September 28, 2020

News Release

For Immediate Release

EDITOR'S NOTE: Members of the media may contact Jeannette Rea Keywood, Rutgers 4‑H Youth Development by phone at 848-932-3597 or by email at nj4h@njaes.rutgers.edu.

New Jersey Youth Celebrate National 4‑H Week

The anticipation is building for National 4‑H Week, during which millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni across the country will be celebrating everything 4‑H. New Jersey 4‑H youth members and volunteer leaders will observe National 4‑H Week (October 4–10) this year by virtually showcasing the incredible experiences that 4‑H offers young people, and will highlight the remarkable 4‑H youth in our community who make a positive impact on those around them.

The theme of this year’s National 4‑H Week is Opportunity4All, which highlights how 4‑H provides opportunities for all youth, no matter where they live, to take part in learning experiences in a variety of areas including science and technology, healthy living, agriculture, expressive arts, and much more. 4‑H reflects the principles of positive youth development, experiential learning and the importance of having fun. The positive environment provided by 4‑H mentors ensures that kids in every county and parish in the country from urban neighbourhoods to suburban schoolyards to rural farming communities are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles and are empowered with the skills to lead in life and career.

“4‑H provides an opportunity in which youth members and adults volunteer leaders learn, grow, and work together as catalysts for positive change. 4‑H promotes the development of skills that help young people succeed in higher education, their chosen career path and as members of their families and communities”
said Jeannette Rea Keywood, Department of 4‑H Youth Development, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

One of the most anticipated events of National 4‑H Week every year is the 4‑H STEM Challenge, formerly known as National Youth Science Day. The theme of this year’s event, which is expected to see hundreds of thousands of youth across the nation taking part throughout October, is Mars Base Camp. Developed by Google and Virginia Cooperative Extension, Mars Base Camp is a collection of activities that teaches kids ages 8–14 STEM skills, including mechanical engineering, physics, computer science and agriculture.

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit the New Jersey 4‑H website at www.nj4h.rutgers.edu

About 4‑H

4‑H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now. In the United States, 4‑H programs empower six million young people through the 110 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country. Outside the United States, independent, country-led 4‑H organizations empower one million young people in more than 50 countries. National 4‑H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4‑H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Learn more about 4‑H at www.4-H.org

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Cooperating Agencies: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Boards of County Commissioners. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, is an qual opportunity program provider and employer.