Bridge From Past to Future 4-H Story County, Iowa

I pledge my head to clear thinking my heart to greater loyalty my and storage services my health to better living me plan right up my MA my country in my world what are you gonna do at your next meeting next mean I give you the pledge 4-h members have been pledging themselves to better living for many years how did 4-h get started why has it been so successful how is it the same or different now back in the 1890s Iowa State College started taking the college to the people with corn trains and short courses at the same time County superintendents of one-room schools thought boys and girls should be involved in activities in addition to school programs one of them was a woman named Jesse fields later to be called Jesse field jean bar and she taught the cooking and sewing and even raising corn and many of superintendents wrote Iowa State said can you send us information the college not only said information it sent a professor professor Holden again went down and had a summer school with all the rural school teachers in Page County he talked about all the different things that get to teach and including home act wasn't just agriculture and so that was significant the groundswell of educational efforts in the early 1900's let iowa state college to establish an extension service with county support 4-h was also taking shape in other states across the nation and eventually around the world clubs were formed for boys and girls to appreciate their immediate environments and the opportunities it offered the environment has changed from rural agriculture and now includes members in urban areas and projects suitable for today 4-h is an organization concerned with the wholeness of youth and it's directly linked with University Extension 4-h is successful due to the commitment of parents leaders donors and the community I first-year 4-h my projects where flowers clothing and livestock project work is the starting place for four hrs most youngsters sign up for 4h when in fourth grade and select one or more projects like members pre foragers clover kids prepare an exhibit for the County Fair neighborhood clubs provide for a church with a sense of belonging and each club develops its own traditions and expectations I started as a Jersey 4-h club member that I try to remember the Rudd Russell 4-h club in and Floyd County and that was a beginning of 4h for me youngsters sign up for projects according to their interests remember stay with the project throughout their for eight years the record books shows evidence of their growth whether in projects of foods market lambs gardening or dog obedience project exhibits are judged at the county fair and members receive placement ribbons those who excel in a project may be recognized at county awards night or receive state and national awards or 4-h scholarships and for some their project interest expands into a career members also sign up for projects to try something new whatever the project extension provides up-to-date research based materials to club members that are also helpful to parents and leaders for many years Boys Clubs focus mainly on agriculture and Girls Clubs on home and visual arts changing times brought new projects such as Victory Gardens and rocket science 4-h made a gradual change from rural youth to include urban youngsters in the 80s and 90s Boys and Girls Clubs merged as members diversified their projects more recently countywide project clubs are being formed such as in photography shooting sports and pet therapy through their project work members learn valuable living skills here are some photos of me giving my presentation at or county communications contest it's an opportunity for the youth to organize their thoughts in an educational presentation they organize the subject matter they have a tricky little introduction that gets everyone attention they squeeze in the body of all the important facts the public needs to know and at the end they do a conclusion to tell them what they've already told them there are plenty of opportunities for members to give presentations beyond their own clubs some foragers involve the audience in working exhibits they invite the public to come up and learn from them we've had anything from rope making to making some delicious snacks members can also communicate by capturing your attention through photos and visual arts the one who's doing this video he's made a career out of his interest in photography and his communication projects and forage for HS gained confidence through communication activities when 4-h started in schools over a hundred years ago members learn the latest farm and home practices from their teachers and parents learn these new practices from their sons and daughters in the 1950s 60s and 70s communications expanded to include dress reviews judging contests store window displays and communication contests by the 1990s / HS began using computer-generated posters and presentations for HS now communicate with cell phones and depend on GPS undoubtedly there will be new technologies and devices to assist for HS in the future still the confidence building experience is standing before a crowd to communicate a story is a vital part of the growth and development of foragers 4-h offers youth the opportunity to practice their communication in writing and in verbal and written skills by giving them an opportunity to present information to other service clubs they might need information for a report for school I've had many a teacher tell me that she can spot a forager in the room from their polished reports from their ease in communicating and in their presentations they do in the classroom I joined because my mom and dad were in it my sisters were in it almost our entire family have been in 4h very first leadership skill that a young person gains in 4h is when they join because I made a decision so decision making is one of the keys of leadership development from the beginning of 4-h members made many decisions regarding which projects to carry and what to exhibit member set goals make plans keep records and often explain what they learned to a judge all useful life skills as 14 h alum now an investment executive indicates goal-setting was a very big part of of what i learned from forage anybody recognize this a gold card right well do you think anybody remember the three things that we had to put on a goal of hard think what you wanted to achieve how you are going to do it oh I see someone working on gold cards right now right and then when you are done what you learn how you would do things differently well frankly this is a business plan this is no different than a business plan when you're working on a project when you're working on a company you're doing the same thing what is my mission what is my vision how am I going to complished this and then at the end of the year how do we do how did we succeed and I'd also maintained that a record book isn't really all that different than an annual report these are really just tools that we learned in 4h that are very very applicable to what we do in the business world as foragers learn by doing they also gain leadership skills by learning how to work with younger