Ep 141 | 4H: It's not what you think

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We have Discovery 4-H Club. They focus a lot in STEM. So that's science, technology, engineering, and math. And they have actually been flying drones recently. There's a drone club. A drone club right here in Escambia County. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every student in Escambia County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support every student's success. A big part of student success is for kids to find the intersection of what they're interested in and what they're good at. And as a parent, you try to strike a balance between pushing them forward and letting them find it on their own. Thankfully, there is a program that can help things along. My next guest is the 4-H youth development agent for Scambia County. And today she's going to share how 4-H can help kids find their spark and their people, facilitating creativity and connection in the areas of head, heart, hands, and health, Northview graduate, Hailey Lynham. Thanks for being here. Thank you so much for having me. Okay, so 4-H. I think we should probably myth bust. What do you think? I think we absolutely should. Okay, so first one, true or false. 4-H isn't for city kids.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

False. A large false there. So 4-H is for everyone. 4-H in particular is for youth ages 5 to 18, no matter your walk of life, no matter where you grew up. 4-H has a spot for you.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

So I grew up in Nebraska, and that is a large farm community. But I even thought that 4-H wasn't for me because I lived in like a regular neighborhood and I didn't own farm animals. What would participation look like for a student like that?

SPEAKER_00 2:04

Right. So a student who maybe doesn't live on a farm, doesn't own those farm animals, particularly for those students, we find what they're passionate about. So maybe that passion is playing frisbee. Maybe it's public speaking. Maybe it's STEM opportunities and Legos. We find opportunities that kids are really impassionate about, that they enjoy. And we try to mold a program that fits their needs. And because chances are, if one kid has this passion, other kids have it. They just haven't voiced it yet. So what we try to do is we try to create an environment for kids to explore. So explore those wants, those excitements, those things that keep you up at night thinking, and we create this safe environment for them to come test those things out.

SPEAKER_01 2:52

Okay. I think that kind of leads us to maybe our next myth is that 4-H is for showing animals and country crafts. False.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

So that's another, that is another false myth. So I'll tell you about one of our recent competitions we had. So we had a group of Lego League members travel to Orlando and compete at the state level in what we call our blockheads competition.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Oh, I love it.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

So they went to Orlando, they designed a Lego robot that actually went into the sea and collects phytoplankton. Oh my God. These are my children. Like these are my kids. Like these are my people. Right. But they did all the research, all the science behind it and everything, designed this little Lego robot and presented on it. So not only are they getting these public speaking skills in, but it's a group of students who are passionate about Legos, who love to get together and build. That brainstorming process just kept rolling and we have state winners now.

SPEAKER_01 3:53

So that is incredible. How does that process happen where the kids are like, hey, I'm in, I'm into Legos. Anybody else here into Legos? I mean, is it that organic?

SPEAKER_00 4:03

It really can be. So we have in Escambia County, we have 20 clubs that are established, but we actually have a couple that are called spin clubs or special interest clubs, and it is exactly that organic. We had a club leader come in and she said, I am from Japan. I love celebrating Japanese culture. And I would really like to create an environment where I can share my culture with people. Thus, the Japanese Culture Spin Club was born. And they have about 10 members and they meet and they've been learning the language, the music, the food, different celebrations. So it's a very organic process, but it can also be pinpointed.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Wow. Okay. And you said 20, for lack of a better word, regular clubs that are not spin clubs.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Can you name some of those? Absolutely. So our clubs are divided into a couple of different categories. So we have in school. So that's going to be like in your local public schools. We have after school. We have community clubs. So those that meet at like community centers or even at our 4-H center in cantonment. We have spin clubs and we even have military clubs. So our two military bases here in Pensacola have youth centers and they have 4-H clubs there as well. A couple of the clubs off the top of my head, we have the Escambia County Horse 4-H Club. So they focus on horses and um hypology, which is the study of horses. Did not know that. Yeah. We have our blockheads that just won a state competition. We have Discovery 4-H Club. They focus a lot in STEM. So that's science, technology, engineering, and math. And they have actually been flying drones recently. There's a drone club. A drone club right here in Escambia County. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 5:49

