4-H offers 40 different project areas for youth to explore and learn! I’d like to highlight a few of them over the next few weeks.
The Foods and Nutrition project is about much more than the cookies, cakes, and pies that you see on display during the fair. The Foods and Nutrition project provides opportunities for youth to learn the basics of measuring, following a recipe, and kitchen safety. As youth advance through the project, they learn about terminology, food safety, food labels/nutrition, and budgeting. We encourage youth to be active participants in planning and preparing meals at home as necessary life skills; it just isn’t feasible to bring a casserole to the fair!
For youth interested in the outdoors, the Wildlife project provides opportunities to learn about wildlife behavior, habitat requirements, how wildlife species fit into nature’s scheme, how they are managed, and how they relate to humans. Youth progress through learning about reptiles and amphibians, about habitat, and about birds through more advanced topics of the importance of insects and flowers, identifying seed shapes, characteristics of mammals, the significance of wetlands, and the effect of humans on wildlife habitat. We have an excellent resource in the Kansas Wetlands Education Center to reinforce these learning opportunities as well as Kansas 4-H events such as the annual Insect Spectacular!
Photography is a project that has changed a bit over the years as the quality of cell phone cameras has dramatically improved. Photography was one of my own favorite projects and I bought my first good camera when I graduated from high school. It was a sad day when Dale Riggs had to tell me that he could no longer repair my trusty Minolta which had captured thousands of photos and was utilized during my journalism course of study! Photography is about much more than hitting the button on your phone to take quality pictures that share a story. The photography project walks youth through the basics of how a camera works, basic composition, and organizing a photo story to learning shutter speeds, the Rule of Thirds, and the differences between normal, wide angle, telephoto, and zoom. Additional 4-H events include annual Shutterbugs workshops for youth to learn, practice, and explore!
I hope this sparks an interest in a youth in your world and gives you more information as you look at 4-H projects showcased during the county fair.
If you are interested in learning more about 4-H projects, check out kansas4-h.org in the Projects section! All projects include communications skills, record keeping, career connections, and opportunities for leadership and community service!
Michelle Beran is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent for the Cottonwood District, Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth and Development related questions email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.
