University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) Extension and its 4-H Youth Development Program is joining the rest of the nation to celebrate National 4-H week, Oct. 4 to Oct. 10.
This year’s theme, “Opportunity4All,” is aimed at rallying support for the program and identifying solutions to eliminate the opportunity gap that affects 55 million youth across America.
Last year, Extension opened up the A.D. Guy Knowledge Center in Las Vegas’ Westside. The newly refurbished center is now bringing a variety of educational programs, including many 4-H youth programs, to an ethnically diverse and often underserved area where many residents have limited resources, and getting to other parts of the city can be a challenge.
And, last month, Nevada 4-H announced the new 4-H Grows Here Project in Clark County, a project that will use AmeriCorps members being recruited from the community to engage youth, and create and sustain 4-H clubs in Las Vegas’ inner city aimed at youth ages 5-19, with an emphasis on low-income and middle school-aged youth, and youth of color.
The program is made possible by a $280,000 AmeriCorps grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service, and is a partnership with Nevada Volunteers, a nonprofit organization that is the Governor’s commission which selects and administers AmeriCorps State programs in Nevada.
Research by Tufts University has shown that 4-H youth are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, and two times as likely to plan to go to college and pursue STEM opportunities outside of school.
For more information on 4-H Week activities in each Nevada county, contact your local 4-H/Extension office.
