There are thousands of 4-H clubs throughout the U.S. for kids to join. There is even one in our city, Pahrump, Nevada. The 4-H club is run by kids and is also made for kids. Each club has a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and some have a Historian as well. I was actually a part of 4-H here. I joined when I was really young and it helped me try new things and different clubs. I remember being very shy when I was a kid. 4-H helped me come out of my shell and got me into different activities too. One thing it helped me get into was helping out at the Senior Center. I liked it so much that even after I was done with 4-H I still went and helped pretty regularly. 4-H has helped many kids just like me and helped them get into clubs or activities that maybe they thought they wouldn’t like or were too scared to try. 

After interviewing Jamie Domina, a 4-H leader, she had a lot to say about 4-H and how it helps kids and the activities they offer.

There are many clubs and activities for kids to join in this 4-H organization. When asked what clubs do you offer her response was “Shooting Sports (Archery, .22 rifle, and Muzzleloader), Word Play Café (creative writing), Dog Den, Awkward Silence (high school’s robotics team), Livestock, Reptile and bug club, FLL Explore (6-8 year olds FIRST team), Community club (where all the clubs come together to discuss what the clubs are doing and community outreach plans/ideas) and Cloverbuds (for 5 – 7 year olds)” As you can see from the list of activities there are many of them for kids to be a part of. They can join multiple clubs too, it’s not just limited to one. 

When asked how long she has been involved in 4-H, her response was “I have had my children in 4-H for 6 years, a leader for 5 years, and employed for 2 years.” Her responsibilities in 4-H are “facilitating club meetings, and maintaining our 4-H building. I also make sure that each leader and club has what they need, and I help out during most club meetings.” Her main responsibility is “is to the program as a whole, enrollments are processed, leaders are certified and supported, curriculum ordered when needed, club materials, grants, and reports.”

4-H helps kids in a lot of ways even outside of clubs and activities. It gives kids a place where they feel like they belong and adults they trust. It gives them a place that is safe for them too. It gives them the confidence to try new things and to not be scared to try new things either. When asked this her response was “Finding and talking to sponsors has helped youth to feel more comfortable talking to adults in a business situation, this helped build skills and confidence for them with job applications/interviews that they will need.” She also said, “Community outreach has helped youth understand how important it is to reach out…” When kids do take part in several activities and get involved in many clubs they will learn more and feel like they fit in and that they are making a change for the better. 

In conclusion, 4-H does a lot more than just clubs and activities, they help kids in many ways outside of that too. 4-H gives kids a place where they belong and where they can try new things and learn new skills they didn’t have before. There are a wide variety of clubs for kids to choose from. 4-H has helped kids across the country get new hobbies, get more confidence and learn other life skills they need.