PENDER COUNTY, N.C. — Pender County 4-H lifetime member Jacob Farrow was recognized on the Pender County 4-H Facebook page yesterday for bringing his passion for science, technology, and service to North Carolina State University, where he studies chemical engineering. The Pender Early College High School (PECHS) graduate, who earned both his high school diploma and an Associate's Degree from Cape Fear Community College (CFCC), credits his involvement in 4-H with helping him achieve his academic goals.
Farrow began his 4-H journey with the Pender County 4-H Teen Council, earning numerous achievement awards while participating in community service projects, fundraising events, and leadership activities. He attended the NC State University Natural Resource Soil Conservation Camp, earned gold-level recognition at district and state 4-H Presentations, and attended 4-H Congress three consecutive years.
As his involvement grew, Farrow became a leader and mentor to younger members. He taught at a county 4-H Presentations Workshop, led an electrical workshop at the 2026 Winter Fling, earned recognition for an Electric Project Record Book, and qualified to attend Electric Congress. He also participated in the Leader in Training program at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Summer Camp and was selected for the 2025 Youth Voice event.
One of Farrow’s most significant accomplishments was organizing and leading a five-week 4-H electric workshop for local youth. Building on an earlier Soda Can Lamp workshop for an afterschool program, he developed lessons introducing students to electricity, electrical motherboards, and soldering. Participants applied their skills by building their own Soda Can Lamps.
Farrow designed the workshop to spark interest in electricity and encourage youth to attend 4-H Electric Congress. His efforts helped Pender County achieve a record number of youth participants at Electric Congress this summer.
Beyond his workshops, Farrow volunteered with Pender County 4-H STEM Summer Fun Days, Sphero Bot+ afterschool workshops, and Cyber Cyclones Robotics 4-H Club meetings. He accumulated more than 1,100 volunteer hours at PECHS and served as the 2025–2026 District Reporter. He was also a member of the PECHS National Honor Society and the CFCC Phi Beta Kappa, and was inducted into the 4-H Honor Club at the 2026 4-H Congress.
Farrow credits his 4-H experiences, particularly the initiative and leadership demonstrated through his electric workshop, with helping him gain acceptance into NC State’s Chemical Engineering Department.
His accomplishments reflect the impact of youth leadership, hands-on learning, and community service. As he begins his college career, Farrow continues to encourage other young people to participate in 4-H and explore opportunities to develop their interests while making a difference in their communities.