top of page

Desoto Kansas

Pioneer 4-H

About

About 4-H

4-H is a nationwide program led by state land-grant universities in cooperation with local county/district extension councils.  In Kansas, 4-H is the largest youth educational program, aside from public schools!


We are a community service club that helps our community get better. Pioneer 4-H has been around for over 80 years with its roots in the DeSoto area.  Currently our club meets the 4th Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the DeSoto United Methodist Church.  Pioneer 4-H’s history has produced amazing youth that have provided usable life skills as citizens of our community.  We would love to have you be a part of this amazing experience!

 

Each of the four H’s on the clover represent ways youth can grow and develop in 4-H. 

Head – critical thinking, problem solving

Heart – self-discipline, integrity, communication

Hands – serving others

Health – choosing healthy lifestyles

​

Club participation, projects, and friendships with other members become memorable parts of the 4-H experience.  Equally important are the skills that last a lifetime.  Successful adults often credit their experiences in 4-H as turning points in their lives and the planning, organization and public speaking skills developed as essential to their success.

​

You’ll find that 4-H is a multifaceted experience with lots to see and do.   Key aspects of Pioneer 4-H include:

​

Junior Leadership

The 4-H organization is lead by our youth.   They understand the fundamentals of running a meeting and guide the club in decision making and development while supporting each other.   Our youth leaders are what make us strong. 

​

Parent Involvement

The Pioneer 4-H club wants to have the whole family join in.  Families are expected to help host for at least one meeting each year.  Hosting involves set-up and clean-up as well as providing a snack for the club to enjoy after the meeting. Talk with some of our other parents as to how they are contributing and sharing their talents.  Our project leaders all come from our wonderful parents and community volunteers. Parent volunteers who would like to be project leaders will need to go through a back ground check and become a registered volunteer through the Johnson County 4-H office.  This mostly an online process.

​

Projects

Projects are often led by parent and community volunteers as well as some of our older 4-H youth members who have some 4-H project experiencs.  This gives them a wonderful opportunity to begin to practice their leadership skills as well as serving as an inspiring role model for our younger 4-H members.   As a member you are expected to make a project t or a demonstration/ presentation each yeear of whatever you want. We are so fortunate to have such a large number of interests for our children to choose from....  foods and crafts to shooting sports and chickens, the possibilities are numerous.  You can read more regarding projects at http://www.kansas4-h.org/projects/

 

Cloverbuds

We also have our Cloverbuds group in which children ages 5-7 are able to start experiencing parent led 4-H activities in a group session offered during the general meeting.  This is a fun transition opportunity for our younger children!  Older children, who are 7 on January 1st of the 4-H year, are eligible to take part in the many projects listed on the 4-H projects enrollment form. Cloverbud activities are student led by people in our club.

 

Committees

Each youth member is encouraged to be a member of at least two committees.  The youth members are responsible to help plan and execute their event.  Parents are welcome to provide guidance as mentors to our youth so that they may successfully manage the responsibility of the event to their best ability and gain the valuable experience in doing so.  Each committee will have a chair assigned at the start of the year.  Their responsibility is to arrange meeting times and to report on activities at the monthly meetings. 

​

Governance

The Johnson County 4-H program is governed under the Johnson County Extension Office and K-State University.  Their Johnson County office is at 119th and Ridgeview Road.  Educational supplies and support can be obtained there.  The 4-H Program has a PDC-program development committee that governs its policies as well as programs.

The Pioneer 4-H club wants to have the whole family join in.  Families are expected to help host for at least one meeting each year.  Hosting involves set-up and clean-up as well as providing a snack for the club to enjoy after the meeting. Talk with some of our other parents as to how they are contributing and sharing their talents.  Our project leaders all come from our wonderful parents and community volunteers. Parent volunteers who would like to be project leaders will need to go through a back ground check and become a registered volunteer through the Johnson County 4-H office.  This mostly an online process.

bottom of page