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What is 4-H?
4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. It's about young people making new friends and memories while preparing to be future leaders - from both rural and urban areas! It is a voluntary, informal education program for young people ages 9 through 18. 4-H Cloverbuds is an optional program for youth ages 5-8 years old.
- 4-H is America's largest out-of-school education program for boys and girls. It is a worldwide youth development program available in every state and many countries.
- 4-H is youth development. It is people sharing, learning, growing and becoming the best they can be.
- 4-H is life skills. Through real-life situations, 4-H helps youth develop life skills such as: communication, citizenship, decision-making, leadership, interpersonal relations and community and global awareness. Youth learn these practical skills through hundreds of projects like cooking, wildlife, livestock, nutrition, sewing, archery and shooting sports, ceramics, electricity, computers, science, and many more.
- 4-H is one of a kind! It provides learning experiences in which youth, with help from parents, interested adults and older youth leaders, grow personally as they develop skills for living. Skills learned through 4-H help youth become better members of their families, communities and world. 4-H participants explore careers and positive leisure-time activities. The 4-H Youth Development program creates an educational environment for positive development of culturally-diverse youth that enables them to reach their fullest potential. 4-H accomplishes its mission through non-informal education.
- 4-H is family and community-oriented. Parents play a critical role in volunteering with the program to support their children. Work on projects takes place at home, in the yard or around the kitchen table, with guidance from a parent, an older brother or sister, or a neighbor. The 4-H member needs the support and encouragement of a family and growing together through 4-H strengthens the family. 4-H members devote time to community service in a wide variety of projects, ranging from helping the elderly and disabled, to restoring historic sites, to landscaping public buildings to helping preserve their environment.
- 4-H is open to all. 4-H happens everywhere. It is in the city, suburbs and small towns, on farms and ranches. The 4-H program is open to all who wish to participate without regard to race, creed, gender, marital status, handicaps or disadvantages, economic or ethnic backgrounds.
- 4-H is flexible. Hundreds of projects and activities provide opportunities for all youth regardless of location, race or economic situation. Project and program requirements can be modified to meet the needs and interests of special groups.
Today, 4-H involves young people--from the city, from the suburbs, from rural areas, from the farm, and everything in between. More importantly, 4-H alumni point with pride to their experience in developing life skills--telling how much they gained from making oral presentations, record keeping, developing leadership, management and communication skills, practicing the responsibility of citizenship and meeting lifelong friends.
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Why do young people like 4-H?
4-H provides a chance to learn new things, develop new skills, travel to new places, experience new situations, make new friends and most importantly have lots of fun.
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What do kids DO in 4-H?
It’s up to you. You can go to camp, learn to shop wisely, give a demonstration, grow vegetables, hatch an egg, chat on a computer, make bread, shadow an adult at work, choose to eat healthy foods, give a speech, cure a ham, or conquer an obstacle course.
You can perform in a skit, make a birdhouse, start a business, shear sheep, take pictures, learn about electricity, judge soils, barbeque chicken, or drive a tractor. You can decorate a room, ride in a bike rodeo, be part of an international exchange, learn to sew, raise an animal, or protect the environment.
And there’s more! In 4-H, you will be working with other young people toward common goals and, if you wish, teaching younger kids. In short, you can build your 4-H activities around your own talents and interests.
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Why do 4-H programs vary from county to county?
Each county in Kentucky has different needs. Local citizens help to identify program initiatives, and the Kentucky 4-H Core Curriculum provides focus and materials to help address those local needs.
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Who conducts 4-H?
The Kentucky 4-H program is conducted by the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service. County and state programs are directed by Extension staff that educate and support volunteers who work directly with 4-H members. Extension offices are located in every county in Kentucky. A County Extension Council comprised of local residents serves in an advisory capacity to the Extension staff to coordinate, organize, and plan programming in the unit.
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Who funds 4-H?
University of Kentucky Extension receives funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the state of Kentucky, and local county boards. A variety of private donors also fund Extension.
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Isn’t 4-H just for farm kids?
No! 4-H is for all young people, regardless of where they live, what their backgrounds are or what interests them. Today in Kentucky, lots of 4-H members are from urban and suburban areas and are learning about and participating in many different 4-H project and activities.
