St. James 4-H

08/31/2026

Grab your costumes and join us for Party with the Pumpkins on Tuesday, October 27th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at Lutcher Park. This is a FREE trick or treating event that is open to ALL AGES. Participants do not have to be registered 4-H members in order to attend. Everyone is invited! We will have local businesses and companies from neighboring parishes handing out candy, trinkets and more. We can't wait to see everyone in their funny, scary and unique costumes!

If your business is interested in setting up a booth, please contact the 4-H office (225-562-2320) or email Carly Dufresne ([email protected]).

08/28/2026

08/19/2026

💚🍀 A Message from Mrs. Laynie 🍀💚

After seven wonderful years serving as a 4-H Agent, I have made the difficult decision to begin a new chapter and will be transitioning to a classroom teaching position beginning this week.

This decision comes after much prayer, reflection, and a desire to spend more time with my family. While I am excited for what lies ahead, it is bittersweet to step away from a role that has been such a meaningful part of my life.

I am incredibly grateful to the LSU AgCenter, my fellow agents, the St. James Parish office, our volunteers, community partners, and especially the 4-H members and families who have made these years so rewarding. From camps and contests to club meetings and countless unforgettable adventures, it has been a privilege to watch so many young people learn, grow, and succeed.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your 4-H journey. St. James Parish 4-H will always hold a special place in my heart as the place where I got my start as a member and grew my love for 4-H and agriculture, and I look forward to continuing to support the program as a volunteer.

As I move forward, I do so with gratitude for the memories, confidence in the future, and faith that God is leading me exactly where I am meant to be.

08/17/2026

This new year in 4-H is off to a great start! We've officially reached over 80 enrolled members via our online portal just in the first two weeks of open enrollment! There's still plenty of time to join, and introductory club meetings will be kicking off in September! Keep spreading the word about 4-H and help St. James 4-H "PAINT THE PARISH GREEN" on Thursday, September 3rd during Rush Week!

*If enrolling online make sure your membership is completely submitted. We have a number of enrollments pending as "incomplete" that cannot be approved. Contact the office for any questions!

08/10/2026

This past weekend Mrs. Jackie McCreary was officially inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame at Camp Grant Walker in Po***ck, LA. We feel so honored to have Mrs. Jackie a part of the St. James Parish 4-H program for all of the work she has done and continues to do for our youth and community. Congratulations Mrs. Jackie!

08/07/2026

It’s a bittersweet day as we say goodbye to our summer intern, Guilliana Esquivel. Through the St. James Parish Government summer internship program, she was placed at the St. James Parish LSU AgCenter Extension Office to learn the ropes of each field of the extension service. She spent her summer traveling with the 4-H agents across the state, assisted the horticulture agent with her library series and dived deep into the sugarcane fields with our agronomy agent.

We are going to miss her tremendously, but we know she has a bright future ahead as she begins her next chapter at McNeese State University. But this is not a goodbye, just a see you later because we know this sugarcane loving girl can’t stay away from St. James Parish forever. 💚

08/06/2026

Last week, we had 10 4-H members represent St. James Parish at LOST Camp at Camp Grant Walker, 8 of those campers and 2 camp counselors. LOST Camp is designed for 7th and 8th grade members with interest in building leadership skills while also learning skills in the areas of STEM and Outdoor Skills. They met new friends and made lasting memories to close out their 4-H summer!

LOST Camp Campers:
Raegan Jackson
Lorelei Gravois
Emily Laurent
Logan Jackson
Aubrey Louque
Gemma Millet
Jacob Folse

Camp Counselors:
Guilliana Esquivel
Keagan Patterson

08/03/2026

4-H Enrollment is open for the 2026-2027 school year! Enroll today in St. James Parish 4-H! 🍀
All 3rd-12th grade students in St. James Parish are eligible to enroll in the St. James Parish 4-H program. This program offers endless opportunities for your child to grow and discover their passions while also making new friends and memories to last a lifetime!
All 3rd graders are encouraged to enroll in our FREE Cloverbud program that offers a unique experience to learn about the 4-H program and different program areas. Our 4th-12th graders can also join the 4-H program for FREE this year thanks to our generous supporters at Marathon Pipeline. These students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities focusing on multiple content areas while also building their leadership skills.

To enroll in the St. James Parish 4-H program, you can follow the instructions below for online enrollment. Enrolling online through 4-H Online is strongly encouraged, however, if a paper form is needed, please call the 4-H office. If you are a new member, please follow the directions on the green flyer. If you are a returning member, please follow the directions on the orange flyer. If you have any questions about enrollment, please contact the 4-H office at 225-562-2320 or the 4-H Agents - Carly Dufresne ([email protected]) or Laynie Smith ([email protected]).

07/24/2026

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON, ST. JAMES 4-H'ERS!

Starting on August 1st, enrollment will open for a brand-new program year in St. James Parish 4-H, and we need YOUR help to get us to our enrollment goal for the year. Last year, St. James 4-H enrolled nearly 370 members in our club parish wide! This year, we want to increase that number by 10%, which means we need about 40 new members to enroll this year.

We are also very excited and grateful to announce that all $5 general membership dues are PAID for our 4-H members this year due to a generous donation from Marathon Pipe Line!

So to help spread the word, we're rolling out Rush Week on AUGUST 31st with brand new events to make this year's recruitment drive better than ever! In the meantime, you can help us reach our enrollment goal by sharing this post and telling people about the impacts we have on youth in the parish. We will also be set up at open houses this year, so stop by and come see our booth at your school!

Mrs. Carly and Mrs. Laynie are "Beyond Ready" to spend this year "Making the Best Better" in St. James Parish! See you soon, 4-H'ers!