Discover the wonderful opportunities of 4-H on March 3 in New Philadelphia

  • by Jennifer Kneuss
  • February 21, 2012
  • 340
                        
Summary: There are literally hundreds of different areas to explore through the 4-H youth program in Tuscarawas County, and representatives will be on hand for several upcoming events to introduce newcomers to all that 4-H offers. Well over a thousand county youth are involved in the Tuscarawas County 4-H program, and area 4-H clubs are opening their arms to even more members in 2012. There will be lots of activity when the Tuscarawas County 4-H program holds Discover 4-H Day from 10 to 3 on Sat. March 3, and again at the program’s Create With 4-H Day on March 17. Both days are intended to introduce potential members and their families to the wonderful world of 4-H. “At Discover 4-H Day, which will be held at the Agland farm supply store on West High Ave. in New Philadelphia, we are going to have lots of 4-H projects on hand for people to see, with a lot of animals, including pygmy goats, rabbits, and more, as well as miscellaneous projects,” said Barb Airgood, who works with the youth program through the Ohio State University Extension Office. “There will be plenty of hands on experiences so kids and their parents can discover what 4-H is all about.” Those attending can try their skills at rope tying, and can talk with current 4-H members as well as 4-H club leaders who can tell them more about specific programs and answer questions. Said Airgood, “If people are interested in finding out more about 4-H, or about what projects we have, they can come out and check it out. There will be clubs represented, and we will have project books on hand, too, so kids can see what’s involved.” “Kids get a lot of skills in 4-H that they can take forward into their adult life, especially in helping them with job interviews. When you are in 4-H, you interview for that project every year. That can add up to ten or eleven years of experience sitting down with an adult and being interviewed. Because we expect our 4-Hers to dress appropriately for an interview, they already know that. When it comes time to apply for that first job, even as a 16 year old, they are more competitive in the market,” noted Airgood. 4-H Extension Educator Chris Kendle, who works with most of the non-animal 4-H projects, agrees. “We recently had a human resources business person come in and tell us that she could tell the kids who had come through 4-H. She said it was such a pleasure to interview them for jobs,” interjected Kendle. “We hear that from people all the time, but to hear it from someone with such connections in the community was really encouraging.” Airgood also hears good things from community members about young people who are part of 4-H. “We have educators who also tell us that they, too, can tell who the 4-H kids are, because when they give them a project at school to do, the kids immediately understand the goals and the concept. They always know what to do, and can just take it and go with it.” Kendle is organizing Create With 4-H Day on March 17, which is a full day for new or prospective members to explore various types of 4-H learning activities. “The kids who come to that day have such a fun time! This year, not only are we doing something with sewing, cooking, scrapbooking and cake decorating, but we are expanding it to include robotics, photography, woodworking, and then a science STEM project,” she said. “For those who take those projects, by the time they get to judging, they feel so much more confident.” “In 4-H, they can learn things that they don’t learn anywhere else, and they also develop their social skills. The skills they learn can apply to different projects they may take on, whether miscellaneous projects or cooking projects. There is so much more than just what is in the project books. 4-H develops skills for the rest of their lives.” To find out more, attend Discover 4-H Day, call the local office at 330-339-2337, or visit http://tuscarawas.osu.edu.


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