Pledging head, heart, hands and health, Missouri 4-H'ers flock to new ASL project

KAHOKA, Mo. – Aynsley Harmon, a 12-year-old from Kahoka, Missouri, wanted to be able to talk with a deaf relative she sees at family reunions. So she did what any resourceful 4-H’er does: She looked for a project to help her accomplish her goal.

Missouri 4-H'ers can reduce food insecurity across the state

COLUMBIA, Mo. – More than 1.1 million Missourians are food insecure. Missouri Farmers Care and Missouri 4-H are working with pork producers, meat processors and now FFA and 4-H youths to help curb food insecurity in the state.

2021 Missouri 4-H State Poultry Day

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Thirty youths from around the state participated in Missouri 4-H State Poultry Day, held June 12 at the University of Missouri Animal Science Research Center.

Missouri 4-H'ers net awards at 2021 Sportfishing Slam

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 2021 Missouri 4-H Sportfishing Slam ran March through May with 30 contest entries. The Slam offers nine different categories made up of varying species, habitats and baits. 4-H members are challenged to stretch their knowledge and skills of fishing in Missouri.

Missouri 4-H'ers reach food drive milestone

COLUMBIA, Mo. – 4-H clubs across Missouri have raised more than three quarters of a million meals to feed hungry families over the last three years.

Missouri 4-H'ers get out and move

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Every year, hundreds of Missouri 4-H’ers, parents and volunteers commit to the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle through Missouri 4-H’s Move Across Missouri challenge.

Missouri 4-H Foundation awards 68 scholarships

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri 4-H Foundation is awarding 68 scholarships totaling $69,350 to Missouri 4-H youths to help further their educations.

Mizzou Collegiate 4-H restructuring to engage all Missouri postsecondary institutions

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Members of the Mizzou Collegiate 4-H club have voted to create a statewide Missouri Collegiate 4-H Council. The existing Mizzou Collegiate 4-H organization will be a chapter under the new council.

Pike County woman honored with 4-H volunteer leadership award

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Celebrating National Volunteer Week, the Missouri 4-H Foundation is proud to recognize Missouri 4-H volunteer Deedee Martin with the 2021 Naomi Crouch 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award. Martin, who lives in Pike County, is being recognized for more than 30 of service and support to Missouri 4-H.“We are honored to recognize Deedee Martin for her outstanding efforts on behalf of Pike County 4-H,” said Kyle Kerns, chair of…

Opening doors

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Sebrina Barrett credits Missouri 4-H for her career path in advocacy and organizational leadership. "It's no surprise that I am running an association," said Barrett, executive director of the Association for Community Living, an organization of not-for-profit agencies in New York State that provide housing and rehabilitation services to people with psychiatric disabilities.

Missouri 4-H youths test knowledge at State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The 2021 University of Missouri Extension State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest gathered 19 youths and their coaches in late March and early April.The contest consisted of an online qualifying exam in March; the top four teams in each age division advanced to the in-person portion in April.Top junior competitors (ages 8-13):First: Bailey Spalding, Jackson County.Second: Elizabeth Pruett, Jackson County.Third: Kelsa Kirk, Jackson…

Mary Beth Mitchell honored with Missouri 4-H volunteer leadership award

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Celebrating National Volunteer Week, the Missouri 4-H Foundation is proud to present Missouri 4-H volunteer Mary Beth Mitchell with the 2021 Naomi Crouch 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award. Mitchell, of Monroe County, is being recognized for more than 30 years of service and support to Missouri 4-H.

It all started at the show ring

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Jenna Hasekamp, a member of the Audrain County F&L Hustlers 4-H Club, is helping to pioneer the participation of Missouri community college teams at livestock judging contests. This fall, Hasekamp will join North Central Missouri College’s livestock judging team, which started last fall and is currently the only Missouri community college team competing in livestock judging.

