How 4-H Changes Lives

1
How 4-H Changes Lives

• Cathann A. Kress
• Director, Youth Development
• National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, USDA

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• In 1900, Liberty Hyde Bailey
• dreamed of a world in which
• learning about the world
• we live in was valued and
• that learning extended beyond
• the classroom walls.

3

• In 1901, Will B. Otwell
• dreamed that young
• people could change
• the world through
• their eagerness to try
• something new and
• inspire others.

4

• In 1902, A.B. Graham and O.J.Kern
• shared a dream that young people
• could become excited about
• practical science which would
• allow them to better understand
• their world and to dignify the lives
• of the common people.

5

• In 1909, O.H. Benson boldly
• changed schools to meet
• the everyday needs
• of the people in his community
• When children welcomed him with the symbol of
  good luck, he struck on the image that has become
  our 4-H emblem.

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• In 1910, Gertrude Warren dreamed that youth could
  be engaged in more than just activities- but
  should be encouraged in programs which would
  inspire them to be lifelong learners of science,
  of beauty, and of service.

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Our role today

• Keepers of the Dreams of our pioneers
• Stewards of a dynamic program that belongs to our
  youngest citizens.

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Learning By Doing

• 1912, Marius Malgren, Hickory, VA

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Canning Clubs
Food Preservation
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Leading Community Change
Average adult yield was 17 bushels per acre 4-H
youth grew an average of 65 bushels per acre with
many growing between 150-220 bushels per acre
Led to gardening practices that increased the
variety and quality of the American diet. Led to
food safety techniques becoming standard practice.
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4-H Alert, Evacuate, and Shelter
Robi Gray, Georgia 4-H Agent, and 4-H GIS teens.
Calling themselves the Pirates of Evacuation
Mapping, they taught other 4-H GIS members how
to get involved in emergency preparedness in
their communities, including a session at the
2006 National 4-H Technology Leadership
Conference. This led to the new national 4-H
Alert, Evacuate and Shelter program.
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GIS-GPs Leadership Team 2006
4-H Youth and adults from 14 states at the ESRI
International GIS Conference. The team gave a
presentation on the 4-H GIS Community Mapping
program at the opening session to nearly 13,000
GIS educators and professionals from over 120
countries. 4-H received an award from ESRI for
outstanding achievement in youth GIS education.
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Some things cannot be taught, but must be
experienced.

• Children and youth learn best when they can do
  Experiential Education
• Leading by Example Youth are early adopters and
  will change their communities.

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What is 4-H?

• Programmatic outreach of the Land Grant
  University through CES to our youngest citizens
  in their communities.
• The Land Grant Idea taken to youth.

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Two Types of Leadership
Essential Elements Mission Mandates Program
Fidelity
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Program Leadership in 4-H Content/Context
CONTENT
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
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Content/Context Delivery Methods within 4-H
CONTENT
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
School Enrichment
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4-H Program Delivery Modes

• 4-H Clubs
• 90,000 local clubs
• 4-H Camps
• 17,000 locations
• 4-H Afterschool
• 9,000 programs
• 4-H School Enrichment
• 145,000 programs

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Content/Context in 4-H
CONTENT
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
School Enrichment
High Content High Content
High Context Low Context
High Context Low Content
Developed by Cathann A. Kress, National 4-H
Headquarters, CSREES, USDA
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Content/Context and Life Skills
CONTENT
Life Skills
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
School Enrichment
High Content High Content
High Context Low Context
High Context Low Content
Developed by Cathann A. Kress, National 4-H
Headquarters, CSREES, USDA
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Content/Context and the Numbers
CONTENT
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
School Enrichment
3.5 million
Developed by Cathann A. Kress, National 4-H
Headquarters, CSREES, USDA
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Content/Context and the Numbers
CONTENT
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
School Enrichment
3.5 million
400,000
400,000
Developed by Cathann A. Kress, National 4-H
Headquarters, CSREES, USDA
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Content/Context and the Numbers
CONTENT
1.7 million
Belonging Mastery Independence Generosity
School Enrichment
3.5 million
400,000
400,000
Developed by Cathann A. Kress, National 4-H
Headquarters, CSREES, USDA
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Content/Context and Impact
CONTENT
EDUCATION
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Life Skills
1.7 million
3.5 million
400,000
400,000
Developed by Cathann A. Kress, National 4-H
Headquarters, CSREES, USDA
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The Good News in 4-H

• More clearly articulating What is 4-H? tied to
  relevant knowledge bases
• Essential Elements
• Youth Development Research Base
• Belonging, Mastery, Independence, Generosity
• Mission Areas
• CES and LGU Knowledge Base
• Science, Engineering, Technology Healthy
  Lifestyles and Citizenship

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Comparative Reach Among National Youth
Development Programs
Source Organizations website and Annual Report
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The Good News in 4-H

• Increased visibility for 4-H
• Across youth development field
• Across other federal agencies

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The Good News in 4-H

• Clearer Roles and Strong Partnerships
• Rebuilding and enhancing national systems
  (ES-237, Curriculum System, Evaluation,
  Professional Development, Programs of
  Distinction)
• Clarifying policies, guidelines and the
  chartering process
• Who does 4-H work?

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Important Tasks

• Effectively and efficiently function as an
  organizational system
• Build the unique character of 4-H and strengthen
  its identity and
• Strengthen the value relationship between 4-H and
  its Land Grant Universities

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4-H must be an effective youth development
program of the Cooperative Extension System
tied to its Land Grant University
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What does it take to assist young people to
become healthy, problem-solving, constructive
adults?

• Youth must
• Find a valued place in a constructive group
• Learn how to form close, durable human
  relationships
• Earn a sense of worth as a person
• Achieve a reliable basis for making informed
  choices
• Express constructive curiosity and exploratory
  behavior
• Find ways of being useful to others
• Believe in a promising future with real
  opportunities
• Cultivate the inquiring and problem-solving
  habits of the mind
• Learn to respect democratic values and
  responsible citizenship
• Build a healthy lifestyle
• Great Transitions Preparing Adolescents for a
  New Century
• Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development

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If you were to design a youth development program
intended to assist young people to become
healthy, problem-solving constructive adults
what would it look like?
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What would it look like?

• It would offer opportunities for youth to
  experience belonging
• It would offer opportunities for youth to
  experience a hands-on laboratory which connects
  them to research-based knowledge
• It would offer opportunities for young people to
  choose
• It would offer opportunities to experience what
  it means to be a citizen

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It would look a lot like 4-H.
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www.national4-hheadquarters.govwww.4husa.orgCa
thann KressDirector, Youth DevelopmentNational
4-H HeadquartersCSREES, USDA