4-H & Youth Development

Traditional community 4-H clubs

• 351 4-H members in 16 clubs (ages 8-19) led by 69 adult volunteers
• 37 Cloverbud members in 5 clubs (ages 5-7) led by 6 adult volunteers

4-H School Enrichment Programs

• 7,663 total youth contacts

Event and the Number Participating

• 4-H Food Bowl: 60 youth representing 12 teams from 8 clubs
• 4-H Project Pool: 73 youth, 38 volunteers
• 4-H Camp (totals from Lee County): 44 campers, 10 counselors
• 4-H Camp (totals from Lee, Ogle, and Stephenson counties): 121 campers, 28 counselors
• Lee County 4-H Fair & Jr. Show: 290 4-H members (83% of membership) and 24 Cloverbuds (71% of membership) exhibited; Total: 2,662 exhibits
• Earth Day is Everyday: 1,400 youth
• Character Education: 1,031 youth
• Health Fairs: 1,722 youth
• Embryology: 12 classrooms from 7 schools (320 youth)

This past fall 100 fourth and fifth grade students from schools in Lee, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson and Jo-Daviess counties, took a challenge to learn more about their health, and to walk the entire 448 miles spanning the state of Illinois.

The two-day overnight camp titled "4-H Health Jam" included presentations by medical and pharmacy students from the University of Illinois College of Medicine (Rockford). Students toured KSB Hospital and learned about EMS, physical therapy, imaging, diets and the health department. Other workshops included strength training, kickboxing, 4-H fun, diabetes education, pharmaceuticals, nurse practitioners, and systems of the body.

Health Jam students' final challenge was to "Walk Across Illinois". Each student was given a pedometer and met at school in the weeks following the Health Jam to share their successes and learn more health habits.