Plymouth County Youth Celebrate National 4-H Week October 4-10

More than 6 million young people across the country will celebrate National 4-H Week, an annual celebration of 4-H, during the first full week of October. The Plymouth County 4-H is using National 4-H Week this year to showcase the great things that 4-H offers young people and highlight the incredible 4-H youth in the community who work each day to make a positive impact on the community.

Plymouth County 4-H will kick off National 4-H week with the 4-H Annual Food Drive. All 4-H clubs in the county will hold individual events to raise money or arrange to have food donated throughout the week. In past years, Plymouth County has coordinated the donation of over 10,000 pounds of food to local pantries.

“I believe 4-H is an experience like no other. It is because of 4-H that I am comfortable taking charge in a group of people as well as speaking in front of a large audience. 4-H has had such a positive influence on my life that I have decided to start a 4-H group of my own so others can experience the wonderful opportunity, just as I have” said Lily Reposa, Hingham 4-H member. “Through 4-H, I have learned many important skills included leadership, public speaking and community service. With these skills given to me by 4-H, I was able to lead my grade in a year-long fundraiser for Heifer International, which I chose because of my love of animals. Throughout the year, I organized and led numerous fundraisers, including bake sales and sales of homemade goat milk soap. At the end of the year, I donated $7,500 to Heifer International to help toward their fight against world hunger. I was very proud that I was able to help society as a whole. However, I could not have done it without the skills and experiences which I have gained through 4-H.”

Plymouth County is proud to say that its most popular project is Animal Science, and specifically Equine Science, having 10 clubs with a primary focus on horse knowledge. Each year, Plymouth County sends 16 youth to the Massachusetts State Horse Roundup. Roundup is a competition focusing on the 4-H member’s knowledge of horses, including topics such as anatomy and physiology, husbandry and genetics. Plymouth County has consistently had youth qualify to attend the National Horse Roundup over the past 5 years.

In Plymouth County, more than 6000 youth and 200 volunteers from the community are involved in 4-H.

Research has proven that participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are:

· Nearly four times more likely to contribute to their communities,

· Two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors, and

· Two times more likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs in the out-of-school time.

Also during National 4-H Week is 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD), which is the world’s largest youth-led science experiment. On October 7, 2015, millions of young people will take part in this year’s NYSD experiment, Motion Commotion, to learn about physics, speed and safety! To learn more about National Youth Science Day, visit http://www.4-h.org/nysd/.

About 4-H

4-H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now. With 611,800 volunteers, 3,500 professionals, and more than 25 million alumni, the 4-H movement supports young people from elementary school through high school with programs designed to shape future leaders and innovators. Fueled by research-driven programming, 4-H’ers engage in hands-on learning activities in the areas of science, citizenship and healthy living.

About Massachusetts 4-H Youth Development
Massachusetts 4-H Youth Development reaches more than 27,000 young people in the Commonwealth with science-based curriculum, hands-on learning and diverse programs to grow confident, capable and caring kids and provide them with skills for work and for life. Based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, 4-H has seven regional offices. For more information, visit www.mass4h.org.

About Massachusetts 4-H Foundation

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to fostering youth development across the Commonwealth. The Foundation provides resources to support and strengthen 4-H through fundraising, promoting public awareness, program sponsorship and advocacy. For more information, visit www.mass4hfoundation.org.