What is 4-H?

Pictures of chickens, flowers, wheat, a boy looking through a magnifying glass, irrigation pipe, soybean pods, and fruits and vegetables.	Cooperative Extension Service





Cooperative Extension Service	Agricultural Experiment Station
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What is 4-H?

4-H Mission • 4-H Is • Emblem • Pledge • Educational Philosophy • Motto

4-H is the youth development program conducted by the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service. 4-H members can select from many activities in 82 project areas ranging from automotive to clothing to space camp.

Adult leaders, trained by county Cooperative Extension Service Faculty, teach projects to children using the "learn -by-doing" method. 4-H teaches leadership, citizenship, and skills children will use through out their lives. Each year Arkansas 4-H youth receive more than $80,000 in college scholarships at the state level for their 4-H work. Some scholarships are available at the county level.

4-H Mission

The mission of 4-H is to provide opportunities for youth to acquire knowledge, develop life skills, form attitudes, and practice behavior that will enable them to become self directing, productive, and contributing members of society.

4-H Is:

An nonformal educational program Community based and locally determined Primarily group focused and family oriented Volunteer operated Coordinated by professional Extension faculty.

Emblem

The 4-H emblem is a four-leaf clover with the letter "H" on each leaf. The letters in the emblem stands for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health - the foundation of all 4-H programs.

Pledge

I pledge:

My Head to clearer thinking
My Heart to greater loyalty
My Hands to larger service
My Health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

Educational Philosophy

Experiential education - learn by doing.

Motto

To make the best better was suggested by Miss Carrie Harrison of USDA and adopted by a committee of state and national leaders in 1912. Colors Green - nature's most common color, symbolizes springtime, life and youth. White - symbolizes purity and high ideals.

University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 South University Avenue
Little Rock, Arkansas 72204 • USA
Phone (501) 671-2000 • Fax (501) 671-2209

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