That is so cool. I never would have guessed that.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

So they're, I'll brag on Discovery for a minute. They are actually learning not only the parts and how to fly a drone, but they have seniors who are taking certifications to be pilots, to be drone pilots.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

Oh, that's incredible. Yeah. That has such a practical application too. I mean, obviously, we were talking about the benefit for kids to kind of find their spark and build community around those common interests. But if there's also actual employment opportunities after they graduate because they can get their drones pilot's license, that's a big deal.

SPEAKER_00 6:25

Right. And not only the career opportunities, but there are so many scholarship opportunities as well for youth. We had 10 individuals last year, all seniors, all graduating, receive over a thousand dollars each. Really? Mm-hmm. All through 4-H. So they're basically doing their hobby that for finding something that they loved and pursuing it and perfecting it and getting to do it with friends and a group of friends.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

So how is this different from FFA?

SPEAKER_00 6:54

So I grew up in FFA, and I wish I would have known about 4H. Right. I loved my time in FFA, but FFA is more centered as a school club. So you have your career development events, you have your competitions, but it's all school centered. Whereas 4-H, you can be homeschooled, you can be a part of a community club, different opportunities like that. In 4-H, there's a little bit more variety. So FFA is going to be centered a little bit more towards your agriculture and your farming and your animals. And then 4-H is a little bit of everything, anything that you can think of.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

And you mentioned competitions. Who are they competing against?

SPEAKER_00 7:37

So competitions can go from the county, district, and state and national levels. So we're actually having a county competition here next weekend. Friday night will be a talent show. So we have students that have signed up to sing. Some are gonna dance, some are playing piano. That'll be Friday night. And then Saturday, we are doing a public speaking and demonstration competition. So we have youth who have signed up to do demonstrations on how to make a clay snail or how to I I think one is how to learn needle art. And they get in there, they talk about something that they love, and if they place, they'll compete at the district level. So our district includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa. They'll compete against other kids there. And then if they make it beyond the district level, they get to compete at the state level in Gainesville. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

Have you been able to see transformation in the kids? Because when you're describing this, I can think of, you know, wow, that would be a lot of confidence being built through that process. And to be able to articulate, hi, my name is so-and-so, and this is what I'm interested in. And to share it in a way that allows that enthusiasm to be contagious. I mean, those are important skills. It's basically salesmanship, you know. So have you witnessed any of that transformation or that skill building go from maybe a low two or three to a high seven or eight?

SPEAKER_00 9:08

Absolutely. I can think of a couple of students just right off the top of my head who, when I first started, came in and, you know, would kind of shy behind mom or shy behind sister and not really speak, but they're the very ones that are competing at these state level competitions. And one story that's really inspiring to me is I think about one of our senior students who, kind of the same, very shy, very kind of hides in the back of the room, picked a subject that he loved, which happened to do with a certain game, a Pokemon Go game. But he tied it into 4 H and he talked about how this Pokemon Go game got him outside. It got him interacting with his friends at 4-H. And he is a state winner. He competed at the county, made it past district, and won at the state level. That's incredible. Wow. It's really inspiring to watch these kids. That's what makes me excited to get up and go to work every day, you know, is seeing these kids really just connecting with one another, but gaining those skills that they are gonna take with them. Just like you said, those very natural public speaking skills that they're gonna be able to have those conversations and introduce themselves and it's gonna, it's gonna impact them one day.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Yeah, and it'll help them build those relationships because people like to be around people like that. Right. And I'm sure that puts a lot of parents as at ease as well because you keep your kids safe, they're fed, you keep them alive, but you want them also to thrive in these other softer skills.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Well, and there, I feel like there's so much pressure on kids, you know, anymore about finding out what you want to do and what you want to be and where you want to go in life. And so we really in 4-H, we really try to foster that environment of, okay, well, let's try some things out. Let's try these different hobbies, these different skills and see what fits. And if they find that passion and it grows, just makes it all better, makes it all connect and they're a part of something larger than themselves.

