4-H Youth Development

4-H FOR YOUTH....FOR AMERICA

1. Putnam County has over 370 4-H'ers enrolled in 18 traditional, community clubs.

2. 4-H is for any boy or girl from third grade through age 21 regardless of race, color, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin.

3. 4-H'ers learn leadership skills and how to run a meeting through club programs under the careful leadership of trained adult volunteers.

4. Youth participate in special activities such as monthly skating parties, talent shows, public presentation, contest, conservation program, field trips, weekend camps, and community service projects.

5. They participate in the Putnam County Homecoming and many other community activities.

6. Each 4-H'er is required to take and complete at least one project. The project book is provided at no cost.

7. There are no dues, no uniforms, nor fees to belong to a 4-H club,

8. All enrolled 4-H'ers are invited to attend Putnam County 4-H Camp, a week-long residential camp held at Camp Virgil Tate near Cross Lanes, the end of June each summer.

9. 4-H in Putnam County is sponsored by West Virginia University, US Department of Agriculture, the County Commission, and Board of Education.

10. To become a 4-H member, contact the 4-H club leader nearest you or for more information, contact the Putnam County WVU Extension 4-H office at 586-0217, located at the Courthouse in Winfield, WV

I Pledge:

My Head To Clearer Thinking (the right hand touches the head)

My Heart to Greater Loyalty (right hand covers the heart)

My Hands To Larger Service (both hands extended in front, palms up)

And My Health To Better Living For My Club, My Community, My Country, And My World. (hands down at sides)

SLOGAN: LEARNING BY DOING

MOTTO: TO MAKE THE BEST BETTER

EMBLEM: A green four leaf clover with a white letter "H" on each of the leaves

SUMMARY

Through the traditional 4-H program, children are receiving the five vital resources necessary to become healthy, productive youth.  These resources are:  ongoing relationships with caring adults, safe places and structured activities, a healthy start for a healthy future, marketable skills through effective education and opportunities to give back community service.  4-H provides safe places and structured activities through which youth are learning and practicing important life skills, such as citizenship, environmental stewardship, public presentation skills, and community service, as well as exploring careers and gaining marketable skills and subject matter through project work guided by positive role models.  The 4-H Clover Bud program engages youth ages 5-8 in activities which contribute to a healthy start for a healthy future.  This year, 48 children were actively involved in the Clover Bud program.

This year alone, more than 100 adult 4-H volunteers worked as mentors to 370 youth that were enrolled in 17 community 4-H clubs in Putnam County.  That is one adult per every three children in the 4-H program who benefited from having an ongoing relationship with a caring adult!

The adult volunteers received pertinent information and in-service training each month at the 4-H Leaders' Association meeting.  With an average of 15 adults per meeting, nearly 3/4 of the clubs are represented at each meeting.  Program volunteers are screened in the "hiring" process, job applications are completed and references checked, interviewed, given job descriptions and codes of conduct, as well as evaluated for reappointment such as special events chairmen, camp directors, teen leader program advisors, trainers, judging team coaches, and 4-H livestock division chairmen.  

Nearly 140 Putnam County youth participated in one or more local, regional, or state 4-H camp experiences this year.  Twenty county youth attended state 4-H camping events.  One hundred twelve youth were given an exceptional opportunity to develop positive relationships and memorable experiences at county camp.  The 31 teen leaders played a vital leadership role in the pre-planning and actual implementation of camp.  "4-H:  Takes An All American Road Trip" was the camp theme which was especially enjoyed by the 31 limited-resources children who received financial assistance to attend camp and free meals through the WV Department of Education Summer Foods Program.  Two professional special education aides were hired to ensure a safe, positive camping experience (including overnights) for twelve children with serious special needs.  The attendance, observation and competencies gained and participants' program evaluation surveys are indicators of positive impact of the 4-H camping program.

This year over 150 youth who participated in the county 4-H livestock program gained life skills, hands-on experience in raising, showing, fitting, grooming, and selling their animals; as well as knowledge and resources.  One hundred six 4-H youth participated in the county fair 4-H livestock auction, which resulted in $156,800 revenue to benefit the children, the fair, and donations to other community causes.  Indicators for success of the 4-H livestock program include the significant number of participants, revenue of the sale, and real work agricultural practices and skills gained.

One of the five essential resources that has been identified as necessary for youth to become successful adults, is an opportunity for youth to give back to their community through community service.  The 4-H program has a long tradition of involvement in community service activities.  Nineteen community 4-H clubs reported that 724 youth and 316 adults volunteered participated in at least one community service project.  The 4-H program contributed a total of 7,433 total hours of service to the community.  Nearly 60 different community service projects were reportedly accomplished by 4-H clubs in our county.

West Virginia leads the nation in the use of smokeless tobacco by youth and research by leading health organizations emphasizes that education is crucial to reducing tobacco use by youth.  For the past seven years, "Smokeless Tobacco Awareness" programs have been conducted for all the third graders in all thirteen Putnam County elementary schools.  This year, using videos, table exhibits, realistic models, posters, and brochures purchased by the grant funds through the Putnam FRN Youth Wellness Team, a total of 1,820 youth and adults learned the expense, risks, addictiveness, and potentially fatal consequences of using smokeless tobacco.  Indicators of the program's worth are the results of the students' and classroom teachers' evaluations of the program.  Also, latest data suggests a decline in usage amongst sixth graders.