4-H . . . More Than You Ever Imagined!
What is 4-H? | The Unique 4-H Program | The Future of 4-H
About Maryland 4-H 
Maryland Cooperative Extension Service
Home
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Home
4-H creates innovative programs that meet the evolving needs of our nation's diverse suburban and urban youth while continuing to fulfill the needs of young citizens in rural America. 4-H involves youth in self-determined, hands-on learning activities such as workforce skills, citizenship, public speaking and other local 4-H program areas. Youth use their own learning styles and participate at their own pace in a wide variety of projects and activities.
Over 5.6 million youth, ages 5-19, participate in 4-H each year, to become self-motivated, productive, and contributing citizens. In 4-H, kids develop relationships that inspire people to voluntarily help themselves and others as they interact with caring adults and peers.
4-H has an 80 year tradition of voluntary action through strong public-private partnerships at federal, state, and community levels. Local volunteer leaders partner with county Extension staff to provide direct leadership and educational support to young people in suburban, urban, and rural communities.
4-H is part of the Youth Development program of the Cooperative Extension System, which includes the state land-grant universities, county Extension offices, and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. County Extension staff work with land-grant university researchers and educators, who are up-to-date about youth development and subject areas like the environment, science, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Young people gain enriching opportunities for growth through 4-H. We broaden the types of programs offered to youth state-wide as we continue to teach basic life skills. Through 4-H young people discover what they need and learn to work together to meet their needs. 4-H youth development programs use the world as a classroom. 4-H is centered in the present... connected to the past... focused on the future. This is 4-H . . . more than you ever imagined.
The Maryland 4-H Youth Development Program is a recognized leader for educating and helping youth to become competent, caring, responsible individuals. The program achieves these goals by:
The Maryland 4-H Youth Development Program provides a supportive setting for all youth to reach their fullest potential. Youth learn beneficial cognitive and life skills through community-focused, research-based experiential educational programs. Achievement of this mission will create competent, caring, responsible individuals.
As a part of the Maryland Cooperative Extension Service, University of Maryland, College Park, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Maryland 4-H Youth Development Program contributes tot he Extension mission of educating citizens to apply practical, research-based knowledge to critical issues facing individuals, families, communities, the State and our global partners.
The 4-H life skills development takes place through a selected curriculum that includes educational programs, materials and experiences. The core subject areas of the Maryland 4-H Youth Development Program are:
These core subject areas allow youth to:
Maryland Cooperative Extension Service
Home
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Home