Texas 4-H began in 1908 with a 25-member boys’ “corn club” in Jack County
west of
Fort Worth. Formed initially to teach rural children new methods
of agricultural production and
food preservation, 4-H has evolved into an organization dedicated to
the development of young
people themselves.
"4-H is about more than just numbers or enrollment totals -- it's about
the whole child,
providing education, leadership and character development that will
help each 4-H'er grow into a
leader of tomorrow," said Dr. Chester Fehlis, Extension deputy director
and associate vice
chancellor for the Texas A&M system.
Texas 4-H remains rooted in the heart of rural communities, he noted,
but it also thrives in
the cities -- where most young people in Texas now live. More than
half of the Texas children in
4-H live in Houston and surrounding Harris County, the state’s largest
population center. Harris
County actually has more 4-H’ers than any other state in the country.
Many urban kids participate in 4-H through such school-based enrichment
programs as
Blue Skies Below My Feet (aerospace), Hatching in the Classroom (embryology),
Something’s
Fishy (aquaculture), Talking with TJ (conflict resolution) and Junior
Master Gardeners
(horticulture), plus programs that teach leadership, nutrition and
consumer skills.
Texas 4-H has more than 68,000 members of 4-H clubs, the cornerstone
of the
organization in which young people elect officers, meet and work on
projects outside of school.
But much of its rapid growth in total participation – more than 700,000
since 1993 – has been
through special interest groups and in-school educational programs.
“Whatever the educational setting,” Fehlis said, “4-H programs continue
to focus on
‘learning by doing’ experiences that teach lifetime skills in communication,
confidence, leadership
and decision-making, among others.”
“Texas 4-H provides several leadership and character building opportunities,”
said Brad
Davis, Extension 4-H and youth specialist headquartered in Lubbock.
“We have more than 13,000
4-H members on the South Plains, in more than 300 local 4-H clubs.
“Some of our most popular 4-H programs on the South Plains are CHARACTER
COUNTS!, shooting sports, foods and nutrition, and the more traditional
ag-related projects such
as keeping and showing livestock.
Texas 4-H also offers more than $1 million in scholarships each year
for outstanding 4-H
members, Davis noted.
According to the latest Texas enrollment figures, 954,000 4-H participants
live in larger
cities and suburbs, and another 217,000 live in rural areas and cities
with less than 50,000 in
population.
Texas 4-H is active in every county, led by county faculty of the Texas
Agricultural
Extension Service working with 55,700 youth and adult volunteers statewide.
While the 4-H Pledge remains a constant -- Head to clearer thinking,
Heart to greater
loyalty, Hands to larger service and Health to better living –
4-H members today face a world
vastly different from the one of a century ago.
“In this new, more complicated world, everyone needs to appreciate each
other’s
uniqueness and share the dream of a better future,” Fehlis said. “Young
people are our best hope
for building that future, and 4-H is giving them the tools to be successful.”
For more information on Texas 4-H, including its history and opportunities
for volunteers,
visit the Web site at http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/
.