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Impact Report

For plan Youth Development (Otero County)
Date October 31, 2011, 12:33 am
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report Through five county 4-H steer project weigh days, the 31 youth preparing their steers for county, regional, and state fair exhibited their record keeping skills and responsibility in monitoring their animals weight and caloric intake, by all 31 steers being not over the weight requirements nor under the weight requirements but within those requirements and able to show at county fair and subsequent fairs. Some youth with goat, swine, and lambs also attended but most had home or neighbors small livestock scales on which they monitored their animals’ weights. Attending the county 4-H tag days (two, for steers and heifers and two, for goats, swine, and lambs), 73 youth enrolled in 4-H swine projects, 54 youth in 4-H lamb projects, 51 youth enrolled 4-H goat projects, 31 in 4-H steer projects, eight in 4-H rabbits, and four enrolled in 4-H heifer projects took the responsibility of bringing their 4-H animals to the fairgrounds, completing the paperwork requiring data about themselves and their animal, waiting in line for their turn, and holding onto that paper work until county fair. The same number of youth listed above had the responsibility of feeding, grooming, caring for, and closely monitoring their animals, sometimes with the help of their family members, for five to seven months (depending on the species), to finally bring their animals to county fair, care for them in a foreign environment for a week, and exhibit them in front of a barn full of spectators. In weekly practices over a two month period the agent coached eight youth on 4-H Horticulture teams where these youth learned the desirable qualities of healthy fruits, nuts, vegetables, and ornamentals, judged classes of this produce using that criteria, and identified several species of this produce to exhibit their life skills of decision making, team work, and identifying produce that will be consumed by themselves and their families in the future. Their participation in the 4-H Horticulture competitions at county, district, and state allowed them to see how well they had honed their skills. The agent put-on the 4-H Wildlife Contest at the district level. Studying and practicing for this contest allows youth to develop such life skills as wildlife identification and habit evaluation which will be useful to them, should they choose careers in this field, or just as being informed citizens and voters as humans and wildlife sharing habitat and resources becomes a bigger issue on our planet. The agent assisted with a 4-H County Council Community Service project of cleaning up at local animal rescue, where the life skill of helping and providing a valuable service to others for the intrinsic good of the act and not for monetary remuneration was honed. The agent accompanied senior 4-Hers to State 4-H contest where they had the opportunity to test the life skills of decision making, teamwork, organization, and identification in contests where they competed with and enjoyed making new friends with other youth from all areas of the state. The agent assisted with county shooting sports contests in archery, pistol, shotgun, 22-rifle, and air rifle where youth exhibit and test their life skills of carefully listening to and following directions, following safety rules, looking out for others, teamwork, and marksmanship skills that will prepare them for careers in law enforcement, the military, Border Patrol, Game and Fish, or others they might choose. The agent assisted a local farmer and hoop house grower with a 4-H Vegetable Garden project where 15 novice and junior aged youth and 4 adults planted various vegetable seeds in 15 to 25 Dixie cups, watered them, took them home, planted them in the ground after two weeks of germination, and were able to see the fruits of their labors, the miracle of growth, and where the produce in the market really comes from. The County 4-H Leadership Workshop taught leadership skills of parliamentary procedure, teamwork, entertaining a group with games, making groups feel at ease with icebreakers, and the duties and responsibilities of each officer in a club. 4-Hers got to see how well they had learned these leadership skills when they returned to their clubs and ran for office or just participated in meetings. New adult 4-H project leaders received training from the county extension agents when they participated in the Otero County 4-H Project Leader Training. Leaders received information and reassurance on topics such as: how children learn, becoming familiar with the project material and criteria for projects to be entered in the fair, asking parents for help with the project or project meetings, using lots of positive reinforcement with youth, etc. The Home Economist and Ag Agent collaborated to organize and conduct the “Kids, Kows and More” school enrichment program in Otero County. This field trip allowed the Cooperative Extension Service to reach 645 fourth grade students in Otero County with educational and informational facts about agriculture and natural resources. Six learning stations were organized and included: NM Beef Council, NM Game and Fish, Local Pistachios Grower, Local Produce Producers- Otero County Master Gardener Program, Southwest Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy Classroom, and Natural Resource Conservation Service-Water Table. Teachers commented about the Otero County Kids, Kows and More Program, “Very well planned! Students were never bored and they learned so much! Kids (4-H’ers) helping were great as well. And, hands on! Loved it!” “The kids really enjoyed each presentation. They told us that it was a very fun and relaxing field trip.” “All of the presenters were great. The day was very well organized.” “It was a wonderful experience for the kids. Well organized. The 4-H young people were courteous and very helpful. Thank you for having us.” Some of the students commented, “Thank you for teaching me new information about ranching and farming. It was very interesting and I learned a lot.” “Thank you for providing us with the education about agriculture.” “Thanks for letting the 4th grade go to Kids, Kows, and More. My Favorite part was learning because there was learning in every activity.” Over 60% of the teachers in attendance agreed that, “this field trip increased the student’s knowledge about Otero County Agriculture” and saw an increase in their student’s knowledge of, “Otero County’s Natural Resources”. The great aspect of this field trip is that it is designed to be educational while allowing the students to have fun in an interactive atmosphere while learning about where the food they consume comes from and the soil, water, and other environmental elements needed to produce it.