WHAT
IS 4-H ?
4-H is a
club for kids aged 5 to 19. 4-H clubs can be found in communities large
and small all across the country. With the guidance and support of parents
and volunteer leaders,4-H club members work on projects during the year
and have the option of entering their completed projects in local, state
and national 4-H contests.
HISTORY
OF 4-H IN NEW MEXICO:
1911
Youth clubs were
started in New Mexico within the school system and were called corn clubs.
School teachers and superintendents supervised projects and organized clubs.
The projects were expanded to include baking bread, sewing, and growing
crops other than corn.
1912
Boys and girls first exhibited their crops and
home making skills at the New Mexico State
Fair. The first state contests were also held
at this time.
1912-1915
Clubs continued
to expand and more projects were incorporated. Leadership was given by
New Mexico A&M College through correspondence in The College Recorder
and The College Courier.
1914
The Smith-Lever Act permanently established
the Extension Service,and youth groups
expanded.
1917
4-H became the
official name of youth groups sponsored by the Extension Service.
1917-1997
Today's program is for boys and girls, ages
5 to 19, from the farm or the city. These
young people can take part in 4-H through
clubs, special interest groups, school, and
television. 4-Hers have the opportunity to
travel within their communities, county,
district, state, nation and world.
WHO
CAN JOIN ?
Anyone aged 5 to 19! 4-H is for kids interested in learning new skills,
meeting new people and having fun! Parents and other adults get involved,
too, by being a club leader and offering support and guidance to 4-Hers!
Is
4-H Just For Kids Who Live on a Farm or Who Want to Be Farmers?
No. In fact lots of kids who don't know the first thing about farming join
4-H. Some kids may join 4-H to learn about raising livestock, but others
join to learn arts and crafts, vegetable and flower gardening... even potography,
small engine repair and the basics of electricity!
4-H IS OPEN TO EVERYONE!
WHAT
WILL I GET OUT OF 4-H?
LOTS!
You'll have the opportunity to meet new friends and work
with people from all walks of life.
You'll have the freedom to try new projects in a friendly
and supportive environment.
This is your opportunity to explore all those things you've
been interested in doing but didn't know where to begin.
Even if you're not interested in trying something new
you can work on improving or even mastering a current skill.
You'll get a feeling of pride and satisfaction when you
complete a project.And, if you want, you can choose to
display your completed project at the local, state or
national level in various 4-H sponsered contests.
The skills you learn in 4-H are invaluable and will help you
in life, long after you leave the program!
WHERE
DO 4-H CLUBS MEET AND HOW OFTEN?
Meeting places and times depend on each club. Generally, clubs meet once
a month at a convenient location to discuss club business. Sometimes, club
members meet several times a month to work on individual or group projects
together, to learn a new skill, or just to have fun! It's all up to the
club members and leaders!
HOW
MUCH DOES IT COST TO JOIN?
Nothing. However, you will need to buy supplies--- such as feed for your
animal, baking supplies, arts and crafts supplies, etc.---on your own to
complete your project.
HOW
IS 4-H ORGANIZED?
4-H is made up of members, organizational leaders, project laders, parents,
junior leaders, volunteers, county staff, state leaders, and faculty from
New Mexico State University's College of Agriculture and Home Economics.
The structure chart and responsibilities of participants are listed in
the following paragraphs.
THE 4-H STRUCTURE
4-H Club
Club Members
Organizational Leader
Project Leader
Parents
Junior Leader
County 4-H Council
________________________________________________________________
Finance | Awards |
Standing | Program
Committee Committee Rules
Committee
County 4-H Staff
State 4-H Leaders
State 4-H Council
State 4-H Program Leader
NMSU Cooperative Extension Service Director
WHO
DOES WHAT?
Club
Members--- Meet, have fun and learn new skills!
Organizational Leader---Keeps the club organized and operating. She/he helps them learn as she/he works with them individually or as members of the group. A Project Leader can be responsible for more than one project area, but to do it, she/he has to plan time carefully. The Project Leader assists the Organizational Leader in furthering the 4-H vision.
Parents---- Support members and club projects.
Junior Leaders---- Are older 4-H members who enroll in the junior leadership project and help younger members in the club with their projects. They assist with material, help with demonstrations and project, keep up morale, and assist the club officials. A junior leader works closely with the adult leaders in his/her area, be it activity or project.
County 4-H Council---- Elected by club members throughout the county. Their job is to govern programs, activities, and monies donated to the County 4-H clubs.
County 4-H Staff------Responsible for the overall 4-H program. They represent the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service in providing leadership in planning, developing, and evaluating educational programs in youth development in the County.
State 4-H Leaders, State 4-H Associate Director and NMSU Cooperative Extension Service Director----Oversees all 4-H activities.
