It takes more than a lucky clover
The green clovers of St. Patrick’s Day put us in mind of another clover that has thrived in Arkansas since 1908.
Since the first 4-H Club formed in White County, the Arkansas 4-H program has blossomed to 600 clubs across the state, reaching more than 120,000 kids every year, making it the largest youth development program in the state.
Just about anywhere you go, there’s a good chance you’ll bump into someone who was shaped in some significant way by participating in 4-H. With programs in everything from rabbits to robotics, Arkansas 4-H alumni are everywhere.
If you know a current 4-H’er or alum, you’ll usually see how they’ve been influenced by something they say at every meeting:
“I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.”
That pledge and the first-rate program has astounding results. A 20-year study from Tufts University’s Institute of Applied Research in Youth Development shows that, compared to their peers, 4-H youth are four times more likely to make a positive contribution to their communities, twice as likely to report living life with intentionality and purpose, twice as likely to have the goal of being a leader, twice as likely to make healthier choices, and four times more likely to graduate college.
These 4-H outcomes stand in stark contrast to current youth trends that are red lights on the dashboard. Research tells us that teens’ math scores dropped nine points and reading scores dropped four points since 2020, the largest decreases in 50 years. One in five children are living with a mental disorder. Thirty percent are chronically absent from school, a number that has doubled since 2018.
And youth report alarming levels of negativity about themselves, their confidence in the future and their ability to find contentment in life.
We see our Arkansas 4-H youth demonstrate exceptional resilience, adaptability, and a passion for making a positive impact in their communities. From innovative projects to leadership initiatives, they showcase their dedication to the values that make 4-H a transformative experience.
Today, St. Patrick’s Day, is the annual giving day to support this remarkable Arkansas program. Funds donated today to the non-profit Arkansas 4-H Foundation go straight to youth who need financial assistance to experience these remarkable outcomes. Over the past five years, Arkansas 4-H members have received more than $600,000 in scholarships for camps, conferences, learning trips, and college tuition.
These funds help youth like Clayton Stark from Lonoke County, who after wrapping up his years of 4-H told us, “Arkansas 4-H has taught me not only how to achieve goals, but also how to grow from failed attempts. It has taught me to step out of my comfort zone and to dream big. You see, 4-H didn’t just make a difference in my life; it taught me how I want to live my life.”
Diamond Jones from Pulaski County, the current Arkansas 4-H state president, says, “If you want a group of people who believe in you, who back you up, and who offer to teach you, I say join Arkansas 4-H. It’s definitely left a huge impact on the way I socialize with others, and I’ve learned so many skills that I wouldn’t have before.”
The Arkansas 4-H program is delivered by trained volunteers, mentors, and staff, and is offered in all 75 counties. It also boasts one of the finest 4-H centers in the nation, the
C.A. Vines 4-H Center in Ferndale, which hosts hundreds of youth each year for camps and programs and is probably best known by many kids as the first place they ever caught a fish (and zip-lined, rock climbed, shot a bow and arrow, canoed, built a campfire, and many other “firsts”).
Just like they learn on the ropes course, today these kids could use a hand. You can invest in their future on this 4th Annual St. Patrick’s 4-H Giving Day by making a tax-deductible donation to the Arkansas 4-H Foundation. You can donate online by visiting their website at arkansas4hfoundation.org, or by texting AR4H to 4-4-3-2-1, or by check mailed to The Arkansas 4-H Foundation, 1 Four H Way, Little Rock, AR 72223.
They need you and your support because we all know it takes more than a lucky clover to succeed.