The gift that keeps on giving: 4-H

By Abby Morgan

I can’t believe that the month of December is almost here. With the hustle and bustle to find the perfect gift for family and friends, please consider giving the gift of 4-H to the youth in Montgomery County. Indiana 4-H enrollment is open to all youth in Montgomery County in grades K-12. While we do not have a hard deadline for enrollment, we like to have as many youth enrolled by January 15th. This helps ensure that families receive timely communication and learn about the various opportunities within the 4-H program. Enrollment is easy with our 4-H Online system (https://v2.4honline.com) and can even be done while you work on your online shopping!

The mission of the Indiana 4-H Youth Development program is to provide real-life educational opportunities that develop young people who will have a positive impact in their communities and the world. 4-H prepares young people to be leaders in their community and around the world through hands-on experiences alongside their peers and caring adults. Indiana 4-H is the state’s largest youth development program for grades 3-12, reaching over 200,000 youth in all 92 counties. 4-H is open to all youth in grades 3-12 and Mini 4-H is offered to grades K-2.

In Montgomery County, approved adult volunteers teach young people specific skills related to a wide variety of subjects through hands-on, experiential learning. Youth also develop leadership and citizenship skills by participating in one of our organized 4-H Clubs. Subjects include: science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); agriculture; citizenship; healthy living; art; consumer and family sciences; and more. In 2013, a Tufts University study showed that 4-H members also excel in positive youth development areas compared to peers, including:

• Four times more likely to contribute to their communities (grades 7-12)

• Two times more likely to make healthier choices (grade 7)

• Two times more likely to be civically active (grades 8-12)

• Two times more likely to participate in extracurricular STEM programs (grades 10-12)

To enroll in the Montgomery County 4-H program, please visit https://v2.4honline.com or visit the Montgomery County Extension office at 400 Parke Avenue, Crawfordsville, IN 47933. The program fee for enrolling in 4-H is $15 per child and mini 4-H (grades K-2) is free. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Abby Morgan at the Extension office at (765)364-6363 or e-mail [email protected].

Abby Morgan is the 4-H Youth Development Educator at the Montgomery County Purdue Extension Office. She can be reached at [email protected] or 765-364-6363.