4-H offers school enrichment program
While 4-H is recognized for its youth clubs, the nationally known organization can also enhance the classroom. And local officials are anxious to get the word out. Building rockets, creating an indoor garden and hatching chicks as well as learning about food and fitness, money, babysitting and the theater, all of these are 4-H projects that can be done in local schools.
“I think it will bring excitement into the classroom,’ smiled Mary Gall, 4-H school enrichment project coordinator, as she showed off the many programs available in the Penn State University Cooperative Extension Office in downtown Uniontown.
“I think this one is awesome,’ said Gall, going over a program called “Catch the Bug.’ “This shows you where to look for insects, how to make a net, how to identify insects and make a special board to display them. I’m such an insect fan.’
With National 4-H Week being observed Oct. 2-8, local officials want to inform the public about its school enrichment programs that meet Pennsylvania academic standards for curriculum.
Displays on Fayette County 4-H clubs will be set up at Uniontown Mall on Sunday and they will be available for viewing all week. Individuals who are interested in starting after-school programs or community clubs can learn more about 4-H by looking at the material.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, the mall will set up a stage for all 4-H clubs to demonstrate or talk about their clubs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This will include several demonstrations by the 4-H Dog Club on grooming, obedience and showmanship.
Teachers are also being encouraged to look over the school enrichment curriculum at the mall. Locally, 4-H has been in the schools for decades but now the Fayette County program wants to expand its reach.
“Our goal is to get our enrollments up this year,’ said Cathy Brady, extension educator, 4-H/youth development and family and consumer sciences. “We want to let teachers know there is approved curriculum for Pennsylvania academic standards to supplement their curriculum.’
There are 4-H school projects available for youths from preschool through high school. Each project is already prepared with books for each student, which detail activities they will complete. These 4-H projects can also be entered by the students in the Fayette County Fair next summer where they will be displayed in the Youth Building and are eligible for ribbons and premiums.
Developed by the Penn State Cooperative Extension and sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, the 4-H projects are divided by subject, including science and technology, family and consumer sciences, animal sciences, environmental education and Earth sciences, communications and expressive arts, and citizenship and civic education.
Talking about some of these programs, Brady said, “We’re trying to push ‘Food and Fitness’ because of the obesity problem. This talks about food and incorporates it with the idea of fitness.’
Gall, an AmeriCorps employee assigned to the extension office, said, ‘”Kids and Kash’ talks about the basics of how to handle money. ‘Foods and Nutrition Projects’ are perfect for health and phys ed or family and consumer sciences classes.’
Each project takes about six to seven hours to complete and is broken into lessons that are about an hour long. Some projects, such as indoor gardening and embryology, will probably take longer. Brady also noted the extension office has some incubators for the embryology project.
There is a one-time fee of $20 per classroom for using 4-H projects, but this includes all materials and teachers have the opportunity to do more than one project. The fee pays for all materials, including ribbons for the students when they complete a project.
“If the schools have a hardship, they need to call the extension office and we’ll waive the fee,’ said Brady. “If they really want to do the project, we don’t want them to be left out.’
Teachers who want to participate can call the extension office and talk to Gall or Brady. Gall will visit the school with materials and train the teacher. She will also return when the project is completed to issue ribbons and certificates.
The material is available to private schools and home-schooled youths as well as public schools.
The extension office believes the projects will also appeal to people who want to do after-school programs and community clubs. They are also hoping to increase these clubs throughout Fayette County.
“I never knew 4-H was anything but big animals, but there is a 4-H dog club and there are clubs where you don’t have to have an animal,’ said Gall.
Two new clubs are being organized, including a sewing club at Sew Special in Uniontown, and a communication club, which will be held once a month in the extension office at 34 W. Peter St. in Uniontown.
Clubs can be as small as five youths. To belong to 4-H, youths must be between the ages of 8 and 18 but there is a Cloverbuds program for youths as young as four.
Those who participate in these programs receive a 4-H card, which will entitle them to one day’s admission at the Fayette County Fair. Those who enter a project can receive admission tickets for the entire fair, but the youths must pay for an upgrade to ride at the carnival.
Individual students can enter their projects as well as a class, but the extension office needs a list of names from the teacher of who is participating in the fair before the school year ends.
Introducing youths to 4-H is also an important goal.
“4-H has such values,’ said Brady. “It keeps the kids out of trouble. … It’s a great way to meet other kids. You learn life skills.’
For more information on 4-H, phone the extension office at 724-438-0111.