Illinois 4-H continues to serve as strong youth program URBANA, Ill. — More than 100 years old and growing, 4-H is the largest out-of-school educational program for youth in the United States. 4-H seeks to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, forming attitudes, and developing life skills that enable them to become competent and contributing members of society.
In Illinois more than 281,000 youth participate in 4-H and the other youth programs of University of Illinois Extension. More than 25,300 volunteers assist in the programming.
“4-H provides a variety of ways for youth to learn. We’re equipping youth with the life skills they will need to assume leadership roles both today and in the future,” said Richard Clark, interim assistant dean and director of the Illinois 4-H program. Illinois 4-H, with its more than 306,000 members and leaders, is often referred to as the “front door” of the University of Illinois.
The University serves as the “academic home” for 4-H, a national movement that began in Illinois and has had strong connections with the land-grant university for 100 years. It has been said that 4-H members are the University’s youngest students. Needless to say, the program is an important outreach component of University of Illinois Extension.
In 2006, youth enrolled in U of I Extension 4-H Youth Development took 532,539 projects. Today’s 4-H members are involved in diverse curricula ... from rocketry to recycling ... workplace skill development to community development and everything in between. Science and technology and community service are leading project areas in Illinois.
Six percent of current Illinois 4-H members live on farms; 53 percent are from cities and suburban areas; the other 41 percent are from small town rural areas (nonfarm).
Hundreds of 4-H clubs and county groups are supporting the 4-H CAN Make A Difference food drive.
This is the 11th year for the food drive. More than 2.3 million pounds of food have been collected in this 4-H humanitarian effort and contributed more than 2 million hours of volunteer service at food banks, pantries, shelters and meal programs throughout the state.
For more information about 4-H in Illinois, visit: http://www.4-H.uiuc.edu
Simmental juniors elect new board trustees, officers BOZEMAN, Mt. — In recent balloting at the American Junior Simmental Assoc.’s (AJSA) National Classic XXVII in Louisville, Ky., July 9-15, 200 attendees nominated and elected 2007-08 Officers and Board of Trustees.
These new officers and trustees will represent the 4,000 members of AJSA. Four new members joined the incumbent officers and board of trustees. Holli Parke, Paris, Ky., Tyler White, Wilkinson, Ind., Abram Mertz, Manhattan, Kan., and Whitley Bailey, Mt. Vernon, Mo. were welcomed to serve as officers and trustees.
American Junior Simmental Assoc. 2007-08 Officers and Trustees: President Katie Fields, Mt. Pleasant, Texas; 1st Vice President and Eastern Region Vice President Holli Parke, Paris, Ky.; 2nd Vice President and Western Region Vice President Crystal Alley, Culver, Ore.; North Central Region Vice President Michelle Colgan, Lawrence, Kan.; South Central Region Vice President Britney Willis, Lebanon, Okla.; Eastern Region Trustees: Aleesa Hege, Columbus, Ind.; Katie Linhart, Louisville, Ky.; Tyler White, Wilkinson, Ind.; Western Region Trustees: Megan Mavencamp, Hagerman, Idaho; Michelle Passmore, Kalispell, Mont.; North Central Region Trustees: Cliff Kaehler, St. Charles, Minn.; Valerie Ujazdowski, Winnconne, Wis.; Abram Mertz, Manhattan, Kan.; South Central Region Trustees: Webb Fields, Mt. Pleasant, Texas; Whitley Bailey, Mt. Vernon, Mo.
For details, visit www.simmental.org
Ohio FFA girls study leadership at Washington D.C. conference WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rachel Fry and Rebekah Meller of the Pettisville FFA chapter in Pettisville, Ohio recently attended the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) in June.
The Washington Leadership Confer- ence is a five-day event that trains FFA members to make a positive impact in their school, local community, state and country. The conference focuses on the following areas: problem solving, relationship building, living with character, and developing an attitude for serving others.
Along with the Mid Atlantic Gleaning Network, participants glean fields for produce for Washington, D.C. area food banks. In the past two years, WLC participants have dedicated over 23,000 hours of service to the Washington, D.C. area.
The National FFA Organization coordinates WLC, which attracts participants from across the country.
This summer, more than 2,300 FFA members attended one of the conference’s seven weeklong sessions.
The girls each received partial scholarships from the Ohio FFA Alumni through the Pettisville FFA Alumni affiliate. Both girls agreed that it was a very worthwhile experience and a good way to spend a week out of their summer.
This farm news was published in the Aug. 22, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
