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No 4‑H educator strives for mediocrity. But all too often, successful proposals lead to grant funding and an increase membership. This is great! But beware of growth, it sweeps in and sets in motion a downward spiral toward mediocrity.

As a 4‑H program grows, we as leaders put systems, processes and structures in place to deal with complicated issues that arise as part of scaling. It’s at this point that we risk losing our appetite for innovation that motivated us to win that funding in the first place. We might fall back on the belief that, “This is the way it has always been done,” or else resort to tired lessons from best practices at association conferences.

Although systems and best practices are important for successful scaling, if you apply too many at once you risk razing the innovative spark inside you. 4‑H programs move from innovative to mediocre when they conform to the status quo instead of striving for innovation by moving quickly and pushing boundaries.

Now, as 4‑H leaders we must remember the systems that made our programs successful to begin with. Similarly, we need to stay wakeful, lest our programs succumb to mediocrity.

Here are four tips to maintain a culture of innovation as your program grows:

  • Think outside the 4‑H box: National and state 4‑H association meetings teach you how to run traditional programs, ‘best practices’ that work, but you’ll never hear about ‘next practices’ or the ideas that utterly failed and what your colleagues learned from their mistakes. Don’t use only best practices as building blocks if you want an innovative 4‑H program. Look outside of 4‑H for ideas and concepts that work in the world of business. New 4‑H programs thrive on innovation, not more of the same.
  • Cultivate a culture of innovative: Culture defines your 4‑H program. Do you want to have a dynamic, creative team? Then your culture needs to reward initiative, encourage communication and provide autonomy. You can’t just give lip service to the word ‘innovation,’ you have to ingrain innovation into your culture by honoring it with every decision you make. Prioritize open sharing of innovative ideas and listen closely to those teammates who think differently than you. Diverse perspectives help innovation flow.
  • Blaze your own trail: Commitment to innovation becomes even more critical as your 4‑H program grows because unfortunately, size encourages tradition. As the size of your staff grows, strict structures will appear more attractive in order to help keep things organized. Only your leadership will stave mediocrity. Question every best practice by asking, “What if we did the opposite?” Set your own course and ascertain the best way to organize your 4‑H program when it is small so the transition remains steady.
  • Reinforce agility: Smaller, agile teams collaborate better and can tackle new challenges more effectively than a large staff working in silos. When your team is small, use tools like Slack, Google Groups, Drive, Basecamp and Box to share openly about what everyone is working on. When you have established a collaborative nature in your 4‑H program, it will be easier to scale and bring on more people while maintaining a spirit of innovation.

As the grant funding rolls in for your 4‑H program, keep innovation at the nucleus of your leadership to prevent slowing slipping into mediocrity. Examine the traditional best practices, but be sure they’re a proper fit for your team culture before applying them. This type of focus will keep your program firmly anchored in innovation.

New 4‑H Mall Small Business partner Kelly Corbett sorted through 4,000 pounds of wool last year, but there was a time she didn’t know the first thing about sheep, let alone about running her own farm. Seventeen years ago she left her busy career to feed her creative side – and adopt a sheep – and has been a shepherdess, fiber artist, and all-around yarn goddess ever since.

Romney Ridge Farm in Woolwich, Maine is an oasis for Kelly’s 19 sheep, three dogs, two angora goats, and pony. The beloved sheep at Romney Ridge are shorn annually to produce the strong yarns used to create Kelly’s signature cute and cuddly animal felting kits. Kelly also supports fellow local small businesses by selectively purchasing fibers from other local fiber farms, and uses the steadfast and bold dyes of Cushing Dyes in Kennebunk, Maine.

These adorable American-made felting kits are now available on the 4‑H Mall. We welcome Kelly to our Small Business family!

Every child has the potential to be a true leader. However, kids today say they are missing experiences that grow the life skills they need – skills like confidence, responsibility, independence and compassion. In 4‑H, we believe in the power of young people, and want to provide them with opportunities needed to grow the skills they need to lead. We want to grow more True Leaders.

