The beauty of 4-H is really that it is for everyone. As an alumnus myself, I have seen firsthand how this youth organization provides opportunities for thousands of young people to grow outside the classroom, develop leadership skills and explore their personal interests...
For me, those interests were in agriculture and livestock. However, the opportunities in 4-H are much broader than raising animals or learning about farms. While that part of 4-H is still central to the organization, partnerships and youth opportunities in areas like science, technology, engineering and math are propelling young people into their future careers.
Take, for instance, the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. 4-H clubs worked with NASA surrounding the launch of the telescope to learn more about astronauts, space and the revolutionary technology involved in this new telescope. NASA also provided many virtual opportunities for young people to get involved and hear more about opportunities they could pursue in aerospace engineering.
4-H works beyond just learning topics. While you might think of 4-H and picture rural youth, there is a very active part of 4-H operating within large cities as well. 4-H looks a little different in the urban setting, but these students gain just as much. In urban 4-H, the focus is really on communities, letting youth learn from others in their neighborhoods and many groups bring in older members of the community as mentors and teachers. This system connects the youth in 4-H to others and lets them pursue their interests while connecting with older adults.
Whether rural or urban, what 4-H is great at is letting youth explore what they are most interested in. There are nearly 100 project areas with 4-H developed curriculum for youth to explore during their membership in 4-H. Being exposed to such a wide range of opportunities throughout what could be up to 13 years of 4-H introduces many possible subjects of interest or even potential career paths for young people to explore. 4-H also allows youth to showcase their work, leading to a sense of pride in their accomplishments and building their own drive.
For me, 4-H was about pursuing leadership opportunities, focusing on learning more throughout a multitude of projects and showing livestock. One of the greatest things I realized throughout my 13 years of membership was that I could, and would, work with all types of people throughout my life. Through leadership in 4-H, I learned to communicate and collaborate across all types of groups, from young children to senators, to people from a similar background as my own and those with vastly different experiences. These experiences are not unique to me, either. 4-H involvement teaches youth to look beyond their own backgrounds and perspectives and to work with others to learn, to lead, and to grow.
If you are interested in joining 4-H, check out the state website at extension.umn.edu/4-h/about-4-h. There, you can get in contact with your local leaders to join a club or project, attend a camp or conference, and so much more. The experiences youth gain through 4-H jumpstart their success, allow them to learn beyond the classroom and take their futures into their own hands. It is something every young person should have the opportunity to pursue.