“Learn More, Have Fun, Make a Difference. . . through 4-H!” says Lisa Holmes, Associate Extension Agent (4-H) with the LSU AgCenter’s Webster Parish Extension Service. “September and October are 4-H Club enrollment months, and we are encouraging youth in grades 4-12 to Join 4-H and Join the FUN!”
4-H is the youth development part of Louisiana State University AgCenter’s program. 4-H members choose activities they want to do based on their interests and abilities, such as raising animals and plants, preparing food, caring for pets, camping, collecting insects, outdoor skills/shooting safety, learning to sew, computer skills and much more!
Webster Parish has a 4-H club at every school, plus a Home School Club! Each club is led by an adult volunteer leader (a teacher at the school, a parent or other caring adult), who keeps the group organized and aware of upcoming activities. Clubs meet during the school day once a month during the school year. In these meetings, club officers conduct the business portion, members report on activities or present demonstrations and Mrs. Holmes conducts an educational program. Some clubs have guest speakers or work on a community service project. Each club member receives a “Webster News & Notes” newsletter, which contains details of parish events in the coming months.
“How do I enroll, and what will we do?” That is a common question of potential 4-H’ers.
To enroll in 4-H, students in Webster schools should complete an Enrollment Card and pay their club dues. Dues are a once-a-year fee set by the club or volunteer leader to cover costs of project books, insurance for events and materials for club activities. Club leaders have Enrollment Cards at the school, or students may pick one up at the Webster Parish Extension/4-H Office, located on the bottom floor of the Webster Parish Health Unit (1202 Homer Road) in Minden.
Enrollment cards ask for basic information from the student, including address, phone number, grade, date of birth, etc. Students also select ONE project book based on their interest. First-time 4-H members in 4th-6th grades must select the “Discovering 4-H” project book; others can select a project they want to learn more about. There are hundreds of project books for elementary, junior high and high school aged students in a variety of topics, including computers, public speaking, pets, electricity, environment, livestock, photography and many more!
4-H members in 7th - 12th grades can also develop leadership and citizenship skills by participating in a Service Club in their school or community. Interested youth will learn about the needs of their particular community in Webster Parish and develop a “Service-Learning” project, where they will use a parish community service project as an educational program. Junior Leadership assists teens in becoming more active as volunteers in their schools and communities while increasing leadership skills.
“What else can I do in 4-H besides go to club meetings?” is another question of 4-H members. There are parish, district, state and national events and activities for youth enrolled in 4-H. Parish activities include cookery contests, talent shows, pet shows, livestock competitions, poster contests, shooting sports, community service activities, 4-H Fun Day, bicycle rodeo and Awards Night. District events are cookery contests, state fair events, Summer Camp for 4th-6th graders, Challenge Camp for 7th-8th graders, horse shows, etc. State opportunities include Junior Leadership Conference, 4-H University/Short Course, Citizenship Louisiana Focus, Honey Bee Essay Contest, Wild Woods Wanderings, Marsh Maneuvers and more. National events are Citizenship Washington Focus, 4-H Congress, livestock shows and awards trips. 4-H members will be made aware of these opportunities throughout the year.
Adults can become involved in 4-H as well. Clubs at school need volunteers to assist with club programs and activities, 4-H members can form “project groups,” and adults can work with a small group of youth who are working on the same project book. At this time, adults are actively working with specific projects are in the areas of livestock, gardening and shooting sports, but many more project groups can be formed!
Collaboration with other organizations is also important to 4-H’s success. For example, the Webster Homemakers’ Council supports 4-H by serving as project leaders and judges for contests, providing 4-H camp sponsorships, donating items for community service projects, making quilts for Outstanding Senior 4-H members at Awards Night and more! Webster Master Gardeners serve as mentors for youth in the 4-H projects, sponsor the annual 4-H Gardening Contest and present educational programs for both youth and adults at 4-H events. And the 4-H program is greatly supported by the Webster Parish School Board and Police Jury!
Want to learn more about 4-H? Visit www.lsuagcenter.com or www.louisiana4h.org or contact Lisa Holmes at 318-371-1371 or lholmes@agcenter.lsu.edu or stop by the Webster Parish Extension Office, 1202 Homer Road in Minden, Louisiana.