and older members older members have opportunities to learn leadership in the county and state programs the thing that really identifies a leader is carrying concern they have for the people that are that they're shepherding and the fact that they are responsible and to have in their heart a concern for the growth of people I had a growth of for the community volunteers contribute their time energy and expertise to help foragers build life skills extension personnel provide training to the volunteer leaders knowing they have a great impact on four acres I've been involved probably for at least 25 years my primary role at that time was to help guide and direct the 4-h program in this county and to involve leaders and kids and lots of educational activities leadership like communication and citizenship has been a part of the 4-h experience throughout the years and is a vital part of youth development while helping youth and adults gain skills and leadership and skills in general is what education is all about all community service projects this shoe was planting flowers around voyage grant citizenship is one of the major life skills that is taught in the 4-h program the meaning of citizenship for me is informed concern for myself and for others citizenship begins with yourself and then goes on to others it relates to your home to your peers to your community to your state and while leadership sitters on a member acquiring leadership skills citizenship relates to the members attitude behavior and service to make his or her community a better place they have done roadside pickups and I remember one time when the foragers went to voting precincts and counted the boats and call them in true love and that was a very good citizenship project for them a real learning experience for them understanding government in the role of citizens is an important part of a citizenship project the citizenship short course to Washington DC it's sort of a combination for four hrs after they have done things in their communities members stay at the National 4-h club Center participate in workshops and network with four H's from other states they go on Capitol Hill for a day and meet with their Senators and Representatives tour the capitol visit the House and Senate rooms and it's just a very very exciting time for them one outgrowth of the citizenship Washington focus trip he had a very well-known attorney in Nevada by the name of mr. John hattery who especially liked youth and he was very anxious to help them teach them and do things that would inspire them to become good citizens mr. Hattori was responsible for initiating the inspiration night that continues of the kick off before the county fair the first speaker with Colonel James Owen one of the first astronauts on the moon who drew a huge crowd for a church had the opportunity to help plan the events and to host such well-known persons as rosey grier simon estes and Mollie Cooney the focus on citizenship truly extends the 4-h pledge to my club my community my country in my world I think forage is a lot of fun me too young people want to be a part of a group to actively participate and be proud of their club they want to have a good time and make new friends I think that any 12 or 13 year old would want to be involved with other kids his age or her age and they are going to see all the fun things that go on in the count at the county level and the state level and area level and the local club when 4-h started in early 1900s the real you've had very little leisure time they look forward to 4h meetings with organized recreation recreation not only energized the meetings it provided learning how to win how to lose teamwork and cooperation in Iowa members businesses and individuals raised funds for the state 4-h camp nature hikes swimming crafts flag raising singing circle games biting mosquitoes and getting sunburned we're all a part of the 4-h camp in the early years now there are horse camps moonlight hikes to spot wildlife whole family camps and other appealing special camps County Fair is fun for a chose learn to compete see all the exhibits keep the barns clean eat at the builders club stand and wouldn't miss the fair dance some clubs planned special activities such as going to the state fair fishing trips roller skating or making cider they take ski trips participate in neighborhood parades and deliver cakes to leaders and extension staff all fun activities fundraising can also be a fun activity back in the 1980s 600 Story County 4-h errs worked at the Farm Progress Show to earn money to build the story county extension office for many years one club has been cutting loading and delivering firewood and serving pancake breakfast as fundraisers to build amphitheater in a local park community service is usually a fun activity to as was a case of one club that received a grant from the story county 4-h foundation and installed a barn quilt at the fairgrounds we can look at all the benefits of 4h in the lives of young people but most importantly 4-h is fun I think for it is so successful because you give lon by touching things I think it's successful because you go bonds here more and you can take it throughout your life you know the thing that I love about 4-h is because it brings families together and it also enables you to make lifelong friends in a recent study of 4-h by Tufts University 4-h youth rated higher than other youths in confidence confidence character connection with others and caring about others ask for a chores why 4-h is successful and they'll have several different answers 4-h is fun to do things with friends to meet girls to win ribbons to camp out at the County Fair ask parents why 4-h is successful and they say for kids to build confidence to be responsible to participate in a group to work with adults and to excel outside of school ask volunteer leaders and extension staff wife for HR successful and here are some of their responses 4-h is successful because of the support of the parents the extension staff and Extension Service itself to Tessa for each program to me is the fact that that we've had this large Kadri of volunteer for each leaders they are willing to give so much time and effort to help encourage young people I think the thing that makes forage so special to me arses people that we work with that's a hands-on every day and it's so every morning to see a young person overcome a problem and help them solve that problem what we need to do is to build in a heart building the lives of children skills that are going to last for a lifetime what has made for H successful of the youth program in my opinion it is our capacity and willingness to adopt and adapt the new situations new technology where does this come from as far as I'm concerned comes from the fact that we are part of the land-grant university system and its research-based ask individuals or businesses in the community what makes for a successful and they will attest that 4-h has evolved to meet changes in society that volunteers provide leadership and the Extension Service guides the program but most importantly 4-h builds character capabilities and self confidence in young citizens who will be tomorrow's community leaders you you you you