4-H is doing so much in York County! This summer we hosted many 4-H opportunities for the youth. We were able to have camps and teach youth about outdoor art, sewing, playing guitar, baking, insect identification, horses, cooking, and leadership. Our county sent 11 youth to Clemson for a week to learn about statewide 4-H opportunities, build relationships with 4-Her’s from other counties, and enjoy workshops on life skills and leadership. Our youth have also been working hard this summer to prepare for the fall livestock show season. Many of these 4-Her’s will be showed at the York County Fall Livestock Show on September 8th & 9th. To wrap up the summer events and celebrate all that our youth accomplished, we will be hosted a York County 4-H Awards Banquet. We enjoyed recognizing all the youth who spent time with us this year.
September 1st kicked off the 2023-2024 4-H Year and 4-H is continuing to grow. We have 11 active 4-H clubs with 6 more planned to pick up in the next two months. We will have 10 schools offering afterschool 4-H clubs this school year and many more participating in our 4-H Embryology, School Gardening, and Ecosystems projects. 14 youth were just named York County 4-H Project Ambassadors and we have 13 State 4-H Ambassadors this year from York County. Our programs would not be possible without our amazing volunteers. We conducted volunteer training in August and trained 22 volunteers for the 2023-2024 4-H year. Our kids are excited and motivated to do more for their community and our volunteers are prepared to support their efforts. I am so thankful for the energy and excitement that these 4-Hers are receiving from their community.
The Spirit of 4-H Award is a South Carolina 4-H honor recognizing an outstanding individual based off their ability to exemplify the four Hs: Head, Heart, Health, and Hands. Criteria that are used to select the recipient each year includes impact in the community, impact on the 4-H program, program responsibility, level of involvement in the county program, and level of involvement in the state program. I’m so excited to announce that Riley Cotton from the York County Happy Hooves 4-H Club was selected as this year’s Spirit of 4-H Award Winner. She truly deserves this recognition for all that she has done for York County 4-H. Read her 4-H Story Below.
Riley Cotton: 2023 SC Spirit of 4-H Award Recipient
As a member of their local 4-H horse club, Riley Cotton takes an active part in her club meetings, serving as the secretary. She has participated in many counties and statewide events. Riley has shown in the State 4-H Horse Show for many years and competes in Hippology. Riley volunteers at a local therapeutic riding center and helps with their annual Special Olympics team. She’s supported their local 4-H program by obtaining sponsorships for their county livestock shows. Riley gives back to their community and helps whenever she can. Riley possesses leadership qualities that are easily seen by those around her. She is passionate about 4-H and wants to see everyone succeed. She is a role model for the younger 4-Hers in our county and loves to share her passion for agriculture with the community. Riley has been a huge part of the success of 4-H in York County. Congratulations on being this year’s South Carolina Spirit of 4-H Award Winner.
Our community service projects encompass the 4-H pledge to better our ‘community, country, and world’. Whenever you come to a York County 4-H Event, remember to bring ONE of the following:
All of our club leaders and volunteers can accept your donations and will ensure it is brought to the County Extension Office to be donated with the other items.
New 4-H Club Coming to York, SC:
We will be starting a general 4-H club in York, SC. This club will have a youth lead business meeting at the beginning, an educational program in the middle, and small group project time at the end of each club meeting. We are inviting any youth who are interested to attend. We want to extend a special invitation to anyone who has been showing meat goats, poultry, or rabbits to use this opportunity to join a 4-H club. This club will meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM at the York County Clemson Extension office.
Spirit Night & Community Musicians Jam:
We will be having monthly spirit nights at Towne Tavern in York on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. A percentage of the proceeds that night will be donated to our York County 4-H Program. We hope that you will come out and join us on October 17th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. We are also inviting local musicians to come and enjoy time playing music together. If your child would be interested in playing with other musicians, please encourage them to bring their instrument.
Events:
October 11th – 25th: South Carolina State Fair
October 16th: York County 4-H Advisory Board Meeting
October 21st: 4-H Day at the State Fair 4-H Members get in Free
October 21st: HappyHooves 4-H Club Sponsored Horse Show & Clinics, Clover, SC
Registration Deadlines:
October 1st: 4-H Membership with Free T-shirt
November 1st – December 5th: York County 4-H & FFA Swine Project
Our mailing address is:
Clemson University Cooperative Extension
120 N. Congress St.
York, SC 29745
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