Vance County 4-H is proud to announce that Dr. Nancy Jean Jackson was inducted into the inaugural class of the NC 4-H Hall of Fame during a celebration at NC 4-H Congress on Tuesday, July 21, 2009.

Jackson began her work in 4-H as a nine-year-old active member of the Middleburg Cloverleaf 4-H Club. Her grandmother, Sallie Rose Mabry, and grandfather, Joseph Duke Mabry, had been members of 4-H's forerunners--the Tomato Club and the Corn Club. Her mother, Rose Mabry Jackson, was long active in Extension Homemakers (and it's earlier version, the Home Demonstration Club) at the local, state, and national levels. Jean Jackson was proud to follow in their footsteps by being active at all levels of 4-H.

Jackson participated in 4-H Dress Revue, attended 4-H camp four years, held all offices in the local club and was elected president of the North Central district. She received the Danforth Award and the NC Key Award. She regularly attended NC 4-H Congress at NC State University and was inducted into the NC 4-H Honor Club. She was selected as a representative to NC 4-H Electric Congress, as NC's representative to the Virginia State 4-H Congress, and to the 4-H Cititzenship Short Course in Washington, DC. Selected as the NC state winner in photography, she attended National 4-H Congress in Chicago, where Kodak purchased one of her photographs for use in 4-H handbooks. Jackson assisted the county agent in starting a new 4-H club in Kittrell in the late 1960's. As an older 4-Her, Jackson focused her work on leadership and public speaking, work that continues in her academic career.

As an adult, Jackson’s commitment to excellence has garnered academic honors too numerous to mention. She graduated magna cum laude from Meredith College in 1975 and attained the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English from the University of Illinois. Dr. Jackson currently serves as Vice President for College Programs at Meredith College.

The NC 4-H Alumni and Friends Association created the NC 4-H Hall of Fame to honor people who have made a significant impact on the NC 4-H Program and including forerunners of the program, such as corn, swine, and tomato clubs. Honorees will be selected each year from nominations made by county Extension centers, 4-H groups, NC Cooperative Extension staff, and individuals. The inaugural class included 100 members who were inducted during the NC 4-H 1909-2009 Centennial Celebration!