Did you know that 4-H is 121 years old? 4-H recently celebrated National 4-H Week, Oct. 1-7, which marks the start of a new 4-H year. The 4-H year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

Have you ever wondered what 4-H is all about? It is a youth organization for 5- to 18-year-olds led by volunteers in clubs. Some of you may have heard the name 4-H while others ask, “What is 4-H?”

As most people see it, 4-H is a youth organization devoted to helping youth learn about animals and agriculture. That is not entirely accurate. I would like to dispel some myths about 4-H.

The first myth is that 4-H is just for youth who have animals. Did you know that there are more than 300 different projects in 4-H? Less than a quarter of these projects deal with animals. 4-H groups these projects into eight basic categories:

• citizenship and civic education

• communications and expressive arts

• consumer and family sciences

• environmental education and Earth sciences

• healthy lifestyle education

• personal development and leadership

• plants and animals

• science and technology

There is bound to be something for everyone.

The next myth I want to clear up is that 4-H youth only learn about their projects.

In a vibrant 4-H club, youth learn a variety of things. The life skills a youth learns while participating in 4-H will last them a lifetime. Youths pick up life skills in relating, caring, giving, working, being, living, thinking and managing. According to a study done by Iowa State University, more than 40 life skills fall within these categories.

When a youth is participating in a program, they may be learning about that program, but they are learning so much more. Let’s look at the sport fishing project. While learning about bait casting, they are learning problem-solving. When cooking fish, they also learn decision-making skills.

4-H is a wonderful youth program that lets youth decide on an area of interest for them, which takes them farther by teaching them life skills.

4-H is only possible with the volunteer leaders. Our hats go off to them as they donate many hours and resources to the program and help it improve.

In our community, we need more volunteers to start more clubs to meet the needs of the youth. If you have a desire and want to learn with kids or share your knowledge, please join us. As a volunteer, you must complete a training course and pass a background check. Once those are complete, you set your own time frame for meetings with the youth. You can meet once a month or more often. Each club must have at least two certified leaders. It is a rewarding experience when you get to help youth and see them accomplish things.

Leaders are encouraged to use a five-step learning model when teaching 4-H youth.

The steps are:

1. EXPERIENCE the activity. Youth do the activity.

2. SHARE the results, reactions, and observations. Youth describe the experience and their reaction.

3. PROCESS by discussing and looking at the experience; analyze and reflect. Youth discuss what was most important about what they did.

4. GENERALIZE to connect the experience to real-world examples. Youth relate the project and the life skills to their own everyday experience.

5. APPLY the lesson in a similar or different situation; practice. Youth share how they will use the project and life skills in other parts of their lives.

In 4-H, dedicated parents are crucial. 4-H is a family affair. Some projects require help from a parent at home to complete them. As a parent, you would keep your kids from failing in school, so you always ensure they finish their homework. So, with 4-H, I hope that you show some interest as a parent and help them with their projects away from the club.

As we look at the overall picture, it is not just the leader, youth, or parent that completes the 4-H experience: It takes everyone.

Marla Lowder is the 4-H & Youth Development Agent for the Tanana District. For more information about 4-H, contact Lowder at the UAF Cooperative Extension Tanana District 4-H office at 474-2427 or 474-2450, email mklowder@alaska.edu or visit https://www.uaf.edu/ces/4-h/