Manitowoc County’s 4-H Program Educator Neil Hall spoke about how the organization has changed over the years. “Things have really expanded in 4-H and 4-H now is for anyone,” Hall said. “There are projects across the board that youth can be involved in. We’re really looking to expand the reach of 4-H.”
Since promoting and recruiting people to be a part of the organization is part of his job, he explained that one goal in Manitowoc County is to grow the already existing clubs, but also start some new ones. He said that there’s something for all kids in 4-H, whether they have an interest in photography, building rockets, cooking, hunting, or the more traditional county fair. With a variety of experiences for the youth, they can reach more kids across the county.
Hall explained some of the things kids will learn if they participate in a county club. “Youth involved in 4-H are going to learn leadership skills, regardless of the area that they’re involved in. They’re going to meet new people, they’re going to learn valuable lessons and information about the project that they’re doing, but also about leadership and civic engagement in general,” Hall said.
You can hear the full conversation with Neil Hall on our agriculture podcast page.
