4-H Youth Development

4-H is a youth organization committed to building outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society. 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.

What is 4-H?

4-H Youth Development is part of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. Extension’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of Kentucky citizens through non-formal education for the entire family. Extension agents and volunteers take the results of university research and explain it in such a way that different age groups can learn and apply the information to their own lives. Kentucky 4-H believes in providing positive youth development experiences that all youth to experience belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity.

4-H is a youth organization committed to building outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society. 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. The four H's represent the idea of Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. These are the values members work on through fun and engaging programs.

Head Managing, Thinking

Heart Relating, Caring

Hands Giving, Working

Health Being, Living

Additional Information

4-H Enrollment Form 4-H Programs 4-H Camp Volunteer Information

4-H Newsletters

Clubs

Baking club is for youth ages 13-18 who are interested in learning to bake. This club will focus on pies and pie crusts. This club will start in spring of 2024.

The Culinary Club focuses on ages 9-18 who are interested in expanding their culinary knowledge. The club will have hands-on cooking demonstrations and will meet in spring of 2024.

The Four Rivers Homeschool Club is for youth ages 9-18 who are currently homeschooled and looking for ways to connect with other homeschool youth. This club will have a variety of crafts and activities and meets monthly on the third Monday of the month.

The Homeschool Cloverbuds club is for youth ages 5-9 who are interested in connecting with other youth. This club is an introduction to 4-H and covers a wide variety of topics. The Cloverbuds meet monthly on the third Monday of the month.

The Rocket Club is for participants in grades 9-12. This club focuses on learning the basics of model rocket building. An informational night will be held on November 13 at the McCracken County Extension Office.

How does 4-H benefit youth?

4-H’ers, regardless of their background, socio-economic status, race or gender, benefit from their participation in Kentucky 4-H. Positive youth development studies have affirmed that compared to other youth, young people involved in 4-H are:

Four times more likely to contribute to their communities.

Two times more likely to be civically active.

Two times more likely to make healthier lifestyle choices.

Two times more likely to participate in Science, Engineering and Computer Technology programs during out-of-school time.

4-H girls are two times more likely (Grade 10) and nearly three times more likely (Grade 12) to take part in science programs compared to girls in other out-of-school time activities.