The University of Georgia 4-H Program is celebrating National 4-H Week and recognizing more than 100 years of excellence in positive youth development October 2-8. Georgia 4-H’ers find their spark and discover belonging as members of the largest youth leadership organization in the state.

“Opportunity4All” is the 2022 National 4-H Week theme. With over 6 million members and 25 million alumni nationally, 4-H programs touch young people from all backgrounds and communities. Georgia 4-H engages 240,000 students in a standard program year, typically in 4^th-12^th grades.

Young people will play a key role in creating a more promising future for families and communities across the world. Georgia 4-H empowers youth to develop leadership skills, life skills, and responsibility with programming based on research from UGA faculty and other land-grant universities nationwide.

Georgia 4-H is rooted in agriculture, originating with the 1905 Newton County Corn Club for Boys. The program now has additional branches in science, technology, healthy living, and civic engagement. Today, 4-H attracts students from all areas of interests and engages youth from the most urban to the most rural areas.

4-H’ers perform community service, conduct research, compile portfolios of their accomplishments, and learn public speaking skills through oral presentations during 4-H Project Achievement.

Additional 4-H programming includes livestock projects, judging teams, ambassador programs, performing arts, safe and healthy cooking, Project S.A.F.E., and countless other opportunities for learning and growth.

4-H summer camp provides life-changing experiences for thousands of Georgia youth every year. The 2022 camping season brought more than 8,000 campers to five 4-H centers that are scattered throughout the state from the mountains to the sea.

“We are able to provide top-tier opportunities to our students because of partnerships with all Extension faculty and staff in all 159 Georgia counties,” said Sue Chapman, Interim Georgia 4-H State Leader. “4-H is giving youth a safe and welcoming place to thrive that will set them on a path to life-long success.”

Georgia 4-H expands horizons for its members and encourages them to be productive citizens in the world around them. National 4-H Week is a collective opportunity to recognize all the ways that 4-H’ers are living out the organizational motto “to make the best better.”

For more information about how to join, volunteer, or support Georgia 4-H, contact your local University of Georgia County Extension Office or visit www.georgia4h.org.