youth development

4-H Program Teaches Finances to Military Youth

A group of military affiliated youth recently wrapped up a six-week session of lessons about saving, spending, earning, and the value of a dollar, and their time. Following the Reading Makes Cents 4-H Afterschool Curriculum Guide, participants were able to inspect the hidden secrets of a dollar, learn about saving and spending, needs and wants, […]

Making Every Penny Count: 4-H and Financial Education

According to a 2014 study conducted by the Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, only 10% of Connecticut high school students participated in a personal finance class annually. Fewer than 20 high schools required students to take a personal finance course prior to graduation. According to the Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. […]

Katie Adkins – 4-H Volunteer Spotlight

Talking to Katie Adkins you get a sense that anything in life is possible. That with a little hard work and enthusiasm you can accomplish anything. And that’s exactly what she has done. Katie is the owner of Plymouth Meats in Terryville, CT, a full service USDA inspected facility from harvesting to packaging all done […]

Maddy Hatt: National 4-H Conference Experience

National 4-H Conference April 6-11 I was fortunate enough to be selected as part of the Connecticut delegation sent to Washington D.C. for the 2019 National 4-H Conference. I was a part of the Entrepreneurship round table and we were tasked with answering a set of questions for the United States department of labor. The […]

4-H Alums Shine as UConn Students

Lauren Marshall (’18 ENGR, ’19 ENGR MS) and Hannah Kalichman (’15 CLAS and ’20 LAW) are poised to graduate from UConn and have an impact on our community when they enter the workforce in their respective fields. Both are alumni of the UConn 4-H program, and we recently sat down with them to learn how […]

Growing UConn 4-H with Common Measures

UConn 4-H was one of 10 states selected for a pilot program, in the form of the Common Measures 2.0 Cohort Challenge Grant, to implement Common Measures program evaluation. The evaluation instruments Common Measures 1.0 and Common Measures 2.0 were created by National 4-H to help 4-H staff with planning and assessing local, state, and […]

Cubes in Space: UConn 4-H Robotics Program

UConn 4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension. 4-H is a community of over 6 million young people across America who are learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), leadership, citizenship and life skills through their 4-H project work. 4-H provides youth with the opportunity to develop lifelong skills including civic engagement and […]

4-H Robotics Team Receives Creativity Award

In April, the Power Surge 4-H Robotics team from Fairfield County was in Maine for a FIRST Robotics Competition. Here is a recap of their competition: “Things went well in Maine, but we got knocked out in the quarterfinals on our third match for best two out of three.We were scoring “Hatch” pieces well with […]

We Want You to Volunteer with UConn 4-H

Do you enjoy working with children? Want to share your time and talents with young people in the community? Like to have fun, learn new skills and make a difference? Then being a 4-H volunteer is for you! 4-H volunteers play a significant role in helping youth to reach their potential. As a volunteer, you […]

4-H First Robotics Experience

By Alexis Nadeau, Alyssa Newell, Emmit Starkweather Innovation is a modernly essential pillar to human development and growth into the future. It is this innovative thinking that the organization For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology or FIRST seeks to harness within adolescents and young adults. Focusing on the fields of STEM — science, […]

My 4-H Story: Samantha Smith

4-H has impacted my life by teaching me that even in the hard times you should hold onto your project and never let go.  4-H has also taught me how to do math. 4-H has helped me with my spelling. Through my 4-H years I have learned a lot. I have learned patience while working […]

My 4-H Story: Olivia Hall

When I joined 4-H 5 years ago, I thought that I would just be learning about animals.  I had no idea that I would learn leadership, citizenship and public speaking skills that I would apply to many situations both in and out of 4-H.  I never imagined that when I joined 4-H, I would meet […]

My 4-H Story: Maria Grillo

4-H has, in a sentence, taught me how to be myself and to tap into my full potential.  I was once a quiet kid who desperately wanted to speak out and have an impact but didn’t know how.  Now, I am a determined, confident young adult who can be heard the minute I walk into […]

We Want You to Volunteer with UConn 4-H

Do you enjoy working with children? Want to share your time and talents with young people in the community? Like to have fun, learn new skills and make a difference? Then being a 4-H volunteer is for you! 4-H volunteers play a significant role in helping youth to reach their potential. As a volunteer, you […]

My 4-H Story: Hannah Platt

For the past eight years 4-H has taught me many things that I probably would not have learned without it.  I have experienced how the association for the fair works over the past few years. I learned that without it, the fair would not happen.  Every one of the officers has their own role and […]

My 4-H Story: Elizabeth Hall

To some people my 4-H story might seem dull, but to me it has been an exciting adventure!  4-H has taught me responsibility and how my actions can positively affect my community. I have also learned leadership and citizenship skills that I have been able to incorporate into activities outside of 4-H. Setting goals in […]

We Want You to Volunteer with UConn 4-H

Do you enjoy working with children? Want to share your time and talents with young people in the community? Like to have fun, learn new skills and make a difference? Then being a 4-H volunteer is for you! 4-H volunteers play a significant role in helping youth to reach their potential. As a volunteer, you […]

4-H in the Summer: Libraries Rock!

