4-H was born in Clark County, Ohio, in 1902 with "The Tomato Club." We can actually trace our roots, unofficially, back to the late 1800's when farmers discovered that university students were not receptive to learning about agriculture, but young kids in the community were! In 1914, the passing of the Smith-Lever Act brought into existence the nation's Cooperative Extension Service in order to educate members of the community on agriculture. The Extension Service is run in counties throughout the country through land-grant universities, which, in Oregon, happens to be Oregon State University, and is a partnership with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) which is housed in the U.S. The Smith-Lever Act sparked the rapid growth of 4-H and nationalized the program. By 1924, we had made official 4-H clubs and adopted the 4-H clover emblem, which we are known for to this day. The Extension Service is now in more than 100 land-grant universities with over 3,000 Extension County offices throughout the United States. The Extension Service houses programs such as 4-H and the Master Gardeners, as well as a number of other programs designed to enrich lives and teach communities about agriculture and healthy living.
4-H works with youths and offers out-of-school programming, in-school enrichment, clubs, and camps all across the nation. We offer projects ranging anywhere from STEM to art to animal science to home economics to environmental science to interstate and international travel right here in Jackson County 4-H. Our goal is to give young people the skills to lead for a lifetime. We teach practical life skills like public speaking and record booking keeping along with dedication, responsibility, respect, marketing, teamwork, leadership, integrity, logical reasoning, and so much more, all while having fun, building lifelong friendships, and volunteering in our community! Does this sound like something you are interested in? You do not have to live on acreage or own animals to participate; we offer so much more than that! The USDA, OSU, Jackson County, and a small army of volunteers have all come together to make 4-H available in Jackson County. We have a rich history both locally and nationally, and we will continue our story for many, many years to come. Please write your page in our story and join this national tradition. Let us know you are interested! We'd love to welcome you to our 4-H family. Instagram: jacksoncounty4h
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