Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.

Impact Report

For plan Youth Development (Union County)
Date November 1, 2010, 3:31 am
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report NM 4- H Rodeo Board The extension home economist has served on the NM 4- H Rodeo Board for the past seven years. She has worked with the NM 4-H Rodeo board with rules, regulations, assisting with rodeos, serving as Recording Secretary. 4-H Rodeo is more than a competitive event. It is a 4-H project. It has the guidelines of a 4-H project. 4-H members increase their skills and knowledge I n competitive events. But, first of all it gives 4-H members life skills that they will carry through with them. 4-H members learn teamwork, sportsmanship, social skills. I have heard 4-H rodeo project members state that they really enjoy the competition but they enjoy meeting new friends and keeping touch with them throughout the year more. This agent’s daughter competes in 4-H rodeo and she has made friends that she will have throughout her life. This agent has heard other parents discussing 4-H rodeo versus other rodeos and they feel that 4-H is friendlier and allows youth who are just beginning to rodeo to excel and learn through their rodeos. Eastern New Mexico State Fair and New Mexico State Fair Youth from Union County have not been competing at the ENMSF and the NMSF as much as they have in the past. When a 4-Her makes the junior livestock sale in Union County, they are guaranteed money on their project. It is not a given that they will make the sale at the NMSF or the ENMSF and many are choosing to just sell at county. Union County had 1 4-H member compete at the NMSF and two at the ENMSF (2009). Progressive Farmer Safety Day Progressive Farmer Safety Day are a series of safety days that are held on the eastern side of New Mexico. Union, Harding and Colfax County Cooperative Offices along with Southwestern Public Service, Sedan and Clayton Fire Departments, ENMR Plateau-Telecommunications, State Parks and Recreation, Union County Sheriff’s Posse all provide volunteers who do a 30 minute program on topics such as lawnmower safety, ATV safety, Gun Safety, Electrical Safety, Germ Detective – Hand Washing, Fire Safety, Water Safety., Grain Entrapment. Two hundred third graders, teachers, bus drivers, teacher assistants along with eight group leaders participate in these workshops. Schools that attend are: Clayton, Des Moines, Roy, Mosquero, Springer, Maxwell in NM, Home School students, Felt, Keyes and Boise City Oklahoma, Texline, Texas and the Stateline Christian Schools. Parents report that their children have stopped them doing unsafe practices because the “farm safety teacher told us”. Teachers and administrators ask us each year if we are going to have the safety day again, they feel the workshops and presenters keep the students engaged and interested in the content of the workshops. Although originally for farm and ranch students, the safety day has expanded the topics that can be taught so that urban youth along with rural youth can benefit from the safety day. All youth, rural and urban need to have an awareness of dangers they can be exposed to. The extension home economist along with her co-coordinator and the ICAN nutrition educator help to plan and organize this event. They also work together to set up and cleanup the facility – which is the Union County Fairgrounds. This was the ninth year for safety day in Union County. In coordination with Farm Safety Day – the extension home economist and the co-coordinator for the safety day attended a coordinators training. At these trainings, coordinators learn about new topics that can be used and meet with other coordinators from around the nations. Record Books New record book CD’s were developed and provided to each 4-H family by the extension home economist. Record book workshops were given in Clayton and Des Moines with 25 youth and parents attending. The workshop was held to familiarize the members with changes in record book forms so that they can be prepared when it is time to do their record books. It was discovered that many of the 4-H families do not have Word 2007 and so the cd’s will need to be redone and saved in Word 97-2003 so they can use the cds. Eighty percent of the members were able to use the cd’s as they are and comment were made that it makes it a lot easier to do the record books with the cd’s and the workshops. Union County 4- H Rodeo Although attendance was down at the rodeo, the competition was tough. Members who competed carried point to the NM 4-H Rodeo Finals which was held in Carlsbad, NM in September. Two 4-H members from Union County traveled together to save on expenses this year. They were able to bring back to Union County four saddles and three buckles from the finals along with many other awards throughout the rodeo season. Five other Union County 4-H members competed at the Union County 4- H Rodeo, Clayton 4th of July and other rodeos to complete their project. Entries were down at the majority of the rodeos this year. It is thought that because there are so many rodeos, families are having to pick and choose which ones they can go to. The NM 4-H rodeo board is looking at revisions to the rodeos to keep from having a “hauling contest”. Competitive Events: 4-H members begin in the spring with contest practices. This year, the extension agent and a head 4-H leader traveled to all the 4-H clubs to introduce them to various contests. Hands on workshop were given in livestock judging, consumer decision making, home ec skillathon, livestock skillathon and horticulture judging. A 25% increase in the number of 4-H members competing from 2009 to 2010 was directly related to the workshops that were held. 4-H County Contests were held to determine which 4-H members would compete at District and State Contests. Twenty-five youth attended the district contests held in Albuquerque. The Consumer Decision Making team (Junior) was first, Livestock Judging Jr lst, Horse Judging 2nd, Fashion Revue Mix and Match lst, Novice Public Speaking 2nd, Favorite Foods Junior lst, Novice 3rd and 5th. State 4-H Contest saw 12 Union County 4-H members competing. All but one of the contestants crossed the awards stage placing in the top ten in teams and individuals. Livestock Judging was 5th with one member in the top ten. Horse Judging was lst with two in the top ten and the alternate was also in the top ten, Hipplogy was 4th with a 3rd high individual, Fashion Magic high point individual, Livestock Skillathon 5th, Crops 4th, Entomology 2nd high point individual . The Horse Judging Team want to compete at the Eastern National in Louisville, Kentucky, but the rules did not allow them do. They will compete at the National Western 4-H Roundup in Denver in January 2011. 