National 4‑H Council is excited to launch the Grow True Leaders Campaign to empower this generation of youth with encouragement and real opportunities to lead.

As the presidential elections spotlight the topic of leadership, we will give young people across the nation a forum to put their voices into positive action and to rally the nation in growing a generation of more true leaders.

The Grow True Leaders Campaign will engage young people and rally the nation to provide more youth with hands-on, youth development experiences that are proven to grow life skills, where they can learn by doing, grow from failure, express their ideas and use their influence to drive positive outcomes.

The campaign will also provide a forum for adults to champion the positive in today’s youth, recognize more youth as true leaders, and support 4‑H in providing more opportunities for youth to grow the skills they need to lead.

Between now and June 30th, join us by shouting out a child in your life who positively impacts the lives of others through service, passion and courage. “SHOUT-OUT #TrueLeaders” is a simple yet powerful way to leverage social media to recognize the kids who take responsibility in their lives and communities, who have the courage to try something new, and who never give up.

Visit www.4‑H.org/TrueLeaders

  1. Rally with us by joining our #TrueLeaders
  2. Thunderclap to share a positive message celebrating the good things kids do
  3. Shout-Out using hashtag #TrueLeaders on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, sharing with others the great things kids are doing in your community

Help more kids get the opportunities in life and the recognition they deserve. Join 4‑H in shouting out True Leaders!

This week I was listening to an episode of Jacob Morgan’s The Future of Work Podcast where he interviewed Abhijit Bhaduri, the Chief Learning Officer of Wipro Group, to discuss the future of learning and careers. In his role, he prepares all 170,000 employees in his company to be “future ready.” Bhaduri helped me realize that we need to look at ourselves as apps that get updated and continuously improved upon.

This week I was listening to an episode of Jacob Morgan’s The Future of Work Podcast where he interviewed Abhijit Bhaduri, the Chief Learning Officer of Wipro Group, to discuss the future of learning and careers. In his role, he prepares all 170,000 employees in his company to be “future ready.” Bhaduri helped me realize that we need to look at ourselves as apps that get updated and continuously improved upon.

"The way we look at apps is the way we need to look at ourselves."

Have you noticed how often do your apps get updated? On average, an app gets an update 12-15 times a year. In fact, most popular apps are constantly introducing new features, better security and more intuitive interfaces to stay ahead of the curve.

Our work in 4‑H is very different from the work of IT professionals. Nevertheless, we need to regularly update ourselves. We are educating the leaders and scientists of tomorrow; we owe it to them to stay ahead of the curve in order to give them the best possible learning experiences.

"We are educating the leaders and scientists of tomorrow; we owe it to them to .. give them the best possible learning experiences."

Like apps that get updated, it is critical that we update ourselves by continually learning, reinventing ourselves and acquiring new skills. Attending one to three conferences a year is not enough anymore.

As the world becomes increasingly technical, many skills we have will be replaced by IF/THEN logic and our people skills will become even more valuable. So where should you start? Consider ‘The 20 People Skills You Need To Succeed At Work.

’I recommend designing a learning plan by carving out a few hours for professional development every month. You don’t need a travel budget or an expensive online membership. To quote Bhaduri, “the world is your content university.” Start with any one or more of these ‘30 Websites That Will Make You Unbelievably Smarter.’ I also highly recommend learn.extension.org.

4‑H Today is written, edited and published by National 4‑H Council.

Michelle Perez has lived and breathed 4‑H since she was seven years old. As a member of Kansas 4‑H, she was involved in a variety of projects including beef, swine, and poultry, in addition to creating her own projects that were the first of their kind.

Now the mother of two boys, whom she proudly describes as “born and bred in 4‑H,” Michelle serves the 4‑H community as part of the local County Fair Board, where she helps determine what awards will be provided for all project areas at the county fair.

