There are few branches on Elyse Daniel’s family tree without a connection to 4-H. Elyse’s mother worked in the 4-H program. Elyse participated in 4-H when she was growing up in Gordon County. And all of Elyse’s sons have been active in Oconee County’s 4-H program.

With three sons in the 4-H program at one time or another, you might expect Elyse to frequently be at the Extension office in downtown Watkinsville. However, Elyse is at the office for more than just dropping off and picking up her sons.

Lauren Healey, an Oconee County Extension agent, said Elyse is there helping 4-H’ers with their project demonstrations. Healey said Elsye helps with interviews and portfolios. She chaperones trips with the dairy quiz bowl and dairy judging teams. She serves as a counselor at Rock Eagle camp in the summer. Elsye, who teaches sixth grade advanced and accelerated math at Oconee County Middle School, also acts as a liaison between her school and the 4-H program.

For years, Healey said, Elsye has pitched in to help wherever and whenever help was needed. Her countless hours of work did not go unnoticed, and the Oconee 4-H office nominated Elyse for the honor of statewide 4-H Volunteer of the Year. Out of a huge pool of applicants, Elyse was chosen last week as one of the five top volunteers in the state.

In the world of 4-H, this is no small honor.

“It was an extremely competitive application process,” said Healey. “All of the state’s 159 counties nominated at least one person for this honor, and out of that huge pool of applicants, only five were chosen.”

Elyse did not know she was nominated, so the honor was certainly not anticipated.

“I was really so surprised,” Elyse said. “I can tell you that I Mastered in 4-H, and this honor is equally important to me as my Master status.”

While Elsye is very proud of her honor, she insists that the things she does for 4-H are nothing out of the ordinary. The young people she helps beg to differ.

“She listened to my demonstrations and really helped me with those,” said Meghan Mitchell, 15.

“She is great to give me pointers on my interviews,” said Jasmine Krasle, 16.

Garrett Hibbs succinctly summed up just what makes Elyse so special.

“She is awesome,” Garrett, 16, said.

Garrett’s father, Henry Hibbs, is Oconee’s Extension service coordinator. He also had a quick summation of Elyse’s dedication to 4-H.

“This is an honor,” he said, “that is long overdue.”

It is easy to see Elyse is not comfortable with so much attention. But, while she refuses to brag on herself, she is quick to praise 4-H.

“Through my experience with 4-H, I have seen how 4-H provides leadership training, promotes community service, helps with public speaking, and builds confidence,” she said. “I have seen 4-H help students choose a career and find their life calling.”

“The kids are my inspiration,” she continued. “I get to see them grow. I get to see them develop intellectually and emotionally.”

Elyse said, honestly, she feels like gets far more from the students than they get from her.

“I learn so many things from listening to them,” she said. “I am constantly amazed at the projects they work on.”

Another thing Elyse has learned over the years is how to balance her time. After all, volunteering is not the only hat Elyse wears. Besides teaching full-time, she and her husband, Mike, have an Oconee County farm. Then there are the three boys. Jacob, 21, is an agriculture business major at UGA. Josh, 18, just graduated from Oconee County High School and will soon begin his freshman year at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. In a few days, Jared, 12, will start seventh grade at Oconee County Middle School.

With a full load of work, family and career, how does Elyse even find time to help out with 4-H?

“I just work when I can,” she explained. “I work mainly on weekends and in the summer.”

She has been giving up summers and weekends for so long, Elyse cannot envision a time when she does not volunteer.

“I think I will still be a counselor at Cloverleaf camp next year, and I won’t have a child who is a Cloverleaf,” Elyse said. “I have been accused of never growing up, so I guess I will be a counselor who never grew up.”

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