1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2023 HR 1020
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5 By: Representative C. Cooper
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7 HOUSE RESOLUTION
8 TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE ARKANSAS 4-H
9 PROGRAM ON OUR YOUTH AND TO PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 28,
10 2023, AS 4-H DAY.
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13 Subtitle
14 TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE
15 ARKANSAS 4-H PROGRAM ON OUR YOUTH AND TO
16 PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 28, 2023, AS 4-H DAY.
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19 WHEREAS, in October 1908, a group of about sixty-five (65) boys formed
20 the White County Corn and Cotton Club as a way to learn the latest in
21 agricultural technology resulting in their learned agricultural practices
22 being adopted by their counterparts — a club that became the Arkansas 4-H
23 program; and
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25 WHEREAS, while the activities that the participants enjoy may have
26 changed since 1908, the mission of 4-H to help the youth of this country
27 become productive citizens has not changed; and
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29 WHEREAS, the seed planted by that first club provided the roots for a
30 program that today reaches more than one hundred thirty thousand (130,000)
31 youth, ages five to nineteen (5-19), across the seventy-five (75) counties in
32 Arkansas, including rural, suburban, and urban youth; and
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34 WHEREAS, 4-H is the premier youth development program conducted by the
35 University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and is the only informal
36 education program with a direct connection to the University of Arkansas; and
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 HR1020
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2 WHEREAS, through informal, scientific, research-based, and experiential
3 education activities, 4-H participants gain knowledge and enhance life
4 skills, enabling them to become positive, productive, capable, and
5 compassionate members of society; and
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7 WHEREAS, 4-H is designed to prepare young people to step up to the
8 challenges in their communities and provide youth with the skills to lead for
9 a lifetime; the core elements of 4-H include youth leadership, youth-adult
10 partnerships, life skills learning, and community service; and 4-H members
11 complete hands-on projects in areas like science, health, agriculture, and
12 citizenship in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult
13 mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles; and
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15 WHEREAS, the Arkansas 4-H program fosters an innovative “learn-doing”
16 approach with proven results, and 4-H is committed to building outstanding
17 leaders with marketable skills to succeed in today’s global society, through
18 in-school programs, on military installations, and through after-school
19 programs; and
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21 WHEREAS, findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth
22 Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H
23 make more civic contributions to their communities and make healthier
24 choices; and
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26 WHEREAS, in 2019 the National 4-H Council partnered with Edge Research
27 to conduct a study of all 4-H alumni across the country, and the results
28 found that a 4-H experience correlates with long-term success in life; and
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30 WHEREAS, 4-H is the nation’s largest youth development organization,
31 empowering nearly six million (6,000,000) young people throughout the United
32 States; and
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34 WHEREAS, the structured learning, encouragement, and adult mentoring
35 provided to 4-H members by the thousands of hours given by Arkansas
36 volunteers play a vital role in helping our youth achieve success,
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 HR1020
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2 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-
3 FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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5 THAT the House of Representatives recognize the positive impact of the
6 Arkansas 4-H program on our youth and proclaim February 28, 2023, as 4-H Day
7 at the State Capitol.
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