Change is a big part of 4-H’s centennial year celebration, as 4-H members, volunteers, youth leaders, and staff engage in the National Conversation on Youth Development in the 21st Century. The conversation allows all 4-H members, volunteers, youth leaders, and staff to take part in strategic planning for the organization’s future by answering the question, “Within the next three to five years, what are the most important actions we can tale to create the future we want for youth, ourselves, and our community?”

The conversations started in October 2001. Groups convened at the county level to formulate action steps in response to the question. Those action steps were considered and coalesced at a statewide conversation, held at Penn State in January, then forwarded to a national conversation held in Arlington, Virginia, in February. “The National Conversation on Youth Development in the 21st Century: Final Report,” the distilled results of the conversations, was presented to President Bush, USDA Secretary Veneman, and members of the U.S. Congress at the April National 4-H Conference. According to Michael Martin, Pennsylvania 4-H Centennial coordinator, this unique grassroots planning effort will help to shape the future of 4-H in Pennsylvania.

“What I’ve noticed in our county conversations is that many of the ideas from different counties were similar, and that continued at the state and national levels,” Martin says. “One theme was the call for a national office for youth matters, a national youth advocate, or to have youth advocates within each federal department and agency; it would really step up the presence of youth issues on the national agenda. Establishing safe places for youth to convene also was high on the list.

“The national conversation process was 4-H’s centennial gift to the nation: the results are the most comprehensive and inclusive youth development agenda ever produced, from the most democratic process ever engaged for this purpose. My hope is that we can positively affect the national policy agenda to encourage more research into youth development and generate more fiscal support for 4-H and youth development in general.”

Martin says his 30-year involvement with 4-H has convinced him that many aspects of the program go out of style, only to come back in a slightly different form.

“Model rocketry is the popular new trend, but I had a 4-H rocketry club when I was a teenager,” he says. “Another hot one is shooting sports—archery, riflery, air pistol, shotgun. Again, I did that when I was a member.

“Quite a few of our very elderly 4-H alumni have been telling me, ‘4-H has gotten away from agriculture, and we need to get back.’ My response is that we haven’t left agriculture, but we have broadened somewhat. We have expanded our 4-H opportunities into new audiences, and some of those audiences have been more urban than our earlier clubs. The ultimate goal—positive youth development—has not changed in 100 years, but the opportunities have been made available to a larger audience.”

4-H’ers old and new can agree that the true purpose of the organization was never to raise the largest dairy cows or ears of corn. The “project,” as Charles Brosius explains, was always to offer young people the wherewithal to achieve the 4-H Pledge:

“I pledge…
my head to clearer thinking,
my heart to greater loyalty
my hands to larger service, and
my health to better living
for my club, my community,
my country, and my world.”

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Faculty and staff referenced in this article are Helaine Brown, 4-H agent in Delaware County; Marilyn Corbin, state program leader for children, youth, and families; Joyce Malicky, 4-H agent in Wayne County; Michael Martin, assistant to the vice president for outreach and cooperative extension; and Laurie Sicko-Szoke, 4-H agent in Chester County.