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Impact Report

For plan Life Skills Development (Santa Fe County)
Date October 29, 2010, 4:07 am
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report The Santa Fe County 4-H Youth Development program provides opportunities for youth to gain knowledge and skills in personal development, leadership, and various project areas. Several highlight opportunities offered in 2009-2010 included: county, district, and state contests; project day camp; county fair; and record books. A total of 228 youth enrolled in the 4-H club program in 2010. The second Joint Northern District Contests, for both the Northeast and Northwest 4-H Districts was held in 2010. This opportunity boosted interest in both county and district contests; a total of 44 youth competed in eleven contests offered at the county level and 25 youth continued on to compete in sixteen contests offered at the District level. Collaborating with one of the club fiber craft project leaders, the 4-H Home Economist hosted a Fiber Craft Fun Day. Projects that were incorporated into this fun day included Creative Touches and Embroidery. Twelve youth learned stenciling, hand-sewing (including yo-yo’s, trim and buttons), appliqué, and nine embroidery stitches. At the conclusion of the day all twelve youth had created a t-shirt, small tote bag, embroidery example page and had started on their fiber craft record forms for their record books. Additionally, two youth provided project demonstrations during the morning and afternoon snack breaks. Projects that were completed at this project day were entered into the county fair and project records were inserted into record books. This collaboration has prompted other project leaders to express interest in collaborating with the 4-H Home Economist to offer similar project days. Food preservation, photography, cakes and cake decorating project days are already scheduled for the 2010-2011 membership year. Project Day Camp is a weeklong event created to provide youth opportunities to work on various 4-H projects in a group atmosphere. Project Day Camp focuses on different projects each year. The Agent chooses projects that have high enrollment numbers, are brand new, or have been updated by the state curriculum committee. The Agent recruits adult and senior member 4-H volunteers to plan, conduct, and evaluate the event. At the conclusion of this day camp youth have obtained knowledge for the first skill level in each project as well as at least started one exhibit from each project to enter into the county fair. In 2010, 14 youth attended the five day camp focused on food safety and nutrition, alternative energies and leather craft. Through the efforts of County Commissioner Mike Anaya, funds were secured for the purchase of a fifteen passenger van that may be utilized by Santa Fe County 4-H. This allowed the 4-H Agents to provide day camp field trips for the first time. Field trips included this year were Las Golindrinas, a Northern New Mexico living history museum and a trip to the Albuquerque zoo. The verbal group evaluation conducted at the conclusion of the camp indicated that youth participants rated project day camp as earning a “blue ribbon”. One camper replied when asked about his experience at camp, “I wish we could have camp every week of the summer!” Additionally youth entered the items they created at camp into the indoor exhibits at the county fair. County fair provides youth with an opportunity to complete the experiential learning model. Youth receive feed back from judges on the project work they have completed throughout the 4-H year. In 2010, 60 youth submitted 450 exhibits in the 4-H indoor division. Of these 4-H’ers, 41 of them advanced 158 exhibits to the New Mexico State Fair.