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Do you have to own or raise an animal to be in 4-H?
No, there are many non-livestock 4-H projects and activities.
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What will my child have to do to “join” 4-H?
To join 4-H, an enrollment form is required. These vary county to county, so please see your county’s website or contact them via phone to receive the current enrollment form. Enrollment deadlines also vary county by county. Most counties require that 4-H youth re-enroll each year. Again, contact your county for specific enrollment forms, deadlines, etc.
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How does my child join a 4-H club?
Some clubs/groups meet right after school so check with your school to see if there’s a club there. You can also check the monthly 4-H newsletter to find out about other clubs in the county. Most clubs accept members throughout the year, some may have deadlines to sign up or take a specific number of members based on adult supervision (i.e. Shooting Sports).
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What does it cost to join?
4-H has no membership fees or required uniforms. There may be minimal cost for project manuals or some 4-H activities or events.
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How do I learn more about 4-H once my child joins?
Most counties have a 4-H newsletter that contains information on upcoming 4-H events and activities that your child can participate in. These newsletters may come out monthly, quarterly or bi-annually. Please see you local office for newsletter details.
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We are interested in what 4-H has to offer, but don’t know all it has to offer or how to get involved. Is it possible to have information sent via mail or email?
We offer project booklets and learning experiences that range from animal science to science technology to expressive arts/communications to leadership and personal development. Programs vary from county to county, so contact your local 4-H Youth Development agent for county-specific details.
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What kind of a group will my child join?
4-H is available in many forms:
- Organized clubs, which meet on a regular basis and has officers, can be focused on one particular project (i.e. sewing, livestock, woodworking, etc.) or can be a combination of several projects.
- School based programs: These programs partner with the local school system to extend 4-H Youth Development to the formal education setting
- School Enrichment – The Kentucky 4-H definition of school enrichment is: groups of youth receiving a sequence of learning experiences in cooperation with school officials during school hours to support the school curriculum. It involves direct teaching by extension staff or trained volunteers, including the classroom teacher. 4-H school enrichment works with urban, suburban and rural communities by providing innovative "learn-by-doing" curricula that makes available an array of topics that revolve around the Kentucky 4-H Core Curriculum.
- After School – The Kentucky 4-H definition of after school programming is: 4-H After-school is the direct and indirect support of educational programming available to children and youth in grades K – 12 that takes place outside the regular school day whether in a structured child care facility or another setting (i.e. school campus, church, community center, etc.), specifically during the hours of 3-6 pm. 4-H After School works with urban, suburban and rural communities to identify their areas of need and interest and then build customized programs to meet those needs
- School Clubs – A Kentucky 4-H Club is defined as a chartered group consisting of a minimum of five (5) youth members with a minimum of three (3) annually elected officers (president, vice-president, secretary) that are provided training materials. Each program year the club should have a minimum of six (6) hours of educational instruction in at least 5 meetings with the officers presiding. An adult who has completed the youth protection guidelines will provide guidance at each meeting
What are 4-H projects?
4-H projects are challenging, but practical, planned courses of study with learning experiences centered around a specific subject. Hands-on, learn-by-doing involvement is the most important aspect of a project. Most projects have manuals or project books that assist the 4-H’er in the completion of the project. These manuals are age appropriate and can be tailored to meet younger or older expectations. The project manual can be used by the family in learning fundamental skills and/or obtaining critical knowledge pertaining to the project.
Projects vary in length to completion. Some 4-H projects produce a tangible product upon completion. Most projects can be entered in the county fair. Check with your County 4-H Agent to see if your project has a category at the county or state level. County fair projects must be completed within that program year since the previous fair.
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How does my child DO a 4-H project?
Depending on the specific project there may be a project club to join. Project groups may meet throughout the year to work on a specific project depending on the time of year and the event surrounding the project (i.e. sewing).
Other 4-H’ers work on projects at home with parents, siblings and other family members who can help them with their project. The 4-H office may offer project nights or days to learn about and complete a 4-H project.
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Are 4-H members expected to do their own project work?
