member who directed him to its website. Petway spoke about the impact the grant will have on the university’s 4-H program. 

“This will allow us to successfully complete the 4-H mission of assisting youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes that will help them become productive members of society,” Petway said. 

Additionally, Petway said the grant will help Twiggs County youth cover full or partial registration costs to several 4-H events. This includes 4-H state conferences, judging competitions and 4-H summer camp opportunities.

Furthermore, the FVSU Extension agent discussed the importance of a company like Blue Bird taking an interest in FVSU’s 4-H program.

“It feels great that a nationally recognized company like Blue Bird, which is in the same city as Fort Valley State University, is pouring support back into the community and surrounding areas. More importantly, it is giving back by investing into the future of young people,” Petway said. 

Since its start in 2015, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation has supported organizations that help school aged children under 19 years of age and organizations which directly support disadvantaged communities. This includes promoting education, health and safety of children in Georgia. More than $715,000 has been donated to these organizations, including more than 80 non-profit entities in the state. 

FVSU’s Twiggs County 4-H Program is part of the FVSU Cooperative Extension 4-H Positive Youth Development Program. 

Cooperative Extension is a national network of approximately 35,000 professionals from 112 universities with presence in every county, borough, parish and territory. County-based educators, often referred to as county agents, work with local citizens and interest groups to find solutions to problems.

For more information about FVSU’s Cooperative Extension 4-H Positive Youth Development Program, contact Petway at (478) 825-6296 (petwayp@fvsu.edu) or Woodie Hughes Jr., Assistant Extension Administrator 4-H Program Leader at (478) 825-6296 (hughesw@fvsu.edu).

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• Categories:
• FVSU Agriculture College

• Tags:
• Extension

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