Peggy R. Anderson

Extension Agent

October 5, 2011

National 4-H Week!

This week is National 4-H Week! This past year 4-H has taken on a new marketing campaign entitled “Join the Revolution of Responsibility”.

Imagine a world where each and every young person had the confidence to be their own champion and the support to discover and realize – their full potential. That’s what happens when you put of group of excited kids eager “to do something” with caring adults eager to “show, support and share their talents” with our local youth. That’s what a 4-H club meeting is all about.

4-H Clubs in Burke and Divide County are meeting now and inviting your child to attend. It’s a great opportunity for youth to develop life skills, learn how to become an officer and conduct a meeting, provide community service projects to enhance your community and learn from great projects that focus on food preparation, home interiors, livestock showmanship, environmental stewardship, science and technology and more!

4-H Makes a Difference

The structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that young people receive through their participation in 4-H plays a vital role in helping them achieve future life successes. For nearly a decade, youth development scholar Dr. Richard Lerner and the team at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University have been working with faculty at land-grant universities such as NDSU to conduct “The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development.”

The research indicates three Positive Impacts

·         4-H Youth Make More Healthful Choices

·         4-H’ers Excel in School and the Sciences: the advantages of 4-H participation also include higher educational achievement and higher motivation for future education.

·         Young People in 4-H Are Committed to Improving Their Communities

Not only are we always looking for new members to become County 4-H members we are always in need of adult volunteers. 4-H Clubs do not happen without the support of volunteers. Many of our adult volunteers today no longer have children in the program. They do this for the joy of supporting young people. Unfortunately, the time will come when they will step aside. My goal would be that involved parents will be ready to step in and take over the reins for those clubs and not let that club fold. Unfortunately that is happening in several areas.

This year, I’d like to focus on having you, the adults and parents think about your involvement with our county 4-H Program. We have an opportunity to have many youth join but that can’t happen unless we have you who are willing to become volunteers. And even though you see many females as volunteers, males are needed too!! We need those of you with computer skills, science, natural resources areas and wildlife management backgrounds to think about participating.

We are fortunate to have some excellent clubs that you can help with already in Burke and Divide County. Just call the NDSU Extension Office 377-2927 for the Burke County Office and 965-6501 for the Divide County Office and ask about becoming a volunteer. Another option might be to start your own club with your child a group of their friends and their parents. Here’s how I would step you through the process.

Steps in Starting a 4-H Club

The best way to learn about 4-H is to talk to current volunteers, members and your local extension office. They can give you information on what 4-H is all about. Once you have decided to start a club, please follow the steps below:

1.      Find a location and time to meet
Your local extension office may be able to help you locate a meeting room or building for your club. Suggested places include school buildings, community centers, churches, or leader/member's homes.

2.      Recruit youth and other adult volunteers
Talking to families with children, printing flyers to hang up in schools, churches, and local businesses (with permission), and/or scheduling a visit to the local radio station during their community events segments are ways to promote your new club. Remember, you need 5 or more youth from 3 or more families to start a new club.

3.      Meetings
4-H meetings are important because they can provide experiences that members cannot get outside of a group. Members learn to work together, serve on committees, and hold office. 4-H meetings give members a chance to belong and make contributions to a group. 4-H clubs are required to hold a minimum of 6 club meetings/activites per year. 

4.      Charter
4-H clubs are required to be chartered by the state of North Dakota in order to use the 4-H name and emblem and to claim exempt status on IRS forms. Once your club has chosen a name and has 5 or more youth from 3 or more families, contact your local extension office for the form to become a chartered club.

October is the perfect month to think about adding one more activity for your family, one that involves the entire family! As someone who has been involved with 4-H since she was 9 years old and has seen the many outstanding young adults in Burke and Divide County who were former 4-H members now contribute back to their communities, the time is now! I’m only a phone call away!

Schedule

Wednesday, October 5 – Burke County

Thursday, October 6 – Divide County

Friday, October 7 – Burke County

Monday, October 10 – Burke County

Tuesday, October 11 – Mandan – 4-H Program Planning