4-H youth program rebrands and heads into next century

FREDERICTON – The century-old youth program “4-H” is modernizing, with leaders spending Thursday trying to push the program into the next century.

The program started in 1913 in Roland, Man., with a foundation in agriculture but quickly spread across Canada as a popular youth development and leadership program.

“4-H is about setting kids up to be successful in life and building confidence, responsibility and the opportunity to contribute to their community and to caring and contributing young leaders,” said 4-H Canada’s CEO Shannon Benner.

On Thursday, 4-H representatives from across the country gathered in Fredericton, N.B. to launch their new look – a logo incorporating the classic clover, but with an added bit of patriotism.

“It incorporates what 4-H has been and what 4-H is going to be,” said Kendra Elliot.

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Eilliot, a youth advisory member and 14-year 4-H member from Manitoba, said the new logo represents what 4-H has become.

“It incorporates the roots of 4-H Canada all the way back from 1913 and the agriculture including that clover,” she said.

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“But it also represents that new innovation of how we’re making global citizens out of our Canadian youth.”

It’s the first time the logo has been changed in over 50 years.

The program has evolved and while it still includes its agricultural roots, projects focused on computers, fashion and science have also been added.

Although it’s the first time the logo has been changed in over 50 years, leaders say 4-H will be around for another century.