4-H Enrollment Opens Oct. 1

Hi! I'm Teagan Deyoe. I represent the Western Kansas 4-H'ers on the Kansas 4-H Council. As I begin my final year in 4-H, I want to share why 4-H is a valuable tool in raising kids. As summer fun fades and we turn our attention to another school year, it's also time to think about enrolling in 4-H.

Ask a nurse, a small-business owner, or a school board member where they learned to stand up in front of a room and make a case, and a surprising number will point back to a livestock ring or a county club day. That's 4-H at work, and the case for joining has never been stronger.

4-H is the largest youth development organization in the country, reaching close to six million young people every year through a network run by land-grant universities and local Extension offices. In Kansas, it's the biggest youth educational program outside the public schools themselves. It's available in every county in the nation, so a family in Grant County has the same opportunities as a family in Kansas City.

4-H is open to youth ages 7 to 18. Clubs meet monthly, and project groups meet as often as the work requires,so families can pick the level of involvement that fits their calendar. The program teaches a wide range of life skills, from raising animals to sewing, and from baking to 3-D printing. The point is learning by doing, with caring adults nearby to guide and encourage.

But the strongest argument for joining 4-H is what the research shows about the children who stick with it. Drs. Richard and Jacqueline Lerner at Tufts University spent nearly a decade tracking more than 7,000 young people across 42 states, and the numbers are hard to ignore. Compared with their peers, 4-H members were nearly four times more likely to give back to their communities in grades 7 through 12, and about twice as likelyto be civically active. By 11th grade, 4-H'ers were 3.3 times more likely to contribute to their communities than kids who never joined.

The academic side is just as telling. 4-H youth were nearly twice as likely to take part in science, engineering, and technology programs outside of school. Girls in 4-H were twice as likely to pursue science in 10th grade, and nearly three times as likely by 12th grade, compared with girls in other after-school activities. In a state hungry for the next generation of farmers, veterinarians, and engineers, that's a pipeline worth protecting.

The study also found that 4-H kids tend to make healthier choices, earn better grades, and expect to finish college.

As my 4-H career comes to a close, I've realized what an invaluable experience it's been. It has taken me from 4-H camp in Rye, Colorado, to Maine-Anjou Junior Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Through 4-H I've learned skills from sewing to conflict resolution, and from embryo transfer protocols to running a meeting under Robert's Rules of Order. None of this happened by accident. It happened because I set goals, kept records, hitsetbacks, and showed up anyway, with teams of adult volunteers showing me the way.

The skills learned through 4-H don't just enrich your child's learning experience — they raise the bar. Enrollment for the new 4-H year opens each October 1. The Grant County Extension office can help you make one of the best investments in your child's future. The door is open, and the adventures are waiting