For Inland Northwest students like Ainsley Carpenter and Peter Minick, as well as hundreds of their peers, 4-H is the gateway to life-changing confidence and resilience.
During Washington State University’s 2025 CougsGive fundraising drive, Wednesday, April 16, donors can help grow the community-powered endowment that helps youth in the greater Spokane area access 4-H experiences and scholarships.
“4-H isn’t just a club, it’s a life builder,” said Carpenter, a former Spokane County 4-H member and current WSU junior. “It shapes futures, fosters leadership, and opens doors to opportunities that many young people wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Carpenter is one of many college-age recipients who have benefitted from the Spokane County 4-H Budget and Fundraising (BFR) Committee Scholarship Fund, an endowment that supports post-high school education as well as county 4-H programs, projects, and travel. Through CougsGive donations, 4-H leaders hope to increase the value and number of annual awards given to members who have just graduated from high school or are already in college.
Through the BFR fund, donors help youth become citizens and leaders via club events, fair participation, conferences, and competitions. BFR scholarships help members build on and ultimately pay forward their 4-H experience.
“4-H taught me responsibility,” said WSU freshman and scholarship recipient Peter Minick. The third and youngest brother in his family, Minick took part in 4-H from age 9 to 19, raising, showing, and selling pigs and cattle.
“I had to follow a routine and do things the right way to safeguard the lives of the animals I was in charge of raising,” he said. “Knowing a portion of my college education comes from my years in 4-H makes me proud to be a 4-Her.”
Peter’s mom Mandy, a former volunteer 4-H club leader, helped coach him and a team of fellow 4-H members, aged 15-19, to state and national livestock judging competitions.
“These kids are smart and articulate,” Mandy Minick said. “They’ll get up in front of a stranger, often an intimidating one, and state their case for why one animal is better than another. There isn’t anyone they couldn’t talk to.”
During Peter’s time in 4-H, Mandy watched her son mentor younger 4-H members, showing them the ropes of livestock demonstration at the Spokane Interstate Fair.
“He did that not only because he enjoyed it but because he learned that helping others was important along the way,” she said. “4-H builds good citizens.”
A WSU college senator and member of the university Raptor Club, Carpenter describes 4-H as a transformative experience.
“It’s not only given me hands-on experience with STEM, animals, and leadership, but has also prepared me for college and my future career,” said Carpenter, who has presented to U.S. agencies and met with a USDA undersecretary as a national 4-H Conference facilitator.
In an era when many youths struggle with socialization and find it difficult to disconnect from electronics, 4-H gives a sense of purpose, connection, and real-world engagement, Carpenter said.
“It brings back the passion and drive that students need to succeed, encouraging them to step away from screens and immerse themselves in hands-on learning, teamwork, and leadership,” she said. “4-H isn’t just about projects or competitions; it’s about personal growth.”
Nationally, research has consistently shown that 4-H members are more likely to be civically engaged, gainfully employed, and satisfied with their life.
Spokane County 4-H youth are 1.3 times as likely to go on to post-secondary education when compared to high school graduates in general, said Gary Varrella, director of WSU Spokane County Extension, who referenced his study of approximately 2,000 4-H graduates from 37 county 4-H programs in Washington.
Many past Spokane County 4-H graduates eventually come full circle as community members and professionals serving youth. Jennifer Fees, a Spokane-based 4-H Nutrition and Healthy Living Educator, follows the impact of former members of Spokane’s Youth Advocates for Health, or YA4-H!, program.
These teens lead community education and service projects promoting health and wellness, reaching more than 600 elementary-age pupils every year through an afterschool partnership with Spokane Public Schools. YA4-H! members have reached thousands more through fair exhibits, service projects, and youth carnivals.
“A lot of my teen teachers have won BFR scholarships, gone on to college, and become teachers and speech language pathologists,” Fees said. “These teens are incredible.”
Since 2008, the BFR fund has provided more than $27,000 in scholarships for Spokane County youth. CougsGive donations will create a more reliable source of revenue for awards and programs.
One donor has already provided a challenge donation of $2,000; Varrella hopes that contributors will help match that gift to bring an additional $4,000 to the Spokane 4-H endowment.
“This fund ensures that 4-H members can access experiences, education, and mentorship that will prepare them for college, careers, and lifelong success,” Carpenter said. “4-H continues to make my world so much better, and I know it will do the same for countless others. Your generosity ensures that the next generation of leaders, farmers, scientists, and educators can thrive.”
• On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, join Cougs in supporting positive youth development by giving to the Spokane County 4-H Budget and Fundraising Committee’s Scholarship Fund. Learn more at the CAHNRS CougsGive website.