NATCHEZ — The community efforts of the Master Gardeners, the local 4-H group and the Adams County Extension Service recently earned attention on the state level.

Adams County Extension Service Director David Carter said the extension program took home two first place prizes at the 2011 Mississippi Master Gardener Association Awards.

Carter said the service took home the award for best newsletter, along with the award for best educational program.

“Our educational program was one we started in February,” he said. “We went and hosted a demonstration for area residents on how to properly prune crape myrtle trees.”

Carter said the extension service hosted this educational program so that county residents would know how to properly maintain a tree so prevalent in the area.

“Everyone needs to know how these are maintained,” he said. “And we were glad to be able to tell people how to do it.”

Carter said the Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers International Project of the year award went to Adams County as well.

The group’s project involved making clothing and sending it to families in other countries, Carter said.

The Adams County extension program’s 4-H has also been recognized recently.

Five youth from the Adams County 4-H recently attended the 2011 Mississippi 4-H Club Congress where four members competed and brought home a blue ribbon, two red ribbons and a white ribbon.

The 4-H program also took home a Rosetta ribbon, blue ribbon and second place award at the 2011 Southwest District Project Achievement day.

One 4-H youth even qualified for the 2011 Mississippi 4-H State Horse Show later this month with her third and sixth place awards at the 2011 Southwest District Horse Show.

Carter said the extension service could not achieve their award winning efforts without help from the community.

“A lot of the awards we win are not because of what we do, but because the public get involved and helps us out,” he said. “The only reason our projects are so successful are because we have stuff the public can utilize.”

Carter said the extension service has taken home many state awards over the past three years, and that they hope to continue to provide award-winning service to the community for many years to come.