| | The now vast Louisiana 4-H organization began as a "corn club" in Avoyelles Parish in 1908, in which young boys learned how to grow higher-yielding corn so they could teach their parents the new methods. |
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| | Each year 4-H'ers address the LSU Board of Supervisors and tell what 4-H has meant to them. At center, leading the pledge of allegiance is 4-H vice president Jonas Augustin.(Photo by Mark Claesgens) |
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| | 4-H members participating in swimming activities at Camp Grant Walker near Pollock, La. (Photo by Mark Claesgens) |
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It all started 100 years ago when people wanting to make progress in Louisiana agriculture realized the best way to get farmers to adopt better farming methods was to teach their kids how to do them.
So, from a “corn club” established in Avoyelles Parish in 1908 to teach youth how to grow higher-yielding corn grew the vast Louisiana 4-H organization that now extends into every corner of the state.
“When the farmers saw that their kids were producing more and better corn than they were, they did in fact adopt the new practices,” said Mark Tassin, director of the LSU AgCenter 4-H and youth program.
Today, more than 225,000 Louisiana youth are involved in some type of 4-H educational activity. And the scope of projects reaches way beyond growing corn – although you can still learn that. Projects include just about anything young people are interested in – from photography, forestry, child care, computer skills to how to give a persuasive speech.
The goal of 4-H involvement is to grow young people into responsible, caring, compassionate citizens who will go on to provide leadership in their communities, the state, the nation and the world. Alumni include leaders in all walks of life – state legislators, teachers, bankers, CEOs, fashion designers, country singers and Army generals. Prominent Louisiana 4-H alumni include country music superstar Tim McGraw and General Russel Honore, a national hero from the Hurricane Katrina aftermath.
“4-H has become more than an activity or a project, it’s a culture,” Tassin said.
Louisiana 4-H begins its year-long centennial celebration this month with an array of activities in every parish, Tassin said. Highlights include:
4-H Hall of Fame established
One hundred outstanding people – some deceased – will be inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame over the course of the year. Each of the seven AgCenter regions plans a major activity to honor their local inductees. The first such ceremony will be part of a banquet Jan. 24 during the Northeast Region’s livestock show in Delhi.
Video documentary of 100 years produced
A 30-minute documentary entitled “Louisiana’s Lucky Clover” tells the story of 100 years of 4-H in the state, starting with that first corn club in Avoyelles Parish. It will be shown on LPB channels around the state beginning in March. It will also be shown at various 4-H activities, and later in the year, will be for sale at the 4-H Museum as a fund-raising project.
LSU AgCenter Livestock Show to honor 4-H
Each year the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show is dedicated to a person or organization who has contributed significantly to the goals and mission of educational livestock projects. In 2008, the show is dedicated to Louisiana 4-H. The dates are Feb. 9-16.
4-H Museum to open in December
One of the culminating activities of the centennial year will be the grand opening of the 4-H Museum in Avoyelles Parish in December. This museum, which will be housed in the same facility as the Avoyelles Parish Extension Office, will be a first-class educational resource on the history of 4-H in our state. The museum will include multi-media exhibits along with a store where you can purchase 4-H items and memorabilia.
“A lot of youth organizations have come and gone over the years. But 4-H is still here,” said Kip Holden, mayor of Baton Rouge, a Louisiana 4-H alumnus and a newly inducted member of the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame.
View the Louisiana 4-H centennial celebration PSA.
Read 4-H trivia.
Contribute to the Louisiana 4-H Foundation.
The LSU AgCenter is one of 11 institutions of higher education in the Louisiana State University System. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, it provides educational services in every parish and conducts research that contributes to the economic development of the state. The LSU AgCenter does not grant degrees nor benefit from tuition increases. The LSU AgCenter plays an integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing the environment, and improving the quality of life through its 4-H youth, family and community programs.