[Image: 4-H Summer Camp Photo]Vernon Parish 4-H Club highlights of 4-H activities, camps and projects throughout the year.
The Vernon Parish 4-H Livestock Program has continued to grow over the past few years. This program is an excellent tool that enables youth to learn responsibility, management, nutrition and fitness and is a great way to include the entire family. We have been successful at the district and state levels.
The Fort Polk 4-H Program offers many opportunities to youth from ages 5 – 19 predominately in afterschool, holiday and summer programs. These youth have an opportunity to participate in hands-on lessons in photography, citizenship, creative arts, computers, and more. We are currently spending the 2nd $10,000.00 4-H Military Partnership Grant and will be writing a new Grant Proposal in December to purchase necessary materials for projects, leader/staff training and recruiting/education.
Will conduct the annual Teen Mentor training for 150 + teens on Character Counts on September 21st at the Louisiana Lion’s Camp to prepare them to enter 4th – 6th grade classrooms. They will be teaching monthly lessons on the 6 pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship and a 7th lesson on decision making. Many of the schools also include lessons and support programs on the buses, in the cafeterias, in P.E. classes and more. The Ft Polk youth related programs also use the materials in a variety of ways with their youth.
The Vernon Parish 4-H enrollment continues to be the highest with an enrollment of 2128 and a reenrollment rate of close to 50%. This past year our Club Meeting Programs were focused on “Safety” and included internet safety, food safety, bicycle and automotive safety, hunting/ATV safety, and boating/water safety as we reached over 2000 youth across the parish on a monthly basis.
This past summer 8 Vernon Parish Teens and 4-H Agent, Chad Hagan had the opportunity to participate in the Louisiana 4-H Marsh Maneuvers Camp on the Gulf Coast. The group spent time in Grand Chenier on the Rockerfeller Wildlife Refuge, pulled reed grass in Avery Island to transplant in Vermilion Bay for coastal erosion, crabbed, trawled for shrimp, learned how to determine the age of a fish by cutting out the ear bone, ran a 5K, rode air boats in the marsh and more. As a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the group is in the process of helping to plan a mini-adventure for the 4-H Teen Leader Club in Marsh. The two day event will include planting dune grass on the dune between Hollybeach and Johnson Bayou, crabbing, fishing and more.
The Vernon Parish 4-H Teen Leader Club has a membership of close to 100 teens from across the parish who are involved in a variety of activities that include service learning/community service, leadership training, career exploration and more. This organization has been recognized for its’ many efforts with March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis, and the Ronald McDonald House but have also worked many organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism, the Cattlemen’s Association, May Fest and more.
Vernon Parish was well represented in the Horse Shows at the parish, district, state and southern regional levels at halter, showmanship, speed and performance events roping and presentation contests. Kristen Morrison of Anacoco Senior 4-H placed 1st in the Senior Pole Bending and earned the opportunity to go on to Southern Regionals. Tryon Williams and Chase Haymon, also of Anaco[Image: Angola Photo]co placed 1st at state in the Open Team Demonstration contest also earning them the opportunity to go on to Southern Regionals.
The Vernon Parish 4-H Woodsman Skill contest continues with much success. Not only does this event teach our teens about the “old time” forestry skills, it also enables youth to learn about the many careers involved in Forestry as many from the industry help train or sponsor the teams. Many from the industry also sponsor our state teams and judge the parish event. This past April Vernon Parish came home with the Champion Trophy Saw from the Louisiana Forestry Festival in Winnfield.
As a parish, we completed 3 major service learning projects with March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis and Ronald McDonald House. 4-H members collected over $4000.00 bringing a 8 year total to over $40,000.00 for March of Dimes. The Cystic Fibrosis Skate-a-Long brought in over $16,000.00 for research and we are bringing in over 700 pounds of soft drink tabs to Ronald McDonald House in Monroe where our teens will also visit the Pediatric Wing of the ocal hospital to bring stuffed animals.
33 teens and 11 adults represented Vernon Parish at State 4-H University bringing home 2 State Winners, a 1st Alternate and several Blue Ribbons. Caleb Minion of Evans Senior 4-H had the opportunity to serve as the Opening Night Entertainment and played the cello, Sydney Williams of Anacoco Senior 4-H sang the National Anthem and Rae Addison of Leesville Senior 4-H carried the Cenla Region 4-H Flag. Kristen Morrison of Anacoco Senior 4-H was elected to serve on the State 4-H Executive Committee as Regional Representative and Sydney was selected to serve on the newly formed State 4-H Citizenship Board. Mrs Beryl Ford and Dr Cindy Gillespie were also recognized with the Louisiana 4-H Alumni Award during a special banquet held at State 4-H University.
Completed 2 8th Grade Angola [Image: Teen Leaders Photo]Tours with over 100 participants. Participants learn about prison life as well as the many careers involved with running a prison. In addition to touring the facility, participants listen to an actual prisoner as they tell the story of prison life. Two tours are on the schedule for this year.
4-H Elementary Demonstration Day and Junior & Senior demonstration Day are held at the Louisiana Lion’s Camp each with over 300 participants each day. Youth participate in a variety of demonstrations, speeches, interviews and illustrated talk events that test their communication skills.
The 6th Annual 4-H Forestry Adventure Camp was held with over 100 participants. This 4th – 6th grade camp provides youth with hands-on lessons concerning Louisiana Forestry, the environment, wetlands, wildlife and fisheries, outdoor skills and other related topics. Campers also enjoyed building squirrel feeders to bring home and some to donate to the Camp and their communities.