AUBURN, N.Y. — Every year, National 4-H Week sees millions of youth, parents, volunteers and alumni come together to celebrate the many positive youth development opportunities offered by 4-H. The theme for this year’s National 4-H Week, Opportunity4All, is a campaign that was created by National 4-H Council to rally support for Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program and identify solutions to eliminate the opportunity gap that affects 55 million kids across America.
With so many children struggling to reach their full potential, 4-H believes that young people, in partnership with adults, can play a key role in creating a more promising and equitable future for youth, families and communities across the country.
“In 4-H, we believe all youth should have the opportunity to succeed,” said Erin Humphrey, CCE Cayuga Youth Development Educator “4-H promotes the development of skills needed to help young people make a huge impact in the world around them.”
Cayuga County 4-H will observe National 4-H Week this year by highlighting some of the inspirational 4-H youth in our community who are working tirelessly to support each other and their communities.
“We believe youth perspectives are so important and a solution to eliminating the opportunity gap, because young people come with new ideas and new ways of seeing the world,” explains Jennifer Sirangelo, President and CEO of National 4-H Council. By encouraging diverse voices and innovative actions, 4-H believes that solutions can be found to address the educational, economic and health issues that have created the opportunity gap.
4-H Clubs in Cayuga County will be designing window displays in area businesses to show their 4-H spirit. These window displays can be seen at the Tractor Supply Company in Auburn, The Jennings Department Store in Moravia and Cato Hardware in Cato.
Additionally, 4-H program staff have planned virtual participation opportunities for youth and volunteers. Families can follow 4-H on the CCE Cayuga Facebook Page. These activities include a trivia contest, 4-H spirit day and an “Ask the Educator” virtual meeting.
One of the most anticipated events of National 4-H Week every year is the 4-H STEM Challenge, formerly known as National Youth Science Day. The theme of this year’s event, which is expected to see hundreds of thousands of youth across the nation taking part throughout October, is Mars Base Camp. Developed by Google and Virginia Cooperative Extension, Mars Base Camp is a collection of activities that teaches kids ages 8-14 STEM skills, including mechanical engineering, physics, computer science and agriculture. The Cayuga County 4-H Youth Development Program will offer the Mars Base Camp program to county youth virtually on Tuesday October 7th.
The new 4-H year began on October 1st. 4-H clubs are starting to meet again after months of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cayuga County program staff is excited to begin in-person programs and events. Plans are in the works for a dog obedience course, a dedicated rabbit club and a special interest club geared to the youngest 4-H members, the Cloverbuds. There will also be a special end of year awards ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of the current 4-H members.
Enrollment in 4-H is now open for new members ages 5-18. The Cayuga County 4-H program offers a wide variety of activities and learning opportunities. Topics range from STEM, Animal Science, Nutrition/Food Science, Public Speaking and many more. Join a club or start your own. If you would like more information, join the “Ask the Educator” Virtual Session on Thursday, October 8th from 6-7pm. Email emw54@cornell for the Zoom link.
To learn more about how you can get involved, visit http://www.4-h.org/.
–Cornell Cooperative Extension Cayuga County
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