4-H reaches over 125,000 youth in Minnesota and...

• Blends education with youth development. 4-H professionals and volunteers intentionally plan short and long term 4-H programs so individual youth learn new knowledge and skills while meeting developmental needs of independence, belonging, generosity and mastery.
• Implements hands-on discovery and exploration. Youth learn best when they are actively involved in their own learning process. Experiential learning helps young people learn-by-doing in three basic steps: doing an activity, reflecting on the experience, and applying what was learned in new or different life situations. This ongoing process of discovery can be applied to countless subject matters in a variety of settings.
• Promotes cutting-edge, practical curriculum. Projects are the “hook” for engaging young people in learning through 4-H. Cutting-edge, practical, easy-to-use project curriculum linked to university research from 106 land grant universities and based on the experiential learning model supports and stimulates learning.
• Delivers a range of experiences, for a variety of ages, in various settings. There are no typical 4-H experiences since clubs and programs are a diverse as the members. 4-H short and long term educational programs available at community, county, region, state and national levels meet the needs of young people from kindergarten through one year past high school.
• Engages volunteers and partners. 4-H professionals train and support volunteers and partners on context and content so these individuals can help guide and support youth learning opportunities. Committed community-based volunteers, organizations, businesses, and agencies help build sustainable 4-H Youth Development programs.
• Is supported by professional staff. Behind every 4-H Youth Development program and behind every 4-H Youth Development professional, lies an extensive body of knowledge, scholarship and research. 4-H professionals must be competent in youth development, youth program development, volunteerism, partnerships, organizational systems, and ensuring equity, access and opportunity. The level of education, experience, competence, and understand of the youth development field has a direct correlation to the overall quality of the program as well as the experience of youth, volunteers and partners.
• Is based on the land grant mission and vision. The land grant vision was founded by congress for an institution that could be a training ground for democratic life and civic life and quickly move knowledge between research and community development. For over 100 years, 4-H has taken the land grant idea to our youngest community members.