Our Illinois 4-H Story

Members of the Grandview Pioneers 4-H Club chose aerospace as their theme for the year, and each month, these young people, who hail from Kansas, Shiloh, Paris and Ashmore in Edgar County, have completed aerospace-related activities. Recently the group made kites, and despite a light mist, flew...

Elizabeth Auer was one of the first 4-H Shooting Sports members when the program began in Illinois in 2009. Now, at 23, she's the first former member to return as a shooting sports volunteer leader by completing training in rifle and archery. "I got so much from the program," the Woodford County...

As the competition season for Illinois 4-H robotics clubs draws to a close, several clubs continue their community programs and trainings for younger members. The Techno Ferret 4-H Club has a great video created by their senior 4-H members...

Kane County 4-H members gained first-hand knowledge of the important roles local government officials play during the 22nd annual 4-H Government Day. The 4-H youth shadowed more than 30 county officials, experiencing the inside of a County Board meeting, courtroom proceedings, and other government...

Youth in Macon County now know more about how their food is produced, thanks to Illinois 4-H's Tech Wizards program. 4-H Tech Wizards is a national mentoring program funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. During March, the students studied embryology, all the while...

Brent Miller is teaching students to give back to their community; his life is their living example of that lesson. Brent, his wife Holly, and their three children live in Ullin. For the past 11 years, Brent has served as a 4-H leader for the Ridge Runners 4-H Club. Since he is also the ag teacher...

Charlee Walker didn't tell anyone her plan, so imagine the surprise when the 17-year-old 4-H member from Edgar County walked into her senior prom wearing a dress she made . . . out of magazine pages. It took this creative young lady more than two months to design, weave, fold, staple and hot glue...

How do you get kids interested in horticulture? In Montgomery County, you show them plants that eat things. 4-H members learned how and why carnivorous plants eat insects. Andrew Holsinger, U of I Extension horticulture educator, provided the hands-on instruction. When the county's classroom...

Kids love to figure things out. Nearly 140 kids stretched their minds and investigative skills at the University of Illinois Extension 4-H Clover Clinic held at Illinois Central College in East Peoria. They gained new skills from more than 30 interactive workshops, such as ballroom dancing, origami...

It's what every good carpenter knows; "measure twice, cut once." Now, 4-H members in DeWitt County know the benefit of careful planning after attending a woodworking workshop which taught basic carpentry skills, such as using a scroll saw, chop saw, band saw, belt sander, planer, drill and air nail...