This is National 4H Week, recognizing the accomplishments of the program that reaches more than 120,000 young people in Iowa every year.
Emily Saveraid, executive director of the Iowa 4H Foundation, says Iowans might spy a few tractors in school parking lots this week, but many other events are underway to celebrate.
“There are lots of different activities,” Saveraid says. “If you are on Facebook, social media, I’ve seen hay bale decorating contests, and window decorating, and everyone wearing green to school.”
The organization has a host of different types of clubs within the club, starting as young as kindergarten and running through high school.
“We continue to see more people getting engaged in different ways through 4-H,” she says. “Our Virtual Fishing Club gives kids an opportunity to meet virtually and reduce some of those transportation barriers. We’re seeing clubs meet in the after-school space.”
While 4H has its roots in agriculture and has a broad membership in rural areas, it’s also very popular in urban schools with a range of programs encompassing science, robotics and more.
“It’s more than the calf or the canning or the robot or whatever it might be,” Saveraid says. “It’s all of those things that you’re learning along the way, how to set a goal, how to work toward that goal, how to fail, how to come back from that failure, and build resiliency. Those are the things that we know will make young people more successful as they go on to college, as they go on to a career.”
Learn more about 4H programs through the nearest ISU Extension and Outreach office. The 4H fundraising effort continues through noon today.
