As 4-H Extension professionals, we should be conducting applied research to solve specific practical problems in our communities. The methodology of applied research consists of identifying the problem, developing instruments, collecting data, evaluating our findings, and finding solutions and making recommendations.

Missouri 4-H is for YOUth! — as part of the University for Missouri — is our Missouri 4-H way to share with the public our contributions to better the lives of Missourians through 4-H. Our target audience is the people we serve: youth, volunteers, and parents as well as MU Extension and 4-H professionals.

All Missouri 4-H faculty and staff are invited to send contributions. These contributions will be reviewed by a panel of 4-H youth development professionals (peer-reviewed) before being posted to the Missouri 4-H Extension website for public viewing.

To send an article, please download and review the Submission Guidelines and copy of the rubric below.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES (PDF)

Missouri 4-H is for Youth Review Committee

Cathy GallandCathy Galland is a part-time consultant for Missouri 4-H. She retired from her position as county engagement specialist for Pulaski County and 4-H Youth Development Specialist serving Maries, Miller, Phelps and Pulaski counties in March of 2022. Cathy came to MU Extension in January of 2017 after a 25 year career in public education. Cathy has taught high school English in a traditional classroom, and later in online courses for University of Missouri’s Global High School. She has also taught courses for Lindenwood’s Ed.D. program and has served as a dissertation advisor. Much of her career included work in curriculum and program development and evaluation. Cathy worked with Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and CTB McGraw Hill in development and implementation of Missouri’s public school assessment program (MAP). She also worked as director of curriculum, professional development, and school improvement for Republic School District and as facilitator of operations for Secondary Schools in Springfield. Cathy holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s in education, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis. Cathy and her husband Mark enjoy spending time with family, especially their 19 grandchildren, at their Lake of the Ozarks home. Her hobbies include gardening, sailing, hiking and reading.

Lupita FabregasLupita Fabregas is originally from Mexico, she immigrated to the United States in 2002. She studied her undergraduate degree in agriculture engineering and animal sciences at Monterrey Tech, her master's in dducation from UPAEP and doctoral degree in agricultural education at Oklahoma State University. She worked for a Mexican university for 29 years before she accepted a position at Oklahoma State University's College of Human Sciences in 2013. Before she accepted the position as director of the Missouri 4-H Center for Youth Development, she worked for the University of California in Davis as the 4-H assistant director for diversity and expansion, leading the largest 4-H inclusion and diversity initiative in the United States. During her tenure at the University of California, the 4-H program grew more than 250%. She was the former national leader for the 4-H Latino Advisory Committee and the ESP Latino Affinity Group. She is a very active researcher and has published in diverse peer reviewed journals. She loves public speaking and youth development.

Stephanie Femrite
Stephanie Femrite

Missouri 4-H Assistant Director

Stephanie is based in 401 Gentry Hall on the Mizzou campus.
Christal Huber
Christal Huber

Program/Project Support Coordinator Senior

Christal is based in Howard County.
Sarah Wolters
Sarah Wolters

Field specialist in 4-H Youth Development

Sarah Wolters has a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Middle Childhood Education with an emphasis in Special Education and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education. She is Montessori Certified as well. She taught for six years prior to joining the MU Extension team as the 4-H Youth Development Specialist in Clay County.
Rhonda Shafer
Rhonda Shafer

Field Specialist in 4-H Youth Development