4-H & Youth
4-H & Youth
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Welcome to Grant County 4-H!
4-H is the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization. In Wisconsin, more than 69,000 youth are involved with 4-H and other UW-Madison Division of Extension youth programs. 4-H programming aims to engage youth in activities to increase their leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills. Our programs center on the 4 H’s: head, heart, hands, and health. This is the foundation for everything we do.
Wisconsin 4-H has over 8,500 volunteers who serve as mentors for 4-H youth. They help provide a safe, engaging place for youth to take risks, practice their independence, and master new skills. Research shows there are many benefits to being involved in 4-H. 4-H youth are four times more likely to make contributions to their communities, two times more likely to be civically active, two times more likely to participate in out-of-school science programs, and two times more likely to make healthier choices.
4-H provides opportunities for youth to learn the life skills they need to be responsible adults, such as making good choices, leadership, public speaking, goal setting, planning and organizing, working as a team, written communication, and managing change. In 4-H, volunteers help youth plan and conduct meetings, projects, and activities and guide youth as they learn new skills.
4-H Enrollment
4-H involves youth in project-based education. Through project learning, youth can explore their interests (“sparks”) and master new skills. 4-H projects are meant to be hands on to create a memorable learning experience. Since 4-H started in the early 1900s, youth have learned by doing. This hands-on process allows youth to understand not only how to do something but also why they are doing it.
4-H Pledge
Head, Heart, Hands, and Health are the four Hs in 4‑H, and they are the four values members work on through fun and engaging programs.
I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking, my HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS to larger service, and my HEALTH to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.
Wisconsin 4-H History
The Smith Lever Act of 1914 began the Cooperative Extension Service. Now, one hundred years later we celebrate this partnership of county, state and national government. Early program outreach of the University of Wisconsin-Extension focused on needs of rural families. When resistance to science and change among adults was noted, early faculty found they could more easily reach families through youth. This was the genius of early corn, canning and animal clubs for youth. Demonstration and pilot projects with youth opened the door for adults and families to try new things.
Charisse Orth
4-H Program Educator
UW-Extension, Grant County
916 East Elm Street, Suite A
Lancaster, WI 53813
charisse.orth@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 723-2125
Work Cell: (608) 885-0781
711 for Wisconsin Relay
4-H grows confident, capable and caring kids with the life skills to thrive in today’s world and succeed in their boldest dreams for tomorrow.
4-H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA. Working in partnership with 110 universities, 4-H programs are research-backed and offer life-changing experiences to youth around the world.
The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707. An EEO Affirmative Action employer, the University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA requirements.