By Pamela Gray Every summer, New London County 4-H provides programming to our local libraries. These partnerships benefit the libraries as 4-H provides technological equipment that are not affordable to individual libraries (especially the rural libraries in our county) and a range of experiential learning activities not readily available to libraries with limited staff. 4-H […]

Ken Trice: 4-H Volunteer Spotlight

4-H affiliation: Tolland County 4-H Advisory Committee member How did you learn about 4-H Fifteen years ago visiting the Tolland County 4-H Fair with my 3 daughters (then ages 8, 6,and 4). At the time the oldest two registered for the upcoming 4-H year with the Willy Nilly 4-H club. The youngest was a sort […]

Angie Tovar: 4-H Alumni Spotlight

Angie Tovar of Danbury was a teen mentor in our CT FANs IM 4-H program. She is entering her junior year of college at Western Connecticut State University where she majors in Elementary Education. Angie currently works as a translator for St. Peter Church in Danbury and Student Worker for Pre-Collegiate and Access Programs in […]

Become a 4-H Volunteer!

If you enjoy working with children, have a willingness to share your time and talents with young people in the community, like to have fun, learn new skills and make a difference, then being a 4-H volunteer is for you. 4-H volunteers play a significant role in helping youth reach their potential. As a volunteer, you will help youth learn leadership, citizenship and […]

UConn 4-H Members Win State VEX Competition and Head to World VEX Competition

Written By: Jen Cushman, Hartford County 4-H Extension Educator Six youth from the Granby 4-H Club won the State VEX Robotics competition and qualified to represent CT at the VEX Robotics World Championship, April 29-May 1st, in Louisville, KY. At Worlds, the youth will compete in teamwork, programming and driving competitions. In addition, they are […]

All Paws In! Support 4-H on UConn’s Giving Day

We’re excited to announce that UConn Gives, the University’s first ever Giving Day, is April 4-5, 2018. Please take this opportunity to support the 4-H Centennial Fund. Visit Extension’s Giving Day page to make your gift of any amount. For more information on UConn Gives, go to givingday.uconn.edu. The 4-H Centennial Fund has been a […]

CT 4-H Adventures in STEM Conference

On November 4, 2017, 63 youth at-tended the CT 4-H Adventures in STEM Conference at the UConn Storrs Campus. Youth participated in a variety of STEM related workshops and also had the opportunity to have lunch in the Whitney Dining Hall. Thank you to the UConn faculty, staff and students who provided workshops that day […]

Setting a Course for Active Learning

Setting a Course for Active Learning: An Interview with Senator Beth Bye By Nancy Wilhelm, Program Coordinator, State 4-H Office  Elizabeth “Beth” Bye is the Executive Director of the 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm in Bloomfield. She has worked in early childhood education for over 30 years. She is also a member of the Connecticut […]

Windham County 4-H Providing New Opportunities for Young People

By Marc Cournoyer Though traditional 4-H interest areas continue to thrive, additional audiences have been reached with the introduction of imaginative new programs. The last year has seen continued expansion in the areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education with the success of the Saturday Science Club, a home school based STEM club […]

Citizenship Washington Focus

By: Jessica LaRosa, Hartford County 4-H Member This summer, I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 Citizenship Washington Focus with 38 other 4-Hers from Connecticut. The trip was held in Washington D.C., and focused on our nation’s Legislative Branch in government, along with looking at how to become better leaders and citizens in our […]

Jacobs Receives 2017 Salute to Excellence

  Congratulations to New Haven County 4-H volunteer Bill Jacobs, who was recently selected as this year’s recipient of the Salute to Excellence Northeast Region 4-H Volunteer of the Year Award. William (Bill) Jacobs is in his ninth year as a 4-H volunteer in New Haven County, CT. He works as a Vocational/Transition Coordinator for […]

Welcome Lindsey Brush to CT FANs IM!

Lindsey is the new Program Assistant for the Connecticut Fitness and Nutrition Clubs In Motion. Lindsey is a recent graduate of the University of St. Joseph’s in West Hartford with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. Lindsey is also pursuing a certification as a personal trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine. She […]

Teen Mentors Attend National 4-H Congress

CT 4-H FANs IM Teen Mentors, and Danbury High School seniors, Ciara Broggy and Yanis Aracena, were selected to participate in the National 4-H Congress held in Atlanta, Georgia, November 27th through December 1, 2015. Both attendees were required to submit an application and attend an interview. While at the National 4-H Congress, they enjoyed […]

Cross Pollination Adventure for Hartford County 4-H

By Stacey Stearns Hartford County 4-H members will have the unique opportunity to participate in a Cross Pollination Adventure this summer. They will partner with a Costa Rican outdoor education center as part of a Cooperative International Learning Experience. UConn Extension has partnered with CIRENAS (Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales y Sociales) in Costa […]

Lynn & Marjorie Brown: Promoting & Supporting 4-H for a Lifetime

Lynn & Marjorie Brown: Promoting and Supporting 4-H for a Lifetime By Nancy Wilhelm, Program Coordinator, 4-H Youth Development   Marjorie and Lynn Brown have spent a lifetime promoting and supporting UConn Extension and the 4-H Program. Both grew up on farms in Iowa where they were 4-H members – Marjorie participated in home economics […]

Hartford County Urban 4-H

   The Hartford County Urban 4-H after school programs are free for children age 7-19. Youth enrolled in Urban 4-H receive effective hands on STEM related activities which include but not limited to: health and nutrition, science related activities, social skills, and work force readiness courses. On May 26th at the Boys and Girls club in Hartford […]