What it Means to Be a 4-Her

4-H was created to empower young people and to give them the tools to grow in their individual strengths. But many people still ask, "Why join 4-H? What's so great about it?"

The benefits 4-H can have for young people are vast and different for each individual member. As the 4-H pledge says, all it takes is your heart, head, hands and health.

As soon as I reached second grade, which is the grade level a student must be to join, I became a Cloverbud. I entered baked goods and school art projects. Eventually, I turned nine and then I was an official 4-H member.

I started out with two Wilderness...