What is 4-H
What is 4-H?
4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. The 4-H program is all about people sharing, doing, and learning together in all kinds of projects, events and activities through local clubs, special interest clubs, school-based and after-school programs and individual memberships. For more information on 4-H, please visit the national Web site.
Members can choose 4-H Projects that fit their interests, abilities and the places where they live. Projects involve hands-on learning, setting goals, and evaluating one’s progress. 4-Hers can compete with their projects in contests at the local, state regional or national levels.
4-H Goals
To increase a member’s knowledge in a variety of project areas, while teaching life-skills such as decision-making, public speaking, and leadership.
These goals can be accomplished through communicating in a group, working cooperatively and being responsible. Members can learn through experience, preparing, designing and evaluating their projects.
Interested parents and other adults have opportunities to grow through working with 4-H members.4-H Mission
4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnership with caring adults.
While activities focus mainly on the local 4-H Club, members may also participate in group activities and events such as fairs, trips, camping, teen leader trainings, fundraising, achievement programs and county, regional and state learning opportunities.
4-H membership encourages:
- Independence and friendships
- A sense of belonging
- A spirit of generosity
- Opportunities to master life's challenges
Penn State’s 4-H Youth Development Division of Cooperative Extension is responsible for planning, organizing and supervising 4-H work throughout Pennsylvania. County Cooperative Extension educators supervise 4-H in the individual counties.
The 4-H program relies on adult and older teen volunteers or family members to guide 4-H members as they work on projects and participate in activities. The leader teaches 4-H’ers how to think—not what to think—and helps them to reach their potential.
