NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — For the 76th consecutive year, millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni across the country will celebrate National 4‑H Week from Oct. 7-13. This year’s theme, Inspire Kids to Do, is a campaign that will give kids more opportunities to do, empowering them with the skills they need to succeed in life and career.
Throughout National 4‑H Week, county 4‑H programs will showcase the many ways 4‑H inspires kids to do through hands-on learning experiences as well as highlight the remarkable 4‑H youth in communities across our county who work each day to make a positive impact on those around them.
4‑H was founded on the belief that when kids are empowered to pursue their passions and chart their own course, their unique skills grow and take shape, helping them to become true leaders in their lives, careers and communities.
“4‑H helps youth become confident, mature adults ready to succeed in today’s challenging world. The 4‑H program is developing the next generation of scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs and problem solvers. 4‑H gives young people opportunities to master skills, enrich their knowledge and work with others,” said Jeannette Rea Keywood, State 4‑H Agent, Department of 4‑H Youth Development.
4‑H alumni around the country are always the first to acknowledge the significant positive impact that 4‑H had on them as young people. In fact, research has shown that young people in 4‑H are nearly four times as likely to contribute to their communities and are twice as likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs during after school time.
Also in October, 4‑H National Youth Science Day kicked off on Oct. 1 and take place throughout the month. The 2018 4‑H National Youth Science Day challenge, now in its 11th year, is called Code Your World, a computer science-themed challenge co-developed by Google and West Virginia University Extension Service.
Code Your World will teach kids a wide variety of skills in a four-part series that will enable them to apply computer science to the world around them. This hands-on experience includes a computer-based activity on Google’s CS First platform, as well as three unplugged activities that bring coding to life through games and interaction. Code Your World is perfect for first-time and beginner coders, ages 8 to 14. To learn more about 4‑H National Youth Science Day, visit http://www.4-h.org/ or contact the 4‑H office in the county in which you live.
4‑H programs empower nearly six million young people across the nation through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, cultivates confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4‑H offers educational programs to all youth in grades K-13 on an age-appropriate basis.
In the United States, 4‑H programs are offered through 110 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4‑H organizations empower one million young people in more than 50 countries. National 4‑H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4‑H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the United States Department of Agriculture.
For more information on the 4‑H Youth Development Program, visit www.nj4h.rutgers.edu.
— Rutgers Cooperative Extension