From left to right: Cody Philips – State 4-H Treasurer, Keith Rogers – Executive Director, 4-H Foundation, Rachel Droege – State 4-H Secretary, Drew Graham – Director of Advancement, UK College of Ag, The Governor, Dr. Jimmy Henning – Director, Cooperative Extension Service, Dr. Charlene Jacobs- Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development, Allie Click – State 4-H Vice President, Paige Hart – State 4-H President
More than 6 million young people across the country today will be celebrating National 4-H Week, which takes place annually during the first full week of October. Kentucky 4-H leverages National 4-H Week to celebrate the great things that the 4-H youth development program offers young people and highlights the incredible 4-H young people who each day work to a make a positive impact on their community.
On Tuesday, our Kentucky State 4-H officers along with other Kentucky 4-H leaders traveled to the State Capitol to meet with Governor Beshear for the signing of the 4-H week proclamation. Kentucky ranks in the top 10 of several 4-H enrollment categories nationwide, with 237,455 youth involved in 4-H programs, about one of every four youth in Kentucky.
Research has proven that participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are:
- Nearly 4 times more likely to contribute to their communities
- Two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors
- Two times more likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs in the out-of-school time.
4-H, the largest youth development organization in the world, is a community of seven million young people across the globe learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. In the U.S., 4-H programs are implemented by the 109 land grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Overseas, 4-H programs operate throughout more than 50 countries.
We here at the Foundation are excited to celebrate 4-H week with the rest of the Kentucky 4-H family. We thank all of our alumni, volunteers and supporters, because without you none of this would be possible. So wear those Green colors this week loud and proud, Happy National 4-H Week!
