4-H

    The Power of 4H

A Brief History

Michigan 4-H can be tracked to a South Haven man, Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954) who Studied Botany and Horticulture at what is now Michigan State University. Bailey was an advocate of teaching youth practical skills by "hands on" experience. For Example, during his college career he taught young farmers how to graft branches on to fruit trees. Thus comes the 4-H philosophy of "Learn By Doing." Bailey was on a national committee which helped bring about the establishment of the Cooperative Extension Service by way of passage of the Smith-Llever Act in 1914.

4-H Clubs began forming in Michigan in 1908 with boy and girl agricultural clubs. Through these clubs, young farmers learned practical skills which they used throughout their lives. Now 4-H clubs and the 4-H concept not only exist in Michigan rural areas but also in urban areas. Michigan boasts of 200 thousand youth members, 30 thousand volunteer members, and over 150 projects from which they may participate. Van Buren County as more than 800 youth enrolled in 4-H clubs and over 250 adult and teen leaders.

What do the four H's stand for?

• Head - because 4-H gets adults and kids thinking and learning together.
• Heart - because 4-H fosters caring, important relationships between youth and their peers and adults.
• Hands - because the focus is hands-on learning.
• Health - because 4-H activities promote a healthy balance on young people's obligations to school family and community, and help kids learn to make healthy lifestyle choices.

What does 4-H offer?
For young people, 4-H provides fun, educational opportunities through 4-H groups, after school programs, and local, state, national and international events.

For older teens, 4-H offers the opportunity to test and develop leadership skills as 4-H volunteers, sharing their skills as 4-H volunteers, sharing their skills in a variety of programs and project areas with younger 4-H'ers.

For adults, 4-H offers support and training in learning methods and materials to help them plan activities and projects in safe nurturing environments.


How do you join 4-H?
Contact the Van Buren Michigan State University Extension 4-H office at 269-657-7745. The number is listed in the government pages of your phone book under your county name. The Extension staff can guide you to 4-H groups and 4-H opportunities in your community.


How old do kids have to be to join 4-H and how much does it cost?
4-H programs are open to everyone aged 5 to 19. Individual groups may charge dues to cover expenses, and some project areas may require extra investments for supplies, equipment and travel.


When my kids join 4-H do I have to become a 4-H volunteer?
We encourage parents to get involved with their kids in 4-H activities, but you don't have to become a 4-H volunteer when your children join 4-H. Many short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities exist for adults. You could be a volunteer assistant, share a skill or some knowledge with a group, drive members to activities or supply refreshments for meetings. One exciting benefit of 4-H is the opportunity for total family involvement.


What are my obligations if I decide to be a 4-H volunteer and how much does it cost?
All 4-H volunteers who have ongoing, unsupervised access to children aged 19 and under, go through the MSU Extension Child Well-Being Volunteer Selection Process. Once you've successfully completed the process, you can decide how often you meet with your group and what activities the group will participate in. You can plan the time you spend in 4-H around your family and your job.

You decide what you want to invest. The amount of money and time will depend on the kind of group, the number of members, and the group's projects or activities. MSU Extension provides low-cost materials, workshops and training seminars.


Do I have to know a lot about a subject to be a volunteer?
Many 4-H and community resources are available to give you working knowledge of 4-H project areas. Many volunteers get involved in projects that are unfamiliar to them.


Who is involved in 4-H?
4-H youth programs are located in all 83 counties in Michigan. Annually nearly 200 thousand young people and 30 thousand adult and teen volunteers from major cities, suburbs, towns and rural communities participate in 4-H groups and activities. Nationally, 4-H youth programs involve more than 5.4 million young people from all 50 states and many U.S. territories.


What do I get from my involvement in 4-H?
You will experience the power of the future by helping kids and yourself learn new skills, explore the world's wonders and prepare for tomorrow! 4-H also provides opportunities, through volunteer development workshops, to help strengthen your organizational skills and build your youth development and subject matter knowledge.

Who Operates 4-H?
4-H youth programs are operated locally through a partnership among county governments, Michigan State University Extensions and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Power
It's a powerful thing when kids team up with adults to learn new skills, improve their communities, explore the wonders of today's world, prepare for tomorrow's opportunities and have fun.

4-H brings people together for the fun of learning by doing, sharing and working toward common goals, and helping kids take leadership for their lives and the decisions they make.

4-H is when boys and girls develop into responsible, caring citizens. It's where families can experience hands-on activities in many interest areas. It's where people can expand their horizons.

4-H is where kids and adults come together and share and expand their talents and interests.

Last modified:  February 2005