4-H is America’s oldest and largest youth development organization, using hands-on, experiential learning to empower young people between the ages of 5 and 19. Youth in both rural and urban communities gain essential life skills by engaging in meaningful, real-world projects.
You might wonder what skills young people learn through 4-H. The program spans a broad range of educational areas from practical life skills to STEM education, providing opportunities that prepare youth for success in school, career, and life.
In Mississippi, the 4-H Youth Development Program is supported by the state’s two land-grant universities: Alcorn State University and Mississippi State University. At Alcorn, the Institute for 4-H Youth Development within the Extension Program is dedicated to nurturing young minds through a variety of educational components, including:
- Agricultural Literacy
- Basic Life Skills
- College and Career Readiness
- Financial Literacy
- Healthy Living
- Risk Behavior Management (e.g., peer pressure and bullying)
- STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics)