Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
9/15/00
Contacts:
Chuck Morris, 4-H Youth Programs, (515) 294-1611, cmorris@iastate.edu
Tracy S. Petersen, Extension Communications, (515)
294-5672
Iowans Celebrate National 4-H Week Oct. 1-7
Ames, Iowa -- More than 130,000 youth and adult volunteers across Iowa will celebrate National 4-H Week Oct. 1-7.
4-H is active in each of Iowa's 99 counties. 120,000 youth -- one out of every four Iowans in grades K through 12 -- are involved in 4-H. In addition, 15,000 Iowa adults volunteer in 4-H activities.
"4-H is designed to support the successful development of all youth," said Chuck Morris, associate director of 4-H youth programs at Iowa State University. "4-H is a family-oriented program, providing positive ways for youth to meet the four basic human needs of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity."
Slightly more than 60 percent of Iowa 4-H'ers live on farms or in communities of 10,000 or fewer. However, the next largest percentage, 28 percent, reside in towns of more than 50,000.
"To accommodate youth in larger towns and cities we have expanded our curriculum offerings and renewed our emphasis on science and technology," Morris said. 'We also have provided our educational resources to other community agencies and schools."
According to Morris, the most popular 4-H projects include food and nutrition, clothing, swine, beef, visual arts, photography, wood working and self-determined (the member chooses what he or she wants to learn about).
In addition to local clubs and projects, Iowa 4-H offers youth the opportunity to grow and develop by offering camps, community and statewide leadership programs, student exchange programs and college scholarships.
For more information about 4-H contact your local county extension office.
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Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.