Missouri 4-H career-readiness programs get $75,000 boost from Healthy Blue's affiliated Foundation

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri 4-H has received $75,000 from Healthy Blue’s affiliated Foundation to help young people across the state explore colleges and careers. The 4-H Youth Futures College Within Reach program, developed by the University of Missouri Extension and Lincoln University Cooperative Extension, is a college orientation program that includes ongoing local mentoring, campus visits and a conference on the MU campus.

4-H youths test skills at 2021 State 4-H Horse Judging Contest

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension State 4-H Horse Judging Contest took place virtually Feb. 27-28, drawing 81 competing 4-H members, said Maria Calvert, Missouri 4-H state agriculture and natural resources educator.

Easter eggs-periments to try with kids

MONTICELLO, Mo. – Make coloring Easter eggs with the children and grandchildren fun and educational, says Katie Hogan, University of Missouri Extension 4-H youth program assistant.Eggs-periment with embryology lessons as you dip and dye this year. In addition to science skills, children learn color recognition, painting and cutting skills while helping decorate eggs. Count and sort as you go and talk about how eggs from various birds…

Impact of 4-H Programming: A Ten-year Review

The Issue Youth involved in 4-H have the opportunity to be members from ages eight to eighteen. According to a 2009 study from Tufts University, 4-H youth appear to have higher levels of developmental assets that are found to be most important in positive youth development (Lerner et al., 2009). Assessment of long-term 4-H programming is critical to evaluate the success of meeting the objectives of positive youth development.

4-H: All Access - Bringing Community Club Concepts to the World of Afterschool

The Issue In the state of Missouri, and many other states, traditionally 4-H has been delivered in community clubs that are family based and operate outside of any school, church, or other identifying community. This Community Club model has proven to offer youth an opportunity for positive youth development. However, there is a large section of the population who has not found their way to 4-H within this model, mainly due to the…

Marking a 100-year legacy for three Missouri 4-H families

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri 4-H Foundation recently recognized three families with the 2020 Missouri 4-H Century Family Award. Each family represents a combined 100 years or more of membership and volunteer service within 4-H.Bates CountyThe Arnold FamilyPike CountyThe Branstetter FamilyVernon County

Missouri 4-H faculty share expertise in national journals

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri 4-H faculty have recently shared their expertise and influence nationally about issues as diverse as programming for youths who are homeless and the decision-making process behind going to the State Fair in the midst of a pandemic. Four articles by Missouri 4-H faculty were published this past December in national journals directed at extension and youth development professionals.

Missouri 4-H'ers warm state with handmade blankets

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri 4-H’ers have been hard at work making blankets since the State 4-H Fashion Revue in October. Fifty 4-H’ers from 19 counties donated 72 handmade blankets to Project Linus as a result of a philanthropy challenge at the event.

Missouri afterschool programs receive micro-grants for Global Entrepreneurship Week

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) announces the selection of seven afterschool programs to receive micro-grants for youth entrepreneurship programs during the 2020-2021 school year. The announcement coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 16-22, the world’s biggest celebration of entrepreneurship, with millions of event participants and awareness campaigns in 180 countries.

Missouri Care gift to help grow 4-H student nutrition advisory clubs

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri 4-H received $25,000 from Missouri Care Inc. to support young people across Missouri in promoting healthy habits in their communities. The 4-H Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) initiative, piloted last year in the Kansas City metropolitan area, creates new 4-H clubs that focus on teaching nutrition along with leadership and citizenship skills central to 4-H.

FilmFest 4-H helps youths reach beyond state borders

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – As COVID-19 numbers surged in Nelson County, Kentucky, 4-H extension agents Danielle Hagler and Nicole Howard brainstormed a drive-in movie approach for their county awards ceremony with the local 4-H council.

Missouri 4-H wins National Extension Diversity Award

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – “They were the students who were not supposed to make it,” says Donna Garcia. They are young people with the potential to become top scholars and leaders in their communities, but they face obstacles that might make success seem forever out of reach, says Garcia, University of Missouri Extension state 4-H specialist for college and career readiness.