What can 4-H do for you? By: Rebecca Kluesner Slide 1: How many of - - PDF document

What can 4-H do for you?

By: Rebecca Kluesner

Slide 1: How many of you have been in 4-H since the moment you were old enough? How many of you were pretty much born into it? And if not, how many of you just joined and don’t know much about it? 4-H has so many wonderful opportunities and some of them, you all might not know about. The purpose of this presentation is to educate you about the 4-H program. Slide 2: Why in the world would this presentation be necessary? Some of you may be thinking that you do enough for 4-H, but this is not necessarily true! 4-H can benefit you in so many ways. When thinking of the future, our minds automatically go to college applications and job resumes. Putting “4-H member” on your resume will work wonders, but it’s the same as so many others’ who were also in extra-curriculars. What you choose to do in 4-H will set you above the rest. It will make your skill-set unique. Better yet, it will prepare you for your future and will better help you serve your club, community, and world, as you state at every club meeting during the 4-H pledge. Slide 3-4: Every 4-H member is involved with 4-H in their county. They can be involved in multiple clubs, and do projects that will build their skill set. However, counties also have a “build-your-own” experience option. If there is something that you want to see and admire from another county, then talk to your leaders and see about bringing it to your county. For example, my county does a color run, and I’ve been involved with Well Connected Communities, which has allowed me to travel to the National 4-H Conference Center to learn and be trained. The opportunities are endless! Slide 5-6: Everyone who is attending SJLC is involved with state 4-H right now! SJLC is a state 4-H event. All of these activities on this page (slide 6) are state opportunities and they have so much to offer. For example SJLC is teaching about leadership and letting you have fun at the same time. You can be in chorus, band, or performing arts. You can attend summits to learn more! And best of all, you can form connections with 4-H members from all over Indiana. From this, you can learn how your area and programs

• differ. You can see if there are things (projects, organizations, etc.) in their counties that

you want to bring to your county? (This idea goes back to design-your-own experience from slides 3-4.) Slide 7: Now this actually does have something to do with the future we automatically think of…SCHOLARSHIPS. The state of Indiana offers scholarships to their 4-H members.

Slide 8: How many of you have heard of the National 4-H Conference Center? How many of you barely even thought of 4-H existing out of your county or even your state? Well 4-H throughout the US has many wonderful opportunities. Slide 9: These are national 4-H trips that you can apply to go on through Indiana 4-H. They offer wonderful opportunities, such as the ability to connect with people from all

• ver the United States.

Slide 10: The National 4-H Conference Center also hosts a Youth Summit series in various topics. Based on what you are passionate about, you can choose a topic and attend that series. You go through workshops, listen to speakers, etc. They also host a Leadership Washington Focus. Unfortunately, these are not sponsored by Indiana 4-H, so you’d have to find a way on your own through your county. Slide 11: Another opportunity that you may be unfamiliar with is the Youth in Action

• award. Based on what pillar you apply under, you get to be a spokesperson for a topic

about which you are passionate, scholarship money, a promotional video, a part of the Legacy Awards, and networking opportunities. (The 4-H Youth in Action Award logo is a link to a promotional video.) Slide 12: All of the opportunities in this presentation will set you above the rest. You will gain skills and memories. Imagine being in an interview and being able to talk about this

• stuff. You’ll blow them away! Not only will you gain experiences, but you’ll gain

connections with 4-H members and adults everywhere. You’ll have networking time at this conference, but imagine that at every event you go to. You’ll be set for life! Watch 2

• videos. Both clovers on this slide are links to videos about 4-H members. They

exemplify how their experience with 4-H led them to where they were. Ask yourself these questions...

• 1. These videos showed people from two very different work places. How did the

different attributes of 4-H benefit two drastically different fields?

• 2. How would you feel if 4-H brought you the opportunity to meet these people? The
• pportunities are endless.
• 3. In what ways are the activities you’re involved in now going to benefit you in the

future? Are they worthwhile? Will they get you where these people were, or better yet, the places you dream to be? Slide 13: I like this quote because it contains an abundance of truth. You can either be a 4-H member who maybe goes to the meetings and does their projects. Maybe you are just in 4-H to show your animal. OR you can be a member who makes the most out of your time in the organization… MAKE 4-H AN ASSET TO YOUR FUTURE. IT HAS

THE POTENTIAL. The same goes for all of your other activities: make the most of

• them. Morph them into what you need. For example, if you play a sport and wish to

have a future in it, talk to your coach, go to skills camps, and form connections with people who care and have the ability to help you. Slide 14: Here is a list of resources you can use to stay in tune with all of this. My favorite is instagram because they post all of the updates (what is available, when stuff is due, etc.) You can also visit the websites of your county, state, and national 4-H. I got all of the information for this slideshow from these resources (each slide contains a link to the information), so imagine what you can get from them. If you don’t know how to

• btain these goals, apply for these scholarships, or go on these trips… ask your

educators, talk to friends who have been through the process. If obstacles get in your way, don’t back down! For example, if finances are an issue, financial aid is available. There are people and resources available to help you succeed. *Links to these resources are available on each slide*