The CEC continues to identify “keeping young people engaged” as an important issue for the Butler County Extension Service.  Getting kids engaged is more important than ever.  The Butler County Performing Arts Club responds to this need.  This program gives tees interested in music, and its performance, an opportunity to learn to work together and get along as a band. This program provides Teens with an experiential learning opportunity like no other.  Being part of a band teaches belonging, mastery of multiple skills, team work, conflict resolution, responsibility, Communications skills, organization, goal setting and goal completion.  Members commit to attending practice and performances, and to participate in 4-H a speech and demonstration contest.  Kids practice every other week immediately following teen club during the school months.  Several 4-Hers attended practices.  5 currently make up the club.  Members participated in the 4-H speech contest for 2025.   For 1 of them it was their first 4-H speech.  The agents and program assistant worked with the kids during practices.   They have performed at a 4-H fundraiser, The Simpson County Farmers Market Harvest Dinner, a county extension council meeting, and flooding and snow cancelled a fundraising show.  This year they have raised  $1,950 in ticket sales and appearance fees.  The money will be used to support the club and their activities.  We used the CEC appearance to recruit some new members as 2 of our members are high school seniors and will be moving away.  The newest member of the club is in middle school.  He is a guitar player, but has started learning to sing because he realized we were losing our main lead singers.  Staff took them to Nashville for a leadership experience trip, to see different music museums, music based businesses, and other cultural attractions.  A new member said of the trip “We got to learn about a pivotal part of the heritage of our region while also seeing the iconic “music city” in a more intimate way than ever before.”  An important indicator in this programs success is new members.  A junior singer player has joined the group, and a middle school piano player practices with them until softball starts.  Current members are working to recruit more members.