Buffalo County 4-H is Thriving!

Each measure of the 4-H Thriving Model was assessed on a scale of 1.0-7.0 with a survey of more than 50 Buffalo County 4-H members in grades 8-12 in October 2024. A score of 5 or more indicates a high thriving score, while a score of 6 or more illustrates a very high thriving score.

Buffalo County 4-H Program Quality Scores:

Youth who participate in 4-H programs that provide a high-quality developmental context will thrive, and thriving youth achieve key developmental outcomes.

Buffalo County 4-H Youth Thriving Scores:

4-H supports youth in thriving by creating a positive, engaging space and hands-on learning opportunities for youth, and the building blocks for a strong future.

Buffalo County 4-H Developmental Outcome Scores:

By engaging youth in quality learning opportunities that interest them with positive adult leaders, role models, and mentors, youth will thrive long into the future.

The 4-H Context

4-H is the context—or setting—in which young people grow and thrive. By creating a positive, engaging space and hands-on learning opportunities for youth now, we put in place the building blocks for a strong future. The context is built on three foundational pieces:

• Fostering Developmental Relationships—Emphasizing developmental relationships with adults who are caring, challenge growth, and share power
• Facilitating Youth Sparks—Providing a place for youth to explore their interests and passions—their sparks!
• Youth Program Quality Principles—Offering programs that follow youth program quality principles with a focus on youth belonging

Driving the Thriving

By building the 4-H context on those three crucial building blocks, 4-H supports youth in thriving. Thriving youth:

• Have an intrinsic desire and willingness to try new challenges (Challenge & Discovery)
• Cultivate a growth mindset that emphasizes effort in learning over innate ability (Growth Mindset)
• Believe in a hopeful future and purpose in life (Hopeful Purpose)
• Are connected to something greater than the self that provides meaning and purpose in life and shapes everyday thoughts and action (Transcendent Awareness)
• Demonstrate the pro-social values of respect, honesty, responsibility, empathy and helping (Pro-Social Orientation)
• Are able to express and manage emotions appropriately (Positive Emotionality)
• Set and manage goals, with perseverance toward goal achievement (Goal Management)

The context drives youth to thrive and by thriving, the reach key developmental outcomes.

Developing Outcomes

Youth who thrive because of participating in 4-H…

• Are more likely to be motivated in school and succeed academically
• Interact with others in positive ways
• Set and achieve high personal standards for themselves
• Contribute to their families, communities, and beyond through generosity
• Be active participants in strong personal and community networks
• Take personal responsibility for themselves and the world around them

Long-Term Outcomes

This means that as a result of the work done today to engage young people in quality learning opportunities that interest them with positive adult leaders, role models, and mentors, youth will thrive long into the future. This work, done over a period of many years, through their involvement in 4-H, leads to adults who are more likely to:

• Find success in the profession or vocation of their choice
• Give back to their communities through their time and talents
• Be happy and have a greater personal sense of well-being over time

That makes 4-H a current investment that is worth making for the long-term well-being of every young person.