For more than 100 years The Ohio State University has been home to the largest out-of-school, educational program in the United States with over 7 million young people participating last year. This program, known as 4-H, was first developed in 1902 by A.B. Graham, Superintendent of Clark County Schools in Springfield, Ohio. Since those early days, 4-H has grown to include rural, suburban, and urban youth and continues to focus on critical issues facing young people in their local communities.
Heather Gottke, Educator, 4-H Youth Development, further explained that Graham first initiated the concept of 4-H with the idea that if young people could “learn by doing” in the environment around them. According to Gottke, Graham’s philosophy was that by learning about the soil, studying plants and how they grow, conducting experiments and research, youth could become more productive people and have a better quality of life.
Today, Ohio 4-H is still an exciting program for young people, said Gottke, with over 318,000 members “learning by doing” and developing themselves to their greatest potential with the motto “to make the best better.” The vision of Ohio 4-H is developing youth to become positive, productive citizens and catalysts for effective change to improve our diverse society. The Van Wert county 4-H program currently reaches over 500 youth.
Ohio 4-H programs are designed to engage youth in healthy learning experiences, thus increasing self-esteem and problem solving skills. Gottke said programs address topics such as stress management, parent-teen communication, personal development, careers, environmental stewardship, and global understanding. A wide range of content offerings encourages youth to explore science, technology, and citizenship. Gottke also talked about the statewide 4-H effort she said Ohio 4-H offers over 200 different projects related to the needs of people living in a complex society.
“4-H is a dynamic program because of the many volunteers who support youth who are involved in clubs, special interests groups, and school enrichment programs, and many other programs Gottke said. “Nearly 22,000 adults in Ohio give their time, energy and talents to guide and teach youth through various educational programs and activities.”
Gottke reported that 89 volunteers are involved in the Van Wert county 4-H Youth Development program.
For more information about the 4-H program, contact the Van Wert county Ohio State University Extension office at (419) 238-1214 or by emailing Heather at gottke.4@osu.edu.
