Youth Development

2011 Northeast District 4-H Contest

Colfax County 4-H Council officers had an excellent opportunity at the Northeast District 4-H Contests to demonstrate and expand their leadership skills. Four of the older officers emceed the event. All six officers helped with awards, workshops, and our concession stand. Most of the officers went to the 4-H Games & Songs workshop and learned several new games from a former State 4-H officer. Two of the officers that went stated that they someday would like to be a State 4-H officer

2011 Awards Banquets

Ten Colfax County 4-H youth served as keynote speakers, emcees, pledge leaders and presenters at the annual County 4-H Banquets, increasing their public speaking skills and giving leadership to the overall program. Approximately 60 members received plaques, medals, and trophies in recognition of their achievements and increase in life skills related to mastery, belonging, generosity and independence throughout the 2010-2011 program year. One hundred and fifty members, leaders and guests attended the two events. Agent raised almost $2,500 in award sponsorship for the two events from local clubs and businesses.

2011 Cloverbud Camp

One State 4-H Officer contacted the agent about doing a cloverbud camp in our county for the younger 4-H members. Agent worked with this officer to arrange the facility, recruit kids, build an agenda for the event, coordinate the snacks and beverages and run the camp. We had five youth attend. One mother dropped her son off and left. She stated that “this was probably the first time she has left him alone.” Some of these kids were learning independence as well as belonging, cooperation, and social skills. The Officer that helped put this on did a great job and she had it very organized. The parents of the youth were very impressed.

2011 Colfax County 4-H Council

Colfax County youth serve in leadership roles at the county level by performing the following duties: Elected Officer, Appointed Leadership, Event Coordinator and/or Committee Chair/Member. Agent set up and presented at a County Council Officer Training, at the request of the County 4-H Council. agent held the officer training workshop in which he presented power-point presentations for each office in a club, for youth interested in learning more about the offices or are interested in running for an office in the future. The attendance was pretty low considering that it was a workshop that the youth wanted to have. However, in an evaluation form following the program all youth who did attend stated that they “learned something”, and that they would “attend this or a similar program again.” The experience of the youth ranged from first year officers to very experienced officers so it was it was challenging trying to make sure everyone got something out of it.

This was a great training all of the youth claimed “we really liked it.” Eighty-five percent of youth actively involved in the County Council gained mastery of skills related to leadership as evidenced in an increased willingness to serve as leaders in their local clubs and their community. Through four meetings, there was an average of 25 people at each of the meetings. The youth’s confidence in leading the meetings by year’s end was noticeably improved.

2011 Welcome to New Mexico 4-H Workshop

Agent had three County 4-H Council officers assist with the Welcome to New Mexico 4-H workshop. We had them give a demonstration as an example for the new youth. They assisted in the craft making. They were very good examples to the younger members in attendance. They helped teach the 4-H pledge, and by the end of the workshop every youth knew the 4-H pledge, and had created a picture frame that they could exhibit at the county fair. Thereby gaining a sense of belonging, but also individualism in that they could decorate the frame however they wanted.