CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 09/02/10

4-H: Not just camp and club meetings

By Sharon Dowdy

For many, the words “Georgia 4-H” bring to mind club meetings and trips to Rock Eagle, the mountains or the beach for camp. But it’s much more, says a Georgia 4-H program expert.

While 4-H has many extracurricular programs, a significant amount is based in academics, because the program is operated by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. 4-H lessons and in-school curriculum are designed to meet Georgia Performance Standards, said Mandy Marable, Georgia 4-H curriculum specialist.

“4-H brings quality educational experiences to the students in all of Georgia’s counties,” Marable said. “In-school 4-H experiences open the door for a myriad of out-of-school opportunities. 4-H strives to bring relevance to academic knowledge with practical applications.”

It’s all based on research conducted at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the state’s oldest land-grant university. CAES first offered Georgia’s 4-H program in 1904.

“The idea of bringing UGA research and resources to Georgia students through the use of county agents throughout the state was a cutting edge idea in 1904 and remains so even today,” said Arch Smith, Georgia 4-H interim state leader.

4-H is the largest youth development organization in the country. In Georgia, 4-H provides programs for more than 156,000 students ages 9 to 19. They learn about many topics, including community involvement, health, science, engineering, technology, leadership, agriculture and communication. Nationally, more than 7 million students are involved.

Back in 1904, students applied new techniques to increase corn yields. Today, fifth grade 4-H students learn about crop traits and genetics by using real-world examples and learning activities, Marable said.

“We pride ourselves on the fact that our 4-H youth development program was founded as a part of the school system in Georgia, and we remain a vital partner to schools throughout the state today,” she said.

Through 4-H Project Achievement, each year 10,000 Georgia youth learn public speaking skills, conduct research, prepare presentations, compile portfolios of their accomplishments and present their findings to a panel of experts.

Students can also learn responsibility through livestock projects, programs and judging. Georgia 4-H partners with Georgia FFA and the UGA Animal and Dairy Science Department to provide these programs. Every year, 2,400 4-H’ers complete a year-long process to prepare more than 4,500 animals for exhibition at the Georgia Junior National Livestock Show and other competitions.

Successful Georgia 4-H alumni include Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, singer Jennifer Nettles of the Grammy-winning group Sugarland, Georgia governors Roy Barnes and Sonny Perdue, and legal commentator and television host Nancy Grace.

To share your 4-H story, visit www.iamga4h.org. To learn more about Georgia 4-H, go to www.georgia4h.org.

Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Authors:
Sharon Dowdy
Experts/Sources:
Mandy B. Marable
Georgia 4-H is known for using the outdoors as a classroom. But 4-H programs also teach students presentation and communication skills through project demonstrations.
Georgia 4-H is known for using the outdoors as a classroom. But 4-H programs also teach students presentation and communication skills through project demonstrations.
Georgia 4-H is known for using the outdoors as a classroom. But 4-H programs also teach students presentation and communication skills through project demonstrations.
Download Image
"I am Georgia 4-H" logo CAES News
Protect yourself when posting information to social network sites 06/23/11 Sharon Dowdy
Some 37 percent of American 10-to-12-year olds are active members of the social network site Facebook, according to a 2010 study by McAfee. To help Georgia teens stay safe on the Internet, Georgia 4-H specialist Cheryl Varnadoe teaches youths to make wise decisions when posting information to social network sites like Facebook and MySpace.
More than 160,000 children nationwide miss school every day out of fear of being bullied, according to the National Education Association. CAES News
Take note of cyber bullies 06/22/11
Once upon a time, it seemed like the school bully was best known for stealing lunch money and picking on other kids. Today, the news is full of stories about how the modern bully has moved from the lunchroom to the Internet. While the majority of schools now have policies in place about both bullying and technology use in the classroom, bullies who use their home computers may not have the same restrictions.
P.R.I.D.E. trains teens, and their parents, to be better drivers. CAES News
UGA Extension helps train teens to hit the road 06/22/11 Jamie Woodhead
The thought of teenage drivers strikes fear into the hearts of parents everywhere. The dangers of talking on the cell phone or texting while driving adds even more worry.
Girl Scouts CAES News
Overscheduling – what is too much? 06/22/11 April Reese Sorrow
Hustling your child from ballet recitals to T-ball games and scouting events to theatre rehearsal may not be the best way to raise a well-rounded child, says a University of Georgia child development specialist.
CAES News
Rules, boundaries and routines 06/22/11 April Reese Sorrow
Making rules, establishing boundaries and setting routines can be challenging for both parents and teachers. But children need rules to guide them, boundaries to give them a sense of safety and routines to give daily life predictability, according to a University of Georgia child development expert.
Get kids involved in community service by learning what they are interested in. Making the world a cleaner place is a place to start. CAES News
Getting kids involved in community service 06/22/11 April Reese Sorrow
Getting kids involved in community service is a great way to teach them about the world around them. To be successful, start by including children in activities that interest you, learning what they care about and connecting to other groups with similar interests, says a University of Georgia child development expert.