When she became part of the awards committee, she wanted to make sure grand champions were honored with something extra special. After years of involvement in 4‑H as a youth, an extension educator, a volunteer, and a 4‑H agent, Michelle knew how much time and dedication 4‑H’ers put into their projects and the fair, and she wanted to honor them accordingly.

To meet this need, Michelle, with the assistance of sponsors and the County Fair Board, began a tradition of awarding grand champions with a belt buckle that matched their species. She very quickly identified that there were several species not yet represented, and contacted the 4‑H Mall.

With Michelle’s help, the 4‑H Mall has introduced three brand-new belt buckles: rabbit, poultry and sheep. Through her expertise and dedication to the 4‑H community, the 4‑H Mall has become more inclusive and now offers more 4‑H’ers the special gifts that highlight their great achievements.

We are so thankful for Michelle and for people like her, who have a passion for 4‑H and speak up to make the community better for everyone. See the new belt buckles on 4‑HMall.org, and keep your eye out for the 4‑H Mall’s newest addition – the dairy goat belt buckle!

We continue our celebration of 4‑H youth impact across the nation, here are just a few of the many ways 4‑H empowered youth and built true leaders in 2015.

Jerry, a Mississippi 4‑H’er, serves as a Youth Health Ambassador with Alcorn State Eat4‑Health Program:

“I have been in 4‑H for 3-1/2 years. During that time, 4‑H has helped me learn a lot about leadership, teamwork and communication (public speaking). Being in 4‑H has also helped me develop better decision-making skills, it has helped me be more responsible and take charge of my life.

Participating in the Citizenship Washington Focus program has changed my life. Traveling to Washington, D.C. has given me a new look on life. Before this trip I was not sure where I was going but today I know I am going to college and I would like to be an educator. This experience helped me to learn more about 4‑H and my government, things that will help me be a better 4‑H’er and citizen. I have always been a little shy, but CWF gave me the opportunity to meet and interact with people from different backgrounds and communities. This gave me confidence in myself and my abilities.”

"Being in 4‑H helped me develop better decision-making skills, be more responsible, and take charge of my life." – Jerry, Mississippi 4‑H

Nebraska 4‑H
Nebraska 4‑H’er Emily’s story is one of 4 H skill and responsibility:

“4‑H has helped me amplify my love for agriculture, and build my skills in other areas that are important to me, such as: Citizenship, Sewing, Cooking, and Photography. 4‑H has also helped me to become a confident individual. I have helped improve my community by volunteering my abilities to do different community service projects with my club and with my friends. I love when I get the chance to participate in community service projects that younger generations are involved in because I feel like I am leading them to do good in their lives also.”

"4‑H has also helped me to become a confident individual." – Emily, Nebraska 4‑H

Jessica is a North Carolina 4‑H’er who has been showing goats since the age of 10. Now in college and an active 4‑H volunteer, she wrote a beautiful poem about her time as a 4‑H’er:

Showing days are over, It’s time for college
From a 4-leaf clover, I leave with my knowledge
From a girl who was once shy, and had no clue what to do in the ring
Saying goodbye with a cry, Especially in the spring
Showing taught me a lot, Most importantly responsibility
I gave it all I got, With much acceptability
Win or lose, Different judge every time, Can put you in the blues
But worth every dime . . .
I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for this
Made a lot of friends along the way, Ones I’ll definitely miss
My goal in life is to help others, So that’s what I’m going to do
Make a difference in my life and another’s—Maybe yours too

Career opportunities in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) are available far and wide, however, according to a recent study, America is not keeping pace with the current and projected demand for graduates with STEM skills and training. This need is even more prevalent amongst women and minorities, who are significantly under-represented in STEM degrees and careers.

Lockheed Martin wants to empower today’s youth with the resources and knowledge needed to discover and explore STEM career opportunities. Introducing the 4‑H STEM Futures program.

Developed through work with National 4‑H Council, this national program features a new, research-based framework to set more young people on a clear pathway for careers as scientists and engineers. Through after-school learning and practical, hand-on experiences, the world of STEM comes to life as youth are armed with skills needed to face STEM in the real world.