WHAT
KIND OF PROJECTS CAN I SIGN UP FOR?
Anything from raising livestock and launching rockets to training dogs
and cats to horseback riding to making your own clothes, learning to cook
or learning to operate your personal computer to woodcraving or leathercraft...
the opportunities are endless! 4-H is a great way to experiment with all
types of projects.
WHAT
HAPPENS AFTER I SIGN-UP FOR A PROJECT?
After
you've chosen a project, you can start working on it immediately. As you
work on your project, it is important that you keep trackof your progress
by keeping a Record Book. Record Books are fun and easy to create. Here
are some hints on keeping a good Record Book:
Keep your calendar of project and club activities up-to-date.
Keep all records--- previous and current.
Save news clippings about you or that mention your name or your club's
name.
Keep track of your progress by writing brief but complete reports and stories.
Include pictures ---especially action shots--- of you and your project.
Keep any letters or notes personally sent to you about your 4-H activities.
Write a story on what you have learned or enjoyed about your project, your
club and
4-H.
WHAT
IF I NEED HELP WITH MY RECORD BOOK?
No problem! Your club's Organizational Leader, Project Leader and the County
Extension Office can help you. There are sample books you can look through,
sample stories you can read and a guideline that you can use to put your
first book together. At least once a year, the County Extension Office
hosts a workshop on "How to Keep a Record Book."
WHEN
DO I GET TO "SHOW OFF " MY PROJECT?
You
may choose to enter your completed project in the County Fair, usually
held in late August. Your project may be selected to represent Taos County
at the New Mexico State
Fair, usually
held in September. Throughout the year, there are also local, regional
and state contests that you can participate in if you like. You may receive
a ribbon, trophy or other award for your project, but nothing will compare
to the pride you feel in knowing that you started and completed a project
on your own!
WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE OTHER BENEFITS OF 4-H?
Everyone benefits from 4-H---members, leaders, parents, families and the
community. 4-H can bring people together and help people:
Develop common interests.
Provide
healthy doses of encouragement.
Spend
quality time together.
Let
people-young and old alike-make decisions.
Share
ideas, feelings and accomplishments.
Set
goals and plan how to achieve them.
Make
and repair items to be used or displayed.
Families
also benefit from 4-H because:
Member interest in 4-H reflects family interest in 4-H.
Parents deveop and/or enhance their parenting skills through
quality time with their 4-Her.
Home becomes a safe, fun learning enviroment.
Family support makes 4-H successful for children.
Time and care invested in 4-Hers pays big dividends as participants learn
skills
that can help them throughout life.
HOW
DO WE SIGN UP?
Enrollment for the 4-H year usually begins October 1st and ends May 1st.
to sign up, you need to fill out an enrollment form, pick out the project
or projects you wish to be involved in for that year, and return the signed
form to your club leader.
Contact
info page
If you wish to start your own club, contact the County Extension Office
at 758-3982 for guidelines and further information. Starting a new club
is not difficult, but you will need to know about setting club rules, by-laws,
opening a bank account in the club's name and other details before becoming
an official 4-H club.
Once you are enrolledin 4-H ---either as a member, leader or parent ---- you will be kept informed of 4-H happenings via Cloverleaf, the monthly 4-H newsletter.
Cloverleaf provides all 4-Hers with valuable information on workshops, contests, special community events, scholarships available, state-sponsored events, and "how-to"articles. Contributions from clubs and individuals are welcome as long as the information is relevant to 4-Hers.
Once a year, usually in the fall, an awards banquet is held to honor 4-Hers from around the county for participating in and completing 4-H projects. County Council Officiers are installed at this banquet and the Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year is presented with a special award. Awards are also presented for Record Books, project completion, volunteerism and for leaders, parents and Special Friends of 4-H. Other events scheduled on a regular basis include:
Quarterly 4-H Council Meetings ( All Ages )
Rabbit, Steer and Lamb Clinics ( All Ages )
Senior Leadership Retreat; Albuquerque in January ( Seniors )
Teen Get-Away; Albuquerque in March ( Juniors )
State Horse, Lamb, Steer, Pig and Goat schools in June (Juniors/ Seniors)
State Summer Camps ( Electric Camps ) ( All Ages )
County Contests in June or July ( All Ages )
District Contests in July ( All Ages )
State 4-H Conference in Las Cruces in July ( Seniors )
Taos County Fair in August ( All Ages )
New Mexico State Fair; Albuquerque in September ( All Ages )
_______________________________________________________________________
4-H Age Groups
Seniors------Ages 14-19
Juniors ------- Ages 12-13
Novice -----Ages 9-11
Cloverbuds-----Ages 5-8
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