NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD News) — 4-H youth across Tennessee are finding new ways to give back this spring, taking part in projects that focus on service and community. From local efforts to statewide programs, students are stepping up with hands-on work and creative ideas.
Tennessee 4-H Students Hailey Butler and Calli Alonso joined us in the studio for Monday’s Market Day Report to share how those experiences have shaped them.
“I started off in public speaking, like many others, but as soon as I hit my freshman year of high school, things really started picking up and taking off for me,” Alonso said. “I got all these experiences through 4-H, like going to Tennessee 4-H Congress.”
She says programs like the Co-op Round Up and Tractor Supply’s Paper Clover Campaign help make those opportunities possible.
“Get out to your local Co-ops and Tractor Supply. That is one really easy way to give back to 4-H,” Butler says. “This is another way that we’re sending kids to 4-H Camp this summer, and without those generous supporters like Tractor Supply and Co-op, these opportunities would not be made possible for all of our youth.”
Butler says one of the biggest takeaways from 4-H is learning how to work with others: “Once you get together with other 4-H’ers and you have a team, there’s so much more that you can accomplish together.”
Students say those projects not only build teamwork, but also create a stronger connection to their communities.
