Dr. Richard Clark

This Tuesday we will celebrate the July 4th holiday. It became an official national holiday in 1941. The holiday is a celebration of the Declaration of Independence being adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

Since that time, the United States has flourished under the new democracy. Today, our young people in 4-H are learning how to keep our country proud, free, educated and economically successful. 4-H members take pride in their individual efforts, their community, and their country.

• Education through hands-on learning builds their knowledge and skills to be successful employees, entrepreneurs, leaders, and citizens.
• Involvement in service learning helps build strong, healthy communities that value serving for the larger good.
• Understanding how government works at the local, state and federal levels helps 4-H members to value the benefits of a democracy in action.
• And leadership training prepares our 4-H members to be tomorrow’s leaders.

This 4th of July, give thanks that freedom has allowed all youth in our country to have access to the 4-H program. And most of all, remember those men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice to assure that the benefits of freedom are ours.