Submitted by Amanda Lacey, UW-Madison Division of Extension
MADISON, WI – Wisconsin 4-H Youth Development is excited to announce the 2025 Hall of Fame Laureates including 10 volunteers, supporters and staff who have impacted Wisconsin 4-H. The newest classes of laureates were inducted in a ceremony at the Holiday Inn in Rothschild, Wisconsin on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
Among the 10 Hall of Fame Laureates is Francis Ginther, Retired 4-H Youth Development Agent & Professor Emeritus.
“We are incredibly grateful to this year’s laureates and the countless hours of service they have provided to the youth of Wisconsin,” says Jessica Jens, Positive Youth Development Institute Director and Wisconsin 4-H Program Associate Director, UW-Madison Division of Extension. “Their dedication and passion for the 4-H program and the youth we all collectively serve is a testimony to their generosity, talent, and commitment to helping make this world the best it can be.”
Francis Ginther spent 30 years as a 4-H Youth Development Agent, with 28 of those years spent in Pierce County where he guided one of the largest 4-H programs in Wisconsin, consisting of nearly 900 community club members and more than 200 adult volunteer leaders. Frank planned, coordinated, and conducted numerous youth experiential learning events including camps, field trips, conferences, adult and youth leadership trainings, and countless fair educational activities. In 2014, Ginther and the Pierce County 4-H staff team were recognized with the National Excellence in 4-H Club Support Award for their Multicultural Leadership Day program. Ginther was instrumental in training over 100 4-H interns in partnership with fellow Extension faculty, promoting Extension and Agricultural Education as a highly relevant and successful career path.
Because of his years of experience, he became a 4-H Program Area Liaison mentoring new Educators and helping experienced 4-H faculty and staff across Wisconsin. Ginther served multiple years as the Academic Department Chair for the UW-Extension Department of Youth Development and was Chair of the Committee of Professors for the Youth Development Section of the Department of Extension Faculty. His service to Extension earned him the Distinguished Service Award in 2003 and the Colleague of the Year Award in Colleague Development in 2015.
Ginther was also honored with the National 4-H Meritorious Service Award in 2018. Upon retirement, Ginther was named a Professor Emeritus of Youth Development.
The Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame was established to recognize 4-H volunteers, financial supporters, staff and pioneers who made major contributions to the 4-H movement at the local, state and national levels. The candidates represent 4-H in the broadest sense — people who had an impact on the lives of children, their community or state through significant contributions of time, energy or financial resources to 4-H and its members.
There were nine other 2025 Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame Laureates inducted as well.
Congratulations to all of the 4-H Hall of Fame Laureates!
