By By Beth Randall / 4-H youth agent
Oct. 13, 2002
This week has been National 4-H Week, which is a time to promote 4-H and reflect on accomplishments made throughout the year.
Our youth have the power to be influential leaders in their 4-H clubs and communities 125,376 youth between the ages of 5 and 18 are involved in 4-H in Mississippi.
4-H was a fun part of my teen years. Now as a 4-H Youth Agent it is great to see the impact 4-H has on the youth of Lauderdale County.
The Lauderdale County 4-H Program offers a wide variety of activities and events for young people. 4-H youth development education offers youth the chance to develop skills and interests in learn-by-doing projects. 4-H is the youth development program of Mississippi State University's Extension Service and it has something for all youth.
The Mississippi 4-H program offers the traditional agricultural-related projects such as beef, sheep, swine and dairy while also offering projects that are keeping youth in tune with the times. Some of these projects include computer, health, photography, expressive arts and nutrition.
Through 4-H, young people also learn to cooperate with people of all ages and abide by group decisions. They learn to conduct meetings. They learn to express themselves, to speak in front of a group and direct their peers.
4-H also helps youth acquire knowledge that can enable them to develop such life skills such as communication, decision-making, leadership, interpersonal relations, community awareness and global understanding.
The 4-H slogan is "learn by doing" and this is done through individual project work and enhanced by local club meetings, county workshops, tours and field trips, as well as district and state events.
4-H helps youth learn more about the world in which they live and helps them become more productive citizens in their communities. Communities that foster the development of 4-H clubs will reap the benefits of their efforts.
The 4-H mission is accomplished through the involvement of parents, volunteer leaders and other adults who organize and conduct educational experiences in community, school and family settings. I extend a special thanks to all who make 4-H activities possible for our youth.
4-H'ers, their parents, volunteer leaders, Extension educators, 4-H Advisory Council Members and 4-H alumni all work together to support the 4-H motto "To Make the Best Better."
I hope you will join us in an effort to make our 4-H program in Lauderdale one of the strongest programs in our state. It takes us all, working together for the benefit of our youth.
If you have access to a computer, check out the Mississippi State University Extension Service Web site at http://www.msucares.com then click on 4-H/Youth.
This site gives information on various 4-H projects, tells how 4-H alumni can be involved in 4-H and gives general information about 4-H.
People often look to four-leaf clovers for luck, but the clover symbolizing 4-H offers something more than just luck.
Justin Rodgers and I enjoy working with 4-H in Lauderdale County and encourage you to explore the opportunities 4-H offers you. For more information on 4-H, the number to call in Lauderdale County is 482-9764.