4-H: What can it offer to my child?

    As Phillips County 4-H gears up for yet another year, many may wonder what 4-H is all about and what kind of positive effect it has on youth today. Ask any 4-H alumni and you’ll probably get an array of answers about why they chose to participate in 4-H and how this youth organization helped prepare them for adulthood. A common theme you may hear is that 4-H taught them various life skills through club and project participation. You’ll probably also hear some entertaining stories from their 4-H days!
    4-H has been in existence for over 100 years. What began as a way to give rural youth new agricultural skills has grown into a global organization that teaches youth life skills. In short, 4-H is dedicated to helping cultivate the next generation of leaders by addressing issues such as the shortage of skilled professionals, maintaining global competitiveness, encouraging civic involvement and becoming a healthier society.
    What does 4-H offer to youth today? Many, many opportunities! 4-H has increasingly put an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. Topics such as water quality and usage, alternative energy, robotics, scientific and technological literacy, and sustainable agriculture are explored.

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