Collier County 4-H
Here are seventeen reasons why 4-H could beright for your child.
1. Fun. Our children are designing robots, showing dogs, learning crafts, developing leadership skills, lobbying the state legislature, managing events and serving people in need. 4-H members in the U.S. are exploring hydroponic gardening, renewable energy sources, bioengineering, collecting data on butterflies through WINGS, a partnership between kids and professional scientists, and many more activities.
2. Freedom. Kids can explore anything that interests them. Support, connections and mentoring is available through 4-H. Collier County 4-H has groups devoted to everything from archery to rrobots. If a group doesn’t exist that is of interest to your child, you can start a new one!
3. All 50 States Have 4-H Programs. 4-H is part of the U.S. government Cooperative Extension Service. Locally, 4-H Youth Development is part of the Florida Extension Service and a part of the University of Florida. One of the benefits of 4-H participation is your children will be able to continue participating even if your family moves to a different area.
4. 4-H is Urban, Suburban and Rural. Programs include clubs, afterschool activities, camps, fairs, events and conventions. Activities can be local, county, state, regional or national.
5. Low Cost. There are no uniforms or equipment to purchase to get started.
6. Varied Time Commitment. You may have more time available to devote to 4-H at certain times of the month or year, and that is okay. There is no set number of hours required to participate.
7. Opportunity to be Yourself. Peer pressure to be part of certain groups is not a part of 4-H. It is okay to be an individual without being singled out.
8. Open to Youth Ages 5 to 18. Because it’s open to such a wide variety of ages, 4-H is a great activity for all children in the family.
9. Mentoring. Children are connected to other youth and adults who have knowledge in areas that your child is interested in.
10. Leadership. Involvement exposes youth to learn and practice leadership skills that become life skills. There is an annual week-long national leadership summit..
11. Projects and Goals. Kids design their own projects and set goals for what they want to learn. This empowerment process will teach lifeskills and foster ambition. The projects can be displayed at regional 4-H fairs, giving children a sense of accomplishment.
12. Make Friends Through Shared Interests. A great way to create lasting friendships is through activities that can be enjoyed together. There is always something to do or talk about.
13. Making A Difference. 4-H youth feel like they are making a difference, in their clubs, their community and their country. 4-H activities open their minds to the larger universe. 4-H youth have opportunities to speak to their state legislators about local and global things that matter now, and in the future.
14. Technology Programs and Projects. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is a major focus for 4-H to prepare youth for the future, through projects and programs.
15. No Need To Buy A Cow. For those interested in learning about animals, they can be leased for $1 and some help with care while learning.
16. Attend National Conferences in Washington, D.C. and Other U.S. Cities. The 4-H National Youth Conference Center is located in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Some of the annual events are the Geospatial Technologies Summit, the Agri-Science Summit, the Summit on Robotics, the Healthy Living Summit, 4-H National Conference, and Citizenship Washington.
17. Adults Can Volunteer. Training and support is provided and opportunities are matched with your level of time commitment. Adults can be involved with clubs, youth education, events, committees and leadership.
According to the 4-H website, 4-H youth are tackling our “top issues, from global food security, climate change and sustainable energy, to childhood obesity and food safety.” STEM opportunities include agriculture, animal science, rocketry, robotics, environmental protection and computer science, “to improve the nation’s ability to compete in key scientific fields and take on the leading challenges of the 21st century.” Young people will change our world.
For more information on Collier County 4-H
Sarah Yale is the mother of two happy 4-H members and is a freelance writer.