4-H Youth Development
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
4-H Achievement Program
The 4-H Achievement Program is intended to recognize 4-H participants with outstanding accomplishments and to provide an incentive for youth to increase their knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is a comprehensive program spanning the entire career of the 4-H’er, awards points for outside efforts and interests, and encourages growth and development by awarding high points at multi-county, state, and national levels. As youth work their way through the achievement levels they become eligible for scholarships to teen summit, teen conference, and eventually college scholarships. The 4-H program year runs from September 1 to August 31 of the next year. Youth who are age 9 as of January 1 of that program year may start documenting their 4-H achievements, participation, and projects to go toward their 4-H Achievement Application. These applications will be due to Jeremiah Johnson by November 1. You can email them to jeremiah.johnson@uky.edu
Additional Information
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.
Mary Anne Garnett
Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development
(270) 886-6328 maryanne.garnett@uky.edu Christian County Extension Office 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240Jeremiah Johnson
Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development
(270) 886-6328 jeremiah.johnson@uky.edu Christian County Extension Office 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240Katie J. Mills
Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development
(270) 886-6328 katie.jury@uky.edu Christian County Extension Office 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240Norma K. Taylor
Extension Staff Assistant, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Science, 4-H Youth Development
(270) 886-6328 nmalone@uky.edu Christian County Extension Office 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240Lanny R. Woodward
Extension Assistant, 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Science, Horticulture
(270) 886-6328 ross.woodward@uky.edu Christian County Extension Office 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240
