Coryell County 4-H members head to state competition after Exchange Club visit

Kinsley McPherson and Luoretta Roehrig brought a Coryell County success story to the Gatesville Exchange Club on Thursday, May 28: two 4-H seniors whose years in the program had carried them from county-level work to Texas 4-H Roundup in College Station.

Becky Coward brought the two students before the club, where McPherson described joining 4-H in third grade and growing from a newcomer into a leader. Their appearance gave the Exchange Club a look at a youth pipeline that has long mattered in Coryell County, where 4-H remains one of the most visible places for children to build public speaking, competition and leadership skills.

The students were headed to State 4-H competition, part of Texas 4-H Roundup, which Texas A&M AgriLife Extension describes as the pinnacle event of the state program. The 2026 roundup ran June 1-4 at Texas A&M University in College Station and included about 50 competitive events. Senior-level members in grades 9 through 12 qualified through county and district competition before advancing to the state stage.

McPherson’s path showed how that system can work over time. She was among three Coryell County 4-H seniors who received $1,000 Blackland Income Growth scholarships on Jan. 6 during the Blackland Income Growth Conference in Waco. In 2025, she also traveled with the Coryell County 4-H Senior Horse Judging Team to Amarillo, where she placed sixth high individual and helped the team finish second overall. Those milestones underscored how a local youth program can lead to both academic support and competitive recognition.

The Exchange Club visit came as the organization itself prepared for a change. The Gatesville group said it would move from Thursday morning meetings at The Junction on Route 36, 1216 TX-36 N, to Mondays at 5:30 p.m. starting June 1 at The Gathering on Main, 2429 East Main Street. The club describes itself as an all-volunteer service organization focused on community service, leadership and friendship.

That civic setting fit the message of the day. Just weeks earlier, the club had hosted its 30th annual Day of the Child event at Freedom Park on May 2, another reminder that local service groups and youth programs often overlap in Gatesville. For Coryell County families, the 4-H seniors’ progress offered a clear example of how early involvement, steady mentorship and community backing can turn after-school participation into scholarships, leadership and statewide opportunity.