4-H Youth Gain Understanding of Civic Engagement The Texas 4-H Youth Development Program not only provides youth the opportunity to expand their horizons in career areas like agriculture and STEM, but also the chance to gain life skills like civic engagement, teamwork, cultural understanding, and communication. The 4-H ”learning by doing” model means that youth…
Gratitude and Service – The 4-H Story
The Texas 4-H Shooting Sports program stands by the tagline, “it’s not about the gun, it’s about the kids.” One youth has embodied that and used it to propel his life trajectory. What started as a hobby passed on from his father turned into a lifelong career for one Burnet County 4-H member. The 4-H…
Rural Youth Get Fired Up For Their Future
“Your life isn’t what happens to you, but how you play your hand.” These words were used to encourage youth from five rural East Texas schools at the 2023 Rural Student Success Initiative College and Career Expo. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Rural Student Success Initiative (RSSI) works to “increase the number of rural students enrolling…
Lindee Miller: Sewing Stories Together
Lindee Miller, a 10-year Briscoe County 4-H’er is heading into her senior year of high school with a loaded plate of responsibility and a ticket to the 2022 National 4-H Fashion Revue. “I’ve been in 4-H since I was a clover kid; my brothers were in it before me so they helped me get involved…
More Than a Game
Rows of travel trailers, multi-family cooking camps, friendships to last a lifetime, and family bonds that aren’t created by blood… that is the Texas 4-H Shooting Sports State Games. “We try to take the focus off of the gun and put the focus on the kids. We are a youth development program and it is…
Kate Knesek: Growing Up Green
“I was one of those kids that was born into the 4-H program. I’m a 3rd generation 4-Her… and my Mom was an agent before I was born, so she put us into the program as soon as she could.” Texas 4-H alumni Kathleen Knesek began her 4-H career as a shy five-year-old in the…
Penelope Deterding: Purpose in the Pedal
Every 4-H’er has a story. A unique, encouraging, empowering story. This is Hopkins County 4-H member, Penelope Deterding’s story. Penelope Deterding has been buying chicken feed and chasing pigs around for years, but running the pedal on a sewing machine isn’t as familiar. Participating in the Hopkins County 4-H Sewing Fun Day event every year…
Graden Allen: Joy in the Journey
Fifteen-year-old Graden Allen from Abernathy, Texas, is a third-generation steer showman, and the achiever of a three-generation long goal. But that accomplishment is not where his story begins…