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Carolyn Ivey’s motives for getting involved in 4-H 69 years ago initially had nothing to do with learning to sew, can or speak in front of others.

“I’m embarrassed to say I joined because back then, 4-H was in the schools, and I got to skip class to go to it,” Ivey, 79, said with a laugh.

Since becoming involved with 4-H as a 10-year-old in Andrews, Ivey’s view of 4-H has changed dramatically.
“I gained a whole different life because of 4-H,” Ivey said. “It enhanced what I and my parents believed about education and citizenship and made me a higher achiever.”

Ivey, who has been a 4-H leader now in McLeansville for 46 years, is one of numerous Guilford County 4-H leaders and members helping celebrate the North Carolina 4-H Club’s centennial this year. A 4-H birthday party/homecoming will be held at 4 p.m. Sept. 12 during the Central Carolina Fair at the Greensboro Coliseum. The party is open to the public and includes cake and ice cream, as well as a 4-H cake decorating contest and ice-cream churn-off.

“We have a saying in 4-H: ‘It’s not all cows and cooking anymore,’ ” Ivey said.

When 4-H first started in Guilford County in 1911, it was geared more toward rural children and their families. Jane S. McKimmon started tomato canning clubs for girls and corn clubs for boys.

“They taught boys how to increase corn yields so they could pass that information on to their farming parents, and they worked to decrease botulism in tomatoes,” said Peggie Lewis, an extension agent for the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and Guilford County 4-H agent. 4-H is a part of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service.

For many years, 4-H in North Carolina was tied to the public school system. In the 1960s, links to the school systems ended, and community sponsoring bases were created. What traditionally had been a program for rural youth was expanded to offer the same opportunities to urban youth. While agriculture is still a part of 4-H’s focus today, it is not the only focus.

“4-H is an opportunity for children (in both rural and urban settings) to learn about leadership, community service and citizenship through hands-on learning; from farming and dairy shows to robotics,” Lewis said. Enhancing public speaking skills also is a big part of 4-H.

Guilford County has 14 city and county 4-H clubs with about 400 members ranging in age from 5 to 18. There is a shooting sports club and horse club, as well as clubs that focus on technology and robotics.

“It’s grass root, which means each club and each club’s members decide where they want to go,” Lewis said. “We’ve set a state goal to get kids involved in science, engineering and technology.”

In 2007, Syidah Mateen helped start the Fatihah 4-H Club, which meets once a month at the Al-Ummil Ummat Islamic Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Greensboro. The club’s focus is community service, and they do arts and crafts.

“We do a lot of outreach and take kids to learn about other organizations,” Mateen said. “Our main focus is to remind kids there are those out there less-fortunate.”

Kay Coltrane is the leader for the Go Getters 4-H Club, which meets once a month in Pleasant Garden. Members show dairy cows from her and her husband’s farm ­­— as well as goats and beef cattle — and participate in other projects, such as cooking, canning and sewing.

“The strength of 4-H is that it’s for all age boys and girls,” Coltrane said. “I’ve had members come back to tell me they are not afraid to speak in front of a group because of their experience with 4-H.”

Coltrane had a member win a gold award for a state demonstration on animation, and another win a state gold award in a fashion show.

For Andre Harris, 15, becoming a better public speaker has been a huge benefit for him. A sophomore at Smith High School and Weaver Academy and a member of the Northeast McLeansville 4-H Club for four years, Harris enjoys the community service projects and public speaking contests. He recently went to the National 4-H Conference in Washington, where he met Sen. John McCain.

“I’m so much more confident now speaking in front of others,” Andre said. He’s also learned to grow tomatoes, green beans and other vegetables and has become a pretty good cook.

“I won first place in egg cookery for my deviled eggs at the Guilford County Fair and I got to judge the pies,” he said, proudly.

Sydney Davis, 11, has been a member of the Go Getters 4-H Club for seven years and especially loves showing cows.

“Last year I got first place in showmanship at the Black and White Show in Raleigh,” she said.

She also credits 4-H with improving her public speaking.

“I used to be so nervous, and now, I can blow right through it,” Sydney said.

Because 4-H is linked to N.C. State University and N.C. A&T, members also have access to researchers at those schools.

“Today, 4-H offers so many more contests and opportunities for scholarships and learning to stand on your feet and speak before others,” Ivey said. “They’re gaining skills to last a lifetime.”

Contact Jennifer Atkins Brown at 574-5582 or jennifer.brown@news-record.com.