Extension Update from Megan Burda: 4-H-A Lasting Impact

4-H: A Lasting Impact

Starting this month, National 4-H is recognizing the impact of 4-H Alumni through a new campaign called “Raise Your Hand”. If you have not experience with 4-H, it may be hard to recognize the benefits of the nation’s largest youth-serving organization. 4-H helps its members develop citizenship and leadership skills.  The projects and activities teach members responsibility and important life-long skills.  4-H’ers establish new friendships with their fellow members and become more actively involved in their communities.  4-H offers many rewarding experiences and provides valuable benefits that shape a member’s character and knowledge, which lasts a lifetime. There are actually many entertainers who were in 4-H when they were growing up. They include David Letterman, Reba McIntire, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Jennifer Nettles, and Luke Bryan- and that’s just to name a few!   

4-H is for the whole family – 4-H is more than an activity for youth.  4-H can be a shared experience for the whole family.  Parents, siblings, and relatives can have fun, discover, care, and grow along with their 4-H youth through 4-H projects and activities.  By making 4-H a family affair, thousands of families enjoy the quality time it gives them.  Adult volunteers can lead clubs, lend their expertise to particular project areas, and serve on teams with other volunteers. 

4-H gives back – Nebraska 4-H youth are tomorrow’s leaders. Through 4-H, youth build connections with their peers, with adults, and with their communities. 4-H helps youth be a part of their community and perform community service tasks.  Every youth has the potential to be a leader and 4-H helps bring this out in them! 

Lifetime Benefit-Strong Roots, Promising Future– 4-H prepares youth for higher education and potential careers by emphasizing life skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, serving others, as well as managing change.  

Resume Builder! - Colleges and Employers are looking for people who contribute to the community and are actively involved. Being in 4-H, you can gain leadership, public speaking, communication, problem solving, and critical thinking skills. (Students: All of these points look GREAT on a resume!)  

Connection to University of Nebraska-Lincoln – Through participating in 4-H, it allows youth to experience their “first class” at UNL that offers them unique advantages like experiencing campus, scholarships, resources, networks, talking to college faculty and professors, building connections, and more. The local Extension Office is a connection between you and UNL. 

Customizable Experience– 4-H offers over 150 different projects – Throughout each project area are hands-on opportunities to learn about science, agricultural literacy, career development and college readiness, citizenship and leadership, as well as healthy living  

Find your career path! – With those 150 project options to explore, trying something new can be easy! Doing this may even lead you on a career path, like it did for me.  By participating in 4-H projects and activities, you can also build the skills necessary for pursuing the career you chose. 

Through the 4-H program, youth gain leadership skills without even realizing it and 4-Hers are continuously learning and growing.  The 4-H program guarantees it will meet youth’s interests and needs because there is an endless list of activities and programs you can get involved in and it gives you a desire to help others.  It is also a fun way to learn and develop a sense of responsibility, and one of the best parts is that youth will have a blast participating in 4-H activities and developing new friendships with fellow 4-H’ers. 4-H is a great program and it will be a fun, positive experience for your whole family!