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4-H helps build leadership, life skills

We would like to invite All Youth (4th 12th grades) and parents to join us on Sunday for our 4-H Fall Rally at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds from 4 to 5:30 p.m. You will be joining the Hamilton County 4-H County Council, 4-H Club members and leaders in launching off National 4-H Week with a bang.

The 4-H Council members are teamed together with the 4-H clubs to help show case a few of the activities offered in the Hamilton County 4-H program. All nine clubs have created games for all those in attendance to play on this fun afternoon. We will climax this event at 5 p.m. with clubs vying for bragging rights on winning the “Barnyard Challenge.” Come and be part of the fun and learn more about the 4-H program.

To Parents of Youth

We would like to encourage parents and youth to get involved and support the Hamilton County 4-H program. When talking to former 4-H’ers about the skills that 4-H help develop in themselves, they begin to realize that

4-H has made a huge impact in their lives. Some mentioned were as follows:

Work Ethic – everyone who has been part of 4-H has experienced the late night before the fair trying to finish projects. In part the experience of last minute projects before the fair helped teachs a good work ethic and the discipline to see a project through to the end regardless of the time. As youth learn about the strengths that are inside everyone, they soon realize that to really go that extra mile even in the face of fatigue is a success in itself.

Goal Setting – a major emphasis of 4-H is about setting and achieving goals. The program really puts youth on a path to dream big, and identify the goals and tasks necessary to achieve their dreams. A lot of the programming within 4-H exposes 4-H’ers to people and opportunities, and helps build confidence to dream big and go after opportunities. Now along the way there may be some really fortunate circumstances and very encouraging parents, but it required a 4-H’er to think and dream big, and then figure out the tasks and goals necessary to achieve their dreams.

Communication skills (both writing and speaking)- the program helps develop both writing and speaking skills at a young age. There are so many opportunities to develop communication skills, including, conference judging, record books, applications, award interviews. 4-H is a program that builds confidence and communication skills at a young age.

Overall I would say that the skills taught by the 4-H program are very similar to the way a snowball grows and builds as it rolls down a hill. In 4-H, you are exposed to life skills earlier than non-4-H’ers, as you go through high school and college, instead of beginning to acquire some of the life skills, you are refining your life skills which helps you enjoy success and provides opportunities, the early opportunities help open doors and provide even more opportunities and the success just continues to build all through life.

We encourage anyone who is interested in joining our program to contact Cheryll Entriken, 4-H & Youth Coordinator at the Hamilton County Extension Office 832-9597. They may also check out the Hamilton County Web-site at www.extension.iastate.edu/hamilton

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