By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist
This week, 4-H members from across the U.S. are celebrating National 4-H Week.
Throughout the week, members are showcasing the organization, the opportunities for hands-on learning and the impact 4-H has on youth, volunteers and alumni.
“National 4-H Week is an opportunity to celebrate 4-H across the nation,” Callie Cline, Texas 4-H marketing and communications specialist, said “Each year, there is a different theme that is celebrated in every state. This year, the theme is Opportunity for All, so we are celebrating the opportunities that are available to all youth through the 4-H Youth Development Program and also using this as a reminder to continuously work toward creating more opportunities for those youth.”
Texas 4-H members are invited to wrap the week of celebration up with One Day 4-H on Oct. 8.
“One Day 4-H is an opportunity for 4-H youth from across the entire state to make an impact in their community in one day,” Cline said. “We encourage youth from every county to create a community service project to participate in their county on one specific day each year. We ask ‘What can you do in one day?’ The communities are so supportive of the 4-H program. This is really a way to give back to communities for the ways in which they support 4-H members and programs throughout the year.”
There are development and educational experiences available to the youth through 43 projects.
“We believe that every youth can find something to be involved in and find a way to really develop and make friends and learn in a way that’s fun for them,” Cline said. “4-H is centered around the idea of positive youth development. We believe all youth can find their spark in 4-H. Through these opportunities, they can find youth development, leadership, life skills, making friends or giving back to their communities.”
Members can join when they are in third grade and may continue through the end of their senior year of high school. Some counties offer Clover Kids, a 4-H opportunity for children ages five to seven.
In the U.S., 4-H programs empower six million young people through 110 land-grant universities and cooperative extension services in more than 3,000 local offices.
“We are excited to celebrate the many opportunities we offer here in Texas 4-H and across the nation,” Cline said.
Learn more about opportunities through Texas 4-H and National 4-H.