The key component of the program is the 4‑H Career Pathway, a unique process that repositions STEM careers and majors as attainable options for youth, particularly girls and minorities. Here’s how it works:

Explore – youth participate in introductory, short-term STEM projects
Learn – youth delve into projects that teach more advanced STEM concepts and problem solving skills
Practice – youth engage in more long-term projects with professional coaches to guide them in building STEM and leadership skills for college and career
Experience – youth immerse themselves in a field of work, including on-site training, shadowing and internship opportunities with STEM businesses.
The best part about the process? Lockheed Martin employees, scientists and engineers will serve as mentors to youth across the country throughout each stage, amplifying the 4‑H /Lockheed Martin joint effort and making an even greater impact on today’s youth. They are even kicking off their work together with this year’s 4‑H National Youth Science Day event where volunteers will assist over 300 youth in the Motion Commotion experiment in Washington D.C. on October 7th – providing the opportunity to spark their interests in exploring STEM.

“Lockheed Martin has partnered with 4‑H for many years on STEM programs that educate and inspire tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and mathematicians,” said Emily Simone, Lockheed Martin’s director of Community Relations. “This new STEM Futures partnership will provide even more opportunities to introduce students to exciting STEM careers and make positive impacts on the world.”

Encouraging young people nationwide to reach their full potential is the number one priority for 4‑H. It is critical that today’s youth are introduced to, and encouraged to pursue the career paths that they may be unaware of or feel are unattainable.

Sparking interest in agriculture and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is even more important for young women and girls who remain under represented in ag and STEM careers.

I had the pleasure to connect with U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. As a visionary in agriculture, an advocate for women and girls, and proud 4‑H alumna, she shared her thoughts on the importance of 4‑H hands-on learning programs today, and provided insight on her vision for the next generation of our nation’s leaders.

As America’s largest youth development organization, 4‑H is focused on growing young innovators and preparing them for leadership roles in their careers. From someone who grew up in 4‑H, how did your 4‑H experience impact your life and career?

Krysta Harden (KH): 4‑H opened up many doors for me. Through my involvement in various 4‑H competitions and camps, I was exposed to new experiences – and many life lessons that I have carried with me. In my professional career, I have seen the positive impact 4‑H has on our youth and I truly believe that the organization is developing the next generation of young leaders. I make it a point during every trip I take as USDA’s Deputy Secretary to visit with these young leaders and let them know that we need their skills and talent in order to build a better future.

As a leader in agriculture and agribusiness, what is your vision for the next generation of agriculture and agribusiness leaders?

KH: The time is now to be building the bench for tomorrow’s producers, consumers, and agribusiness leaders. It is crucial that our leadership in the field of agriculture truly reflects the diversity of our nation’s farmers and ranchers.

We need everyone at the table. Everyone’s voice is important and having diverse representation will only lead to better discussions and a stronger tomorrow.

As Deputy, I have also focused a lot of my efforts on women in agriculture because it is a topic near and dear to my heart. Our women farmers and ranchers have a wide variety of interests and skills. At USDA, we started the Women in Agriculture Mentoring Network to connect women with shared interests and goals, personally and professionally. We have over 700 members and we are always looking for more 4‑H’ers! You can join by e-mailing agwomenlead@usda.gov.

USDA is currently working to reach new and beginning farmers. How do you think 4‑H and other agriculture-based youth organizations are helping to support this effort?

KH: The average age of a farmer is 58 years old. We have to start making decisions today to make sure young people will get involved in agriculture, and that’s in all aspects. That’s farming, science, marketing, education, and communication. It’s the entire industry.

I think organizations like 4‑H really do help start a career path for a young person who is thinking about an interest, a degree, or a career in agriculture. 4‑H can show them the opportunities. USDA certainly wants to be there and help bring awareness, and to help provide outreach to young people. We do a lot with colleges, 4‑H clubs, and even space programs. We do a lot of joint research with NASA, helping young people understand the importance of growing and providing astronauts with safe, available food. You often hear people refer to STEM in the news but at USDA, we want to make it STEAM to include agriculture.

