National Junior Horticultural Association

The National Junior Horticultural Association (NJHA) is a U.S. non-profit organization, founded in 1934, that is dedicated to promoting and developing horticulture among youth. This is mainly achieved through a variety of horticulturally related tours, activities, and competitions organized at annual national conventions held each fall. These competitions also serve as the national level for finalists from horticulture competitions held by 4-H, FFA, The Grange, and similar organizations at state or local levels. Preparations for these competitions help train youth in areas such as speech, presentation, and horticultural knowledge, but also, it is hoped, builds in them a greater appreciation for horticulture. Additionally, the organization aims to enrich education and to guide youth to pursue a career in horticulture.

NJHA Goals

  1. To promote and sponsor educational programs for youth through a variety of projects and activities that foster a better understanding of horticulture.
  2. To develop good citizens with a basic understanding of nature and an acceptance of responsibility for the environment in which we live.
  3. To acquaint youth with the many and varied career opportunities, both vocational and professional, available in the horticultural industry.
  4. To provide young people and their adult leaders with new experiences in group participation, cooperation and leadership at the national level.

Leadership

The Board of Trustees of the National Junior Horticultural Foundation, Inc. (NJHF) is the adult-based side of the National Junior Horticultural Association. Those who might be on the foundation board are representatives of horticulturally related corporations and associations, land-grant universities, the Cooperative Extension Service, FFA, youth officers, and anybody who privately donates $500 toward the organization.

The Foundation board nominates various NJHA alumni leaders to coordinate NJHA programs—national program chairperson, national vice program chairperson, adult advisor(s), and executive secretary. The program chairperson appoints national project leaders, and state program leaders. Youth officers must first be interviewed by the adult advisor(s), NJHA past president, NJHA current president, and the executive secretary (the nominating committee). The youth officers are nominated by that committee and are presented to the youth attending the convention. Youth officers are then elected at the NJHA annual convention from youth delegates their term is until the next year’s convention.

The 2013-2014 National Junior Horticultural Foundation board members

The youth officer team usually consists of three regional directors, secretary, vice president, president, and past president. The past president is the only officer who is not elected as they were elected to a two-year term when elected president. Up to four youth coordinators are appointed by state leaders from their state's delegates attending the convention. Youth coordinators act as ties between delegates and the national officer team and finding new youth and possible adult leaders.

The 2014-2015 National Junior Horticultural Association officer team

The National Junior Horticultural Alumni Association is composed of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The officers are elected yearly and must be active in the alumni.

The 2014-2015 National Junior Horticultural Alumni Association officer team

NJHA Organization and Philosophy

The NJHA program focus is represented by the acronym HYCEL:

NJHA projects and activities are designed to work with:

Sources

"NJHA: the National Junior Horticultural Association" accessed on September 20, 2006

"What is The National Junior Horticultural Association (NJHA)?" accessed on September 20, 2006

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