Did you know, 4-H offers over 30 interest areas for youth to learn, grow and excel in? Interest areas include STEM, Outdoor Adventures, Photography, Food & Nutrition and much, much more!  Cass County Extension will be celebrating all things 4-H during National 4-H Week October 7-13. Now is the time of year for youth to join and participate in 4-H, the youth development program of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Keep an eye out for Cass County 4-H members, volunteers, and supporters showing their 4-H pride during National 4-H Week. Many community clubs will be creating window displays in local businesses to showcase their 4-H pride. Other clubs will be doing special events and activities during the week such as wearing 4-H shirts to school to show their 4-H pride. Some clubs are even doing service projects during this celebration week!

To kick off National 4-H Week, Cass County 4-H will be hosting a Fall Fest on Sunday, October 7 from 4-6 PM at the Cass County Fairgrounds, to celebrate 4-H as well as invite new/potential 4-Hers to join in the fun and see what 4-H is all about.  “We have a variety of fun activities planned which will showcase some of the project areas with hands-on activities, games and fun! We will have youth members providing activities, a photo booth, a giant game of twister, corn hole, and much more. Also a 4-H information booth and a potluck meal will be available,” says Shelby Van Horn, County Youth Coordinator for ISU Cass County Extension and Outreach. “It will be a fun evening for all to come out and celebrate National 4-H Week!”

4-H is a year round program for youth in grades kindergarten through 12. National 4-H Week is a great time to show all the wonderful things 4-H offers to youth,” stated Van Horn. “ In fact, research has shown that young people in 4-H are nearly four times as likely to contribute to their communities and are twice as likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs during after school time.” 4-H is active in each of Iowa’s 99 counties and empowers youth to reach their full potential through many different types of experiences experiences including photography, music, woodworking, sewing, archery, livestock and horticulture. Youth have fun while gaining valuable skills in communication and the arts, citizenship and leadership, science, technology, engineering and math, as well as healthy living and personal life management by being involved in 4-H.

4-H grows confidence, creativity, curiosity, courage, character and much more in youth. 4-H allows youth to use the skills that they learn to go out and make a positive difference in their communities. Cass County 4-H has more than 320 4-H youth and 100 volunteers involved in the program. Interested in joining 4-H? Contact the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132 or visit the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

(Press release from Cass County Extension)