In partnership with 4‑H, we want to expose young people to all the different options involved in agriculture. For those who want to stay on the farm or ranch, we want to make sure they have the tools to do that as well.

The push for more women in agriculture and agribusiness is a topic being raised on a global level. What are your thoughts on ways we can encourage young women to pursue a career in such a high demand field?

KH: We must first say, “You can do it if you want to do it.” Girls and young women need to know that there are a vast amount of opportunities in the field. From the farm to the boardroom to the classroom, there are so many possibilities and we must continue to open doors for women. We need their ideas and talents, and USDA stands ready to make sure they receive that message through our mentoring efforts, partners, outreach opportunities, and so much more.

James was growing older, and he was busy going to school, spending time with his friends and 4‑H club. When he had a difficult day at school, he could always go into the coop and hang with his “girls.” They trusted and depended on him every day, and they would always make him feel better. He always found time for them and was sure to see to all their needs.One cold morning, near the end of winter, James found Goldie in the coop flopping around and having a hard time walking. He brought her into the house to see what was wrong. She could barely stand up and was getting weaker as the day went by. She wouldn’t eat or drink. He decided to make a comfortable bed of hay for her in the basement to separate her from the others. Goldie continued to get weaker that night and into the next day. I let James stay home from school so he could care for her. He called his 4‑H leader, and she told him what he had feared – that Goldie wasn’t going to make it through the night.

“Sometimes chickens get sick and weak and will just lie down and go to sleep,” she explained. “You are doing everything you can by making her comfortable.”

She also offered to come and take Goldie so he wouldn’t have to watch her die. James was heartbroken. He would have to face his biggest fear – he was going to lose one of his beloved chickens, and soon. He worried that Goldie was in pain and didn’t like to see her so sick. James decided to keep her at home. Saying goodbye to Goldie was so difficult.

Throughout the day, he would go check on her, and each time he told her, “I love you, Goldie.”

Goldie continued to grow weaker, until she finally lied down, closed her eyes, tucked her head under her body and went to sleep. Shortly after, she stopped breathing. I was the first to find her. Goldie died! – I sadly realized. I wanted to be first just to make sure before James saw her.

We put her lifeless body in a box with some hay. James’ older brother dug a grave for her outside under the apple tree where other family pets were buried. We gathered at the grave to say goodbye and James’ dad said a few kind words on how much we all loved her, how happy she was, and how she brought James a lot of joy. Both of James’ brothers said, “Goldie was a good chicken.”

“Goldie was the friendliest chicken I ever had,” James remembered. “She was the first one to come over to me when I first got them.”

They all helped shovel dirt and placed rocks onto the grave, then walked away. James stood for a moment, reached down, and touched her grave, saying tearfully, “I feel like she is still here – that she is not gone.” He looked down one last time and said, “I love you, Goldie.”

The next day James got up, got dressed and went out to the coop. He knew the chickens were depending on him so he filled the water and feed, said good morning and let them out into their run. He wondered if they would notice that Goldie was gone. When he entered the coop, they squawked more than usual. James believed it was because they missed her.

He went off to school, but it wasn’t like any other day. He realized what it felt like to lose a beloved pet. Losing Goldie was so heartbreaking, but he acknowledged that even though he was sad, he would be OK. Life would go on without Goldie.

After Goldie died, I was so relieved that he had handled it so well. He had reached out for support from his 4‑H community, and he managed it just like he took to building the coop and caring for their daily needs. Although there are times when he still misses Goldie, he is more socially confident and sure about his goals because of the support he has received from his 4‑H community.

 

The whole process has been so empowering for him and gratifying for me to know that he can do this. I am thankful that he has friends and a community that gets him and where he feels he belongs. It took a few years for this to happen for him but he now has many ribbons and even performed at the State 4‑H Visual Presentation day placing second with this VP on Model Railroading.

