National 4-H Week, which began Oct. 5 and concluded Oct.11, is an annual time to celebrate the enormous contributions 4-H makes to our community and nation.

It’s hard to imagine anyone in Iowa who doesn’t know a bit about 4-H, but this annual observance is an appropriate occasion to reflect on the important contribution this organization makes by helping young people develop skills and values that will serve them well for a lifetime.

It has been more than a century since 4-H got its start in Iowa in 1901. Today it is the largest youth-development program in the state. About one-quarter of the state’s young folks are involved in 4-H. Those roughly 125,000 youth participants from all 99 of the state’s counties are supported in their activities by more than 11,000 adult volunteers.

Nationwide, 4-H has nearly 6 million members.

The member projects that are a key component of the 4-H program help young people develop important life skills that center on positive self-esteem, communications and decision making. And those projects are not limited to agriculture. 4-H members also tackle projects in health, science and civic engagement.

Those who partake of the 4-H experience learn how to conceptualize a task and carry it through to successful conclusion. Many of the most successful members of our communities first began to hone their organizational and communications skills in 4-H.

According to 4-H, its members are four times more likely to give back to their communities and twice as likely to make healthier choices.

The underlying theme of 4-H is captured succinctly in the organization’s motto: “Make the best better.” Growth through learning, teamwork and communication is at the very core of 21st-century 4-H.

Farm News salutes the many 4-H members, volunteers and others who participate in or help support the myriad 4-H programs. Their investment of time and energy in 4-H today will pay dividends far into the future — both for them and the communities they call home.