4-H youth programs offered in school settings

Mark Evans

Indiana is very blessed to have overall an excellent working relationship between FFA ag science programs and 4-H youth development programs. While both offer different programs and vary in delivery, the career development events are very much shared events for youth in both organizations to develop career and life skills.

Ag science in the middle schools and high schools is rooted to the Smith-Hughes Act passed in 1917, while 4-H via extension programs at land grant universities have their roots in the Smith-Lever Act of 1914.

Extension via 4-H youth programming works with schools in a variety of methods. Sometimes this is with ag science instructors and other programs as well.

Recently, the North Putnam High School food science room was shared, allowing yet another partnership with the 4-H Chef University program with both Bainbridge and Roachdale fourth- and fifth-grade students in the summer school program. Thanks to North Putnam administrators and ag science teachers for letting us use the food science classroom facility.

Roachdale and Bainbridge Elementary students participate in the Chef University curriculum, and were just as eager to clean up as they were to taste the outcome of their efforts.

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The youth gained knowledge in preparing food safely with proper sanitation, kitchen practices and also with the experience of cooking six different recipes for classroom sampling. Skills like reading and following a recipe, finding materials and tools to prepare items, international connections of food and healthy nutrition on a budget were additional items presented to students.

A few weeks back, an investment program reaching nearly 90 students via Greencastle Middle School and Greencastle High School students occurred where students were given a virtual $100,000 portfolio to manage using an online program made available by the Indiana Council for Economic Education. Thanks to GMS/GHS business teacher Brittany Labhart for allowing this partnership to occur, where weekly between March and mid-May, various investment topics were presented and students shared trading experiences or thoughts about the market.

Greencastle High School students in Brittany Labhart’s class wrapped up eight weeks of investment experience during a tough market period.

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Extension staff conduct numerous programs at county schools and are very involved with youth education throughout the year. Nature of Teaching and Captain Cash are two other examples where the ag natural resources educator and health and human science Extension educators and county Extension education coordinator teach in classrooms and after-school events. School administration, teachers and home school groups are welcome to contact Extension staff to begin planning for the next school year and schedule programs.

Visit www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or contact the local office by calling 653-8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Evening and lunch appointments are available upon request. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs.

Upcoming Events

June 27 – YQCA Putnam 4-H, 6 p.m., register https://yqcaprogram.org/

June 27 – Photography 4-H workshop, York Automotive Building, Putnam County Fairgrounds, 7:30 p.m.

June 29 – Exploring 4-H field day, see 4honline email

June 30 – Public speaking demonstration and summer judging 4-H contests, Putnam County Fairgrounds, 5 p.m.

July 12 – Forest Management and Selling Timber webinar, 12 p.m., register at https://women4theland.org/upcoming-events

July 12 – FairEntry.com deadline for all 4-H projects (except rabbits July 16) entered for county fair

July 22-29 – Putnam County 4-H Fair