During his first year keeping records, James has written about this journey in his 4‑H story. In his own words:

“This is probably one of the first times in my life where I’ve been accepted by everyone in the club, and of course, I accepted all of them. I definitely think that whenever I’m at 4‑H meetings or events or just hanging out with my best friends from 4‑H, I am happier than I’ve ever been and always have a smile on my face. That is why I love 4‑H.”

James has recognized that 4‑H has given him confidence and improved his self-esteem. Anytime he can talk about his interests he is happy and confident, and now he has found a venue to do this where he is accepted and respected.

James’ story is not unique as I know there are other kids out there who do benefit greatly from the 4‑H experience. It has opened many doors for us as a family that we would not otherwise have discovered. I also have been inspired by his determination, and I am authoring and illustrating a children’s story based on Goldie.

By the way, what’s his new interest? He’s learning to play the Banjo. Trains, Chickens and Banjos, Oh My! Is there a club for that?

Wood shavings, goat hair, and judging notebooks characterized my summers growing up, rather than the traditional sunscreen and bathing suits. I spent most of my time with Sarah, Ace, Geoffrey, and Habanero — all sheep or goats in our show string.

My 4‑H career spanned nearly every conceivable event and team. I sewed, judged livestock, went to 4‑H camp, learned to safely shoot BB guns, cured country hams, attended national conferences, and gave speeches. Dipping my toe into so many disciplines definitely made me a more well-rounded student, but my heart lied in the livestock program, specifically in Skillathon. I enjoyed that part of the livestock competitions the most because you relied solely on your ability and knowledge of animal science. Ten years of work and study culminated at the 2007 National 4‑H Skillathon Contest in Louisville, Kentucky. My sister and I were on our county team (not to mention coached by our mother!) representing Kentucky 4‑H and to our delight won the National Contest! This remains my proudest accomplishment as a 4‑H member.

Elizabeth-Riley-2007-National-4-H-Skillathon-1

Certainly the more traditional 4‑H projects continue to remain relevant and practical, but I learned some of my most important lessons in an initiative Christian County 4‑H took on called Youth in Governance (YIG). This program trained youth in advocacy and how government worked. Through our efforts, youth were placed as non-voting members of various boards and government agencies. We contended that the voice of youth was valuable and worth hearing. I was an ex-officio member of our local Economic Development Council (EDC), where I learned how industry impacts a community, how local governance works (or doesn’t), and most importantly in my mind, the value of caring. When I was a teenager, it certainly wasn’t “cool” to be passionate about something. Apathy was popular and being on the EDC as part of YIG showed me that people dedicated to a cause get things done in their community. That lesson has stayed with me and ultimately played a part in my decision to join the Peace Corps, where I’m still working with 4‑H in Jamaica. Our YIG group went to the Citizenship Washington Focus in 2004 and happened to be there during President Reagan’s funeral, certainly a memorable experience.

ElizabethRiley_youth

One of my most treasured memories in 4‑H is when I was an adult counselor at 4‑H camp. I always preferred to be in charge of the youngest girls, even though they were often plagued with homesickness; the drama and boy-craziness of the older girls hadn’t hit them yet, for which I was profoundly thankful. In Kentucky 4‑H camps, a Spirit Stick is awarded to the teams with the most “spirit” at each evenings’ activities; basically, the loudest ones. This always put my little ones at a disadvantage, but one night they pulled out all the stops and were awarded the Spirit Stick. To this day, I don’t know why it touched me so much, perhaps we’d been denied it so long, but I was unbelievably proud of those girls.

My 4‑H activities and animal science knowledge led me to receive my BS in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky and my MS, also in Animal Science, from Virginia Tech. The people I’ve met and friendships forged throughout the years have certainly enriched my life and made me a better person. I carry with me all the lessons that I learned through 4‑H, especially applicable as I continue my Peace Corps service in Jamaica. I don’t know what my next step in life will be, but you can bet 4‑H will be part of it.