Martin named 2026 Michigan 4-H Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer
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EmailWashtenaw County 4-H volunteer Jean Martin has been honored with the prestigious 2026 Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award.
Washtenaw County 4-H volunteer Jean Martin has been honored with the prestigious 2026 Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer Award. This award is given to a 4-H volunteer with more than 10 years of service. Winners are selected through a statewide nomination and review process.
The Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards highlight the important work of 4-H volunteers across the state who share their time, energy and commitment with 4-H every day to improve the lives of Michigan young people. Through the 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards program, Michigan State University Extension’s 4-H Youth Development program honors outstanding volunteers for their unwavering dedication to 4-H and Michigan young people.
Martin has been a steadfast and selfless leader in the Washtenaw County 4-H program for 33 years. Her decades of knowledge, experience and dedication have reached nearly every area of the program. Quiet and humble, Martin never seeks recognition; when something needs to be done, she simply steps forward.
Since the late 1990s, Martin has served on the Washtenaw County 4-H Advisory Council, including as secretary. She is also co-superintendent of still projects, overseeing judging, recruiting and orienting judges, and ensuring the department runs smoothly. Martin serves as an administrative leader for Country Expressions 4-H Club and assists with the county 4-H archery program. Throughout the years, she has also contributed to the Livestock and Dairy Committee, Youth Show Committee, and Spring Achievement program.
“Jean is the picture of what an excellent club leader looks like,” said the Trott family, members of Martin’s 4-H club. “She is welcoming, organized and encourages youth to be involved and voice their opinions as well as develop ideas, projects and service. She has a natural leadership that both kids and adults benefit from greatly. Jean embodies the heart of 4-H and is an outstanding volunteer!”
Martin’s service has extended far beyond her formal roles. She has helped lead the annual 4-H Holiday Tree Sale, assisted with the 4-H Recognition Program, served on scholarship and awards committees, worked in the 4-H kitchen during youth shows, participated in county work bees, and has spent countless Saturdays teaching basket weaving and sewing to youth. Martin has also helped her club support Project RED by preparing materials for nearly 2,000 students and more than 80 teachers.
Perhaps Martin’s greatest legacy is the young people she has mentored. Former club members have returned as 4-H volunteers and leaders, including dairy, livestock, auction, and committee superintendents and officers. Her influence has created a lasting cycle of service and leadership within the county.
“My greatest reward has been to see former club members return to our club with their own children,” said Martin.
Martin has also been an invaluable mentor to 4-H staff, sharing her institutional knowledge and helping new staff understand the history and inner workings of the program. Named Washtenaw County 4-H Leader of the Year in 1999, Martin has become a cornerstone of the Washtenaw County 4-H program, helping to enrich the experiences and lives of countless 4-H families in the three decades of service.
Recipients of the Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards receive a $400 monetary award donated in their name to the 4-H program, club or activity of their choice. These grants are made possible by the Michigan 4-H Volunteer Recognition Fund of the Michigan 4-H Foundation. Awardees will also have their name engraved on the Salute to Excellence brick path located at the Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens in East Lansing, Michigan, and receive a personalized recognition memento at the upcoming Michigan 4-H Legacy Awards Celebration on October 3.
Bryan Shirk, of Branch County, was also awarded a 4-H Salute to Excellence recognition in 2026, receiving the 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award. For more information about the 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards and past honorees, visit https://mi4hfdtn.org/4-h-emerald-awards/michigan-4-h-salute-to-excellence-awards/.
