Mary Jean Craig was an 11 year 4-H member and a 33-year volunteer leader. Four generations of her family were involved in 4-H and were recognized as an Idaho 4-H Centennial Family with 138 years of involvement. Mary Jean began her Extension career in 1979, serving as Extension Educator in Latah and Clearwater Counties. In 1987, she transitioned to the Univ. of Idaho State 4-H Office. She developed a statewide Know Your Government Conference for 8th and 9th grade youth and coordinated this event from 1987 until she retired in 2009. The KYG program received recognition as NAE4-HA national winner for ‘ for Excellence in Teen Programming’ in 1992 and the ‘ of Youth’ award in 2003.
Mary Jean co-coordinated ID 4-H Teen Conference and coordinated the ID delegations to regional and national 4-H Events for 23 years. She proposed and later coordinated the ID 4-H Endowment college scholarship program. She was the office historian, maintaining a database of Idaho participants in state, regional and national 4-H events. Mary Jean was an IAE4-HA officer and committee chair. In 2002 she was instrumental in creating the National 4-H Hall of Fame and still serves on that NAE4-HA committee. Mary Jean helped start the Idaho 4-H Hall of Fame, into which she was inducted in 2014. She has taught Sunday School for 30 years, is active in the Palouse Patchers quilt guild, serving as vice-president and quilt show chair.
