What Is 4-H?
Mission Of Alaska 4-H Youth Development
4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.
Who Are We?
We are part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks--Alaska’s land-grant university. Alaska 4-H is one of many programs in the Cooperative Extension Service, a division of the Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
4-H is the largest youth development program in the U.S., engaging more than 7 million young people in hands-on projects in science, healthy lifestyles, citizenship, communications, leadership and many other areas. 4-H projects are taught by certified 4-H volunteers so youth are in a safe place with caring adults. 4-H is a program you can trust to help your children become career and college-ready.
Alaska 4-H is the state’s premier youth development program that is open to all youth from kindergarten through high school. Through 4-H's affiliation with UAF, our programs employ research-based information and strategies. 4-H gives young people the extra edge for life success by teaching essential life skills such as confidence, competence, character and community service. Through 4-H, today’s young people become tomorrow’s leaders, creating a positive vision of the future. In 4-H, youth work together with adults to make a difference in their communities, helping build a stronger nation. Let 4-H become your child’s first class from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
What Do We Do For Youth?
While 4-H is a national program, 4-H programs and clubs reflect the needs of local communities, villages, and neighborhoods. 4-H helps today's youth learn the skills and develop the talents to succeed in an ever-changing world. Alaska 4-H fulfills the 4-H mission through a variety of programming that fits with Alaska's diverse cultures and environments: from southeast Alaska to the western Arctic coast, from urban centers like Anchorage and Fairbanks to small remote rural Alaska Native villages throughout the state, Alaska 4-H has something for everyone!
4-H provides young people with the extra edge for life success by:
- Actively engaging them in a wide variety of personal projects that develop practical skills while pursuing personal interests. From photography to computers, from building rockets to training rabbits to learning how to prepare nutritious, low-cost meals, to going to camp, 4-H teaches youth the life skills to succeed.
- Teaching leadership skills, by encouraging members to serve as officers, handle club funds and learn how to conduct a business meeting. 4-H youth also participate in state and national conferences, and even participate international and cultural immersion exchanges.
- Giving back to their communities - being involved in service projects to improve the local community, help the elderly, collect food for food banks, protect the environment, mentor younger children and help people who are less fortunate.