Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Telephone (251) 937-7176 or

928-0860/943-5061 ext. 2222

FAX (251) 937-7285

Cynthia G. Knowlton

Regional Extension Agent/4-H

November 23, 2010

4-H IN TODAY’S WORLD

Never before have Alabama’s young people faced so many challenges – or had so many opportunities. Today’s kids have never lived in a world without text messages or iPods. Most have never used a film camera – and many households no longer have “land line” telephones. By tomorrow, e-mail and cable TV may have even gone the way of Circuit City and Compaq computers.

In this constantly changing world, 4-H provides programs that yesterday’s 4-H Clubs would have never imagined. Let’s think about a little American history.

A century ago, 4-H and Cooperative Extension were brilliant innovations. Some visionaries in the U.S. Department of Agriculture said: “What can we do to take scientific-based agriculture from universities like Auburn, Alabama A & M, and Tuskegee to the family farms and rural communities?”

Their answer was very clever: teach the young people to grow corn and livestock using modern methods. The crops they produced were many times more bountiful than those doing it the traditional “old-fashioned” way. Working together, the universities and the local communities changed the face of America forever.

Today, fewer than 2 percent of Americans farm for a living. Yet, the Extension Service still plays an important role in American life—rural, urban, and suburban.  4-H is still important to Alabama’s young people. Though we don’t see lots of corn and tomatoes, like in the early days, we nonetheless value agriculture. Our Junior Master Gardener Programs and livestock clubs are always popular – but so are subjects like rocketry and robotics. Our environmental education programs provide young people opportunities to wade in creeks or wander through the woods, activities previous generations would have taken for granted.

But the thing that is unique and powerful about today’s 4-H is that we seek to respond to the needs of young people through what we call the “BIG M.” BIG M is an acronym for Belonging, Independence, Generosity and Mastery – the core values of 4-H.

Belonging: Youth need to know they are cared about by others and feel a sense of connection to others in group settings. 4–H gives youth the opportunity to feel physically and emotionally safe while actively participating in a group.

Independence: Youth need to know that they are able to influence people and events through decision-making and action. By exercising independence through 4–H leadership opportunities, youth mature in self-discipline and responsibility and learn to better understand themselves.

Generosity: Youth need to feel their lives have meaning and purpose. By exploring 4–H community service and citizenship activities, youth can connect to communities and learn to give back to others.

Mastery: Youth need to feel and believe they are capable, and experience success at solving problems and meeting challenges to develop their self-confidence. Through the exploration of ideas and activities related to their interests, youth learn skills and participate in experiences that help them make positive life choices for their future.

Yes, today’s 4-H is not like it was decades ago – and it won’t be the same in another five years. But some things never change, like our commitment to helping young people use “hands-on” learning to be their best, a resource that our country, state and county need just as much as they ever did.

For more information about Baldwin County 4-H programs, contact Cynthia Knowlton at 251/937-7176, 251/709-8749 or knowlcg@aces.edu.

Email address: cknowlto@aces.edu

Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5061, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.