The anticipation is building for National 4-H Week, during which millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni across the country will be celebrating everything 4-H. Richland County 4-H will observe National 4-H Week this year by showcasing the incredible experiences that 4-H offers young people, and will highlight the remarkable 4-H youth in our community who work each day to make a positive impact on those around them.
The theme of this year’s National 4-H Week is Inspire Kids to Do, which highlights how 4-H encourages kids to take part in hands-on learning experiences in areas such as health, science, agriculture and civic engagement. The positive environment provided by 4-H mentors ensures that kids in every county and parish in the country ̶ from urban neighborhoods to suburban schoolyards to rural farming communities are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles and are empowered with the skills to lead in life and career.
In Richland County more than 214 4-H youth and 135 volunteers from the community are involved in the 4H program. Richland County 4-H members will be celebrating 4-H week by entering displays in the 2019 Hay Bale Trail, setting up community displays, participating in 4-H events and by wearing 4-H insignia. Be sure to keep a look out for all the fun ways Richland County is celebrating National 4-H Week.
About 4-H: 4-H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now. In the United States, 4-H programs empower six million young people through the 110 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4-H organizations empower one million young people in more than 50 countries. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Research has proven that participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are:
• Nearly four times more likely to contribute to their communities,
• Two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors and
• Two times more likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs in the out-of-school time.
Learn more about 4-H in Richland County at http://richland.msuextension.org/4h.html or look us up on Facebook under Richland County 4-H.
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