4-H Youth Development
4-H Youth Development
4-H is a youth organization committed to building outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society. 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.
What is 4-H?
4-H Youth Development is part of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. Extension’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of Kentucky citizens through non-formal education for the entire family. Extension agents and volunteers take the results of university research and explain it in such a way that different age groups can learn and apply the information to their own lives. Kentucky 4-H believes in providing positive youth development experiences that all youth to experience belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity.
4-H is a youth organization committed to building outstanding leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society. 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. The four H's represent the idea of Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. These are the values members work on through fun and engaging programs.
Head Managing, Thinking
Heart Relating, Caring
Hands Giving, Working
Health Being, Living
4-H Clubs
Cloverbuds is open to youth ages 5-8. At Cloverbud meetings the kids will learn all the fun aspects of 4-H!
Cloverbuds meetings will be held on September 11, November 13, January 8, and March 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the Education Building at the Extension Office.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out!
Homeschool monthly meetings are held in the Education Building at the Extension Office on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 11:00 a.m.
Area Teen Council is open to youth in grades 6-12. They will meet the 3rd Monday of each month. Transportation is provided. Please contact the office if you have any questions!
Lego Robotics Club monthly meetings will begin soon!
Fishing Club is our newest 4-H Club! Fishing Club is open to youth ages 5-18 and is for all skill levels.
Fishing Rules: https://carter.ca.uky.edu/sites/carter.ca.uky.edu/files/Fishing%20Club%20Rules.pdf
For more information on Livestock club, please contact the office
If interested in joining our NRESci Club please contact the office!
Win With Wood is an unique opportunity to learn more about the forest products industries. This annual fun-filled competition incorporates both primary and secondary forest products events as well as forestry events.
State 4-H Opportunities
What is NRESci?
The NRESci Academy is a three-year program designed to teach youth about their natural environment. In the program, members participate in hands-on investigations to learn about Kentucky’s water, forest, entomology, and wildlife resources.
When does the Academy meet?
The Academy is a three-year commitment, and meets quarterly each year. Delegates attend a two-day residential retreat at Feltner 4-H Camp in September and participate in three 1-day events held in winter, spring, and summer. The locations of the 1-day events vary and take place across the state at different natural areas/venues such as Salato Wildlife Education Center, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Robinson Forest, Lost River Cave, UK Campus, etc. (this is to ensure that youth experience a variety of natural areas and natural resource professionals during their 3-years in the program). Please note that this program does require substantial travel for families, as our 1-day events take place across the state.
One-day events take place on week-days, generally in October/November, February/March, and May. These dates are set at the beginning of each program year. The dates are scheduled for 2024-2025 and are listed on the application.
Transportation to/from events is not provided. Families are responsible for providing transportation.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be in the 5th grade at the time of the application (upcoming 6th graders the following Fall). If selected, youth/families must agree to make a three-year commitment to the program. Please note that only 25 youth will be selected from the entire state to participate. Applications will be reviewed in May, and applicants will be notified in June if they are selected to be a part of the program.
Applications can be found at https://carter.ca.uky.edu/sites/carter.ca.uky.edu/files/NR_NRESci_Academy_Application%20%28002%29.pdf
What is the cost?
The cost of the program is $175/year. The costs includes lodging and meals for the Fall Retreat, and programming costs associated with the 1-day events. Partial and/or full scholarships may be available. If available, a scholarship application will be made available to members by June.
What do youth do in the Academy?
Each year of the 3-year program, delegates concentrate on a different core area (water, entomology, forestry, wildlife) and interact with experts in each of these disciplines. Youth participate in a variety of field exercises, including stream sampling, forest measurement data collection, wildlife observation and trapping, insect collection and identification, and much more. Youth also have the opportunity to visit natural areas throughout the Commonwealth, such as Lost River Cave, Salato Wildlife Education Center, Minor E. Clark Fish Hatchery, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Robinson Forest, University of Kentucky’s campus, and more!
Video: https://youtu.be/Ee2eKfAwi5M
Additional Information
4-H Newsletters
4-H News Articles
Announcements
No Announcements Available
There are no announcements available at this time. Please check back at a later time or contact Carter County Extension Office.
How does 4-H benefit youth?
4-H’ers, regardless of their background, socio-economic status, race or gender, benefit from their participation in Kentucky 4-H. Positive youth development studies have affirmed that compared to other youth, young people involved in 4-H are:
- Four times more likely to contribute to their communities.
- Two times more likely to be civically active.
- Two times more likely to make healthier lifestyle choices.
- Two times more likely to participate in Science, Engineering and Computer Technology programs during out-of-school time.
- 4-H girls are two times more likely (Grade 10) and nearly three times more likely (Grade 12) to take part in science programs compared to girls in other out-of-school time activities.
Erin Barker
Extension Assistant, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Science, 4-H Youth Development
(606) 474-6686 erin.thompson@uky.edu Carter County Extension Office 94 Fairground Drive, Grayson, Kentucky 41143-9520Rebecca Hayes
Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development
(606) 474-6686 rebecca.hayes@uky.edu Carter County Extension Office 94 Fairground Drive, Grayson, Kentucky 41143-9520
