Endless Possibilities in 4-H
By: Ava Anderson
Diversity is the art of thinking independently together. 4-H is a family made of people who are all unique and share different passions, but unite as one in their 4-H careers.
Hi, my name is Ava Anderson and I am a 4-H Ambassador of Edwards County and the President of the Ellery Panthers 4-H Club. I have been in 4-H for 9 years now and never once have I felt like I didn’t belong. There are numerous projects, workshops, and leadership opportunities for everyone.
When most people hear about 4-H, they think livestock, cooking, or sewing. I am here to tell you that there is so much more to 4-H than you could ever realize. Some of the available projects that I personally find interesting include Citizenship, Communications, Leadership, Sports Nutrition, Swine, Photography, Diversity & Cultural Awareness, and Passport to the World. Some other projects include Shooting Sports, Video Programming, Small Pets, Outdoor Adventures, Vegetable Gardening, Journalism, Food Decorating, Vet Science, Woodworking, Junk Drawer Robotics, and so much more. As you can see, there is a diverse group of projects allowing anyone and everyone to be at home in 4-H.
4-H is much more than completing individual projects and records. The individual projects a member completes are judged and showcased at the General Show, Food & Clothing Show, or during Fair Week. Each of these shows allows members from all of Edwards County to come together, discuss their projects, what they learned, etc. In addition, there are opportunities to improve your skills for your individual projects by attending workshops. All throughout the year, workshops are held to increase the knowledge of life skills. Some workshops held throughout the year include Nine-Patch Pillow Making, Scrumptious Science, Swine Showmanship Training, Livestock Judging, Photography Skills Lab, Woodworking: Birdhouse Lab, Winter Art Creation, etc. The opportunities are limitless.
In 4-H, kids roll up their sleeves and do with their hands. Their experiences grow the curiosity they need for life and career. 4-H is America’s largest youth development program-empowering nearly six million young people with the skills to lead a lifetime. Based on their interests and guided by adult mentors, youth develop their own path in 4-H. To learn more about 4-H, join 4-H in Edwards County or attend a 4-H event, please contact Edwards County 4-H Program Coordinator, Debra Collier at djc@illinois.edu or the Ellery Panthers 4-H Club at ellerypanthers4h@gmail.com.