In February of 2022, Owen County 4-H Council sponsored 10 attendees for the Kentucky Volunteer Forum. The Forum is one of the nation’s premier volunteer training and recognition conferences. At the forum, the Owen County 4-H Youth Development Agent and a Volunteer attended a workshop hosted by the Pulaski County, Georgia 4-H Youth Development Agent, Sonya R. Jones. 

Mrs. Jones Led a workshop entitled “4-H is for Everyone: The H.E.R.O.E.S. Program” the workshop description was “Pulaski 4-H (GA) celebrates differences & promotes inclusion, diversity, & equity. 4-H is for everyone. H.E.R.O.E.S. (Hope 4 Everyone to Recognize in Others Extraordinary Skills) is a Healthy Living & STEM program created for 4th & 5th grade special education students. It is a once-a-month program to allow 4-H'ers with disabilities to learn & grow together with teen leaders/Extension staff to create a safe & inclusive environment. Every person has their own uniqueness, special skills, & qualities. HEROES was created to help youth recognize; respect & celebrate those qualities.” 

In this workshop we learned about various disabilities and challenges students might face but how can we as Youth development Professionals and Volunteers accommodate to their needs and wants to participate in 4-H programs. The Owen County 4-H Youth Development Agent met with an Owen County Volunteer who had decided this is needed for youth in our county and devised a plan to make it happen. We worked in cooperation with Owen County High School Administration, the Special Education Teacher, and another 4-H Volunteer to plan a weekly meeting time during the school day to go into the classroom and do lessons, work on projects, and teach about opportunities in 4-H for EVERYONE! 

In March, we had the very first meeting for Owen County 4-H H.E.R.O.E.S, we met with 4 student, and 2 staff members who all got to learn about our different clubs, 4-H Camp, State and County Fairs and how they can show off their hard work and skills, we made trail mix and worked on communicating as a team on what the class wanted, then if someone wanted things added to their own it was at the end (turs out not everyone likes banana chips). The students have since then done embroidery, learned how to make strawberry jam, and are now starting to sew in hopes to make a quilt. 

This program couldn’t have happened without the 2022 Kentucky Volunteer Forum, Owen County Schools being SO helpful, and the most AMAZING volunteers.

Pictured above are volunteers Dawn Davis and Denise Perkins teaching the students how to make strawberry jam.

Pictured above is the jam in the canner.