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4-H and Youth
4-H & Youth Program Tips
Get your school year off on the right start... and get organized! Students today are bombarded with all kinds of 'opportunities' but these opportunities can turn into arguments and stressors if they are not planned and discussed with the rest of the family. Here are a few suggestions for helping students get off on the right step for the school year:
  1. Discuss the types of out-of-school activities you want to be involved in with your parents before agreeing to participate in them. Consider putting a limit on the number of activities you will be in each quarter or semester. Stick to your limit!
  2. Figure out how much time each week you will need to dedicate to out-of-school activities. Remember, this is time away from homework. Consider whether the classes you are taking will require more time to prepare and do well. Remember, put schoolwork first!
  3. If you get into an out-of-school activity and find that you do not like it, do not feel discouraged and do not quite mid-stream. We learn what we like and don't like only through experience. Stick with the activity until it ends. You will feel better about yourself and provide a better impression to others than if you quit.
  4. Choose your priorities. Many students are faced with two of their favorite activities occurring at the same time at least once. Discuss the pros and cons of each activity with your family and then you're your decision and stand by it.
Following these simple tips will help you handle your schoolwork and extracurricular activities with more confidence and less stress than if you don't plan ahead.

Questions? Contact Tosha Cantrell-Bruce, Unit Educator, Youth Development at tcantrel@uiuc.edu

Featured Websites
Livestock E-Quiz All About 4-H 4-H Leader Orientation 4-H FAQs Illinois 4-H Working with Youth with Special Needs
Additional Websites
  • Community Service
    Learn how to plan, implement, and evaluate community service projects in 4-H Clubs.
  • Who Wants To Be a Parliamentarian
    A fun way to learn how to run a meeting and the basics of parliamentary procedure.
  • Character Education
    Cultivating knowledge for purposeful living, students learn through literature, art, humanities, and throughout the existing school curriculum the benefits and consequences of behavior.
  • 4-H Ceremonies
    Discover scripts for common 4-H ceremonies.
  • Walk in My Shoes
    Learn what it feels like to be older and what happens to our bodies as we age.
  • All-Star River Explorers
    Join famous North American river explorers as you learn about what rivers are, how they form, and why they are so important to us.
  • Becoming 4-H Savvy
    Basic information for volunteers about the ins and outs of 4-H.
  • Knowing Your World
    Lessons and activities designed for 4th & 5th graders to learn about acid rain, global warming, water resources and other environmental topics.
  • Working with Committees
    This website contains fact sheets, role descriptions, worksheets, and additional resources to assist volunteers and 4-H members in developing effective committees within their club
Local Programs
Macoupin County 4-H Foundation

Macoupin County 4-H Foundation

Teen Corner

Teen Corner

4-H and Youth Resources
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Our other program areas....

4-H Clubs
There are currently 16 4-H Clubs in Macoupin County. Click here for a complete listing of area 4-H Clubs.
4-H School Enrichment
School enrichment programs are 4-H projects you can use in your classroom, after school programs and at your library. Click here for a listing of programs in Macoupin County.
News & Updates
4-H Newsletter
Agricultural Literacy News
Cloverpatch
For the latest ideas in leading Cloverbud 4-H Clubs, check out the Cloverpatch.
Connecting with Kids
Resource for staying in touch with kids.
Get Up and Move!
4-H activities that encourage physical activity to help create healthy individuals, families and communities.
Illinois Leader
Leader news from the State 4-H Office.
Less Is More
Fact sheets, tips and recipes that can help lead to healthier lifestyles.
Pet Columns
General information for animal owners from the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Thrifty Living
Provides information on money management, consumer skills, nutrition, and well-being.
Upcoming Events

Southern Illinois Leadership Convention
Makanda, Illinois (Jackson County)
October 11-13, 2008

Volunteer Opportunities
4-H Youth Program
4-H is a voluntary, informal educational program for youth ages 8-18.
Photo Galleries
2008 4-H Shows
2008 4-H Club International Night
Welcome to the Real World: Mt. Olive 2007
2007 Holiday Baking Workshop
"Rendezvous with a Comet" Club
2007 4-H Achievement Night
2007 Food Stand Volunteers
Summer 2007 Blast Off Daycamps

View more galleries >>

Contact Us
For more information about these programs, please contact:

Tosha Cantrell-Bruce
Unit Educator, Youth Development
Macoupin County Unit
#60 Carlinville Plaza
Carlinville, IL 62626
Phone: 217-854-9604
FAX: 217-854-7804
tcantrel@illinois.edu

Amy DeWitt
Community Worker
Macoupin County Unit
#60 Carlinville Plaza
Carlinville, IL 62626
Phone: 217-854-9604
FAX: 217-854-7804
adewitt@illinois.edu

Main Navigation University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign College of Agricultural Consumer & Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Extension