Wally Smith accepted a 4-H position as Assistant County Agent in Beckham County in 1957. While Area 4-H Agent for the Tulsa Area in the early 1970’s, Wally hired the first urban agent for Tulsa. A pioneer in urban programming, he served on the National 4-H Urban Development Committee, Chair of the Program Methods Committee and Co-chair of the Southern Region 4-H Urban Seminar. As State 4-H Program Leader, Wally was a strong supporter of grants and contracts that led to many new developments. He fostered a strong Agriculture in the Classroom collaboration with the state Department of Agriculture and a partnership with National 4-H Council on such programs as Alliance for 4-H and an AT&T grant program for leadership development.
Smith was a visionary leader among the Southern states as they transitioned from school-based to community-based, volunteer-led clubs. Wally authored or co-authored many project manuals and supported agent training to better support volunteer leader development at the county level. Smith was excellent at selecting the right people to build a strong team; he helped prepare at least four other professionals to become State 4-H Program Leaders in Oklahoma and around the country. Wally retired in 1989 after 32 years of service, and then he served as the statewide coordinator for the Japanese Exchange Program. He continues to be an active supporter of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation.
