By BRITT COPELAND, guest columnist
October marks the start of 4-H enrollment in Brown County and nationwide.
Almost 6 million youth enroll in 4-H each year, making it the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization.
Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4-H organizations empower an additional one million youth in 50 countries which include Ghana, South Africa, China, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Oct. 6-12 is National 4-H Week, which is an opportunity to celebrate the experiences, youth and volunteers that make up our organization.
This year’s theme is Inspire Kids to Do, which highlights the hands-on experiences provided by 4-H in learning areas such as health, science, agriculture and civic engagement.
Included in this national initiative is 4-H National Youth Science Day, which sees thousands of youth across the nation taking part in the world’s largest youth-led STEM challenge. The theme for this year’s challenge is Game Changers. Developed by Google and the West Virginia University Extension Service, Game Changers will teach kids coding skills through fun exercises including gaming, puzzles and physical activity. An educator is available in Brown County to teach this kit through the extension office.
We will also be celebrating by highlighting our members and volunteers’ achievements on social media (Facebook @purduebrowncounty).
While Brown County falls a bit short of 6 million youth enrolled, we have a great program that is always looking for new members and volunteers to grow with us. The positive environment provided by 4-H volunteers ensures that members in Brown County and in the nation are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles and are empowered with the skills to lead in life and careers.
Perhaps you have been to the 4-H Fair to ride amusement rides, sample the Lick Creek Love Bugs’ fried potatoes, see the animals in the livestock barns or enjoy some entertainment and fellowship? The fair is a great representation of what 4-H members learn and experience through the 4-H program, but 4-H is not limited to one week a year — a week that will tentatively take place July 27 to Aug. 1, by the way.
The 4-H program has year-round opportunities that engage members in experiential learning focused on life skill development. We create these experiences through clubs, projects at the county and state fairs, camps, and development conferences/trips to Purdue University and beyond.
We have eight clubs in Brown County that are either general clubs for anyone and everyone, or project-focused clubs for anyone with interests that include shooting sports, training dogs, riding and learning about horses, or the stewardship of livestock. Many of our clubs meet year-round to provide these experiences and positive learning environments.
One of those clubs is the 4-H Jr. Leaders. This club is for Grades 7-12 and is student-led. Members perform community service, plan and facilitate events for younger students to hone their leadership skills, serve as ambassadors for our programs, and take achievement trips. New this year is the formation of a Hippology (Greek: hippos, “horse”; and, logos, “study”) Team. The group will compete at Purdue University in a quiz bowl-style event that will test their equine knowledge against teams across the state. Each club is led by adult volunteers that have gone through a screening process and minors training. Joining a club is often the first step in a 4-H members journey, followed by exhibiting projects.
Projects in Brown County range from creative arts to archery, swine to sewing, foods to forestry and many more. Members are encouraged to take what they are interested in and master it. Finding your niche is not always easy, but the wide range of projects and experiences in 4-H gives members a positive environment to explore something that might one day become a career.
One of the most popular experiences in our county is participation in the Southeastern Indiana 4-H camp, which takes place at Camp Higher Ground in West Harrison, Indiana, during the first week in June. This camp, like many other 4-H events, is student-led, meaning junior staff members choose the theme, facilitate events and take leadership roles among 350-plus of their peers. Members have the chance to make friends across county lines that last well beyond camp.
A unique advantage of 4-H is its connection to the Cooperative Extension Service, which is operated through the 110 land-grant universities in partnership with state and county governments. This means that 4-H has access to an incredible amount of research and knowledge that goes back more than 100 years.
Evidence of that is the opportunity for development at the state level. The 4-H Academy, Round Up and Jr. Leaders Conference are all examples of trips Brown County 4-H members can participate in. Members can explore Purdue University (Indiana’s land-grant university), learn from professors, complete projects in university labs, fly planes and drones, all while staying in campus dorms with members from across the state.
Getting signed up at the county level is only the first step in exploring what 4-H can offer. Enroll at in.4honline.com.
As we celebrate National 4-H Week, I would encourage community members to reach out to anyone you’ve seen wear a 4-H Clover before to ask about 4-H. Even adults can benefit from 4-H by becoming a volunteer leader, council member or club leader. Our volunteer force is what makes our program great. If you have a willingness to help or a skill to share, please reach out by contacting the Brown County Purdue Extension Office at 812-988-5495.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”On the Web” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Find Indiana 4-H on the web at extension.purdue.edu/4h.
Find Purdue Extension Brown County at extension.purdue.edu/brown.
[sc:pullout-text-end]Britt Copeland is the Brown County Purdue Extension educator for 4-H Youth Development. He can be reached at 812-988-5495 or [email protected].
