2026 Louisiana 4-H Annual Report

2024-2025 Impact Report and Financial Numbers

Louisiana 4-H Beyond Ready: Partnering with schools to prepare over 144,000 Louisiana youth to be Beyond Ready — equipped with leadership, teamwork and life skills to succeed in school and beyond. Take a look at the numbers that shaped the year, including the Louisiana 4-H Foundation Financial Report (2024-2025 FY).

Louisiana 4-H Goes to Ireland

One hundred and thirteen Louisiana 4-H members, volunteers, parents and agents embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Ireland to explore agriculture. This 10-day experience marked the first international trip sponsored by the Louisiana 4-H program in partnership with EF Tours.

Louisiana 4-H Alumni Spotlights

Each year, reconnecting with Louisiana 4-H alumni brings a wave of shared memories, pride in their current accomplishments and reflections on how 4-H shaped their lives. The talents and values gained through 4-H stay with members long after their final club meeting — because once a 4-H’er, always a 4-H’er.

Beef, Forage and Futures: Empowering Youth Through Experience

The 2025 Beef and Forage Youth Field Day empowered 34 youth and 13 adults from eight parishes to take meaningful steps toward gaining the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to lead in agriculture and beyond. Marketed to 4-H and FFA members in grades eight through 12, the event offered a dynamic blend of hands-on learning, career exploration and leadership development.

4-H Launches a New Generation of Career Ready Leaders

As 4-H members explore and pursue their sparks, they cultivate critical life skills, such as communication, responsibility, adaptability and confidence. Louisiana 4-H is preparing youth for life and for work in an ever-evolving workforce landscape. A recent longitudinal study of more than 2,000 written reflections completed by 4-H graduating seniors has captured critical data on career readiness outcomes, leadership growth and life skills cultivated through 4-H.

Cooking Up Confidence: Makenzie Waggoner’s Culinary Journey

In the heart of Bienville Parish, where community and tradition run deep, Makenzie Waggoner discovered her passion for cooking through the local 4-H program. What began as a simple interest in cooking evolved into a culinary career — one that would take her to one of America’s most prestigious resorts.

Teens Leading Change: Empowering Youth to Build Healthier Communities in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes

The impact of the Teens Leading Change initiative was significant: In a peer-led evaluation of 219 students, 93% reported learning something new about healthy food, felt more confident in making healthy choices and planned to continue those habits beyond the program.

More than Cows and Cooking

When most people think of 4-H, images of livestock shows and baking contests often come to mind. While those events are an important part of the program, today’s 4-H is more diverse, offering a wide range of programs that reflect the growing interests of youth across Louisiana and beyond. From robotics and environmental science to photography, leadership and community service, 4-H has expanded its reach to meet young people where they are — empowering them to explore their sparks, build life skills and prepare for the future.

LSU AgCenter receives donation for Camp Grant Walker renovations

On the fifth day of the LSU AgCenter Livestock Show, LSU AgCenter and 4-H leadership came together to commend a significant donation to the Louisiana 4-H Foundation. Jeannette Thomason donated $250,000 for renovations of bathhouses at the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center in Pollock, which hosts 4-H camp programs. A check presentation was made during the livestock show on Feb. 17 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

Heroes Among Us: Lafayette Parish Empowers 4-H Leaders to Save the Day

With a rapidly growing population and an expanding school system, Lafayette Parish has experienced a surge in 4-H club participation. To meet the rising demand and continue delivering high-quality youth programming, the 4-H team has called upon a new league of heroes — Superhero 4-H Leaders — dedicated volunteers stepping into superhero-inspired roles to help lead the way.

The Seed’s Journey Cultivates Curiosity

To deepen agricultural awareness and promote hands-on learning, the Central and Southwest regions joined forces in launching an innovative educational experience titled The Seed’s Journey. This interactive project is designed to teach youth about the life cycle of a seed — from germination to harvest and ultimately to the plate.

Old McDonald Had a Farm … and So Does Brusly Elementary

Thanks to community partnerships, a shared commitment to agricultural education and the leadership of the West Baton Rouge Extension Office, Brusly Elementary has transformed from a small 4-H Cloverbud program into a hub for hands-on learning through its new Brusly Barnyard. Located on the school grounds, the Brusly Barnyard features an outdoor classroom, chicken coop, incubation stations and vegetable production beds