Yes, with help. Members are expected to select at least one project and complete one or more learning experiences related to the project during the year. 4-H is a "learn by doing" program. Leaders, junior leaders, and parents may tell or show members how, but members are expected to learn to do things themselves.
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Are projects done individually or as a group?
Both. It varies among projects and among clubs. Some projects, like breads or visual arts, are more fun done as a group. Others, like making a dress or growing a garden, can be done individually. Some clubs have several project leaders and do specific project work at club meetings while others rely on parents and others to help members individually.
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What does a 4-H project cost?
It varies. Members are responsible for the cost of supplies for projects. Some projects might use supplies from around the house while others might invest hundreds of dollars in their project. The cost of the project should be realistic to the family situation.
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How often will they meet?
4-H groups/clubs determine meeting numbers and amount of time themselves. On average, groups/clubs meet monthly for 1-2 hours each time.
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What do 4-H clubs do at meetings?
4-H clubs usually participate in four general kinds of activities during the meeting. They have a business meeting, special interest programs, project work, and recreation or social activities. Clubs may have a little business to conduct, may work on their projects for a while, and then play a game or two. Sometimes the whole meeting is devoted to one topic.
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What is an exhibit?
An exhibit is an object or display designed to show something that the members have accomplished. Ideally it motivates members to learn and to have fun in a 4-H project. An exhibit is not an end in itself nor does it measure all the learning that takes place in a project. Self-recognition and self-satisfaction for having completed a project are important rewards. A ribbon is only one measure of success.
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What is involved in being in 4-H or showing a project at the fair?
This can be county specific, so check with your local county agent for details.
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What do the 4-H ribbon colors mean?
The Kentucky 4-H program awards ribbons based on the Danish System. This means that in each 4-H competition, 4-H’ers are graded based on set standards. All exhibits, presentations, etc. receive a ribbon based on where they fall on the standard scale. More than one color of a ribbon may be awarded in a category or area. In other words, several 4-H’ers may receive blue ribbons within the same category.
The ribbon colors awarded are purple, blue, red and white. The blue, red and white ribbons do not designate first, second and third. They represent the level of achievement.
- Blue ribbons are awarded to 4-H’ers who exhibit outstanding work in the area or presentation by mastering a skill, increasing their knowledge and/or showing pride in workmanship and quality based on their age level.
- Red ribbons are awarded to 4-H’ers whose project or exhibition is not as polished as those of the blue level. The 4-H’er may have learned a skill but not yet mastered it completely. Information may not be complete or accurate.
- White ribbons are awarded to 4-H’ers whose project(s) may be incomplete or lacking in mastery of the skill.
- Purple ribbons are awarded to denote the champion in a presentation or exhibit. The purple or champion ribbon is awarded to the one 4-H’er whose skills, knowledge or mastery has surpassed all others in the category/division.
- Some events award green or participation ribbons to all participants. This is usually done for Cloverbuds (youth between the ages of 5-8 years in age) levels where competition is not developmentally appropriate and is highly discouraged.
What is expected of parents?
Children need parental encouragement to get them started in 4-H and to keep them involved in the program in later years. Parents can help by:
- Sharing - provide encouragement and take interest in 4-H projects and activities. Listen, look, and offer suggestions, but avoid the temptation to "take over" and do things. Children learn by their mistakes as well as successes.
- Preparing - assist by helping children understand the value of doing projects, having duties in the club, and following through on responsibilities as expected by others.
- Being there - Children gain more from 4-H by attending meetings regularly and getting involved in 4-H activities. Parents are welcome at meetings and are encouraged to stay and observe. Lend a hand whenever possible. However, remember that 4-H clubs are for kids.
- Caring - arrange to participate whenever possible. Parents' presence shows the child that what he or she is doing is very important.
What is my role as a parent of a 4-H member?
4-H is a family program. As a parent, your role will be to support, encourage, praise and assist (without doing it for them). Assisting your 4-H’er in selecting the appropriate projects is the first step in assuring a successful 4-H experience. Parents are encouraged to take a leadership role in the 4-H program by offering expertise in a certain area, serving as a volunteer leader and/or serving as a resource. 4-H’ers will benefit at a higher level when the family takes an active role in the program.
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