4-H Today

Our 4-H youth are some of the best of the best. It really provides hope for the future. Someday these good kids doing good things will grow into good neighbors and good community leaders.

Members of the Oakland County 4-H Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) sorted, counted and bagged 1,309 cuddly creatures that were donated to comfort kids experiencing medical emergencies. The animals were loaded into an ambulance provided by Community Emergency Medical Services until there wasn’t an inch of space left.

A Clare County 4-H member got a glimpse of how Michigan’s legislative process works during the four-day 4-H Capitol Experience conference in Lansing in March of 2009. Jon Haley was among 100 Michigan 4-H teens from 28 counties who interacted with legislators, state agency staff members and lobbyists and learned how they could become politically engaged and influence policy issues.

On July 17, 2009, the second annual 4-H Mentoring Weekend brought mentoring matches from around the state to Kettunen Center to enjoy a retreat-style conference to strengthen mentoring relationships. A total of 78 people – 25 mentoring matches, 15 AmeriCorps members and a number of MSUE employees – experienced all 4-H Mentoring Weekend had to offer.

Macomb County 4-H Youth Development, in partnership with the Michigan Community Service Commission and Learn and Serve America, has participated in the Michigan 4-H Learn and Serve Teen Mentors program since 2006. The three-year project helps young people who serve as mentors to acquire leadership and communications skills.

Ellie Perry and Makala Warner, two teens from a 4-H-sponsored group calling themselves Envi, went in front of the Grand Traverse County Resource Recovery Council in May of 2009 to present their mission: “We are students from Traverse City Central High School. Our primary interest is to increase environmental stewardship throughout our school. Our group is committed to waste reduction and supporting student involvement in local environment organizations and volunteer opportunities.”

It surely was "An Evening with the Stars" during the 2009 Governor’s Service Awards in June. Gov. Jennifer Granholm presented the Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) Journey 4-H Youth Mentoring Program of West Olive with the Outstanding Mentoring Program Award and Jonathan Crawford of the Wayne County 4-H Mentoring Program with the Mentor of the Year Award.

On February 21, 2009, MSU hosted the second annual 4-H Bi-State Poultry Clinic, a collaboration between MSU and OSU. Youth and volunteers from both states were welcome to attend the one-day educational program that covered a wide array of subject matter.

4-H youth in Sanilac County are “rockin’ the green movement” through new science, engineering and technology (SET) programming efforts that have been made possible through a 4-H participation fee grant.

Llama, sheep, beef, swine, goat, rabbit and horse enthusiasts explored several aspects of animal science, including breed identification, meat cuts, herding, ear notching, milking, hoof trimming and patterns.