Project Report - 2008

4-H Program Delivery and Administration

Project Leader: Sherrie Guyott

Extension Staff

• Angelica Paredes
• Karen Barshefsky
• Carrie Chickering Sears
• Jay Field
• Lorraine Kiritsis
• Wendy Marcks
• Gretchen May
• Nancy McCarthy
• Pam Lefave
• Mary Phelon
• Kim Pond
• Thomas Waskiewicz

This project addressed the following UMass Extension Critical Issue:

• Youth Development and Engagement

Description

Youth development principles suggest that in order to realize their potential and to become productive members of society, all youth need to have a safe environment, a positive relationship with a caring adult, opportunities for mastery and service to others, and to be engaged in their learning.   The 4-H program offers an opportunity for youth to become involved in a 4-H club in their own community.  Our clubs allow youth to develop close and supportive relationships with adults who care.  The club experience offers a safe environment as well as those important opportunities for engaged learning and community service.   

Through their 4-H club, youth learn the life skills that are critical to their future success including: public speaking, recordkeeping, decision-making and teamwork.  They have rich experiential education opportunities in the areas of science, technology, engineering and healthy living.  In addition, 4-H clubs engage youth in citizenship and community service activities.

Activity Summary

During the past few years, a focused effort has been undertaken by 4-H staff to reach underserved audiences.  Collaborations exist between 4-H and the 21st Century Learning Grant programs in several cities and this year a summer science program was developed in the community of Taunton, MA.  Unfortunately, a series of efforts to start a 4-H club in Framingham, MA were not successful.  We continue to support a 4-H club that is based within a Worcester, MA community center.  This club began last year, after 4-H Foundation funding made it possible to hire staff that worked to get this group up and running.  4-H collaborates with the Extension Family Nutrition Program to reach underserved audiences in Brockton, MA.  There are currently three 4-H clubs in Holyoke, MA. The Cuenta Conmigo (Count on Me) 4-H Club presented at the Festival del Jibaro at a local farm site operated by Nuestras Racies.  We are currently laying important groundwork to expand 4-H programs to reach previously underserved audiences in   Springfield, MA.

The Massachusetts 4-H program is delivered through a statewide system of volunteers.  Educational events and activities are conducted at the county, regional, state and national levels to support the development of knowledge and skills in areas of focus such as science and communications skills.  These include:

• Visual Presentation events that build presentation and communication skills, conducted at the county, regional and state level
• Science events and camps conducted on the UMass Amherst campus
• Dog camps
• Horse Bowl/Equine Knowledge competitions at the state and local level 
• National 4-H Horse Round Up
• 4-H project exhibits at local 4-H fairs and the Big E
• 4-H members attend state level leadership development programs and the National 4-H Congress
• 4-H members completed written 4-H records and submitted them to their local office for evaluation
• 4-H clubs participated in local community service projects and the statewide food drive with over 11,00 pounds of food collected and distributed to local food pantries

Results Summary

Massachusetts 4-H helps youth to feel valued and connected.  Our youth programs enable youth to develop the necessary skills to become capable, competent adults.  Our programs help youth to be more effective communicators.  In an evaluation of our Visual Presentation program, 96% percent of parents said that the program helped their child become a better speaker and 87% thought it helped their child to make better presentations in school.  The major impacts of the 4-H Program are eloquently expressed in the words of participating youth:

• “4-H has allowed me to exercise my abilities to their fullest potential, has helped me to learn more about myself and has given me unforgettable memories and rewards, all of which make me a more positive and confident person.”
• "Leadership, people skills, compassion, education, presenting skills, and community service are only a few of the things I have learned and experienced over the last eight years.  Public speaking is one of the most feared experiences of adults.  I feel 100% comfortable with it, all thanks to doing visual presentations in 4-H."

In addition to building individuals skills, the 4-H Program impacts communities.  This was the sixth year that Massachusetts 4-H conducted a statewide community service project and the first year of a statewide food drive, modeled after a successful local food drive that Plymouth County 4-H conducted the previous year.  This state-wide community service project is now conducted each year in October to coincide with National 4-H Week.  This year, we collected over 11,000 pounds of food, and more that $1,000 in cash, and donated it to food pantries across the state.  After completing this project, we received a grant of $18,200 from Cumberland Farms to expand the project for the 2008-2009 year.  The summer was spent producing promotional materials and promoting the upcoming food drive in hopes of increasing the food collected by at least 30%.

Planned outcomes and observed or measured progress

• 1060 youth demonstrated science skills in their 4-H project area and in other venues
• 550 youth kept accurate records
• 406 youth learned how to keep accurate records and summarize information appropriately
• 651 youth learned new knowledge and skills in the area of science
• 740 youth learned oral and written skills that made them better communicators

Activities, delivery mode and participants reached

4-H Club Program
357 completed, 3,519 youth participants, 975 adult volunteers

4-H after-school and school enrichment
13,203 youth, 796 adult volunteer

Holyoke Nuestras Raices Project – Urban/farm 4-H Club site
1 completed, 14 youth participants, 1 adult volunteer

4-H Recognition Programs (Volunteer and Youth)
13 completed, 200 adult volunteers, 1,100 adults, 1,000 youth

Citizenship/leadership development programs
57 completed, 212 youth participants, 48 adult volunteer participants, 3 Extension staff participants

4-H Animal Science workshops
11 completed, 11 adult participants, 31 adult volunteer participants, 261 youth participants

Produce 4-H newsletter to communicate information to all 4-H families
24 completed, 45,000 adults

SET Programs
23 completed, 101 adult volunteer participants, 313 youth participants, 3 Extension staff participants

Animal Science Camps
4 completed, 206 youth participants

Visual presentation program
11 events completed, 740 youth participants

4-H Fairs
10 completed, 1,315 youth participated

4-H Advisory Councils
12 completed, 70 adult volunteer

4-H Program Councils
19 completed, 100 adult volunteers

4-H Records
550 completed