Georgia 4-H

What is Georgia 4-H?

Georgia 4-H helps youth to acquire knowledge, develop life skills and form attitudes that will enable them to become self-directive and productive members of society. The program sets the stage for youth and adults to learn, grow and work together as catalysts for positive change.

Mission

Georgia 4-H has a mission to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society. This mission is accomplished through hands-on learning experiences and a focus on agricultural and environmental issues, agriculture awareness, leadership, communication skills, foods and nutrition, health, energy conservation and citizenship.

Georgia 4-H is all about exploring and discovering, encouraging and challenging. As a program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension System, 4-H is part of the nationwide Extension network.

Members of 4-H are known for sharing their research-based knowledge and technology with others where they live and work. Georgia 4-H combines federal, state, and local expertise and resources.

Environmental Education

Environmental education programs are administered by UGA Cooperative Extension at six 4-H centers across the state.

These programs offer teachers and students a combination of resources in the forms of nature and equipment to aid in the learning process. Programs can be customized to meet specific objectives as requested by visiting schools.

Program Objectives

  • To develop an awareness, knowledge and appreciation for the natural environment
  • To cultivate curiosity, critical reasoning and evaluation skills
  • To develop positive relationships between students and their teachers
  • To make the school program more meaningful by applying knowledge and skills required in the classroom to real-life situations
  • To provide experiences in scientific processes, such as observing, measuring, classifying, etc.
  • To develop self-confidence and physical fitness
  • To develop an appreciation for the local and natural history of an area

4-H Youth Development News

Ben Hill County 4-H'ers (L to R) Ruby Witt, Thomas Holt, Nandini Patel, and Landon Sinyard along with their coach Laura Lee Hughes (Right) brought home a national title at the National 4-H Consumer Decision Making Contest in San Antonio. CAES News
Ben Hill County 4-H captures top prize in national consumer science contest
Ben Hill County 4-H captured a first place win in the National Consumer Decision Making division at the Family and Consumer Science National Championship and Conference on Jan. 17 in San Antonio, Texas. The winning team members included Thomas Holt, Nandini Patel, Landon Sinyard and Ruby Witt, with support from coach Laura Lee Hughes, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension 4-H agent and county coordinator for Ben Hill County.
Romanian scholars (from left) Horia Ciocan, Drago? S?c?leanu, Paula Moraru ?tefan B?trîna and Igori Balta visited the Wahsega 4-H Center in Dahlonega, Georgia, to learn about youth development programming offered by UGA Extension. CAES News
Romanian scholars adapt lessons from UGA Extension to benefit small farms
Building on the strong foundation established with the first cohort of Romanian-American Foundation Fulbright Scholars at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, a second slate of scholars recently completed a four-month fellowship with UGA Cooperative Extension to gather insight and inspiration for establishing extension services in the eastern European nation.
Georgia Simmons at the office of U.S. Sen. Warnock CAES News
Georgia 4-H alum, CAES student spends semester serving at the nation's Capitol
Third-year University of Georgia student and Banks County 4-H alum Georgia Simmons has been in the center of the political action this fall with the Georgia 4-H Washington DC Intern Program. Simmons, an environmental resource science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works in the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. As an intern on his staff, she interacts directly with policy experts and lawmakers, participating in the legislative process while earning a semester of credit hours.