Sometimes, it's hard enough just following a step-by-step recipe. Now, imagine you've been given a basket of ingredients and told to "make something." That's what teens in this year's Illinois 4-H Food Challenge pilot program faced. Several counties are holding mini competitions where youth...
Four teens represented Illinois at the National Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C. this spring. These 4-H science ambassadors, who hail from DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties, manned a water science booth at the popular national event. All of the youth are members of a special...
Through a pilot initiative engaging 50 youth in Rockford, Madison and Elgin, 4-H youth in Illinois are building science and engineering skills for the future. Using open-source software and simple microcontroller boards called Arduinos, these youth are writing computer programs, learning how to...
Eric's pony was being a typical pony on show day; stubborn.
For two years, Eric struggled to find common ground with his pony. The pony didn't do anything Eric asked of him on show day, said Extension Program Coordinator Amanda Fox. Eric's attempt to show the pony left him exhausted and frustrated...
Zoe Vicich wants people to think twice before tossing their pop tabs. Vicich, 14, of Sandwich, hopes to donate one million pop tabs to the Ronald McDonald House Charities so families will have a comfortable place to go while they are caring for a child in the hospital. It's a goal she'll need a...
It's easy to tell friends and family about 4-H. Now, imagine you're a teenager and you're telling your story at the Illinois State Capitol.
This spring, 49 4-H members did just that. The youth were specifically trained, either through the Speaking for Illinois 4-H educational program or as members...
The DeWitt County "Where Does My Lunch Come From?" 4-H SPIN Club gave 4-H members a chance to check out local agricultural sites to see where their food comes from and how it is raised or grown.
Each day, the youth prepared a lunch which related to those agricultural businesses they toured.
"In...
The competition is only a small part of the real accomplishments which happen through Illinois 4-H robotics. A group of Will County 4-H participants discovered that when 24 teams showcased their skills in the regional 4-H Robotics Box Bot Showcase in Joliet, hosted by University of Illinois...
The real world is a lot tougher than most eighth graders know. Extension's "Welcome to the Real World" brings home that lesson. WTTRW is an experiential learning simulation which shows youth real facts about how the careers they choose and the decisions they make effect...
Some 4-H stories touch your heart in ways you don't ever forget. Meet 4-H member Tiffany Williams from Clark County who, as part of the five-member 4-H QOV Spinners 4-H Club, has donated time, talent and material to make beautiful "Quilts of Valor" for veterans of the area. Deb Lindley, the leader...
