This is a guest blog post from Tim Held, a 4-H student who is homeschooled.
Often when I meet people, they ask what kind of activities I do. I always proudly answer that I am a 4-H’er. However, this often leads them to assume I live on a farm or grow my own food.
This is pretty far from the truth. In fact, I live on a small property in a neighborhood in the city, and the only animal my family has ever owned was a fish for a science experiment, and that died within a week.
Although I am not a farmer, I still get much out of being a 4-H member. I learn leadership, citizenship and other life skills, compete in projects, earn recognition and scholarships and have many other opportunities.
What is 4-H?
4-H started in 1902 in Clark County, Ohio as the “tomato club” and aimed to teach rural youth about new agricultural methods. Today, 4-H is the world’s largest youth development program and does much more than teaching students about agriculture. Every U.S. State and over 50 countries have 4-H, which is just a small glimpse at the impact the organization has on the world.
4-H and Leadership
4-H grows the leaders of tomorrow through developing skills and experience in students. Tennessee 4-H, for example, provides countless ways for youth to hold leadership positions and learn important skills. At the club level, every 4-H club has a handful of officers who help run the meetings.
At the county level, the county honor club has a board of officers. The board includes a president, vice presidents, secretary, service chair, hospitality chair, reporter, and ambassadors.
I am the Bradley County 4-H Honor Club President. It is my responsibility to lead the meetings and work through an agenda. Being in this and other similar positions has given me social and people skills I never thought I would learn. It has brought me out of my shell and made me an effective and comfortable public speaker.
Other leadership positions in Tennessee 4-H include the regional All-Star Councils who plan regional events and the Tennessee 4-H State Council who plan state events and represent the state at national 4-H events. These are just a few opportunities through which Tennessee 4-H’ers can gain experience and grow as a leader.
4-H and Citizenship
In Bradley County, our other primary focus is citizenship. Citizenship in 4-H is more than just being a citizen. It is serving others and helping the community.
I have participated in many large service projects such as Operation Christmas Child, Shoes for Orphan Souls, fundraising for the Ronald McDonald House and other similar projects. These activities help me develop as a person, grow in compassion and appreciate what I have. I gain a better understanding of the world and become a better person by serving others.
4-H Develops Life Skills
4-H also teaches other important life skills. The biggest 4-H project in Tennessee is public speaking. Thousands of 4-H’ers compete in the speech contests each year. Competing in the contest has not only improved my public speaking skills but has also advanced my interpersonal and social skills.
In addition, I have had significant experience talking to superiors and adults. I have been a part of advisory boards and been interviewed for awards and positions. Attending many conferences, camps, and other events has allowed me more interactions with adults. These experiences have taught me how to speak and act with older people, think on my feet, and be comfortable in new or unfamiliar settings.
4-H’ers in Tennessee normally focus on three areas: Leadership, Citizenship, and individual projects. There are 26 projects in Tennessee 4-H. They range anywhere from agricultural topics to technology and the arts. Even leadership and citizenship are projects. Projects are just areas that 4-h’ers devote time to learning, gaining experience, and teaching others.
At the end of a year, 4-H’ers compile portfolios that outline their work in their project, leadership, and citizenship. These portfolios are then judged. Top performers in each project earn a trip to compete at the state level for awards. I am the current Tennessee 4-H Level 1 Engineering/Safety Science State Project Winner. My project consisted of learning, building, coding, attending engineering camps, and similar activities. I won a state award and a college scholarship for $500.
Projects are not the only way to get scholarships through 4-H. As a junior or senior, you can apply for a variety of scholarships that are handed out at Tennessee 4-H Roundup. These scholarships are worth anywhere from $250 – $2,500.
Other 4-H activities
4-H provides life skills, personal development, opportunities for local, state, and national recognition, and much more. However, it also provides many important opportunities.
In Tennessee, these include summer camps such as Electric Camp, 4-H Congress (you visit Nashville and the State Capitol Building, learn about how the state government works and visit your legislature), and State Roundup. Roundup includes the project competitions, state council elections, and college tours.
With so many activities, it is impossible to do everything in 4-H. It is much more than just an agricultural club as I stay busy even having no involvement in the agricultural aspect of 4-H. It has helped me grow into a better, more involved person who is ready to be a leader of tomorrow. I may never have ridden a tractor, or grown my own dinner, but 4-H has been and will be, a huge part of my life.
I know I have not been able to share everything available in 4-H but the best thing about it is that it is available to everyone. You don’t need a high GPA or special athletic ability or talent in the arts. It isn’t expensive to get involved and benefit from 4-H.
In the United States, 4-H is in every county. For information, you can contact your local county state extension service office. In Tennessee, the office locations and contact information can be found here: For other states, you can find information on your state extension service website or at the national 4-H website.
Tim Held
Latest posts by Tim Held (see all)
- The Benefits of 4-H for Homeschoolers - April 3, 2019
What well-written article from an impressive young man!