SPEAKER_01 11:10

So, how does 4-H collaborate with the schools? I know you said there's like school-based clubs, but is there a collaboration overall that makes it easy for kids to, you know, sign up to do it or yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

So we partner with local Escambia County Schools. So all the way from very rural, rural Escambia to Pensacola Beach. What we do is we start by getting in the classroom. So we propose an idea of a learning opportunity. I'm thinking in particular of we went to Pencola Beach Elementary and we taught them about bees, about honey bees, the honey making process, why bees are important, and it creates an interest. And then we say, so we learned about bees today, but you can learn about all these other opportunities in 4-H as well. So we're planting seeds. Very uh metaphor for you. Yes. Yeah. Planting those seeds to let them know that 4-H has these other opportunities and this is how you can join.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

Okay. Okay. So it's it's that connection between inserting into the curriculum and then like an on-ramp to whatever else they might want.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

Right. Basically, if you thought this lesson was cool, think of what else we can do.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

Yeah, exactly. How do students join?

SPEAKER_00 12:27

So we have an online system called 4-H Online. And what we encourage people to do is if they're interested in 4-H, we get them connected at the office, we get them connected with our club leaders. So we show them what clubs we offer and we encourage, you know, sampling. Go to a club meeting, see what projects they're working on, see what activities they may be doing. And if it's a fit, we get you joined in 4-H online. And that way also they aren't just jumping in headfirst. So we like for them to go around and see what club may fit their needs the best. And then we can help them through the registration process in 4-H online. Does it cost anything to be a member? It's a club by club basis, but overall there's like a one-time state fee that you pay, which is about $20. And then you're a member.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

What does membership look like? You know, is it like, I'm sure every club's different, but generally, is it a once a week meeting? Is it in person? Is it virtual?

SPEAKER_00 13:26

So that's the other thing I love about 4-H is that it is very flexible. We have a lot of students who are involved in sports and camps and just school in general. So it's very flexible. You can make it what you need. Most of our clubs meet about once a month and they vary between in-person and online. So we have some clubs that rotate between Zoom meetings and then in-person meetings. And those in-person meetings are always great too, because you know the kids are getting to be with their friends, they're getting to meet new people, but it is very flexible, which is nice because I know schedules can be very busy.

SPEAKER_01 14:00

I know our time is like flying by, but I kind of want to wrap up by asking you, since you didn't do 4-H when you were young, if you were eligible to do 4-H now, or you could go back and redo it, which of those programs do you think you would be most wanting to plug into?

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Oh, that is a great question. Um, there are two that immediately popped into my brain. So there is one event where we take a group of seniors to Tallahassee and they get to be fully immersed in the legislative process. So they get assigned, they are representatives, senators, and lobbyists, and they get to create and debate bills. So they get to write their own bills, they learn the billmaking process. I think that would be so much fun, especially debating.

SPEAKER_01 14:50

I think that would be really fun. I gotta say, I did not expect you to say that. I thought you were gonna say something maybe about the drones or the Legos.

SPEAKER_00 14:59

I'm a competitive gal, though. I think that's fine. Okay. And then another one that I think is really cool that's a new opportunity is the marine ecology competition. So learning all about sea life, how it affects everything else and different sea creatures. I think those would be so cool.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Wow. Well, I feel so inspired by everything that you've said. And I hope parents do too, because that sampling piece is not as possible with other activities. There's like a big financial commitment, and then the kids feel the pressure not only to pick their vocation, but just to pick their social group. And so I love that they can dip their toe in the water and try this and get potentially scholarships in the process. Absolutely. So thank you so much for sharing. This was fantastic. Thank you for having me. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of the Scandi County Public School.