4-H Organizations

4-H started in 1902 by A. B. Graham in Clark County, Ohio. The first club was called “The Tomato Club” and the “Corn Growing Club.” The main part of the 4-H program has been the idea of practical and hands on learning. In 1892, in an effort to improve the Kewaunee County Fair. The president of the Kewaunee Fair and the superintendent of the Kewaunee county schools in Wisconsin, organized a “youth movement” which was called “Young People’s Contest Clubs”. Which supported 6,000 young farmers to show or produce vegetables, crafts, and livestock. Today more than 80 nations have many 4-H clubs or similar programs. All 4-H groups work to help young people learn and develop useful skills and to become productive citizens (“4-H Wikipedia“). The

Since 1902, parents and volunteers have helped the 4-H program develop successful leaders, build young minds, and set the path for 4-Hers to take on the world. Volunteers and parents are a major reason for 4-H’s success in youth development. Volunteers and parents help make 4-H possible. Without 4-H volunteers and parents the program would not have the mentors, leaders, and guidance that the 4-H members need in order to learn the new skills that 4-H has to offer (“Positive Youth”). The 4-H Youth Development Program (YDP) strives to provide quality leadership for youth participating in 4-H Youth Development Programs, events, and activities. 4-H members must be nine years old to start by december 31st of the year they would like to join 4-H until they are nineteen years old. Volunteers and parents that would like to be apart of helping must be eighteen years of age or older (“Club Programs”). Volunteer leaders play a major role in 4-H programs and are the heart and soul of the 4-H program. They perform a variety of roles, functions and tasks to coordinate the 4-H program to its finest. 4-H volunteer leaders help youth to achieve greater self confidence and self responsibility, learn new skills and build relationships with others that will last a lifetime. With over 540,000 volunteers nationally, these leaders play an essential role in the delivery of 4-H programs and provide learning opportunities to everyone (“4-H

Programs that involve adults and young adults in 4-H help and contribute leadership and assist with events and activities. Junior and teen leaders experience is designed to provide members with the opportunity to learn about the qualities and responsibilities needed to be a leader. Junior leaders provide assistance while teen leaders assume more challenging leadership roles. Junior and teen leaders may assist with specific projects or with more general 4-H activities and events. A 4-H member may be a junior or teen leader for one or more projects during the year (“Club Programs”). 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 welcomed. 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 (“4-H Wikipedia“). Most 4-H clubs and groups carry on community service activities. Each 4-H member carries out at least on project a year. Group activities involve teenagers interested in a particular subject such as leadership skills. Older 4-H members may join county senior clubs and councils or county junior leader groups. Members of these organizations are especially active in community service programs.