From the 4-H Program Leader
Showcasing the Future of Kansas at the Kansas State Fair
Month Day, 2026
Every September, the best of Kansas 4-H is on display in Hutchinson. Like the county fair, the state fair includes early mornings, long hours, and, about halfway through, most are running on caffeine and adrenaline. Somewhere in the middle of it all, taking a few moments to watch what is going on gives us a chance to remember why we do what we do and commit ourselves to making the best better. A nine-year-old has someone outside her family take her work seriously for the first time. A first-time state fair 4-H exhibitor figures out the show ring while an older member coaches quietly from the rail. A teenager loses in public and comes back the next morning anyway. A family that drove four hours stands back and lets their kid do the talking. Those are not small things, and you cannot get them from a classroom. Our members are more confident in their abilities now than they were at the beginning of the 4-H year. This is another illustration of how
4-H members are Beyond Ready; it happens because parents, volunteers, and extension professionals keep showing up.
I want to extend a huge thank you to all extension professionals, volunteers, and members who have already signed up to volunteer at the 2026 Kansas State Fair. Just like county fairs, the state fair would not be a success without you! Your time, energy, and dedication are what make this experience meaningful for every youth who participates. We do still need quite a few volunteers, so if you have not signed up yet, we NEED YOU! If you know of any volunteers who have not signed up but might be willing to help, please invite them to do so. As you know, many hands make light work!
While we are celebrating what our members accomplish this year at the state fair, a new 4-H year is right around the corner. Our theme for the New 4-H Year Kick-off is "The Next Is Now." The calendar invitation for the kick-off has been updated with the webinar link. The State 4-H Team looks forward to sharing updates and various information with you as you prepare for the new 4-H year on Tuesday, August 18, from 2-4 p.m. (CST).
The future of Kansas 4-H is already here, in the young people walking into the club meetings, standing in the show rings, and attending project meetings. Our job is to be ready for them.
A quote that I have in my office and see every day seems fitting for not only 4-H and the webinar theme of “The Next is Now” but for our Extension organization.
"Fight your natural resistance to change. Figure out what needs to be done. Find out what no longer needs to be done, then stop doing it. Separate the wheat from the chaff and invest your time and energy in the wheat. Don't do more with less; do more by doing it differently. Work smarter. Perpetually adjust, refine, innovate, and adapt."
Perpetually adjust, refine, innovate, and adapt. That is a tall order heading into the new 4-H and extension programming year, but it is good advice. I would like to encourage each of us to take an honest look at how we spend our time. What is the wheat in our programs, the work that truly grows young people? And what is the chaff we keep doing simply because we have always done it? It is okay to set something down. That is often what makes room for the work that matters more. Just as the farmer ensures they record how their crop did by taking it to the elevator to be weighed and tested, we cannot forget to report all the successes from the programs we have completed. Tell those success stories!
Let this season reignite our purpose, strengthen our partnerships within and outside our organization, and remind us that every moment we invest in youth development is a seed planted for a stronger Kansas.
Thank you for being part of Kansas 4-H. Together, we are growing leaders, building connections, and showcasing the very best of Kansas.