Author: Eric Comley
Major Program: Natural Resources 4-H Core Curriculum
Michael Clarke, in an interview about the state of our knowledge regarding nature, described a new phenomena regarding the inability of individuals to know their local species of animals and plants. This disconnect from local natural systems prompted the Garrard County 4-H Youth Development (YD) Agent, in collaboration with the Garrard County FFA Advisor, to start and sustain an Envirothon Team at Garrard County High School. The program was implemented in 2016 and the inaugural group graduated,
Author: Anna Meador
Shooting Sports Camp participants display their Riffle targets after their shooting session at the Riffle Range. New to Allen County 4-H, our Archery Shooting Sports Club provides sportsman educationAllen County 4-H'er, Wyatt Seifrig, receives one-on-one guidance for technique and aim during Archery practice. to fourteen youth seeking hands-on archery training. Through the program, youth learn the importance of firearm safety, as well as proper procedure for handling and sh
Author: Lindsey Dunn
The Daviess County 4-H program has been offering Summer Day Camps to 4-H’ers and local youth for a number of years. From 2015-2019, Daviess County 4-H Staff have provided over fifty opportunities for youth to participate in these Summer Day Camps. Some of these day camps fill up with registered participants within days of publishing the Summer Day Camp booklet each spring. Every year, parents and participants ask about these day camps in advance of the booklet publication
Author: Lisa Jones
Whitley County Cooperative Extension Office is educating the community about the importance and need for conservation of pollinators and their habitats. Pollinator numbers are declining but most importantly the bee population has declined the most due to habitat destruction, pollution, pesticides and disease. Urban areas can be revamped with pollinator gardens that are beneficial to not only bees but other pollinators such as insects, birds and mammals. In order to increase awareness, 4-H Youth
Author: Brandon Darst
According to an article by A Childs Mind Institute, the average American child is said to spend 4 to 7 minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors, and more than 7 hours a day in front of a screen. And as suburbs and exurbs continue to expand, nature is parceled off more and kids seem less inclined to spend time in a fenced-in yard, let alone jump the fence into a neighbor’s or walk in the woods. Instead, indoor activities can seem easier (no sunscreen necessary!), safer, and even mor
Author: Susan Campbell
With a community effort to get youth physical active, a team made up of Anderson County 4-H Youth Development Agent, Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, Anderson County Schools, and local business planned/organized the Longest Day of Play event. The event was designed to bring youth outdoors and to participate in over 40 outdoor play activities in which they would be physical active. Each station offered prizes for participating. The Longest Day of the play was scheduled to coincide with
Author: Katie Wallace
In August of 2018 Elliott County 4-H Youth Development Agent, Katie Wallace, was approached by Dr. Mark Mains in hopes of creating a program for Kentucky Shooting Sports clubs that involved donating harvested deer to help fight food insecurity. After researching, Katie found a group that had this as their mission. Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry is a non-profit organization that works closely with deer hunters, meat processors, and food banks to provide lean, high quality protein. Through
In an effort to keep 4-H booked in the summer at the Central Kentucky Wildlife Area, the Madison County 4-H Shooting Sports Club decided they would host their first ever shoot. The District 4 Shooting Sports Committee disbanded, therefore leaving a weekend spot open for the shooting range that has long been coveted but the adult state shoot. The 4-H Agent was concerned that once 4-H did not host a competition this year that 4-H in general would lost the weekend for ever. The 4-
Author: Krista Perry
The Franklin County Schools realized last school year there was a need to supplement the 4th grade science curriculum while allowing students to experience hands on activities in an outdoor environment; therefore, the Franklin County 4-H Program offered the environmental program. The program reached to over 300-4th grade students in Franklin County in an overnight camp. The overnight camp consisted of classes including water quality, soils, fishing, forestry, entomology, KY wildlife, arche
Author: Rebecca Konopka
The 4-H Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRESci) Academy is a three-year program designed to teach middle-school age youth about their natural environment. In 2011, the Academy began as a pilot 4-H program with 18 scholars from eight eastern counties. As of 2018, the Academy has grown to a statewide 4-H program with 65 scholars and ambassadors from 20 counties. The Carter County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development Education serves on the NRESci planning committee.
Author: Raven Ford
Rowan County 4-H Council had identified environmental education as a need for local students. During that time, a newly developed group of volunteers called Friends of Rodburn Hollow was interested in partnering with Rowan County 4-H to conduct environmental youth education days for elementary age students.Fourth and fifth graders in Rowan County Elementary Schools lacked understanding and practical knowledge of environmental education and its components. During the 2018-2019 school year, Rowan
Author: Diane Kelley
Kenton County Cooperative Extension surveyed teachers in 3 Kenton County school districts at the end of the 2017-2018 school year requesting input for 4-H natural resource school program lessons. 4-H Council members in March 2018 also spoke at length for the need to engage school program youth in fair projects and other educational opportunities. As a result of the surveys and discussion with local council members, three new lessons for the 2018-2019 school year, included hand&rsquo
Author: Madalyn Hale
On June 4th, 2019 we held a gardening day camp at the Fayette County Extension Office. This day camp was in partnership with one of our local elementary schools, James Lane Allen Elementary. Working with the 21st Century Coordinator, this trip was planned back in the winter. In preparation for this day camp, we sought partners to work with the make this a success. The Fayette County Master Gardener's had helped us the year before and we touched base with them again to help again this year. A
Author: Dominique Wood
Recycling saves and helps everyone in Livingston County. Recycling one ton of newspaper saves 17 trees. If each Kentucky house-hold recycled one average Sunday newspaper, that would save over 16,000 trees in a single day. Recycling one pound of glass saves enough energy to light a 100 watt bulb for four hours. Kentuckians use 37,000 beverage bottles each hour. If each Kentucky household recycled just one plastic bottle each week, in one year that would represent $303,298.00 in
Author: Lora Stewart
“One of the greatest things about fishing is that it is a hobby you can enjoy at any age. No matter how old or young you are, you can still learn to bait a hook, cast a line and fish. Fishing also provides an opportunity for families to spend some quality time together out in nature while learning some important lessons. Teaching children to fish will not only give them a hobby that they can share with their own kids someday, but it will help them to learn about patience, problem sol
Author: Patrick Allen
With childhood obesity at the highest it has ever been, it is important for youth to participate in activities that get them off the couch and out of the house. It is said that the current generation of youth spends, on average seven minutes a day to unstructured outdoor play/ recreation. The outdoor survival curriculum I am currently working on incorporates physical activity as well as creative thinking. It allows youth to take simple items and create one of three basic human needs (food, water
Author: Amy Branstetter
The State 4-H Program has only one tractor driving course that is shared all over the state. The Metcalfe County 4-H Council asked the 4-H Agent to put together a tractor driving course that is patterned after the state kit, to enable us to host a county and area contest. Metcalfe County is a rural county and several of our youth are involved with large and small tractors on a day to day basis. The youth are able to participate in the 4-H Tractor Driving event at the county, area, and state
Author: Samantha Saunders
While brainstorming ideas for day camps during the summer, it hit me. I have this huge park in my county that would be a great place to hold a day camp. That park is not just any normal park though, it is Blue Licks State Report Park, also known as the home place to the Battle of Blue Licks (the last battle in the Revolutionary War). I had the location, now what to cover....well what does Blue Licks have a lot of? Trees, streams, rocks, insects, etc. NATURE! Now, I had the location and the topic
