For almost 125 years, 4-H youth development has been empowering youth throughout the world with the skills to lead for a lifetime. The organization’s roots are here in Ohio – with founder A.B. Graham starting the program in Clark County. Today, Ohio 4-H serves more than 190,000 youth annually through the tremendous effort of 12,000+ volunteers. Join us as a few Ohio 4-H professionals share about the origins and early goals of 4-H youth development, including audio clips directly from A.B. Graham. They will also discuss the program’s continued growth and relevancy in equipping youth with skills for the present and future today.
Speakers for this program:
Jason is an Associate State 4-H Leader within the Department of Extension, a role centered on educator success and program alignment. Jason has held several administrative roles during his time with Ohio State University Extension. As a faculty member serving county level 4-H programming, Jason designed initiatives focused on STEM education, youth safety, and workforce development. Today, he leverages this local experience to support educators and strengthen programming throughout the state.
Melinda is Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development in Champaign County, where she has served for the last 23 years. Her program serves more than 1,000 Cloverbud and project age community club members through 51 clubs and over 200 volunteers.
Sarah is a Program Coordinator within the state 4-H office, and focuses her time on statewide camping efforts, new and early career professional development, and other signature programs and events from the state 4-H office. Additionally, she devotes significant time creating resources and processes that equip county and state 4-H professionals for success.
