National 4-H week is Oct. 7 to 13 and Freeborn County is celebrating the 4-H youth who have made an impact on the community and are stepping up to the challenges of a complex and changing world. 4-H youth will connect with the community by celebrating with their clubs, talking on KATE 1450AM and KQAQ 970AM radios, and having a display at the Northbridge Mall the week of Oct. 15 to 22.

“4-H provides excellent opportunities,” said Aaron Cech, an adult leader in the Myrtle Club.

Tara Thorson, a 4-Her from Shellrock Club said, “4-H means the world to me. Without it I guess I wouldn’t know what it means to work hard to get what I want.”

“To me 4-H is an opportunity for youth to discover new ideas and experiences in a safe fun environment,” said adult leader Brenda Hahn of the Hayward Club.

Kristen Hahn, a 4-Her from Hayward Club said, “4-H means getting to know the community, showing the way to become a leader, taking on new challenges, and discovering the world….and fair food!”

Mitch Kuethe, an adult leader in the Conger Club said, “4-H is a family event that you can do together, no matter what your status is in life. It builds character and trust, and the people you meet will become your lifelong friends.”

Recent findings from Tufts University’s 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H. Notably, the Tufts research discovered that the structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that 4-H’ers receive play a vital role in helping them actively contribute to their communities. In Freeborn County, more than 578 4-H members and 130 volunteers are involved in 4- H.

Also during National 4-H week, hundreds of thousands of youth from all around the nation will complete a single, innovative experiment on 4-H National Youth Science Day, which will be held on Oct. 10. The 2012 National Science Experiment, 4-H Eco-Bot Challenge, explores how robots can be used to preserve and protect the environment, while offering a glimpse into the future of science, technology, engineering and math.

4-H youth are a living breathing, culture-changing revolution for doing the right thing, breaking through obstacles and pushing our country forward by making a measurable difference right where they live. Learn how you can Join the Revolution of Responsibility at 4-H.org/revolution, or contact Megan Thorson or Amy Wadding, 4-H program coordinators, at University of Minnesota Extension, Freeborn County at 377-5660 or mthors@umn.edu or mads0150@umn.edu.