The Foundation focuses on building and enhancing quality 4-H programs for New York State youth. We help the NYS

4-H program to stay vibrant and connected by providing directed dollars to projects and people that fit intentional program goals.

Funding is primarily directed to state program initiatives, grants for county 4-H programs and opportunity scholarships to youth. 

Teens at National 4-H National Conference Met with Senator Clinton
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton met with a group of students from New York who were in Washington, DC, as teen delegates to the National 4-H Conference. The students, from Corfu, Canandaigua, Troy, Fort Edward and Schylerville were in the nation's capital to attend this annual conference and visit with their congressional representatives.

 
The National 4-H Conference is a working conference, where youth from across the nation, at the invitation of the Secretary of Agriculture, gather to share ideas and form recommendations in guiding future 4-H youth development programs nationally and in their communities. As part of this year's conference, 4-H delegates headed to Capitol Hill to visit with their congressional representatives.
 
The New York State 4-H teen delegates were high school students: Laura Kauppi from Corfu, Casey Cazer from Canandaigua, Kathryn Davis from Troy, Brian Driscoll from Schuylerville, and Mike LeClaire from Fort Edward. The students' trip was facilitated by the New York State Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program and funded in part by the New York State 4-H Foundation. A news release and photo are available on Senator Clinton's website.

Click here for more information about the National 4-H Conference.

Examples of statewide funded intitiatives include:

4-H Career Explorations.  Providing scholarships and funding for a keynote presenter at the campus-based 4-H Career Explorations conference is one way the Foundations helps connect kids to Cornell.  This conference brings around 500 youth and chaperones to campus annually and connects them with Departments and faculty of interest.

Developing Leaders at the STARR (State Teen Action Rep. Retreat).  The Foundation has helped to support the annual 4-H teen leadership retreat by providing stipends to two retreat "coaches".  Coaches work with a partnership of youth and adults to plan, coordinate and facilitate this annual statewide event.  Ideas generated at the retreat have been implemented across the state.

4-H Public Presentations. The Public Presentation program is often credited by 4-H alumni as having given them an edge above peers in both college and professional careers.  The Foundation has supported this program by financially assisting the statewide public presentation program, a competitive event where selected presenters from across the state present.

Want to help?  Learn more about how to support 4-H.

Opportunity Scholarships are made available annually to 4-H participants with plans to attend higher education.  

2007 NY State 4-H Foundation

Opportunity Scholarship Recipients include two Gold Clover scholarships at $5,000 each to:

Brian Driscoll – Saratoga County

Brian’s dream has been to become an engineer and he has taken the first step in this process by enrolling in the engineering program at Boston University.  He credits his 4-H experiences in helping him develop the important skills of team work, communication, time management, leadership, and community service. In high school Brian was an influential leader in school organizations such as student council, Working Against Violence Everywhere (WAVE), and SADD.  In college he continues to value community service through volunteering to serve homeless veterans food once a week in downtown Boston. Throughout his years as an active 4-H member, Brian was involved as President of the Teen Council, served for two years on the 4-H Program committee, and was a Teen Ambassador.  Brian represented NY as a delegate to the National 4-H Leadership Conference in Washington DC, and was a regular participant in the Cornell Career Exploration program serving as a focus Assistant for three years. 

Mary Elizabeth Boerjan – Ontario County

As a ten year 4-H member, Mary Elizabeth excelled in projects related to communications, Nutrition and Health, Clothing and Textiles and Home Environment.   Her leadership roles included serving as a trainer and an evaluator for the public presentations program and mentor and modeling instructor for clothing revues at the county and state fair.  She served as the Ontario County Dairy Princess, was involved in the Big Brother/Big Sister program and was a member of the National Honor Society and the Interact Club (Junior Rotary Club) which involved her in a variety of community service activities.   Mary has participated in the CMEDX program where she had the opportunity to shadow members of various departments at the local hospital.  Through this program she confirmed her interest in the health professions.  She will be attending SUNY Oneonta for two years with a guaranteed junior transfer to Cornell in the fall of 2009.    

Also, seven 4-H Achievement Scholarships at $1,000 each were awarded.  Read the recipients' stories here.