Developing Expertise

Kris Johnson turns 4-H activities into life skills

Story by Bonnie Coblentz • Photos by Kevin Hudson

If a kid can be a modern-day Renaissance man, 4-H member Krishton “Kris” Johnson of Jackson fits the bill.

Kris, 14, is a homeschooled freshman who has leveraged his membership in his local 4-H club in Hinds County and other community efforts to get involved in robotics, wildlife, expressive dance, leadership, mentoring, social media influencing, and community service. He lives out the 4-H mission to “create supportive environments for culturally diverse young people and adults to reach their fullest potential.”

Kris, the son of Tra-c Mae and Kevis Johnson, says 4-H has introduced him to some different activities that he had not previously experienced. 4-H is delivered by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

“Being in 4-H opens you up to new things,” Kris emphasizes. “I still want to do more stuff and learn more things. You just have to have an open mind to what you can do.”

He is heavily involved in a robotics club in the Jackson area, but even though he teaches coding and mentors there, Kris calls that a hobby. His real passion is wildlife, he says, and he hopes to become a zoologist one day.

Kris’s love for wildlife and animals is evident in a series of online videos where he interacts, often humorously, with a variety of animals. He teaches classmates at his home school, Treasure Chest Learning Academy, what he knows about the wildlife he finds.

That is not his only talent, as Kris has taken his expressive art skills in hip-hop and body isolation dance to competition. His success in a Hinds County 4-H talent show moved him to the next stage, where he earned third place in a citywide talent show.

“I feel like I have gained confidence and a responsible feeling for my career,” he says. “4-H helped me see I can do all of those things and actually succeed in life. It gives you an idea of what you can do in life.”

Dr. Rocheryl Ware, Extension agent in Hinds County, calls Kris an independent self-starter.

“A big part of his community service and leadership is that Kris is a mentor to a lot of kids in his community,” Ware says. “He is a big proponent of esteem building. When we have our 4-H activities, he is the one who will go to the kids if they are a little nervous and say, ‘You can do this.’

“Some people don’t have the patience, but if he’s demonstrating something, he’ll say, ‘Let’s do it together,’” she emphasizes. “He is a champion for the other kids.”