The Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H Youth Development program continues to promote an interest in “learning by doing” in a variety of educational programs. Our three mission mandates are Science, Engineering, and Technology; Healthy Lifestyles; and Citizenship/Leadership. Learning to grow. Learning to serve. Learning to live. Learning for life. The MSUES 4-H program is a path filled with fun, new skills, accomplishments, and lifelong friendships that flow into a confident future. The program encourages diverse groups of young people to develop their unique skills and talents to the fullest potential. Young people can participate in 4-H through clubs, special interest groups, after-school programs, camps, and many other activities. “Learning by doing” through hands-on activities and community involvement empowers 4-H’ers to develop and strengthen life skills.
Newton 4-H is proud to offer programs and growth opportunities that put the heads, hearts, hands and health of Newton County’s youth to work learning and applying the essential elements of the 4-H program: belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.
The MSU Extension Newton County 4-H Program is open to all youth ages 5-18 as of Jan. 1, 2017. We are currently accepting applications for the 2017-2018 program year. Youth can become a member with no upfront cost to parents. If you or your child would like to do something different, turn over a new leaf and join Newton 4-H. We are striving to make a difference in the community.
Statewide Youth Development Programs offered to youth in Newton:
• NXT Junior Robotics: The Junior 4-H robotics program offers 4-H’ers ages 8-13 an opportunity to learn basic programming skills in addition to teamwork, public speaking and other life skills. The robotics program utilizes the LEGO Mindstorms Robot with NXT-G software. The program is a yearlong program. Participants utilize the national 4-H robotics curriculum as well as the software curriculum. Participants will build the REM robot, program the NXT robot, use advanced programming commands, make use of sensors in programming, and solve age appropriate research problems.
• 4-H Cloverbud Robotics Curriculum with Dash and LEGO Club: Research shows that if girls are not exposed to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects by Kindergarten and minority boys by first grade, the chances of them pursing STEM decrease significantly as they grow older. These programs will serve as a gateway both to the local county 4-H program and future STEM education. Sometimes it can be hard to figure
out if a new activity is the right fit for you and your family, and 4-H can be a little overwhelming! So many options! So many opportunities! So many people who seem to have been in 4-H since before they were born! Here are a few facts to help you get started:
• To be a member of 4-H, you must be officially 5 years old. Kids ages 5-7 are called Cloverbuds, and they focus on exploring all that 4-H has to offer. Typically their activities are restricted to the county, and they do not compete in any contests. You can be in 4-H until you’re 18/19.
• You can be a member in only one county and one state at a time.
• What exactly is a project? The 4-H slogan is “Learn by doing,” and 4-H itself is an informal educational organization. So while 4-H is a lot of fun, a “4-H project” has a specific meaning: work done with robots, healthy living or fashion design can be a definite enterprise undertaken by the member. Your local agent can tell you more about the types of projects going on by 4-H’ers in your area. But you can expect enthusiasm, goal-setting, hands-on activities, record-keeping, field trips and guest speakers!
• What is a 4-H club, and why do they all seem different? Typically, you will find general interest clubs and special interest clubs. A general interest club may meet together, take field trips together, and have a club project, but the members are all pursuing different individual projects. For example, in one general interest club, after their general meeting, they break up into smaller groups for food and nutrition, sewing, and Cloverbuds. A special interest club is one in which all of the members in the club are interested in the same project, such as art, photography, or robotics. All of their activities revolve around that primary topic of interest.
4-H does not charge membership dues, does not require members to wear uniforms, and relies on volunteers to make the clubs successful.
For more information regarding joining the 4-H Family, please contact us at 601-635-7011.
