At the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, four-leaf clovers aren’t just for luck: they’re a symbol of our tie to North Carolina 4-H.
4-H challenges young people ages 5 to 19 to learn by doing. The program’s name comes from four guiding words in the national 4-H pledge: “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.”
In our state, NCState Extension and NC A&T State University’s Cooperative Extension Program work with county Cooperative Extension centers to guide our youth to fulfill the four Hs.
We asked several exemplary 4-H’ers to explain what each word means to them.
Head to Clearer Thinking
“When you are in 4-H, you might have to take care of animals or help little kids, so you have to pay attention and you’ve got to be responsible. I’ve learned a lot through 4-H, mainly about responsibility and leadership.” –Nashia Harris, 14, Northampton County
The 13 Harris siblings who’ve taken part in their family 4-H Club over the past 21 years stick together and help each other out. Still, they each have their own personal interests. Nashia, for example, loves to take care of animals, while Anasha is more interested in cooking and Isaiah enjoys creating sauces to use for grilling.
As their mom, homeschool teacher and 4-H club co-leader Evangeline Harris points out, 4-H provides an outlet for them to learn more, share their knowledge, meet new people and be recognized for their accomplishments.
Nashia knows a lot about animals and animal husbandry because she helps on her family’s chicken farm. She says 4-H gave her the guts to stand in front of others and tell them what she knows. Once painfully shy, she’s not only embraced presentations as her favorite 4-H activity, she has gold medals to prove she’s good at it.
Heart to Greater Loyalty
“Pledging my heart to greater loyalty means doing things that benefit the community. 4-H emphasizes participation in community service activities. When I first started doing community service activities, I was just participating to get the credit I needed for different applications, but now I genuinely enjoy supporting others in my community.” – Nicole Worth, 19, Johnston County 4-H alumna
[pullquote align=”left” color=”red”]I learn something new every time.[/pullquote]
To Nicole, a former State 4-H Council officer, loyalty means more than giving back to her community. It means paying forward — and then because she’s paying forward, she’s also getting back.
As she notes, 4-H events usually include service activities that participants work on together. They also give her the chance to meet people with talents or skills in areas she doesn’t know much about. “I learn something new every time,” she says.
Nicole entered NCState last fall as a full-time student in a demanding discipline – computer science – but she still finds time for others. Each week, she rides the bus, then her bike, to her volunteer job as cat and kitten matchmaker for the Wake County SPCA, and she works part-time helping out in the state 4-H office.
“And when the time rolls around when 4-H record book judges and presentation judges are needed,” she says, “I can guarantee that I’ll be there!”
Hands to Larger Service
“You’re promising that wherever you go, your community is going to be your utmost focus. By pledging your hands to larger service, you’re promising yourself and the folks around you that you’re going to do your best for everyone.” – Spencer Cook, 17, Forsyth County
“Larger service doesn’t necessarily mean a big, extravagant project: It means putting your focus on helping others, whether it’s a big group of people or even just a couple of individuals. It also means using what you’ve learned through 4-H to aid you in making an impact.” –Jadyn Hooker, 17, Forsyth County
For Jadyn and Spencer, community service is the reason they are in 4-H. They’re part of the Trailblazers Teen 4-H Club, which works year-round to help others.
Through the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission, they host game nights for men in a program designed to help them overcome drug and alcohol addiction. For Operation Christmas Child, they collect items and then package them in shoe boxes for children in developing countries. For Project Linus, they make blankets for children who are patients in a local children’s hospital. And that’s just for starters.
“If you want something done or you want to start a project to help or to influence others, you have to be proactive. You can’t sit by and cross your fingers,” Spencer said. “Taking initiative has been a really big part of what 4-H has taught me.”
Health to Better Living
“Pledging your health to better living not only means being physically healthy and trying to eat better and exercise, it also means being mentally healthy and knowing what to try to focus on it and not let school or work monopolize your life so much that it drives you insane.” – Ryan Baskerville, 16, Warren County
There was a time in Ryan’s life when his temper would flare at the slightest frustration. An ambitious, curious and intelligent person – “always busy,” he says – he filled every spare moment with school work and activities he thought would be résumé builders.
In fact, that reasoning led him to 4-H: A school counselor recommended a 4-H leadership program. He doubted that he’d like it, but he thought it would look good on a college application. Once he took part, though, he was hooked and signed up for more.
[pullquote align=”right” color=”red”]Back in 1908, the fourth H stood forhustle – rendering ready service to develop health and vitality.[/pullquote]Through 4-H healthy living programs, Ryan learned about the importance of bringing balance to his life, eating healthy and exercising regularly. Then he started teaching younger kids what he’d learned.
The 4-H experience, he says, has been life-changing. “I don’t think anything has prepared me more for college or the world than 4-H,” he said. “It changed me for the better. I’m a lot calmer, a lot more patient and a lot more tolerant.
“4-H teaches me how to manage my life as a whole. At the same time, it’s also teaching me how to help others – which is amazing.”
4-H and NCState Extension are hard at work in communities across North Carolina.
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As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the field of youth development through programs like 4-H, I can confidently attest to the transformative impact such initiatives have on young individuals. My involvement spans not just academic understanding but hands-on experience, allowing me to delve into the nuances of each concept highlighted in the provided article.
Firstly, the essence of "Head to Clearer Thinking" resonates profoundly with the intellectual growth fostered by 4-H. Nashia Harris, a 14-year-old participant, beautifully articulates the cognitive benefits gained through responsibilities like caring for animals and assisting younger peers. This aligns with the foundational principle of 4-H, where clarity of thought is cultivated through practical experiences, shaping responsible and competent individuals.
Next, "Heart to Greater Loyalty" underscores the community-oriented values instilled by 4-H. Nicole Worth, a 19-year-old alumna, sheds light on the evolution from obligatory community service to genuine enjoyment and reciprocal benefits. Loyalty, in the 4-H context, extends beyond mere participation, emphasizing a commitment to supporting and uplifting the community, embodying a sense of shared responsibility.
The concept of "Hands to Larger Service" emphasizes proactive community engagement. Spencer Cook and Jadyn Hooker exemplify this by actively contributing to their community through various initiatives like hosting game nights for individuals in recovery and participating in projects benefiting children in need. This goes beyond rhetoric, embodying the ethos of 4-H by emphasizing action and tangible contributions.
Lastly, "Health to Better Living" extends beyond physical well-being to encompass mental health and holistic personal development. Ryan Baskerville's journey reflects the comprehensive approach of 4-H, where the focus on a balanced life, healthy habits, and imparting knowledge to others becomes instrumental in shaping resilient and well-rounded individuals.
The historical context provided, mentioning the evolution of the fourth 'H' from "hustle" to its current connotation, underscores the adaptive nature of 4-H to address the evolving needs of individuals over time.
In conclusion, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in collaboration with NCState Extension and NC A&T State University’s Cooperative Extension Program, is not merely cultivating luck with four-leaf clovers but nurturing a generation of responsible, community-focused, and well-rounded individuals through the powerful principles embedded in the 4-H program.
