What is 4-H?

What is 4-H?

What is 4-H?

4-H is America’s largest youth development organization---empowering nearly six million young people with the skills to lead for a lifetime. Kentucky 4-H reaches on average 200,000 young people each year.

4-H is a community of young people across Kentucky who are learning communication, civic engagement, and leadership skills.

In 4-H, we believe in the power of young people. We see that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around us.

We believe in:

  • All young people’s potential;
  • Developing young people who are empowered, confident, hard-working, determined, responsible and compassionate—seeing a world beyond themselves so that they have the life-long skills to succeed in college and career,
  • Ensuring access and equity for all,
  • The power of being a part of America’s leading public universities,
  • The practice of positive youth development (PYD) by creating positive learning experiences,
  • Caring and trusted adult mentors who cultivate positive relationships with youth,
  • Create safe, diverse and inclusive environments, and
  • Meeting young people wherever they are.

Positive Youth Development

Youth programs that are intentionally planned and implemented to provide a rich developmental context, with program activities that enhance thriving, lead to achievement of the program’s developmental outcomes (Arnold & Gagnon, 2019). 4-H practitioners across Extension who implement research-based methods to offer a high-quality developmental context in their educational programs will enable youth the opportunity to thrive (Noble, Hall, Hensley, Arnold, 2021).

Kentucky 4-H Program Quality Guide

This guide is a framework for the Kentucky 4-H Program administered by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.

Kentucky 4-H Program Quality Guide

Kentucky 4-H Roles and Responsibilities

This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities but can be utilized as a reference for a general understanding of roles in the Kentucky 4-H Program.

Kentucky 4-H Roles and Responsibilities

4-H Pledge

4-H pledge

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,

My heart to greater loyalty,

My hands to larger service,

and my health to better living,

for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

 

Promesa 4-H

Prometo usar mi mente para pensar con más claridad,

mi corazón para ser más leal,

mis manos para ser más servicial,

mi salud para cuidarme más,

por mi club, mi comunidad, mi país y mi mundo.

Thriving Model

 

Contact Information

Rachel Noble Guidugli, Ed.D.
Interim Assistant Extension Director for Kentucky 4-H

212 Scovell Hall Lexington, KY 40546-0064

(859) 218-0991

rachel.guidugli@uky.edu