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- Former Louisiana 4-H leader inducted into National 4-H Hall of Fame
(10/07/16) BATON ROUGE, La. – Stanley J. Lamendola, a former Louisiana 4-H leader who overhauled the program’s educational offerings for youth, extension agents and volunteers alike, was inducted into the National 4‑H Hall of Fame on Oct. 7.
Lamendola and 15 others were recognized at a ceremony at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Hall of Fame laureates have been selected annually since 2002 for their contributions to 4-H, which is the nation’s largest youth development organization and serves more than 6 million young people.
“We are proud to acknowledge the outstanding 2016 National 4-H Hall of Fame honorees for the passion, dedication, vision and leadership they’ve shown toward our young people during their many years of service to 4-H,” said Jeannette Rea Keywood, National 4-H Hall of Fame committee chair.
Lamendola, 82, was an eight-year member of his 4-H Club as a boy in St. James Parish. He went on to spend 33 years working in extension and 4-H at the LSU AgCenter. He retired in 1996 as the assistant director of the Louisiana 4-H State Office.
His career began with a seven-year stint as a 4-H agent in Avoyelles Parish followed by two and a half years as a visiting professor of extension education in Malaysia, where he started a 4-H Club and taught members to grow peanuts to help feed their families. After returning to Louisiana, Lamendola became a community resource development agent and a district agent.
Later, as the assistant 4-H director, Lamendola led an extensive revamping of Camp Grant Walker, the AgCenter 4-H facility in Pollock. He oversaw renovations — including the addition of sidewalks, outdoor speakers, landscaping, benches and educational rooms — and acquired an additional 1.5 acres of land.
Lamendola was the first president of the Louisiana 4-H Agents Association, which he helped launch in 1976, and pioneered new strategies for staff development meetings. He served on several committees and coordinated a number of conferences. He also created new activities for 4-H’ers, including awards trips, community-service contests, advisory committees, conferences and officer training sessions.
Lamendola, who was inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame in 2010, still helps judge contests and is a regular guest speaker to 4-H volunteers.
Others inducted into the Hall of Fame this year are Estella Almeida, New Jersey; Janet C. Burns Athanas, Alaska; Shirley R. Bond, Florida; James L. Byford, Tennessee; L. Ann Domsch, Kansas; Lila Jeanne Eichelberger, Illinois; Eddie L. Locklear, National 4-H Council; John L. Loyd, West Virginia; Steve Mullen, 4-H National Headquarters; Linda Gould Nierman, Indiana; Marvin Olinsky, Ohio; Nancy Hottle Scheerbaum, Pennsylvania; Wendy J. Stivers, Kentucky; William Viar, National Association of Extension 4-H Agents; and Kathleen E. Vos, Wisconsin.
Stanley Lamendola