Georgia 4-H celebrates National 4-H Week Oct. 2-8

Georgia 4-H’s 172,354 student members will celebrate National 4-H Week Oct. 2-8. During the week, the state’s largest youth development organization wants to raise awareness of the program that started as a club for farm kids and has grown into a place that helps youth become successful and confident adults.

It’s true that 44 percent of Georgia 4-H members live in rural areas, but just 3 percent live on a farm. Fiftythree percent say they live in the city, in a small town or in another urban or suburban setting.

Georgia 4- H is available to children in all of Georgia’s 159 counties. Here in Gordon County, over 900 students in fourth through 12th grade participate in 4-H. Local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension 4-H agent Allie Griner, program associate and livestock coordinator Kurt Sutherland, and program assistant Becky Pass lead the 4-H program here.

The four ‘ H’s stand for head, heart, hands and health and are represented by the fourleaf clover. Participating youths develop life skills through handson projects involving volunteer work, health, science, engineering, technology, leadership, agriculture and communication.

Georgia 4-H under the umbrella of UGA Extension, and 4-H programs are based on research from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and other UGA colleges. Georgia 4-H agents supplement teachers’ efforts by using after- school lessons and in-school curricula designed to meet Georgia Performance Standards.

Georgia 4-H has always had roots in science, in recent years that emphasis has shifted slightly to include other closelyrelated disciplines, known as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The more strategic inclusion of engineering and technology programs has been a natural fit as Georgia 4-H’s slogan is “Learn by Doing.” STEM subjects are presented to 4-H members through new projects at 4-H Project Achievement, new in- school club meeting curriculum and new activities like Mission Make-It: Georgia 4-H Engineering Challenge new STEM 4-H Ambassadors and robotics competitions.

“The idea of bringing UGA research and resources to Georgia students through the use of county agents throughout the state was a cutting-edge idea in 1904 and remains so even today,” said Arch Smith, state 4-H leader. “The most important work of 4-H is to help young people become better citizens and enable them to grow into responsible, active adults.”

When asked, “attending 4-H camp and making lifelong friends” continues to top of the list of Georgia 4-H members’ favorite things about being in 4-H. High school age Georgia 4-H youths say their 4-H experience provided them with opportunities to travel, learn leadership skills, give back to their communities and overcome their fears of public speaking.

Each year, over 30,000 Georgia 4-H youth perform community service, conduct research, compile portfolios of their accomplishments and learn public speaking skills through oral presentations at 4-H District Project Achievement.

Students also learn responsibility through livestock projects, programs and judging. Georgia 4-H partners with Georgia FFA and the UGA Department of Animal and Dairy Science to provide these programs. Every year, close to 2,500 students complete a year-long process to prepare more than 4,500 animals for exhibition at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show and other competitions.

According to Tufts University study, 4-H members are:

– Two times more likely to contribute to their communities than youths not in 4-H

– Three times more physically active than youths not in 4-H

– Five times more likely to graduate from college than youths not in 4-H

– Two times more likely to pursue a career in science than youths not in 4-H

The structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that young people receive through 4-H plays a vital role in helping them actively contribute to their communities, according to the study.

To learn more about Georgia 4-H, go to georgia4h.org. To find out more about Georgia 4-H in your county, contact your local UGA Extension office.

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.