Welcome to Bossier Parish 4-H

Mary Crnkovic, Menard, Troy

What is 4-H?

4-H is a community of more than 6.5 million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. 4-H’ers participate in fun, hands-on learning activities which encourage a sense of belonging among the youth. And it is making new friends and doing new things. Sometimes it’s even going to new places. The 4-H Club is the largest youth organization in the United States! Louisiana has more than 85,000 4-H members in more than 1,700 clubs.

Louisiana 4-H reaches a diverse group of youth, grades K-12. Through non-formal, research-based, experiential learning activities, 4-H participants gain knowledge and life skills to become productive, capable and compassionate members of their communities. The 4-H program combines the cooperative efforts of youth, volunteer leaders, land-grant universities, federal, state, local governments and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Bossier Parish 4-H Youth Development program serves over 1,200 members with 50-plus leaders and volunteers in 25 clubs. Our 4-H agents, Jeannie Crnkovic  and Erika Anderson, develop and carry out a yearly program plan for these young citizens to focus on building their community service, leadership and teamwork skills. In addition, many activities and special events are created to include participation for all members. Cooking shows, birdhouse building, outdoor skills seminars, essay contests, livestock competitions, design a t-shirt contest, camping excursions, talent shows and much more are created to bring members together in an effort to heighten social skills and community involvement. Bossier Parish 4-H proudly guides and teaches our future leaders of tomorrow!

Who Can Join 4-H?

4-H is open to boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 19, grades 4 through 12. Also, Bossier Parish has a Cloverbuds Club for youth ages 5 to 8.

Enrollment begins at the September 4-H club meetings in the parish schools. Each school club has a local 4-H leader who helps organize the club. To enroll in 4-H, students should complete an enrollment card and pay their club dues. Dues are set by the club or volunteer leader and are onetime fees. When the enrollment cards are filled out, ONE project book is selected based on interest. First-time 4-H members in 4th-6th grades must select the “Discovering 4-H” project book; others can select a project they are interested in such as livestock, environment, photography, fashion, horticulture, woodworking, aerospace, healthy living, pets, citizenship and much more. 4-H’ers can compete with their projects in contests at the local, state, regional or national levels and also attend conferences and events.

4-H Slogan: Learn By Doing
4-H Motto: To Make the Best Better
4-H Colors: Green and White
4-H Emblem: Four-leaf clover

What do the four H's in 4-H stand for?

Head, Heart, Hands and Health are the four H’s in 4-H, and they are the four values members work on through fun and engaging problems.

HEAD - Managing, Thinking
HEART - Relating, Caring
HANDS - Giving, Working
HEALTH - Being, Living

The 4-H Pledge

I PLEDGE ….
My HEAD to clearer thinking,
My HEART to greater loyalty,
My HANDS to larger service,
My HEALTH to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

The 4-H Creed

I believe in 4-H work for the opportunity it will give me to become a useful citizen.
I believe in training of my HEAD for the power it will give me to think, to plan and to reason.
I believe in the training of my HEART for the nobleness it will give me to become kind, sympathetic
and true.
I believe in the training of my HANDS for the dignity it will give me to be helpful, useful and skillful.
I believe in the training of my HEALTH for the strength it will give me to enjoy life, to resist
disease and to work efficiently.
I believe in my World, my Country, my State and my Community and in my responsibility for
their development.
In all these things I believe, and I am willing to dedicate my efforts to their fulfillment.

Some Famous 4-H Alumni

Faith Hill,  Reba McIntyre,  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Johnny Cash,  Reggie White,  Dolly Parton, Al Gore,  Roy Rogers,  Herschel Walker, Archie Manning,  Charley Pride,  Glen Campbell, Johnny Carson,  Jermaine Jackson,  Russel Honore, Pat Nixon,  Jerry Huckaby,  Vince Gill

Bossier Parish Highlights

Community Service is Bossier Parish 4-H’s middle name. We engage all of our members in this important character building skill. Members donate food and personal need items which benefit our local food bank, the Northwest Louisiana War Veterans Home and the Shreveport/Bossier Rescue Mission. In addition, the school clubs partner with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and sells MDA Shamrocks for that organization! We want our 4-H’ers to learn the importance of giving back to their community.

Bossier Parish 4-H understands the importance of being a part of the parish’s school curriculum. Our focus was on LEAP lessons. 4-H agents compiled materials for each month’s lesson plan and created member involvement in an effort to motivate learning. The lesson subjects included anatomy, geography and our environment.

Bossier Parish 4-H members, leaders and volunteers are recognized for their outstanding performances during the annual Awards Night program. Scholarships are awarded as well as trophies, certificates, medals and ribbons to outstanding 4-H'ers. The awards and scholarships are sponsored by our school clubs, local community sponsors, Bossier 4-H Foundation and the Louisiana 4-H Foundation. We are proud of all the Bossier Parish 4-H’ers!

9/11/2009 9:44:50 PM
Rate This Article:

Have a question or comment about the information on this page?

Innovate . Educate . Improve Lives

The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture

Top