"I pledge...my hands to larger service, for my club, my community, my country and my world."

For almost 100 years, community Service has been an important part of 4-H. So has hands-on, learning-by-doing, what we now call experiential learning. When you put those two ideas together appropriately, the result goes beyond a "feel good" experience: service activities tied closely to what youth are learning positively impact learning, and genuinely help the community.

In 4-H community service-learning, young people learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that:

• Meet genuine community needs.
• Are coordinated in a collaborative effort between 4-H and other individuals or groups.
• Links an educational process supported by research-based information with the hands-on service experiences.
• Establish opportunities for young people to apply 4-H project skills and knowledge in real life situations in their own communities.
• Provide structured reflection time for young people to think, talk, and write about their project throughout the entire experience.
• Promote a commitment to active citizenship where youth understand that they can make a difference.

An initiative since 2005, Service-Learning is an important part of the Louisiana 4-H Youth Development Program and the LSU AgCenter. In 2007, 4-H Service-Learning projects in 38 Louisiana parishes reached over 120,000 individuals. Over 775 youth and adults donated more than 5700 hours worth $106,108.30. In addition, these efforts generated over $62,791.61 in support for community programs.