Many of us are aware of the facts that are connected to our youth today. Historically high levels of loneliness, depression, anxiety, and feelings of failure plague children, teens, and young adults alike. * Parents and caring adults in America are concerned and wish there were an easy cure to help our youth feel more motivated, happy, and fulfilled in their life paths. The youth of the next generation are extremely important; they will be the next leaders of our culture and society.
At 4-H, we know the vital role that young people hold and have been preparing them to be leaders of the next generation since 1902. Despite the challenges of the ages since the early 20th century, data shows that 4-H’ers are 2x more likely to have the goal of becoming a leader. They are also 3x more likely to participate in community service and 2x more likely to report living a life with intentionality and purpose. * 4-H equips youth with skills from social-emotional intelligence to confident public speaking, from being a leader in the show ring to becoming mentors for younger members. Adults in 4-H start youth at the very beginning of their memberships to become #BeyondReady to be in the greater world ahead of them. We are devoted to supporting members to find purpose and reward within themselves, their actions, and their community.
Caring adults that are dedicated to thriving youth’s present and futures are the key ingredient to creating the world that we want our young people to live in. 4-H volunteers are essential to spreading the benefits of 4-H so that our next generation can be set up with practical skills and build motivation to grow. Our mission is to reach 10 million youth by 2025 who can become #BeyondReady and we need your help. From STEM robotics to animal science, outdoor recreation to small engines trades training, farm to table to creating teen job fairs and community service, 4-H has a place for every adult and child to get involved.
All adults have a story to share and a skill to teach. To ensure a beautiful future filled with hope and meaning, please consider becoming a volunteer in your county today. We are counting on our community to become the mentors our upcoming youth need.
To get involved, email or call Cheshire County 4-H Program Manager, Astara Zuorski at a.zuorski@unh.edu or 603-352-4550. We are excited to hear from you and help get you started!
*Statistics borrowed from the 4-H Beyond Ready website at https://4-h.org/beyond-ready/ and from the American Psychological Association at https://www.apa.org/
