Covington 4-Her Youth in Action finalist

COVINGTON — National 4-H Council has announced that CJ Harris of Covington is a runner-up for the 2022 4-H Youth in Action Award for STEM. Harris is recognized nationally for his work in using 3D printing to effectively and cheaply produce prosthetic limbs for children.

Five years ago, Harris began his efforts by teaching 4-Hers 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 more than 1 million viewers.

Now a freshman at Georgia State University, Harris says he hopes to become a mechanical engineer.

The 4-H Youth in Action Awards began in 2010 to recognize 4-Hers 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, visit 4-H.org/YouthInAction.

4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. 4-H 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 work with 1 million young people in 50 countries.

Find National 4-H on Facebook at facebook.com/4-H and on Twitter at twitter.com/4H.

Special Photo: UGA/CAES