4-H: What’s it all about?

About Arkansas 4-H

4-H is the premier youth development program conducted by the University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service.

4-H — the four H’s we emphasize are: Head, Heart, Hands and Health — is designed to prepare young people to step up to the challenges in their communities and provide youth with the skills to lead for a lifetime.

The core elements of 4-H include youth leadership, youth-adult partnerships, life skills learning and community service. 4-H programs are grounded in the belief that youth learn best by doing. 4-H members complete hands-on projects in areas like science, health, agriculture and citizenship in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles.

We offer a wide variety of hands-on, learn-bydoing opportunities for everyone.

Youth can concentrate on one area or they can try an assortment of programs throughout their 4-H experience. Based on their interests and guided by adult mentors, youth develop their own pathway in 4-H with the ultimate goal of learning life skills to help them thrive today and tomorrow.

4-H is conducted in many forms, including community clubs, special interest projects, in-school clubs, on military installations and more, so you can be a part of 4-H wherever you live. Youth between the ages of 5 and 19 are invited to join the 133,000 young people involved in the Arkansas 4-H program. Arkansas 4-H Mission The mission of 4-H is to provide opportunities for youth to acquire knowledge, develop life skills, form attitudes, and practice behavior that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society.

The 4-H emblem is a four-leaf clover with an “H” on each leaf. The letters in the emblem stand for Head, Heart, Hands and Health.

Arkansas 4-H Pledge

I pledge:

My Head to clearer thinking;

My Heart to greater loyalty;

My Hands to larger service;

My Health to better living for my club, my community, my country and my world.

4-H Motto

To Make the Best Better Colors

Green — nature’s most common color, symbolizes springtime, life and youth.

White — symbolizes purity and high ideals.