Awards recognize exemplary service and programming of statewide faculty and staff
Grayson County Conservation Team was among those honored when Faculty and staff of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service gathered from across the state to receive the agency’s Superior Service Awards during a ceremony on July 16 in the new Texas 4-H Headquarters.
The Grayson County Conservation Team is led by Chad Cummings, Ph.D., agricultural and natural resources agent, and Tamra McGaughy, Ph.D., 4-H youth development agent, both in Grayson County. The Grayson County Conservation Team has transformed a long-standing, limited-scale conservation event into a scalable, school-based environmental education program. Since 2023, the Conservation Team has reached more than 5,400 elementary students.
The team includes a diverse coalition of AgriLife Extension professionals, educators, volunteers and high school students to deliver hands-on, TEKS-aligned conservation education directly to schools. This innovative, collaborative model removed logistical barriers, expanded participation, strengthened community partnerships and produced measurable learning gains while building a sustainable workforce pipeline for conservation education in Grayson County.
The Grayson County Conservation Team (made up of Grayson County Texas A&M AgriLife Staff, Bluestem Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist, Grayson County Master Gardeners, TCOG, TPWD, Sherman High School, and Denison High School) was awarded the Superior Service Team Award from the State AgriLife Office for our work on the Grayson County Conservation Days events at area elementary schools each spring. To date we have reached over 5,400 students in the county to teach and demonstrate conservation efforts for soil, water, wildlife, and the environment.
“Service is at the core of AgriLife Extension and the very heart of the land-grant mission,” said Rick Avery, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension director, Bryan-College Station. “Our awardees reflect the highest standards of our agency. Through their dedication, commitment to education and passion for serving others, they demonstrate what makes AgriLife Extension strong and why we continue to make a difference in every corner of this state.”
