Youth Development

SD 4-H welcomes new Shooting Sports and Outdoor Education Field Specialist

September 15, 2026

South Dakota 4-H, a program of South Dakota State University Extension, is pleased to welcome Karen Gardner as a new SDSU Extension 4-H Shooting Sports and Outdoor Education Field Specialist.

Clover Connect

Youth across South Dakota, especially in rural areas, benefit from opportunities to explore their interests, build skills and start imagining what their future could look like. Clover Connect brings SDSU and learning opportunities to communities across South Dakota.

SDSU Extension experts to attend 2026 Dakotafest

July 22, 2026

South Dakota State University Extension experts will attend the 2026 Dakotafest trade show in Mitchell, providing educational resources and hands-on activities for a variety of topics.

4-H Outdoor Education

The term ‘outdoor education’ refers to a wide range of experiential education in, for, and about the outdoors. Outdoor education experiences range from single events to year-long programs for youth in South Dakota.

Beyond Ready

4-H is equipped to support youth in becoming Beyond Ready – prepared to plan and navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Operation Occupation: Unlock Your Potential

Operation Occupation aims to give young people an insight into various career opportunities right from their screens. The interactive gaming experience allows youth to explore different industries and specific career paths while participating in a virtual escape room format.

Career Exploration

SDSU Extension 4-H has created the Career Conversations: Exploring My Future in the 605 and Operation Occupation: Unlock Your Potential, which are virtual career exploration courses that are self-guided and free of charge for teachers and youth.