Mel Johnson

WVU freshman Mel Johnson of Hinton earned a Brad Davis Family Scholarship to attend 2007 Alpha II state camp. The scholarship paid for an entire Alpha II camp. “Since I’m in college, I wouldn’t have been financially able to attend Alpha II without the scholarship,” Mel commented. “I have worked at Long John Silvers to earn money for camps.”

He has attended county camps since first joining 4-H in the ninth grade and attended his first Alpha II camp the following year. He is an enthusiastic recruiter for state camps. “At my own county camp, I am always preaching to younger campers to attend Alpha II. When I first started there were only two of us from Summers County—last year there were 14 of us,” he said proudly.

“Having made friends at Alpha II helped in my college transition. I was lucky to have older friends on campus that helped me learn my way around. I’ve also met others through Collegiate 4-H , so now when I’m traveling home to Hinton I have friends in all of the counties I’m traveling through, who could help me if I broke down. That’s a great resource to have in such a rural state as West Virginia.”