The 4-H program is geared toward community youth and providing resources to learn, grow, and create a safe and inclusive space for local children.
Enrollment for the various 4-H programs begins on Sept. 1. DeLayna Barr, 4-H Program Coordinator, stated that they have added a number of clubs, such as the Junior Entrepreneur Club. 4-H is continuously growing and Barr wished to spread the word on what 4-H offers.
Barr said that 4-H is the largest positive youth development group. It focuses heavily on positivity and giving youth in the program experiences in which they can find their spark, enjoy and even discover a career.
Membership starts the first day of September. Throughout the month, membership will only be $5. After Sept. 31, membership costs will be $10 per child. There are different groups for different ages, beginning with the introductory group of Cloverbuds. They are comprised of kindergarten students through second grade.
Following is the Discover Club, which is third through fifth grades, and the Explore Club, which is sixth through eighth grades. There are also Junior and Senior Teen Councils for those in the program that are in grades seventh through 12th grades.
There is an impressive variety of activities for those that are in 4-H, with the options continually growing. Barr stated that they are willing to create a club for just about anything if the idea garners enough interest. There are activities focused on STEM, cooking, leadership-building, career exploration, hiking and gardening. There is also a horse club, a horseless horse club and so much more.
“We really do try to have something for everyone,” said Barr.
The 4-H motto is Learn by Doing, which means that participants will not just be sitting idle. Barr stated that they come in, do activities, occasionally get messy and try to see what works. She said that the program is an opportunity to learn something new.
It was stated that 4-H members are four times more likely to give contributions to the community and nearly twice as likely to participate in science programs during out-of-school time.
Barr also wished to shed some light on the importance of the volunteers within the 4-H system. She stated that 4-H is volunteer operated, with the volunteers often being parents. Any are invited to reach out to volunteer with 4-H, though Barr assured that all volunteers go through a screening and training process for the safety of participants and other volunteers.
“These volunteers that we have are amazing,” said Barr.
The volunteers come forward, share talents and bring in a unique partnership of giving kids opportunities to learn. The volunteers also often become mentors for the children and Barr stated that it is powerful to see them connect and learn from each other.
4-H is always looking for volunteers and is ready for this year’s recruitment of eager young minds. The 4-H office can be reached at (435) 636-3233 and the registration form for the various clubs can be found here.
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- Photos courtesy of DeLayna Barr
