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YOUTH
LINKS:
USING 4-H CONNECT
Getting Started Using 4-H CONNECT
4-H CONNECT Instructional Manual for New Families
PAGE LINKS:
4-H Projects
4-H Learning On-Line
Events and Activities
Record Keeping and Record Books
Scholarship and College Support
Leadership Roles in 4-H
Community Serivce
Projects
Recognition
Military 4-H and Operation Military Kids
4-H PROJECTS
4-H projects are the educational experiences that youth who are members of 4-H participate in. These can be club, county, and state supported projects, or they can be projects that 4-H members determine for themselves, research through various methods, and then conduct a learning strategies in, such as a presentation, speech, workshops, fieldtrips, and/or recordbook. These types of projects are call “self-directed” projects and are not supported with educational materials by the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program. Other state or national 4-h programs may have resources to support your project.
Typically, all projects must consist of at least six learning experiences that last from 45 minutes to one hour and include the assistance of an adult or leader.
Projects that are self-directed can include, but not limited to, such topics as: aerospace, automotive, electric, exotic animals, small engines, and small animals.
Click to explore the current year's 4-H projects
Still need some help in selecting a project? Click here for more information about 4-H projects.
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4-H LEARNING ON-LINE
Have you ever wanted to be a great public speaker? Learn how to do a 4-H Record Book? Or, show yoru talent through a Share-the-Fun Skit?
Here is your opportunity to learn more about each of these things, along with others as they are posted to the web. Texas 4-H has developed these learning module for 4-H members, parents, leaders, and county Extension agents to gain more knowledge about a certain subject or topic.
Take some time, experience the modules - and have some Fun!
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EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Through the educational process, 4-H members have the opportunities to participate in many events and activities. The purpose of these events and activities is to gauge, or "test", the knowledge they have gained through participating in a particular project.
The Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program offers many opportunities for both youth and adults to experience 4-H at the local, county, district, state, national, and international level. To learn more about each of these experiences, select the event below or contact your local county Extension Office.
Click here for the events being offered for 4-H members
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RECORD KEEPING AND RECORD BOOKS
Record keeping is a vital life skills taught through 4-H. It helps a 4-H members develop goals and then see if those goals were met at the end of the year. It also, helps record your history with 4-H, such as your leadership, the cool community service projects you assisted with, the workshops you participated in and those that you taught.
Record keeping can be fun, because it is something that you can create that works best for you. It can be a calendar on the wall, a notebook, or you can use your computer. Any way is great, as you start recording your experiences.
Why keep records? 4-H records help you when you go to develop a recordbook, as well as when you go to apply for awards, scholarships and even college!
Link to more on the record keeping and a 4-H record book.
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SCHOLARSHIPS AND COLLEGE SUPPORT
The Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program and the Texas 4-H Youth Development Foundation have the NATION'S LARGEST 4-H scholarship. Annually, more than 225 scholarships valued at approximately $2 million dollars are presented to high school seniors.
To help 4-H members be as successful and prepared as possible, the 4-H provides many resources for our scholarship as well as college preparatory. For more resources and information on the current years 4-H scholarships, click the link below
Link to scholarship program and resources.
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LEADERSHIP ROLES IN 4-H
Leadership is a huge skill taught in 4-H. Starting from the first 4-H club meeting at the local level to national 4-H events, you will see 4-H members serving in leadership roles. Through 4-H, youth learn how to conduct a meeting, how speak in front of large groups, and how to help others become even more successful. Don't worry! Your leadership skills grow with you. You start slow and add as you feel comfortable.
On the state level, the Texas 4-H Program is lead byseveral statewide groups, each serving a special need to make the 4-H program as successful as it is. To learn more about these leadership and how you may get in involved visit their sites below.
4-H Council website
4-H Technology Team website
4-H Clothing and Textiles Advisory Board
4-H Food and Nutrition Project Development Team
On the district, county, and local club levels, 4-H members serve as officers along with a adult who serves as an advisor or club/project leader. Usually, club officers are elected at the end of a 4-H year, or the very first of the year. Typically, a club will have at least 5 to 7 club officers.
As you become involved in your 4-H club, you will have opportunities to provide leadership in an elected, appointed, or promotion format. Take advantage of all of them, and see the difference you can make.
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COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS
4-H members are encouraged to develop and practice skills to become helpful or useful in their club, community, country and world. 4-H community service projects allow youth and adults to work together and to help others at the same time.
Community Service is:
- Making a difference in your community.
- Helping those that may not be able to help themselves.
- Teaching others how to better themselves.
Community Service is not:
- Daily chores
- Family responsbilities
Community service can be done as a club project or it can be individually as part of your 4-H project. For ideas related to your specific project, go to the projects page and select your project.
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RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
One of the most important parts of participating in an organization is to be recognized for your accomplishments. 4-H provides many opportunities for you to received awards, ranging from ribbons to scholarships. Each county in Texas provides different awards and have different requirements, so it is important that you check with you county Extension office and/or club/project leaders to see what all recognition opportunities are provided.
On the state level, 4-H has several awards that 4-H members can apply and strive for. Those awards can be found by clicking on the awards page below.
Click here to learn more about the state award opportunities.
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MILITARY 4-H AND OPERATION: MILITARY KIDS
The effects of the Global War on Terrorism reach all corners of the world, including all 254 Texas counties. To address the issues facing military families, particularly military children, Texas Cooperative Extension is proud to provide overall direction to the Texas Operation: Military Kids initiative. Statewide and local partnerships involve a variety or partners including, but not limited to, 4-H, National Guard, Reserves, AARP, Community Civic Groups, School groups, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The American Legion & Auxiliary and other service organizations. Partners are able to extend a helping hand as well as an educational arm in helping Texans learn about the issues of deployment and how these issues affect thousands of military kids in Texas! Although the main focus of Operation: Military Kids is on youth of National Guard and Reserve geographically dispersed families, we provide leadership to statewide support, education and referral efforts to the degree possible serving ALL branches of the U.S. Armed Services including the Active Duty, National Guard, Reserves, and Accessions commands.
Our main mission is creating awareness and understanding of the issues and stresses faced by military families and youth while educating this under-served audience of the value and benefit of becoming involved in the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program and other youth organizations. Key elements of our program include:
Click here to learn more about Opeation: Military Kids
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Page last updated:
February 18, 2009
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