Example Article for Broadwater County Extension Agent
4-H Reimagined: Cultivating Leaders, Not Just Livestock
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
4-H Reimagined: Cultivating Leaders, Not Just Livestock
Allison Kosto
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
You might spot extra green around town this week. It’s National 4-H Week, and the start of a new 4-H year. There is still a common misconception that 4-H is just for farm kids, or you need to raise livestock to participate. However, 4-H is so much more!
4-H started in Ohio in 1902 with two clubs on growing tomatoes and corn. 4-H has always focused on helping youth learn life skills, which were viewed at the time as skills needed on the farm or in the home. Therefore, the 4-H activities were focused on home economics and agriculture.
In the 1950s, 4-H saw a need to expand into urban areas. The concept of “life skills” changed to be centered around personal growth and helping youth become contributing, productive members of society. By 1958, only 57% of the 4-H youth resided on a farm. Today, 4-H maintains a broad view of life skills, including leadership, citizenship, communication, problem solving and other essential skills that youth will use as productive adults.
Many counties in Montana are still rural and therefore it often seems like 4-H only focuses on agriculture since it is a large part of our communities. However, 4-H offers a variety of other activities and projects. In Broadwater County, 4-H continues to be relevant and is growing in leaps and bounds.
4-H offers many other projects other than livestock, including, but not limited to, robotics, photography, welding, woodworking and cake decorating. An example of 4-H project growth in Broadwater County is through the 4-H shooting sports program. To address a growing program, a community volunteer, Sean McLaughlin was selected last year to become the first-ever 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator in Broadwater County. Additionally, the county was able to secure grants from the NRA Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to assist with purchasing supplies, safety equipment and firearms. The county shooting sports program currently offers four disciplines, including archery, shotgun, .22 rifle and hunting. Each discipline is led by training instructors who instruct members in safety and marksmanship.
Leadership is another major focus on the 4-H program. After a 20-year hiatus, Broadwater County is bringing back the 4-H Ambassador program. A 4‐H Ambassador is an official envoy of the Montana 4‐H Program. An Ambassador is a self‐motivated, enthusiastic leader who promotes 4‐H using the skills, knowledge and leadership abilities acquired in the program.
They represent 4-H in a public relations role, promote 4-H, help plan and implement 4-H events and make a commitment to developing and strengthening leadership skills. Applications and interviews for Broadwater County 4-H are taking place in early October. 4-H volunteer leaders, Daniel Truesdell and Jeff Kirksey, are leading this program.
4-H Clubs were a strong component of the 4-H program from the beginning, although they look slightly different than 100 years ago. In Broadwater County, clubs have a community focus and welcome members from a variety of projects, interests and ages. Clubs are a foundational part of the 4-H program, allowing youth to hold leadership roles, enhance communication skills, participate in group decision-making and serve the community. The number of 4-H clubs in the county has doubled in the last 10 years, with the eighth club in the county starting this fall, called the Canyon Ferry Coyotes 4-H Club, led by club leaders, Kelsey Rose and Allison Kosto.
The myth that 4-H is just for farm kids has been tough to overcome even given the program’s history. However, currently only 38% of the 4-H youth in Broadwater County live on a farm or ranch. If you are looking for an enriching educational activity for your child, check out the 4-H program regardless of where you live. For more information about 4-H, contact MSU Extension in Broadwater County at 406-266-9242 or broadwater@montana.edu or stop by the Flynn Building at 416 Broadway in Townsend. 4-H is the youth development program of Montana State University Extension.
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PhotoCredit: Cody Cosmano, @codycosmanophotos
Image 1 Caption: Danyel Henke, Spencer Braaten, Emma Delgado, Kay Crusch, Addyson Mosher, Autumn Henke, MacKenzie Truesdell and Karolyn Schmaus.
Cody Cosmano, @codycosmanophotos
