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Our Illinois 4-H Story

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Looking back as a horse bowl and hippology alumna

As the horse bowl and hippology season in Illinois nears its culmination in the state competition this weekend, the efforts of dedicated 4-Hers are soon to be rewarded. Every year, horse-crazy 4-H members from around the state of Illinois spend the fall, winter, and spring preparing for a rigorous...
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Purposeful donations: What they are and how to make them

Many people are unaware of what happens to food after it is donated. Obviously it is eaten, but what happens in the time between the time when it is dropped off at a pantry and the time when it is consumed? There are several important steps in this process, but one that is frequently forgotten is...
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Learning engineering design through robotics

Youth robotics teams from around the state are traveling to Bloomington this weekend to compete in the SpaceBot Mission Command 4-H Robotics Challenge. Teams have built and programmed Lego robots to accomplish a variety of tasks related to space travel, such as satellite control, navigation, and...
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Love horses, but don’t have a horse?

During the pandemic when so many other things were canceled, I started riding lessons. When I started I didn't know much about horses, and all I knew was what I watched on TV or had learned at camp which wasn't much. I love horses, but I don't own one. However, 4-H has given me the opportunity to...
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Five to Thrive: The best foods to donate to food pantries

It is not until you begin to look for food to donate to a food bank or pantry that you realize just what a wide selection of different foods there are in the world. Most people only tend to eat a very small fraction of these foods when allowed to choose for themselves. But choosing what to donate...
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5 actions youth can take to fight food insecurity this winter

Food insecurity, or the lack of consistent access to affordable and nutritious food affects roughly 10% of the people of Illinois. The lack of reliable food sources is extremely damaging to families and individuals. The winter months can be especially hard for families battling food insecurity....
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8 ways to celebrate Black History Month

Every February, people in the United States celebrate the history and the achievements of African Americans as a part of Black History Month. Here are some ideas of how you and your 4-H club can help celebrate this month! Learn Learn more about Black History Month, why it is...
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a youth in a mask builds a ring of Pringles

What do Pringles and leadership have in common?

You aren’t the first person to ask, "What do Pringles have to do with leadership?" The conversation started as I pushed a cart full of Pringles cans to the local grocery store and said, “I work for 4-H” to the cashier as though that explained why I had 10+ cans of our favorite creatively packaged...
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Helping youth develop an attitude of gratitude

The season for giving has come to a close, but if your kids are more focused on all that they can get this time of year, how about trying a gratitude practice?  Studies have shown that people who regularly practiced gratitude were found to have lower rates of depression, more impulse control,...
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Blog Authors
tina veal

Tina Veal

4-H Alumni & Constituent Engagement Manager