Posted on August 31, 2026 at 2:06 PM by Anna Egan
Mary Wilkins was recently recognized by ISU Extension and Outreach North Central County Services for her outstanding community engagement. She has established numerous partnerships that help families improve their quality of life.
Wilkins has built community partnerships accross the county to increase post-secondary education access and readiness skills to all students.
Mary Wilkins has been involved with 4-H since she was a nine-year member of the Spillville Co-Stars 4-H Club in Winneshiek County. She credits those early years of 4-H experiences as having influenced her choice of study Agriculture Studies and Extension Education at Iowa State University and her career path. A summer internship with Winneshiek County Extension led to student employment at the Iowa 4-H Office, where she gained a broader view of the 4-H program. In 2002, she was employed with Story County Extension as county youth coordinator, a position she held for 13 years before moving to her present role as county youth outreach coordinator.
Wilkins established connections with families to understand what they wanted for their children’s 4-H experience.
The question for Mary Wilkins is “How do we tie the interest of youth to 4-H?” Whether with collaborators, at career fairs, or with a group of students, Wilkins is likely to share the benefits of 4-H as: “Giving to the community, exploring interests, participating in events, developing life skills, and applying for scholarships.”
