4-H is known for being the association where kids show animals, and yes showing animals can be a part of 4-H but 4-H is much more than just showing livestock. 4-H is something that focuses the most on the people that are a part of it. 4-H focuses on personal growth. The 4-H motto is “To make the Best Better” and they aren’t saying be better, have more money, have better animals, have better products, they are saying to always work on and improve yourself. I personally think that 4-H does an amazing job at this too.

Within 4-H there are opportunities upon opportunities to grow yourself and your skills. One of the skills that 4H focuses on is leadership. In 4-H leadership can grow in many different ways, maybe you have a leadership role in your club such as president, vice president, treasurer, or secretary, or maybe you are a 4-H council teen, maybe you participate in teen leadership, or maybe you have the highest honor of all and you are a Royal Ambassador. These are all roles and opportunities within 4-H that focus on leadership skills.

Apart from leadership, 4-H also promotes taking constructive criticism to better you and your skills in all of your project areas. This constructive criticism practice will help you later in life as well. It teaches members to take criticism both now and in the future, and it teaches us that there is always room for improvement. 4-H also promotes doing things to help others and volunteering for the greater good. 4-H has a goal that when we move on to the real world we will do everything we can to make the world a better place.

Isabella County 4-H extension office is staffed by Nonie Gross if you have any questions about 4-H feel free to email her at [email protected].