From the 4-H Program Leader
Celebrating Kansas at the Kansas State Fair
Month Day, 2026
The 2026 Kansas State Fair is well underway, and I want to start by thanking the agents and volunteers who got us here. Hauling entries to Hutchinson, checking projects in, helping with judging, and arranging exhibits for display is not glamorous work, and most of it happens before the gates ever open. Our members get to walk into those buildings and see their work displayed well because someone spent hours making sure it was. Thank you for that.
This year's fair carries a little extra weight. Our country marked its 250th birthday this summer, Kansas 4-H is 120 years old, and the fair's own slogan this year is "Celebrate Kansas." It is a fitting year to have our young people front and center.
One hundred and twenty years is a long run. The Kansas 4-H members of 1906 would not recognize much about our project list, our technology, or the way we deliver programs. But I think they would recognize exactly what is happening in our buildings this week. A young person sharing what they made and learned by showcasing it. And for those participating in the communications division on the weekends, answer questions about their presentation from an adult who takes them seriously. That part has not changed in 120 years, and it is a big reason the program has lasted.
Last month, our theme for the new year kick-off webinar was "The Next Is Now." Standing in the middle of a program this old is a good reminder of what that theme actually means. Everything we call tradition today was somebody's new idea once, and it stuck because it worked for the young people in front of them. The members walking the fairgrounds this week will decide what the next 120 years look like. Our job is to hand them something worth carrying forward.
If you are headed to Hutchinson before the fair wraps up on Sunday, I hope you get a few minutes to walk the buildings to take in all the sights and sounds of this year’s Kansas State Fair. Look at what our members brought this year. It is a good reminder of why the long hours are worth it.
One more thing as we head into the end of the month. The state fair exhibition is not the last thing our 4-H members should be doing this 4-H year. The records are. Please keep encouraging your members to complete their record books and submit their award applications before the deadlines pass. I know it is a hard sell after a long summer, and it is tempting to let it slide once the trailers are unloaded. But sitting down and writing out what you did, what was challenging, and what you learned from it is where a lot of the growth actually happens. It is also how our members earn the recognition they have worked all year for. Volunteers and agents, your nudge in the next couple of weeks makes the difference between a member who finishes strong and one who quietly runs out of steam.
Thank you for being part of Kansas 4-H. Together, we are growing leaders, building connections, and showcasing the very best of Kansas. Here is to the next 120 + years!
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