Building robots, raising livestock, coding, and outdoor adventures, this is what 4-H is an organization that helps students develop real-life skills to help them when they grow up. They work through local clubs to help students and the district.

“It’s an organization out of many different clubs whose goal is to help communities,” Loyal 4-H member Garrett Lundt said.

 Students participate in plenty of activities ranging from STEM, agriculture, healthy living, and civic engagement.

“I show cows, pigs, poultry, and then I do woodworking, technology, houseplants, vegetables, gardening, there are a couple of other things I do as well,” Seneca 4-H member Lucas Parsons said.

Students of all ages, even as young as kindergarten, can join and participate in 4-H. 

“Initially, my mom asked me in third grade, ‘Hey you want to join 4-H?’ I went ‘you know what, sure!’ and I didn’t start understanding what it was until the last five years or so,” Lundt said. “But, I have enjoyed the activities, helping out, community service stuff.”
The local chapters of the organization meet often to organize and plan activities. Most groups meet once every month, or every other Monday.

“We meet once every month, usually during the middle of the month. Most of our activities happen during the middle of spring and summer, because it’s ideal to do the outside stuff, but we visit assisted living,” Lundt said.

4-H helps students by involving them in the community more, and introducing them to life skills early on.

“4-H is a youth organization that gives you a bunch of opportunities to get involved with other kids your age and learn other crafty things,” Rising Clovers 4-H president Paige Zeitlow said.

Some students even participate in youth competitions and exhibitions to showcase their skills in taking care of animals, science, crafts, and food.

“I thought it’d be fun. It’s also a lot of work to keep the animals healthy, and that actually kind of comes into play with housepets,” Parsons said. “If you know what’s wrong with a fair animal, you kind of know what’s wrong with your house animals, so if they get sick, you know what treatments to get them.”