4-H Mission 

The mission of Montana 4-H is to educate youth and adults for living in a global and ever changing world by using the resources of Land-Grant Universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   Montana 4-H uses educational, learning-by-doing projects, club meetings, community service projects, events, and activities for young people and adults as they work toward attaining these five life skills:

• Fostering positive self-concept
• Learning decision-making and responsibility for choices
• Developing an inquiring mind
• Relating to self and others
• Acquiring a concern for communities--local and global.

The emblem of the 4-H program is a green four-leaf clover with a white "H" in each leaf.  The four "H's" stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health and represent the ways 4-H develops the five life skills.

            HEAD:  Learning to think, make decisions, understand the "whys," gain new and valuable insights and knowledge.     
            HEART:  Being concerned with the welfare of others, accepting the responsibilities of citizenship in our local and global communities, determining values and attitudes by which to live, and learning how to work with others.
            HANDS: Learning new skills, improving skills already developed, instilling pride in work, and respect for work accomplished.
            HEALTH:  Practicing healthful living, protecting the well-being of self and others, making constructive use of leisure time.

This four-fold development is vital to every individual.  All four of the "H's" should be an important part of the goals youngsters identify as they participate in 4-H sponsored programs and educational activities.  Achieving these goals will result in helping youth develop as competent, caring, confident, connected, compassionate contributors of high ethical character.