4-H trivia and interesting tidbits

As one of the newer people to 4-H, I find certain facts about 4-H pretty interesting:

• Approximately 7 million young people across America are members of Extension's 4-H program.
• Faith Hill, Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, Pat Nixon, Garfield creator Jim Dabis, Al Gore, Dolly Parton, Johnny Carson, and Johnny Cash were all 4-H members.
• Approximately 80 countires around the world have programs similar to 4-H.
• There are over 600,000 volunteer leaders in the United States.
• The 4-H Name and Emblem are protected under federal statute Title 18, U.S. Code 707. This provides the 4-H Name and Emblem with the level of protection afforded other Federal marks, such as the Seal of the President of the United States.
• Statistics gathered in 2005 by the National 4-H Headquarters show 4-H members are 52.5% female and 47.5% male.
• The same statistics also show members are 76.8% Caucasian, 14.5% black or African American, 1.5% are American Indian or Alaskan Native, 1.5% Asian, and .4% Native Hawaiian of Pacific Islander. Also, 2.1% of youth indicate more than one race.
• 4-H members live in a variety of settings: 10.9% farm, 32.8% towns under 10,000 and rural non-farm, 20.9% towns, cities and their suburbs (10,000 - 50,000), and 25.6% in central cities over 50,000.

If you are interested in seeing the entire statistics document, go to http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/library/2005_ES-237_stats_6-06.pdf.

Melody