[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 19060]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF 4-H

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the 100th 
anniversary of 4-H in America. For 100 years in our great Nation, and 
since 1911 in New Mexico, 4-H has molded generations of involved 
citizens and leaders, providing an enduring contribution to the 
development of America's youth.
  This organization, rooted in hands on learning, grew from the 
interest of seven boys from Don a Ana County in each planting a pound 
of seed corn they acquired from the New Mexico College of Agriculture 
and Mechanic Arts, now New Mexico State University. This 1911 
experiment was the first of a growing number of activities of this kind 
in rural communities around the territory that led to the establishment 
of precursor 4-H clubs in schools, led by teachers. Local merchants, 
bankers and farmers began the organization's long history of community 
support by donating prize money, goods and expertise to the young 
peoples' activities. The 1912 State fair saw the first ever competition 
between 4-H club members, who earned premiums for prize-winning corn, 
kafir corn, milo, peanuts, bread and sewing.
  Today, New Mexico 4-H boasts more than 50,000 members, part of the 
6.4 million youth involved globally in what is the world's largest 
youth organization. Though 4-H maintains its rural and agricultural 
roots, its leadership development activities have shown even broader 
influence as the organization has adapted to changing times. I am proud 
of the unique and remarkable way New Mexico's 4-H clubs teach 
responsibility, decision-making, communication skills and citizenship, 
all key ingredients to purposeful lives and strong communities. Through 
hands-on experience, 4-Hers learn what it takes to follow a project 
through to completion, keep records, and make presentations to others 
about their work. Whether it is baking, showing or judging livestock at 
the fair, sewing or public speaking, club members are challenged to set 
and achieve goals, find creative solutions to problems, overcome 
obstacles along the way, and demonstrate their progress to others.
  I would also like to take this opportunity to commend the parents and 
community leaders of 4-H. Those who donate time, expertise and 
assistance to 4-H are often alumni who appreciate the lessons they 
learned in their clubs, and this has created the legacy of involvement 
that makes the organization so strong after 100 years. The mentorship 
and wealth of experience these leaders provide produce the tangible 
results we see in exhibits at the fair and community projects. However, 
they also sow the seeds of confident leadership and citizenship that 
may not reach full bloom until later in a member's life. I am also 
extremely proud to continue supporting 4-H's Share/Care afterschool 
program and the Rio Arriba County Clover Club, which have proven 
invaluable in giving young people the chance to get involved in fun, 
educational activities instead of drugs.
  The long, proud record of 4-H in New Mexico, the United States, and 
around the world is testimony to the enduring viability of this 
organization and its central values, firmly rooted in our hard-working 
rural and agricultural communities. I would like to take this 
opportunity to reaffirm the valuable contribution of 4-H's ``head, 
heart, health and hands,'' to New Mexico's youth and the very fabric of 
our society. It is a great pleasure to celebrate the national 
centennial of 4-H, and I congratulate this organization on beginning 
another century of ``making the best better.''

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