4-H
:''This article refers to the youth organization. "
4-H Club" is also the title of a
1965 play by
Sam Shepard4-H in the United States is a
youth organization administered by the
Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension System with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." 4-H serves over 9 million members in the United States from ages 5 to 21 in almost 100,000 clubs. 4-H clubs and related organizations now exist in many other countries as well where the organization and administration varies from country to country.
The goal of 4-H is to develop leadership, citizenship, and life skills of youth through mostly experiential learning programs. Though typically associated as an agricultural related organization due to its roots, 4-H has grown to be more than just for students interested in agriculture. 4-H projects extend into topics such as
GIS,
computer science, and even
public speaking.
The foundations of 4-H began around the start of the 20th century, in the work of several people in different parts of the United States who were concerned about young people. The seed of the 4-H idea of practical and 'hands-on' learning came from the desire to make public school education more connected to country life. Early programs tied both public and private resources together for the purpose of helping rural youth.
During this time, researchers at experiment stations of the
land-grant university system and
USDA saw that adults in the farming community did not readily accept new agricultural discoveries. But, educators found that youth would "experiment" with these new ideas and then share their experiences and successes with the adults. So rural youth programs became a way to introduce new
agriculture technology to the adults.
A. B. Graham started one such youth program in
Clark County,
Ohio in 1902, which is considered the birth of the 4-H program in the United States. When Congress created the Cooperative Extension Service at the
USDA in 1914, it included within the CES charter the work of boys and girls clubs. These soon became organized as 4-H clubs.
Newton County, Georgia, is known as the "Southern Home of the 4-H Club." Superintendent of schools, G. C. Adams began a boys corn club there in 1904.
The 4-H motto is
"To make the best better".The 4-H creed is "Learn by doing."
The 4-H pledge is as follows:
California 4-H adds "As a loyal 4-H member" at the beginning of the pledge.
I pledge
My head to clearer thinking,
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service, and
My health to better living,
For my club, my community, my country, and my world.
Minnesota and Maine 4-H add "For my family" at the beginning of the last line of the pledge.
The 4-H emblem is federally protected under Section 18 US Code 707 and is protected by the U.S. Congress. The official emblem is a green four-leaf
clover with a white 'H' on each leaf standing for Heart, Head, Hands, and Health. White and green are the 4-H colors. The white symbolizes purity. The green represents nature's most common color and is emblematic of youth, life, and growth.
4-H is a community of young people across America learning citizenship, leadership, and life skills. Though a large part of the foundation of 4-H is centered around agriculture, 4-H has grown to encompass many topics and opportunities beyond the confines of traditional agricultural topics.
The 4-H program aims to educate youth in arts and sciences, and to encourage fellowship and service opportunities. With continued
urban sprawl, 4-H continues to develop new projects for its members to study beyond agriculture and animal husbandry, including photography, conservation, cooking, public speaking, history, art, and other pursuits.
The organization is often associated with
summer camps,
county fairs and
state fairs. 4-H has spread out across the world, and regularly awards and sponsors the
International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE), trips, and cultural events (see external links).
Although having embraced many new fields of endeavor over the years, 4-H retains a strong connection to its roots in agriculture and the associated values of thrift, invention, education, compassion, conservation, encouragement, service, and general happiness and well-being.
Every U.S. state runs its own independent camping program. 4-H camping programs in most states are run through
land-grant institutions. Washington State University runs the Washington program, as Pennsylvania State runs its program. The Georgia 4-H camping program boasts the largest youth center in the world, known as
Rock Eagle.
Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center is a program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and has been offering youth affordable programs for 25 years. All the programs are designed to get kids outdoors, exploring nature in a safe and nurturing environment. Tanglewood specializes in traditional camp activities while presenting youth with additional opportunities in leadership development.
Many colleges and universities have Collegiate 4-H clubs. Usually members are students who are 4-H alumni and want to continue a connection to 4-H, but any interested students are welcome. Clubs provide service and support to their local and state 4-H programs, such as serving as judges and conducting training workshops. They are also a service and social group for campus students. The very first Collegiate 4-H club started in 1916 on the
Oklahoma State University - Stillwater campus.The National Collegiate 4-H website is:
www.collegiate4h.orgSome states offer programs for youth in grades K-3 called Cloverbuds or Primary Members. Most states prohibit this age group from competition due to research in
Youth development demonstrating that competition is unhealthy for youth ages 5 - 8 years old.
The National 4-H Technology Leadership Conference was inspired by talks of three youth in January 1999. Steven Worker drafted a four page memo proposing a National 4-H Technology Leadership Conference which was sent to various 4-H staff and supporters in January. A preliminary meeting, conducted through internet chat and attended by fifteen youths from across the nation, was held in the beginning of 1999.
After gaining support from National 4-H, including Virginia Gobeli and Tom Tate, along with CYFERNet, Trudy Dunham, and various other supporters, conference planning began. The University of Maryland, College Park, was identified as the location for a conference to be held from July 8-12, 2000. Six youths and six adults formed the planning committee. The committee conducted phone conferences, emails, and a face-to-face meeting in January 2000. A theme of "Leading the Way Across the Digital Divide" was established; workshops, Focus Teams, and State Action Plans were developed; recreation and assemblies planned; and delegate materials created.
Over 200 delegates representing 30 states attended the 2000 conference. Delegates participated in Focus Teams which concentrated on a particular topic, and "Teach How to Teach" workshops where they learned educational skills. State Action Plans were developed to set concrete tasks and goals to be accomplished after the conference.
The 2006 conference was hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. From July 24-27, youth from all over the United States came together to learn more about technology, science, and engineering. The focus areas that participants could choose from included: "Remote sensing", "Engineering the food we eat", "Learning Flash in a Flash", "Robotics 101", "So You Want to Become An Engineer?", "Lights, Camera, Action!", "Sports Science Technology", and "Help your Community Be Prepared".
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4-H USA - the national youth 4-H site made for, by, and about 4-H youth.
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National 4-H Headquarters - Headquarters of the 4-H youth development program, Cooperative State, Research, Education, and Extension Service of U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
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National 4-H Council - private sector partner of 4-H
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4-H Mall - the official online store for 4-H educational resources, 4-H apparel, 4-H gifts, 4-H stickers, 4-H certificates, and much more.
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Clover Corner News - Provides news from 4-H programs across the country.
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Technology in 4-HState programs
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California 4-H Youth Development Program - state 4-H website for California, maintained by 4-H members in the California 4-H Computer Corps.
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Colorado 4-H*
Florida 4-H*
Georgia 4-H*
Illinois 4-H*
Indiana 4-H*
Indiana 4-H Foundation- obtains financial support for Indiana 4-H programs
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Kansas 4-H*
Kentucky 4-H*
Louisiana 4-H*
Maine 4-H*
Michigan 4-H*
Minnesota 4-H*
Missouri 4-H*
Nebraska 4-H*
New Jersey 4-H*
New York 4-H - Cornell Cooperative Extension
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North Carolina 4-H*
Oklahoma 4-H*
Pennsylvania 4-H*
Tennessee 4-H*
Washington 4-H*
Wisconsin 4-HOther national 4-H groups and events
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Collegiate 4-H*
National 4-H Technology Leadership Conference -
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4-H World Atlas - overview and links to 4-H (and associated) organizations all over the world
