{"id":17051,"date":"2024-05-03T12:01:50","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/?page_id=17051"},"modified":"2025-01-30T12:04:07","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T20:04:07","slug":"4-h-pledge-motto-colors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/4-h-pledge-motto-colors\/","title":{"rendered":"4-H Pledge, Motto, &amp; Colors"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wsu-hero wsu-width--full wsu-pattern--wsu-light-radial-left  wsu-hero--style-boxed \">\n\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__background\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image-frame--fill\">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/extension\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/07\/4H_Grows_Logo.jpg\"\n\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/extension\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/07\/4H_Grows_Logo.jpg 1313w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/extension\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/07\/4H_Grows_Logo.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/extension\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/07\/4H_Grows_Logo.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/extension\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/07\/4H_Grows_Logo.jpg 768w\"\n\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1313px) 100vw, 1313px\"\n\t\talt=\"4-H Grows Here logo in green with 4-H clover at right on a black background\"\n\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 50% 50%\"\n\t\t\/>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__overlay\">\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__content-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__inner-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"wsu-hero__title\">4-H Pledge, Motto, &amp; Colors<\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__content\">\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row wsu-row--halves\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n<div class=\"program-contact \">\n\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-content\/plugins\/cahnrs-extension-plugin\/assets\/images\/four-h.png\"\n\t\t\theight=\"75\"\n\t\t\twidth=\"75\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"extension-program-icon\"\n\t\t\talt=\"Program Icon.\"\n\t\t>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"program-contact-info\">\n\t\t<h2>Program Contact<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\tAutumn Britt, 4-H Program Manager<br>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-screen-reader-only\">Phone Number<\/span>509-588-7817\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-screen-reader-only\">Email Address<\/span> \u2022\n\t\t\t<a href=\"mailto:autumn.britt@wsu.edu\">autumn.britt@wsu.edu<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-row wsu-row--sidebar-right\" >\r\n    \n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Big Picture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>4-H spans the 106 Land Grant Universities across the United States and beyond, with programs throughout the world in 70 countries and counting.&nbsp; Around 7 million youth participate in these programs.&nbsp; YOU are a part of a global community of 4-Hers working together to better their communities and learn about the ways they can make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re curious about the international impact of 4-H, there&#8217;s a project for that!&nbsp; Check out<a href=\"https:\/\/shop4-h.org\/products\/4-h-around-the-globe\"> 4-H Around the Globe<\/a>, an intermediate level 4-H project that explores 4-H in Ghana, Kosovo, Nicaragua, and South Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/extension\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/05\/4H_Icons_Grouped-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Four H icons - lightbulb for head, heart for heart, open palm for hands, and apple for health\" width=\"640\" height=\"206\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-column\"  style=\"\">\r\n\t\n<section  class=\"wsu-section\"  >\r\n        \n    <nav class=\"wsu-navigation-vertical wsu-vertical-menu\">\n        <ul id=\"wsu-site-menu\" class=\"wsu-menu-collapse wsu-menu-collapse--style-vertical\"><li aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-haspopup=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/current-volunteers\/\">Current Volunteers<\/a><button aria-label=\"{Open submenu Current Volunteers\" class=\"wsu-menu-collapse--action-toggle\"><\/button>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/building-the-youth-adult-partnership\/\">Building the Youth-Adult Partnership<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/supporting-youth-officers\/\">Supporting Youth Officers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/4-h-club-officers\/\">For Youth 4-H Club Officers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/strategies-to-engage-4-h-parents-guardians\/\">Strategies to Engage 4-H Parents and Caregivers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/youth-friendly-parliamentary-procedure\/\">Youth-Friendly Parliamentary Procedure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/pre-meeting-activities\/\">Pre-Meeting Activities<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/ice-breakers-and-team-building-resources\/\">Ice Breakers and Team Building Resources<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/4-h-pledge-motto-colors\/\">4-H Pledge, Motto, &amp; Colors<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/teaching-terminology\/\">Teaching Terminology<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/4-h-emblems-and-logos\/\">4-H Emblems and Logos<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.extension.wsu.edu\/4-h-treasurers-handbook-leader-guide\">4-H Treasurer&#039;s Handbook Leader Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/givepulse-4-h-volunteer-hour-reporting\/\">GivePulse \u2013 4-H Vounteer Hour Reporting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/volunteer-resources\/4-h-travel-reimbursement-request\/\">Yakima County 4-H Travel Reimbursement Request<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/projects-programs\/cloverbuds\/\">4- H Cloverbuds<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/4-hfromhome\/\">4-H From Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/yakima-county-4-h-benefactor-program\/\">Yakima County 4-H Benefactor Program<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/4-h\/4-h-project-forms-and-policies\/\">4-H Project Forms &amp; Policies<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/v2.4honline.com\/#\/user\/sign-in\">4-H Online<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/4h\/\">Washington State 4-H<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/4-h.org\/\">National 4-H<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>    <\/nav>\n\n    <\/section>\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fast 4-H Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-card-wrapper wsu-card-wrapper--per-row-3\" >\r\n    \n<article class=\"wsu-card\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wsu-title \">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur Origins\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-card__content-custom\">\r\n\t\t\t\n\n<ul>\n<li><br>4-H began, though without its current name, in Iowa and Ohio in 1902 when schoolteachers connected with their state agricultural colleges to teach children the basics of home and farm management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Groups that would eventually become 4-H clubs had spread to several states by 1912.