Youth Development

2010-2011 Lincoln County 4-H Program Year

Traditional Club Project Impacts
Our traditional 4-H program consisted of approximately 160 members in six clubs in the county. Members participated in all facets of 4-H project work, both "indoor" and animal projects under direction of 30 volunteer leaders. In addition to "indoor" exhibitors and exhibits, over 100 members from Cloverbud through Senior age groups completed projects involving over 300 animals. Probably 350-400 other family members and others provided support to livestock exhibitors. Community support through the Junior Livestock Sale garnered approximately $110,000 for members. Livestock and other exhibitors were represented at regional and state fairs. Club members participated in fundraising events that included serving approximately 400 people at the Junior Livestock Sale and buy providing cleanup at the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium. At club and county activities over 120 youth participated participated in clean-up days and other community service projects. Members gain responsibility and other life skills in project and club work. Record keeping skill are promoted through completion of project record books.

School Enrichment
Lincoln County Extension and Lincoln County 4-H members assisted with Kids, Kows and More at the Cowboy Symposium and at the Carrizozo Ag Day. Our members learned leadership skills by serving as group leaders at the event with over 700 other youth and their teachers from Ruidoso, Carrizozo and Hondo school districts. Participants were presented with information on a variety of agricultural products and production and the importance of agriculture to them and society. This agent assisted Ag teachers and FFA members in four Vocational Ag Chapters around the county with their curriculum. This agent conducted a judging contest for 80 FFA members from all over the state. Participants learned critical thinking and public speakings skills at this event.

Leadership and Citizenship Development
Members serve as officers in all county clubs gaining leadership skills. Two senior members attended National 4-H Congress in Atlanta last fall. We currently have one officer and one Diplomat/Ambassador on the state leadership team and again will have two senior members at the 2011 Congress. Older members conduct all county 4-H business at County Council meetings and at our 4-H awards banquet. Over 80 members, parents, leaders and supporters attended this year's banquet. Over 20 county members attended SLR and YouthGetaway, events conducted by the state leadership team and designed to promote leadership and citizenship development in the participants. Other members attended Legislative Days in Santa Fe to learn how government works.

Competition as a Teaching Tool
In addition to competition at the fair in project areas by members, approximately 60 members participated in contests at the county, district and state levels. These contests promote thinking skills and the ability to make logical decisions. Oral reasons teach members how to defend their decisions.
Our county placed well against competing counties in all areas.

Welcome to 4-H Workshop

In order to address the need to orientate new 4-H members to the 4-H program requirements, the 4-H agent and home economist planned a joint workshop for youth and adult leaders in February of 2011. Two State 4-H specialists traveled to Raton HS to conduct the adult workshop, which was also offered to leaders in Union, Mora and San Miguel counties. Six leaders from Colfax and San Miguel counties participated in the workshop gaining leadership skills and ideas to benefit the youth in their clubs.

The 4-H agent and home economist team taught the youth workshop attended by seven youth, including three junior leaders from Colfax County. The youth learned about the 4-H motto, slogan, creed, emblem and history by completing pages from the Welcome To 4-H project book, then used their creativity to paint and decorate picture frames that could be exhibited in the fair as part of their project. Photos were taken of the youth so that they could be placed in the frames after drying. The home economist also showed the youth how to properly give a 4-H demonstration, which was followed by a demonstration given by two of the participants. The 4-H agent then guided the youth through a “contest” simulation where they learned more about the livestock and home ec skill-a-thon, wildlife and horticulture contest. 4-H record books and indoor exhibit boards were also on display for the 4-H’ers and parents to view. This allowed them to ask questions and see examples so that they had a better understanding of the 4-H program expectations.

NE District 4-H Contests

The Colfax County 4-H Agent and home economist worked together with the Colfax County 4-H Council and other NE district 4-H Agents to plan the 2011 NE District 4-H Contests held June 21-23 in Raton. A total of 64 youth from eight counties registered for contests ranging from shooting sports to public speaking to favorite foods.

The day before the general contests at Raton HS, the Colfax County Extension agents hosted the NE District Shooting Sports contests at the NRA Whittington Center with participants in traditional and compound archery, .22 rifle and shotgun. The next two days included a welcome/orientation, three workshops, and general, livestock and home economics contests along with an evening hamburger cookout at Roundhouse Park followed by swimming at the new Raton Aquatic Center.
The home economist was responsible for tabulating shooting sports results, securing home economics judges and contest volunteers, preparing the program booklet, working with other district agents to acquire up-to-date contest guidelines, readying the 4-H Council concession for volunteers, and purchasing supplies and groceries for the hamburger cookout.

The home economist also served as superintendent of the favorite food show contest and taught a workshop highlighting two of the NM Flavor projects. Over 20 4-H’ers, siblings and parents participated in the NM Flavor workshop where they learned to make and decorate a cornhusk doll as well as homemade tortillas served with butter and jam. Many of the 4-H’ers and parents had never experienced these NM cultural projects and voiced plans to conduct workshops in their counties. Later in the summer, when judging at the Harding County Fair, the home economist saw cornhusk dolls made at the district workshop.

State 4-H Home Economics School

A team of county home economists worked with the State 4-H Home Economics Specialist to develop plans for the Third Annual State 4-H Home Economics School, which is much like the long running agricultural based horse and livestock schools in the state. In March of 2011, 69 4-H’ers, six junior instructors, 17 volunteer leaders and 21 instructors, from around the state, converged on the Valencia High School campus for a three day weekend of experiences within the home economics project and contest areas.

This year the home economist served as co-chair of the 4-H Foods track which focused on food preservation and food gifts from the kitchen. The food preservation track was led by the Luna and Grant County home economists however, the home economist assisted them by instructing 23 4-H’ers in making grape jelly. This was one of three other food preservation experiences provided in the morning workshop. In the afternoon, the home economist teamed with the Roosevelt County home economist to teach the youth to decorate their jars of grape jelly for gift giving and to embellish cones of hot chocolate mix and cookie CD’s for gift giving or as a thank you gift. Numerous other examples were on display, giving the youth additional ideas for projects. The Roosevelt County home economist also compiled a recipe booklet for the participants to use in creating future food gifts.

Additional youth tracks included “Creative Touches / Duded -Up Denim”, “Interior Design” and community service projects along with two mini tracks on photography and fitness. Adult workshops were also offered simultaneously with the youth tracks.

Overwhelmingly positive evaluation responses to the home economics school have prompted the planning committee to add additional youth and adult workshop experiences. When asked how participant’s changed because of their participation, youth commented, “I learned to meet new people and apply skills that I learned in my tracks”; “I’ve learned a lot about preserving foods and giving food as gifts”; “Home Ec School has inspired me to try some new 4-H projects”; and “This is my first time attending, but I feel much more confident”. Overall event evaluation reflected that 78% of attendees rated Home Ec School as being a grand or reserve champion event.