Since 2008, 4‑H has challenged young people across the country to solve issues in the community and around the world through STEM learning and exploration through 4‑H National Youth Science Day. This annual event introduced youth to various science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts with easy and fun STEM topics relatable to real-world issues.…
“A penny saved is a penny earned” – says pretty much nobody, anymore. And while you may not miss that clichéd saying, it’s a fact that, too often, children grow up without access to basic financial literacy education. Across the country, formal financial education in schools is scant to non-existent, which means it’s up to…
Rural America is beautiful and is the heart of this country. I was born and raised in rural south-central Virginia in Charlotte County, and I love my community. It is my home. Unfortunately, there is a “Digital Divide” in our country that’s impacting opportunities in rural areas. Businesses that have left rural communities that were…
Across the country, communities are facing unforeseen challenges due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19). For 4‑H, our network of 500,000 volunteers and 3,500 4‑H professionals have had to quickly understand the impact of COVID-19 and respond with swift action to support our young people and communities. While this time of uncertainty has presented…
As communities across America experience the impact of school closures it can be stressful for parents and families to find resources available to maintain a sense of normalcy and make sure kids don’t get off track in their daily development. And while some schools are implementing a virtual learning plan, others don’t have the resources…
Teki Hunt’s 4‑H experience began in a diverse Arkansas community, where she participated in a multitude of projects, from fashion to shooting sports to cooking, to name a few. Teki received her undergraduate degree at Spelman College, a historically black college for women. Although she did not attend an 1890 land-grant university*, she knew the…
Manola Erby, who grew up in a small Mississippi town outside of Meridian, credits her experiences and the support system she had growing up for the opportunities she had. “My Mom couldn’t afford to send me to college,” she remembers, “but the administrators at Alcorn State University [Alcorn] and my community rallied around me. They…
Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin grew up in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, where she was encouraged to join her local 4‑H club, which had a majority Caucasian membership at the time. “There may have been one or two African American kids in the local 4‑H club,” she remembers. “Now that I think about it, those of us who…
4‑H alumni aren’t the only ones with a 4‑H story to tell. For many of those involved in 4‑H, their experience began as a volunteer. That was the case for Dr. Maurice Smith, Assistant Professor and 4‑H Youth Development Extension* Specialist at Virginia State University (VSU). In 2008 in Sussex County, Virginia, Dr. Smith—who was…
Kindness is a choice, and resilience does not always come easy. As simple as those things may seem, they can sometimes be challenging attributes to exude. I realized that many years ago, when I was faced with a situation that was very pivotal in my development as a True Leader. I was eating supper at…