<p>Promoting agriculture and strengthening communities</p>
<p>4-H'ers become confident, competent and caring</p>
The Dutchess County Fair is a highlight of many 4-H'ers year!
<p>Having fun and building skills for success</p>
<p>Making friends, having fun!</p>
Dutchess County 4-H
CLICK HERE
to visit our
AWESOME NEW 4-H WEBSITE!
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4-H'ers of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow!
Do you believe our youth deserve the best chance?
Do you have time, energy and the desire to help?
Contact us and find out how to volunteer as part of the 4-H team!
Contact
Emma Jenks
4-H Educator/Club Manager
elj57@cornell.edu
(845) 677-8223 x 108
Last updated January 11, 2021
What is 4-H?
4-H is a Positive Youth Development Program
What does that mean???
It means that whatever activities 4-H'ers engage in, they learn life-skills and develop behaviors that provide a solid foundation for them to achieve success in whatever they do in life.
Using a growth mindset (focus on helping them believe in themselves and what they CAN do) the youth develop:
- Confidence in themselves
- Competence in their abilities
- Caring attitude to others
- Connection to their community
- Character to make healthy choices
4-H and Agriculture
4-H has its roots in agriculture. In Dutchess County, 4-H'ers learn the skills they will need to feed their communities and sustain the environment. 4-H ag. programs include beef, hogs, poultry, sheep, llamas and alpacas, horses and goats.
More Than Agriculture
4-H can accommodate the interests of all youth. Current clubs include:
- Rabbits and guinea pigs
- Dogs
- Sewing
- Cooking
- Gardening
- Beekeeping
- Shooting Sports
- Teen Leadership
Whenever there is a group of 5 or more kids who want to study any subject (use your imagination!) a new club can be formed!
Clubs are led by volunteers who have expertise in special areas.
An Inclusive and Welcoming Space
All kids aged 5-18 years of age are welcomed into 4-H regardless of their abilities and backgrounds. 4-H has a zero tolerance policy towards discrimination and actively works to promote equity and understanding.
Youth in 4-H, regardless of what they study, learn life-skills towards a successful future as tomorrow's leaders, such as:
- Public Presentations and communications
- Record Keeping relevant to their projects
- Community Service in meaningful ways
- Adherence to a Code of Conduct
- Responsibility and Reliability
- Teamwork
- Peer Mentoring
- Problem Solving
4-H Public Presentation Program
When asked the most valuable thing they take away from the 4-H program, the majority of young adults cite the public speaking skills they learned through age-appropriate, fun learning experiences.
Opportunities for Advancement
At County level, 4-H offers a host of activities and projects that youth can participate in. Participation in the Dutchess County Fair is a highlight for many 4-H'ers. For those who want to go further, there are even more opportunities.
REGIONAL: Dutchess is part of the South East District and 7 counties work together to offer regional events and competitions. The Rural Story Telling Project is one example.
STATE-LEVEL: NYS 4-H provides an amazing selection of affordable career development opportunities, many of which give 4-H'ers access to Cornell University resources and state-wide events such as Capital Days.
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL: For dedicated 4-H'ers the sky is the limit!