4-H

4-H envisions a world in which youth and adults learn, grow and work for positive change.

4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnership
with caring adults.

Description:
4-H is the non-formal, dynamic youth development education program of the Iowa State University and United States Department of Agriculture. Whether you live in town, the suburbs, on a farm or in the city, you can belong to the 4-H Program. 4-H helps youth develop skills to live better lives in their communities.

Iowa 4-H is a hands-on learning program for youth in grades K-12. Clover Kids is a 4-H program for youth in grades K-3. In Iowa, 4-H is the youth part of Iowa State University Extension. Each county has an ISU Extension office that manages the local 4-H program.

The 4-H Community Club program is the premier youth organization in Iowa when it comes to developing leadership, citizenship and communication skills in young people. 4-H members gain skills and memories that last a lifetime.

History:
Iowa has strong roots in 4-H. We were early pioneers in club work, beginning with Jessie Field Shambaugh in Clarinda, Iowa.

The work with boys was called “Boys Agricultural Clubs” work. The boys exhibited corn and garden products and had livestock judging contests. With girls it was titled the “Girls Home Culture Clubs”; these clubs taught sewing, canning, and gardening.

From 1905 to 1914, clubs were started in nearly all states in the country. Club work for rural youth was organized several years before the term “4-H” or before the fourleaf clover emblem was used.

The story goes: one sunny June morning in 1906 at a one-room country school near Clarion, Iowa, 11 pupils spent their recess outside searching for four-leaf clovers. They had plucked seven clovers when a visitor drove up. Their teacher recognized the guest as Superintendent Benson. At the teacher’s suggestion, the children surrendered their good luck charms and
placed the seven clovers into the hands of Superintendent Benson.

He said, “I’m looking for an emblem for the agricultural clubs and the schools of the country, and you have just given me that emblem – the four-leaf clover; it will help explain to young and old the message of a four-square education.” The four main ideas for four-square education included educational development, fellowship development, physical development, and moral development.

In 1907 and 1908, Superintendents Benson and Shambaugh began to use an emblem of a three-leaf clover with an “H” on each leaf, one each for the head, heart, and hands.

Contact person: Gail Castillo, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (641) 456-4811

Address:

3 First Ave NW Hampton, IA 50441 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4H/

Last updated on December 2, 2008