4-H: Pottawatomie County Foundation

Goal: $10,000.00

Specific Need

Grants are awarded to help youth participate in a variety of life-changing events, such as Citizenship Washington Focus in Washington, D.C., Citizenship in Action in Topeka, Kansas, and international exchange trips; two youth even traveled to Japan this past summer!

Support is also provided for national competitive events like Shooting Sports and Livestock Judging, where youth earn the privilege to compete through hard work and achievement. And that's just the beginning: there are many more opportunities where 4-H youth grow, lead, and represent Pottawatomie County at the highest levels.

Mission

The purpose of the Foundation is to support the 4-H program in Pottawatomie County. Thanks to the generous support of community members, the Foundation’s Board of Directors is able to provide financial assistance for educational initiatives, programs, and scholarship requests submitted by Pottawatomie County 4-H clubs, leaders, and youth.

Profile

Invest in the Next Generation: Support Pottawatomie County 4-H

Rooted in the values of Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, 4-H is more than projects, livestock, and ribbons. It is about giving young people the opportunity to discover their passions, build confidence, develop leadership skills, and become engaged members of their communities.

Here in Pottawatomie County, 4-H is growing in both numbers and impact.  This year, our program experienced a 16% increase in enrollment, with local youth participating in more than 1,700 projects. We awarded more than $7,000 in grants to help members participate in educational opportunities and experiences that might otherwise be out of reach.  Our youth are also representing Pottawatomie County at the state, regional, national, and international levels.

This year, our members:

• Hosted 2 Japanese 4-H members, building cultural understanding and global connections.
• 2 youth to Citizenship in Action at the Capitol in Topeka, developing civic knowledge and leadership skills.
• Placed 3rd in State Livestock Judging and will represent Kansas in Denver this winter.
• Placed 3rd in Horticulture Judging and 4th in Family and Consumer Science Judging.
• Celebrated 5 Regional Project Reports and 1 State Project Report winners, who will represent Kansas in Atlanta, Georgia.
• 1 member selected for the Design Team for the National 4-H Congress, hosted in Georgia.
• 1 member selected as a National Shooting Sports Ambassador.
• Exhibited 2,989 4-H entries at the Pottawatomie County Fair and advanced 256 entries to the Kansas State Fair.
• Contributed countless hours of community service, putting the 4-H values into action.

These numbers tell a story, but behind every number is a young person who was given an opportunity to learn something new, step outside their comfort zone, lead, serve, compete, create, or discover something they are passionate about. That is the impact of 4-H.