A Covington resident was a finalist for a national 4-H award for his work to use 3D printing to effectively and cheaply produce prosthetic limbs for children.
CJ Harris was a runner-up for the 2022 4-H Youth in Action Award for STEM, the National 4-H Council announced.
Five years ago, Harris began his efforts by teaching 4-H’ers about service opportunities with the e-Nable foundation, a volunteer organization that uses 3D printers to make free and low-cost prosthetic upper-limb devices for children in need.
Harris has taught classes on 3D printing and the intricacies of the human hand, and he helped his local 4-H club purchase a 3D printer.
His efforts earned him recognition in the media, bringing the impact of his awareness project from Newton County to over 1 million viewers.
Now a freshman at Georgia State University, Harris hopes to become a mechanical engineer.
“CJ Harris used to be so shy his mouth would dry up when it came time to speak. Today, thanks to 4‑H, he has become a confident teacher and leader in his community and state,” according to the 4-H website.
“Through this activism, he has also shared at statewide conferences and the Farm Bureau’s show, ‘Farm Monitors.’”
The 4-H Youth in Action Awards began in 2010 to recognize 4-H’ers who have overcome challenges and used the knowledge they gained in 4-H to create a lasting impact in their community.
To learn more about the 4-H Youth in Action program and the 2022 runners up, please visit 4-H.org/YouthInAction.
Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness.
As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 242,000 people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.
Four-H also is the nation’s largest youth development organization and empower nearly 6 million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills.
It is the youth development program of the nation’s Cooperative Extension System and U.S. Department of Agriculture, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower 1 million youth in 50 countries.
The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.
For more information on Georgia 4-H, visit georgia4h.org or contact the local UGA Cooperative Extension office. Find National 4-H on Facebook and on Twitter.
