Celebrating National 4-H Week

Join us October 7-12 as we celebrate National 4-H Week and recognize all the ways 4-H helps youth become "Beyond Ready" for life. Ohio 4-H is building a ready generation in a world of change, and this would not be possible without the tireless work of our 4-H volunteers. They serve as the mentors, supporters, and cheerleaders who give our youth the confidence they need to grow and thrive. National 4-H Week is the perfect time to get the youth in your life involved in 4-H. Contact the Hancock County Extension Office at 419-422-3851 for more information regarding how to join 4-H today. We are helping youth become beyond ready for life — and everything that comes with it — and we hope you will join us. In Hancock County 4-H we empower youth with the skills they need to lead for a lifetime! 4-H inspires curiosity, builds lifelong skills, fuels adventure, and grows leaders. All of these are achieved through fun, hands-on activities, which include clubs, projects, service, and camps. Children can be a 4-H project member when they are 8 years old and in the third grade. They can participate in competitive events like projects and judging at county fairs. 4-H project members select from over 200 projects based on their interests. Project areas include Clothing, Communications, Companion Animals, Creative Arts, Family Life, Child Development, Food & Nutrition, Health, Home Decorating & Design, Leadership, Money Management, Natural Resources, Photography, Quilting, Self-Determined, Shooting Sports, STEM, Veterinary Science, Welding, Woodworking and Workforce Preparation Projects. To check out available projects and their reviews go to Project Central at https://projectcentral.ohio4h.org/. 4-H is also open to younger children aged 5 and in kindergarten through 2nd grade to participate in Cloverbuds. As a Cloverbud, members enjoy group-centered, non-competitive activities until they are eligible to be a project member. This year our Cloverbuds will get to take part in Kickboxing, learning about recycling, seeing the Findlay Planetarium, and learning about STEM. Through 4-H, all members engage in hands-on learning in clubs, camps, and other settings with approved adult volunteers. These volunteers together to help teach, guide, and expand our members knowledge and experiences. Each year, more than 25,000 adult and teen volunteers contribute their time, energies, and talents to enable Ohio 4-H to reach nearly 300,000 youth. We could not do all we do without the support of our local, state, and national volunteers. Edy Gierke is the 4-H Youth Development Program Assistant with Ohio State University Extension — Hancock County.