John Allen
4-H is a lifelong journey that shapes lives, careers and relationships along the way. John Allen, a retired UT Extension agent and National 4-H Council employee, counts himself blessed that 4-H has been such a vital part of his life and welcomes the opportunity to give back to the organization.
Allen’s 4-H journey began in the fifth grade, when a birdhouse he built and painted with his father won an award that his mother kept in the family Bible for the rest of her life. However, his subsequent 4-H experiences in grade school didn’t go so smoothly. After a rocky public speaking competition in which he neglected to memorize his full speech, Allen got a taste of the ups and downs of competition.
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John Allen winning the county 4-H Public Speaking contest.
“From that point on, every time I entered public speaking, I won,” Allen says.
Allen’s career was influenced early on by a classroom visit from assistant county agent Robert Waddell, who became an influential figure in his 4-H journey.
“I looked at him, and I thought he must have the neatest job in the entire world, because all he does all day is to go from one school to another, organizing 4-H clubs,” Allen says. “It was in the sixth grade that I decided that was what I was going to do for my career.”
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John Allen with his Guernsey heifer, showing at the county fair.
Throughout the rest of his school career, Allen focused on public speaking, leadership and citizenship. 4-H gave Allen travel opportunities that he may not have had otherwise, including a trip to visit National 4-H Congress in Chicago while in the area for a national poultry judging contest.
“I thought, one day I’m going to come back here,” says Allen.
John Allen with fellow 4-H agents at National 4-H Shooting Sports event in the 80s.
4-H-Filled Career
Sure enough, Allen returned years later, not as a 4-H member but as an employee of the National 4-H Council. Allen’s long tenure with the council began after he returned home from active-duty training with the U.S. Army. Allen began his career in Davidson County, where he helped launch some of the first 4-H initiatives in Nashville. Previously, the organization had focused primarily on rural areas.
“We expanded into the suburban and inner city areas. 4-H is just as relevant for those young people as it is for rural young people,” Allen says. “Everybody benefits from public speaking. Everybody benefits from the leadership program. Regardless of where you live or what you’re going to do in life, public speaking and leadership are critical to your success.”
Georgia Governor declares June Anti-Drinking and Driving in Georgia; John Allen is pictured with MADD Georgia Officers, and staff from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
Allen’s outstanding efforts earned him an invitation to move to Washington, D.C., to continue his work for the National 4-H Council. Over 19 years with the Council, Allen helped launch initiatives such as the National 4-H Forestry Invitational, a national judging event in West Virginia; the Salute to Excellence awards program; and a planned giving program, all of which are going strong today. He worked with companies like Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, John Deere and the International Paper Company to fund an array of awards programs for 4-H members.
Establishing the Alumni
To keep people involved in 4-H after school, Allen helped start the Tennessee 4-H Alumni and Friends program. The organization’s original objectives were drafted in his office one day in the early 1970s, and the alumni program has thrived ever since. Allen will help organize a regional conference later this year to attract even more alumni who want to give back to the organization that helped shape their lives.
John was a founding member of the Tennessee 4-H Alumni and Friends.
Even after leaving the National 4-H Council, Allen continued to use his 4-H background to work for causes like Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Other accomplishments include presiding over the Putnam County Fair and coordinating the Cumberland Quilt Festival.
“I’ve always had an interest in community service,” Allen says. “4-H enhanced and strengthened that part of me tremendously. Wherever I’ve gone, I’ve always been involved with organizations at the community level.”
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4-H Alumni Reunion
While Allen has enjoyed a long and successful career, the relationships formed along the way have endured the longest. From mentees that he taught in his early days as a county Extension agent to friends and colleagues formed at work, Allen is awed by the relationships that have lasted over a 45-year career.
Since that day in sixth grade when Allen decided on his future career, 4-H has been an essential part of his life, bringing innumerable gifts along the way.
“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Allen says.