More than 6 million young people from across the country will celebrate National 4-H Week during October. Greene County 4-H leverages National 4-H Week to showcase the great things the 4-H youth development program offers and highlight the 4-H young people working each day to make a positive impact on their community.
4-H is strong in Greene County, including club activities and project work throughout the year, and many trips and events for youth. This past year, 5th and 6th graders joined youth from Boone, Story, and Marshall counties in traveling to the Omaha Zoo for two days. 4-H members completing 8th grade are eligible to attend the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference, a three-day event held annually at Iowa State University, with 10 Greene County youth attending this year. Other in-county opportunities include the countywide picnic in August, as well as club officer training and New Member Night.
Perhaps most important is that participation in 4-H develops lifelong skills. Two former Greene County 4-H members who are now active Greene County community leaders talk about how much they owe to the 4-H program:
Alicia Clancy: “As the director of communications at one of the state’s leading farmer-owned cooperatives, I have the opportunity to interact with newspaper reporters, radio personalities, and national industry journalists. When I receive a compliment from them on my communication skills, I do not point to my degree in public relations; I credit 4-H. My radio voice, comfort level in presenting, and knack for telling a story all have their foundation in 4-H working exhibits, extemporaneous speaking, Share the Fun skits, or educational presentations,” said Alicia Clancy of West Central Cooperative. Clancy was a Halbur Lads & Lassies 4-H member in Carroll County, served on the Iowa 4-H Council and was a collegiate 4-H member. Here in Greene County, Clancy currently is active on the Greene County 4-H Foundation board and the record keeping evaluation Committee. “I may have pledged my head, heart, hands, and health to the green clover as a kid, but it’s paying dividends back to me as a professional.”
Bob Allen: “4-H is a great foundation for promoting and developing skills in our youth in leadership, education, hard work, dedication, and community service,” said Bob Allen, Home State Bank vice-president. Allen is a former member of the Kendrick Generic Bunch 4-H Club in Scranton, is currently active as 4-H beef pen of three superintendent and serves on the Greene County Fair board. “Being active in 4-H as a youth helped me gain skills that I have the opportunity to use every day in my career and has also led to lifetime lasting relationships.”
Greene County boasts more than 200 4-H members and 50 volunteers.
4-H is the largest youth development organization in the world, a community of seven million young people across the globe learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. In the U.S., 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 land grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Overseas, 4-H programs operate in more than 50 countries.
This year Greene County 4-H Clubs are invited to decorate business windows to help spread the word about National 4-H Week. The club that does the best decorating wins a free pizza party. Other activities include working the concession stand when Greene County Rams take on South Hamilton in volleyball and showing their 4-H pride by wearing their shirts to school. Current members who refer a new member to the 4-H program will have their names in a drawing for prizes.
Research shows that participation in 4-H has a significant, positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are:
- Nearly four times more likely to contribute to their communities,
- Two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors
- Two times more likely to engage in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs in their out-of-school time.
For more information about 4-H and other youth and families programming contact Sarah Jo Reynolds, county youth & 4-H coordinator with ISU Extension & Outreach Greene County, at 515-386-2138 or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/greene.
