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The new face of 4-H
By Theresa Lawton
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The New face of 4-H. (image designed by Dan Annarino) |
Indiana 4-H officials have developed a two-year campaign called "The New Face of 4-H" to attract new youth and to tell current members about additional opportunities in 4-H.
According to Janet Gordon, state 4-H program director, the campaign design came about because of a combination of factors. "4-H is more than what people think it is," she says. "Kids get involved in 4-H to have fun, meet people and learn. 4-H is changing in response to society. Not only do we deliver the programs in new ways, as part of school curricula, but we also have a new curriculum in response to changes in society. We're adjusting to the future. We've taken the best of what we've done and made it better."
Promotional billboards with the new campaign theme have gone up in Adams, Benton, Elkhart, Jackson, LaGrange, Newton, Steuben, Union, Vigo and Wells counties.
4-H has always provided activities for youth to develop life skills tied to the four H's: head, heart, hands and health. Following its own motto, 4-H is attempting to address more issues affecting today's society.
For example, there are new educational offerings ranging from computer technology to social skills. The programs give youth the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning experiences designed for their age group. With programs being incorporated into school curricula and used as supplements to traditional teaching techniques, 4-H involvement is increasing.
For parents, 4-H provides supplemental education for children at little or no cost. "This is a wonderful opportunity for youth to learn something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives," says Steve Cain, Purdue Extension communication specialist. "The key message of the new promotional campaign is 4-H has a lot to offer any young person."
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| Fourth-grade students select seeds for their 4-H Windowsill Garden project with Assistance from Purdue Extension 4-H Youth educator Joanne Lytton. She and the Carroll County Soil & Water Conservation District coordinator present this program to all fourth-grade classes in Carroll County. (Photo courtesy Purdue Extension, Carroll County) |
The largest increase of youth involved with 4-H has been in schools. Last year the number of young Hoosiers who participated in 4-H programs jumped by 40,000, due largely to the increasing presence of 4-H in schools, says Gordon. Nearly 300,000 Indiana youth participated in 4-H programs during 2000.
Extension educators, who organize 4-H programs on the county level, are developing closer ties with schools and other community organizations, says Gordon. Carroll County's Joanne Lytton is one of the many Extension educators around the state who has built a relationship with local schools.
One of Lytton's programs focuses on character building. Each month, students school-wide learn about a positive characteristic, such as responsibility. Those students who demonstrate the characteristic are recognized through a Good Character Honor Roll, which is posted in the cafeteria. "It's something the kids are proud of, and it's a way that everyone can be recognized," says Lytton. Known as the "4-H lady" by some of the younger children, Lytton also teaches nutrition classes to first-, third- and fifth-grade students.
Once in the schools, 4-H often grows by word of mouth. "Kids enjoy hands-on learning," she says. "They tell their friends about it, and their friends want to do it, too.
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