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wsu-title \">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur Program\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-card__content-custom\">\r\n\t\t\t\n\n<ul>\n<li>4-H is older than the Cooperative Extension Service!&nbsp; Cooperative Extension Service was formed by the Smith-Lever Act passed in 1914.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wsu-title \">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFirsts\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wsu-card__content-custom\">\r\n\t\t\t\n\n<ul>\n<li>The first official 4-H Club charter was offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1922.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The very first official county 4-H agents were hired in 1928.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The National 4-H Club Foundation was organized in 1948.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\" wsu-font-size--medium\"><em>Source:  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/4h\/about_michigan_4_h\/4-h-history\">4-H History from Michigan 4-H<\/a> and the National 4-H History Preservation Program&#8217;s page on the 4-H <a href=\"https:\/\/4-hhistorypreservation.com\/History\/M-C-P\/\">Motto, Creed, and Pledge<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4-H Traditions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4-H Pledge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I pledge my&nbsp;<strong>HEAD<\/strong>&nbsp;to clearer thinking,<br>my&nbsp;<strong>HEART<\/strong>&nbsp;to greater loyalty,<br>my&nbsp;<strong>HANDS<\/strong>&nbsp;to larger service,<br>my&nbsp;<strong>HEALTH<\/strong>&nbsp;to better living,<br>for my club, my community, my country and my world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>The 4-H Pledge and 4-H Motto were approved by state leaders meeting in Washington D.C. at the National 4-H Club Camp in 1927.&nbsp; The Motto was proposed by Carrie Harrison, botanist in the Bureau of Plant Industry and approved by state leaders.&nbsp; The Pledge was written by Otis Hall, the state leader in Kansas.&nbsp; The original pledge reads:<br><em>I pledge my head to clearer thinking,<\/em><br><em>my heart to greater loyalty,<\/em><br><em>my hands to larger service, and<\/em><br><em>my health to better living,<\/em><br><em>for my club, my community, and my country.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The final line of the pledge was changed to &#8220;for my club, my community, my country, and my world&#8221; in 1973.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/4h\/about_michigan_4_h\/4-h-history\">4-H History from Michigan 4-H<\/a> and the National 4-H History Preservation Program&#8217;s page on the 4-H <a href=\"https:\/\/4-hhistorypreservation.com\/History\/M-C-P\/\">Motto, Creed, and Pledge<\/a>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4-H Motto<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;To make the best better&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4-H Slogan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Learn by Doing&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4-H Colors and their Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Green<\/strong> is the most common color in nature and it represents life, youth, and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>White&nbsp;<\/strong>symbolizes the high aspirations and ideals of 4-H.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>The first clover was introduced as a symbol for these land-grant agriculture clubs by O.H. Benson in 1908 and it included 3 H&#8217;s, which stood for Head, Heart, and Hands.&nbsp; The fourth H, originally representing Hustle, was added in 1911 and the clover symbol was patented in 1924.&nbsp; It was protected by Congress in 1939.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/4h\/about_michigan_4_h\/4-h-history\">4-H History from Michigan 4-H<\/a> and the National 4-H History Preservation Program&#8217;s page on the 4-H <a href=\"https:\/\/4-hhistorypreservation.com\/History\/M-C-P\/\">Motto, Creed, and Pledge<\/a>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 4-H Parents Pledge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I pledge my HEAD<\/strong>&nbsp;to give my child the information I can,<br>to help my child see things clearly and to make wise decisions.<br><strong>I pledge my HEART<\/strong>&nbsp;to encourage and support my child<br>through success and disappointments.<br><strong>I pledge my HANDS<\/strong>&nbsp;to help my child&#8217;s club;<br>if I cannot be a leader, I can help in many equally important ways.<br><strong>I pledge my HEALTH<\/strong>&nbsp;to keep my child strong and well<br>for a better world through 4-H,<br>for my child&#8217;s club, our community, our country and our world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 4-H Creed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I believe in 4-H Club work for the opportunity it will give me to become a useful citizen.<br>I believe in the training of my HEAD for the power it will give me to think, plan and to reason.<br>I believe in the training of my HEART for the nobleness it will give me to be kind, sympathetic and true.<br>I believe in the training of my HANDS for the ability it will give me to be helpful, skillful, and useful.<br>I believe in the training of my HEALTH for the strength it will give me to enjoy life, to resist disease, and to work efficiently.<br>I believe in my country, my state, and my community and in my responsibility for their development. In all these things I believe, and am willing to dedicate my efforts to their fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>The 4-H Creed was originally created for Wyoming 4-H in 1918.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/4h\/about_michigan_4_h\/4-h-history\">4-H History from Michigan 4-H<\/a> and the National 4-H History Preservation Program&#8217;s page on the 4-H <a href=\"https:\/\/4-hhistorypreservation.com\/History\/M-C-P\/\">Motto, Creed, and Pledge<\/a>.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4-H &#8220;Holidays&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>National 4-H Week &#8211; first full week in October starting on a Sunday<br><em>Check out the history of <a href=\"https:\/\/4-hhistorypreservation.com\/History\/National_4-H_Week\/\">National 4-H Week at the National 4-H History Preservation Project<\/a>!<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Global 4-H Day &#8211; November 1st<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Big Picture 4-H spans the 106 Land Grant Universities across the United States and beyond, with programs throughout the world in 70 countries and counting.\u00a0 Around 7 million youth participate in these programs.\u00a0 YOU&amp;hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":17033,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":0,"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","_expiration_date":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17051"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17051"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17051\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22916,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17051\/revisions\/22916"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.wsu.edu\/yakima\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}