Youth from around the country are preparing for national 4-H week which starts Oct 5. For Lincoln County members this means preparing for the Mississippi State Fair, from Oct. 1 through 12.

Students will participate in the live stock shows, the poultry events, exhibit village, modeling squad competitions, public speaking events and will be showcasing their work in the exhibit village.

Lincoln County Ag/4-H Extension Agent Brandon Alberson said there are over 200 young people enrolled in 4-H in Lincoln County. Participants are age 8 to 18 from both county and city schools. The local organization is part of the Mississippi State Extension Service.

“We’re a diverse group as far as projects go,” said Alberson. “If a kid has an interest, we have some type of project for it.”

He said students are doing everything from tractor driving and livestock shows to computer programs.

To enroll in 4-H a student can go to room 201 in the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Government Complex and fill out a form. Anyone can join from city schools, county schools, private schools and even home schools.

“4-H, the nation’s largest youth development and empowerment organization, cultivates confident kids who tackle the issues that matter most in their communities right now,” wrote Alberson in a press release. “In the United States, 4-H programs empower six million young people through the 109 land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in more than 3,000 local offices serving every county and parish in the country.”

Alberson said kids join for multiple reasons, but mostly to be with kids who have similar interests as themselves.

“Not everybody is a football star or cheerleader,” he said. “4-H is a way for those kids to find people with shared interest.”

According to a study from Tufts University, young people who participate in 4-H are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, two times more likely to be civically active, two times more likely to make healthier choices, two times more likely to participate in science, technology and engineering programs outside of school, and girls are two times more likely to take part in STEM programs.

Alberson said the benefits of 4-H also include scholarships and trips around the nation.