Every year, Nebraska 4-H month brings thousands of young people, parents, volunteers, and alumni together to celebrate all the ways in which 4-H helps youth find a place where they belong.
Across the state, Nebraska 4-H invites community members to celebrate the state’s largest youth organization.
Empowering nearly 140,000 youth across the state with the skills to lead for a lifetime.
With the support of 12,000 volunteers, Nebraska 4-H helps youth develop and practice life skills through clubs, camps, school enrichment, afterschool, and special interest programs.
4-H is a community of young people, ages 5-19 across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills.
4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential by working and learning in partnership with caring adults. 4-H is education for life that uses a learn-by-doing approach.
Nebraska 4-H offers over 120 projects to choose from. These projects are real-life experiences that help 4-Hers learn to make sound decisions. Projects put the hands and mind to work. Most of the projects have been planned in several phases so that members may advance to more difficult and challenging activities within that project.
“4-H has provided many opportunities through club activities and projects. I have been able to strengthen my public speaking, a skill that will benefit me in other organizations and future employment,” Owen Smiley, 2023 Clay County Outstanding 4-Her, said.
Youth engaged in 4-H are nearly two times more likely to get better grades in school. Nearly two times more likely to plan to go to college and 65 percent of Nebraska high school seniors felt their 4-H project impacted their college decision.
Clay County 4-H has a strong tradition of 4-H activities including shooting sports, camps, workshops, and school enrichment.
Currently, Clay County has an estimated 160 youth enrolled in 4-H each year. Youth can grow up in 4-H through 4-H Clubs and participate in the Clay County Fair.
“When I started 4-H, I loved watching the big kids and helping them. Now that I’m older, I love working with younger kids on their projects. The cool thing about 4-H is there is a project that fits whatever you want to explore,” Nathan Griess, 2023 4-H Outstanding 4-Her, said.
If you are interested in joining 4-H, contact the Clay County Extension Office at 402-762-3644. Enrollment is open now through June 15th Nationally, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death, with one person dying every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease.
Sadly, if you have diabetes, you are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke than if you don’t have diabetes. (According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 20 percent of deaths from heart attack and 13 percent of deaths from stroke are related to diabetes or prediabetes.)
So–please, love on your heart! Find out if you are at risk for cardiovascular disease and make a change!
A first step is to ask yourself if any of these risk factors apply to you: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, diabetes, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high levels of stress, and family history of heart disease or stroke. If the answer is yes, consider making a change starting this month.
A next step is to check your ABCs: A is for the A1C test. The A1C test shows you your blood sugar (called glucose) levels. High blood sugar levels can harm your heart, your blood vessels, kidneys, feet and eyes -and high blood sugar levels are a risk factor for diabetes.
B is for Blood Pressure. High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard. It can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
C is for cholesterol. One kind of cholesterol, called LDL, can build up and clog your blood vessels. It can cause heart attack or stroke.
For all of the ABCs–ask your health care provider what your numbers are, what they should be and what you can do to reach your ABC goals.
If you are at risk for cardiovascular disease, you can take steps to manage your A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol. Many people are able to lower their risks to a healthy range by making lifestyle changes, such as:
• Keeping a healthy weight
• Making healthy food choices (Eating a healthy diet, including limiting sodium (salt) and alcohol)
• Staying Active (Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week-about 30 minutes each day for five days each week)
• Quitting smoking
• Managing stress To find locations to get your blood pressure measured or get an A1C test; or to take a diabetes risk assessment; or for tips on being more physically active or making healthier food choices–speak with one of our staff at the South Heartland District Health Department or visit our website: southheartlandhealth.ne.gov.
This February, South Heartland challenges you to love your own heart! Keep it healthy for those who love you by taking one step this month to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. It’s your only heart–love on it!
Michele Bever is the Executive Director for South Heartland District Health Department, serving Adams, Clay, Nuckolls and Webster Counties. She may be reached at 402-462-6211 or toll free at 877-238-7595.