4H members also participated in workshops. This extension home economist, one 4-H leaders and one 4-H members attended the NMSU judging workshops which were held at NMSU in February 2010. The attendees brought back information which was used to train teams for the upcoming contests. Horse Workshop The Rivale family, was asked to present a 4-H horse showing and fitting workshops. Twenty five youth and 15 parents attended this workshop. 4-Hers were given instruction in safety, grooming, showing and showmanhip. Feeding and nutrition was discussed, veterinary care, hoof care, washing, trimming etc. Youth were then given the opportunity to take their own horses and practice the showmanship skills that had been discussed during the workshop. The tips and hints that were given by the Rivale girls were those that the members attending were able to take home and use to get ready for horse show competitions during the summer. Evaluations showed that 99% of the youth attending and 90% of the parents learned things they did not know before and felt that attending this workshop would be beneficial to them. Leadership: Union County Leadership/ Officer Training Union County 4-H Council invited Harding and Colfax county 4-H members to attend a leadership/officer workshop held in Clayton. Tom and Teresa Dean, Extension Agents in Socorro county and excellent leadership trainers came to Clayton to work with the 25 youth from Union and the 8 from Harding county. Members who attended participated in leadership, communication, parliamentary procedure, ice breakers and trust workshops. Youth had a lot of fun, met new people and left with skills that they could take back to their clubs. Evaluations comments were” I did not really want to come today, but my mom made me. Now I am glad I came, I had a lot of fun and learned some games that my club members would really enjoy.” Another training is planned for Spring 2011. Senior Leadership Retreat and Youth Getaway Three Union County 4-H members attended the Senior Leadership Retreat held in Albuquerque in January. Youth participated in hand on workshops in leadership, communication, teamwork, social skills and speaking workshops. These workshops are designed to increase life skills One additional 4-H member served on the State Leadership Team as a 4-H Diplomat. One member graduated this year and she has stated that she will miss the SLR, she had a lot of fun. 100% of the youth reported an increase in being able to communicate better with others which assists in teamwork. Twelve youth attended Youth Getaway held at Inlow Baptist Camp. Youth participated in hands on workshops and activities which enable youth to increase their life skills in leadership, teamwork, problem solving, communication and cooperation. One senior 4-H members served as a camp counselor. 90% of the youth reported an increase in teamwork and self-esteem. They also related that they learned how to appreciate someone for their difference. The majority of the youth that attended in 2010 will be eligible to attend SLR in 2011 and 50% of those said they planned on attending SLR. Beef Quality Assurance: The Steer Performance program in Union County is in its second year. Northeastern NM Extension Livestock Specialist, 4-H leaders and fair board members have fine turned the program for its second year. One of the requirements in the program is that all members 4-H and FFA who participated must attend a Beef Quality Assurance program. This gives the youth information on how to take care of their animals responsibly and that those animals will re ach the food supply healthy and with quality meat for the consumer. Eighteen youth and their parents attended the workshop. Members and parents both stated that they were using livestock practices contrary to the BQA and were planning on changing those practices to meet with the BQA guidelines. County Fair The extension home economist serves as the general superintendent for the open and 4-H home economics and creative arts department at the county fair. She along with 4-H parents and leaders, Extension Association of NM members and volunteers set up for the county fair. They also serve as superintendents of the various departments. This year saw an increase in the exhibits in the open and 4-H divisions. 100% of the youth enrolled in 4-H entered their projects are required in the livestock and indoor exhibits. The youth showcased their development of life skills through the indoor and livestock exhibits. 150 educational exhibits and 210 livestock projects were exhibited. 4-H youth showed an increase in the knowledge and skills in home economics and creative arts projects. This was shown through the baking products, leathercraft, photography, etc. which were exhibited at the county fair. The extension home economist serves as an advisor to the Union County Fair Board, There are new members on the board and they have lots of new ideas. This agent works with the fair board members to make decisions that will be serve the youth and adults in the area. Many changes that were made this year were positive and an increase in participation in the fair was seen.