Brown Family
Steve and Jill Brown of Sumner County are passionate about supporting Tennessee 4-H because the organization has played a big role in their family for decades. Both Steve and Jill participated in 4-H beginning in fourth grade, and their two adult daughters, Hannah and Hadley, were also very active in 4-H.
“I still remember doing the 4-H speech competition. I really liked it, and I won over my classroom,” jokes Steve Brown, a founding CPA at Brown & Maguire CPAs, a full-service accounting firm with offices in Nashville, Goodlettsville and Columbia. “I remember advancing on to the next phase, which was intimidating but a good experience. I look back fondly on that.”
4-H: A Brown Family Affair
The Browns’ oldest daughter, Hannah Parker, grew up competing in 4-H wildlife judging and explored the health, nutrition and wellness project areas.
“Hannah met her husband in 4-H on the wildlife judging team, so 4-H will always have a special place in our hearts,” Brown says. “They recently had our first grandchild.”
See more: Hadley Brown’s 4-H Career Took Her All the Way to Harvard
Younger daughter Hadley served as Tennessee 4-H Congress Governor and State Council president. As a fifth grader, Hadley won the Sumner County 4-H Public Speaking Competition. In the 10th grade, she went on to win the State Public Speaking Contest, and she later placed fifth at the national competition. Hadley is now a rising junior at Harvard University studying government.
“Hadley loved her experience in 4-H. In talking with the admissions folks at Harvard, one of the things that made her stand out was her high-level involvement in 4-H because they didn’t see it a lot,” Brown says. “That was one of the deciding factors in her admission to Harvard.”
Prep for Success
The Browns appreciate all the ways 4-H has prepared them for success and the dedicated adults who are willing to support the needs of children.
“Our girls were in Sumner County 4-H, and our extension office was always super helpful,” Brown says. “The folks at UT Extension are great people who invested a lot into our children and the program.”
That’s why Brown & Maguire CPAs routinely supports Tennessee 4-H financially, in part by sponsoring several project awards given out annually.
“It’s always fun to talk with students about their interests and their projects, and it’s good to see them get a trophy as a little way to encourage those kids to grow, develop and move forward in life,” Brown says. “It’s important to give kids the carrot to push themselves to be better than they think they are capable of. It creates confidence in these youth and instills the belief they can do more than they think they can. They really are exceptional kids.”
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Another reason the Browns support Tennessee 4-H is because the organization fosters a sense of community and belonging.
“For our children, 4-H created a community that was a huge benefit because we met so many people we would not have otherwise gotten to know,” Brown says. “Our older daughter wouldn’t have met her husband if it wasn’t for 4-H.”
They also appreciate how 4-H allows students to dabble in a lot of different things, whether it be wildlife judging, archery, 4-H camp, STEM, travel, food and nutrition, and so much more.
“When people think about 4-H, they often think of the agricultural side, but for many Tennesseans, cows, pigs and chickens aren’t an option,” Brown says. “There is so much more to 4-H than agriculture and so many other avenues for children to grow. When kids are able to try so many different things, it creates confidence and gives spice to life.”