Illinois State Representative Wayne Arthur Rosenthal welcomed young people from the 4-H program to his Capitol office on Apr. 16, thanking them for their efforts to advocate and educate legislators about the organization. “Thank you to the young people who came to visit the capitol to advocate and educate legislators about the 4-H program in Illinois,” said Rep. Rosenthal. “It is interesting to learn that nineteen U.S. Presidents are alumni of the 4-H tradition.”
The visit underscored the importance of youth involvement in community programs like 4-H, which aims to provide practical, hands-on learning experiences for young people across rural, urban, and suburban communities.
The roots of the organization trace back to early twentieth-century efforts by educators such as A.B. Graham in Ohio and O.J. Kern in Illinois, who started clubs focused on agricultural projects like tomatoes, corn, pigs, and canning for rural youth. Jessie Field Shambaugh later developed a clover pin with an H on each leaf in 1910; by 1912 these groups became known as 4-H Clubs.
Today’s programming extends beyond agriculture into science, engineering, technology, math education opportunities—including rocketry and robotics—to help prepare youth for modern challenges.
Rosenthal was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 108th House District in 2023 after replacing Charles Meier according to Ballotpedia.
Rosenthal said he appreciated learning about both historical contributions of past presidents who were part of this tradition and current initiatives that support education throughout Illinois.
