“Thank you to the young people who came to visit the capitol to advocate and educate legislators about the 4-H program in Illinois,” said Rep. Rosenthal. “It is interesting to learn that nineteen U.S. Presidents are alumni of the 4-H tradition.”
The seed of the 4-H idea of practical and “hands-on” learning came from the desire to make public school education more connected to country life. Early programs tied both public and private resources together for the purpose of helping rural youth.
A. B. Graham started one such youth program in Clark County, Ohio in January, 1902; and, O. J. Kern started a similar club one month later, in February, 1902, in Winnebago County, Illinois. Many of these early clubs – which were project oriented – were called “Tomato Clubs” or “Corn Clubs” or “Pig Clubs” and “Canning Clubs”.
Today, 4-H serves youth in rural, urban and suburban communities in every state across the nation. The 4-H out-of-school programming, in-school enrichment programs, clubs and camps also offer a wide variety of science, engineering, technology and applied math educational opportunities – from agricultural and animal sciences to rocketry, robotics, environmental protection and computer science – to improve the nation’s ability to compete in key scientific fields and take on the leading challenges of the 21st century.
Learn more about this wonderful organization HERE.