National 4-H Week Happenings across the state

Sweetwater County

In 2006 I contacted our local mall for some space to set up some 4-H stuff for National of 4-H Week.  I also received permission to set up workshop stations on the Saturday during that week where we offered workshops in leathercraft, visual arts and enough tables to display information and suggested curriculum for several different projects.  There were several volunteers on hand to answer questions, distribute materials and lead the workshops.  At the time, there was a large display window in a vacant space and I was allowed to decorate it with 4-H Fair Exhibits, pictures, etc.  On Saturday, we set up tables bordering the space and even had the dog project club bring in their agility equipment and had some live demonstrations.  We had 4-H tattoos available for all of the kids (complete with wet paper towels to put them on with), helium/balloons, and several 4-H trinkets to give away. 

This was a really good idea, but I ended up doing a lot of the work myself---people dropped off stuff to put in the display,  but I was left to put it up and to take it down---this involved a day before the week and a day after the week was over, plus I had to be there on the Saturday event.  I thought I had it organized pretty well, but obviously I overlooked a few things.  For the Saturday event at the end of the week, plenty of volunteers came to assist & that went well.  We used this event to promote awareness of the program and the projects and also to recruit new members.  I planned far enough in advance to get “prime” space---we were located by one of the busiest stores.  In 2007, the leader’s council wanted to do the same thing again, but they weren’t quite organized enough, missed National 4-H Week and went ahead and planned something in November.  They were located in a different area in the mall (a less busy one) and therefore did not have as much traffic and did not get any space to display anything.  They are trying again this year, and will be there during the National 4-H Week, and the mall is now offering glass enclosed kiosks (locking) for $25 & I reserved one for them to use.  Hopefully they will get enough volunteer help to make it a successful event.

Goshen County

·       Each fall we have a “Harvest Carnival” and decided last year to make that the kick-off to 4-H Week, so ours will be on Sun. Oct. 5.

·      Also, we ask our 4-H Clubs to decorate windows around downtown and make it a contest and provide the top three winners with a cash prize for their club.

·      A few of our community clubs go into their local schools and give presentations in some of the elementary classrooms. 

·      I am hoping to also go in and visit at the schools this year, hang some posters, talk to some teachers, etc.

·      Our members are also encouraged to go to our local radio station and do some radio spots that run on the local Torrington station.

·      Both the Scottsbluff Star Herald and the Torrington Telegram usually do a big write up on 4-H in general and ask for some county specific things from us.

 

 

Johnson County

In the past we have had a window decorating contest down town. The clubs pick a business and decorate their windows. We usually send out the score sheet in the newsletter so they have an idea what they are being judged on. The Council gives three cash awards for the top three windows.  We have also had some junior leaders visit third grade classes to talk about what 4-H is and answer any questions. We have also done a project fair in the park where the clubs would set up a booth and have people there to talk about the projects they are in. So far that is all we have done, but I am hoping to do some more interactive type stuff this year.

Albany County

            Radio spots

            TV spots

            Newspaper articles

            We hold Achievement Day/Night

            Decorate windows down town

            Have Day with 4-H (recruitment activity)

Campbell County

Here is what we are doing this year for 4-H week.

Radio PSA spots--the kids will go to the radio station and record PSA spots that will run all year starting 4-H week Window/Poster display contest Homecoming Parade--the clubs are encouraged to have a float in one of the two homecoming parades Pool Party/food drive--we are having a pool party for the members and they are encouraged to bring one non-perishable food item to be donated  to the soup kitchen.

 

Big Horn County

·      We do a Window Contest to promote National 4-H Week based on the theme for the year.

·      Last year we started a Contest in the schools where the kids have to do something different at school for each day of the week to promote 4-H. (i.e. Monday – Wear Green, Tuesday – Tell someone not in 4-H about it, Wednesday – Wear a 4-H Clover, Thursday – Promote a 4-H project, Friday – wear anything that promotes 4-H in Big Horn County.) They have to prove that they did these things each day of the week and turn it into me in order to get a prize.

·      I have also moved Achievement Night to October 11^th, the last day of National 4-H Week, to help tie in our County Achievements with 4-H on a National level.

 

Niobrara County

Window displays in downtown businesses

Posters done by the clubs-these are displayed in downtown windows and at the schools

Clubs baked cookies for businesses that support 4-H during the year

We have done a 4-H Showcase at our grade school two or three times where different 4-H members set up a display about their 4-H project and talk to the school kids about what they do in their project.

Newspaper articles about 4-H.

Washakie County

Radio Ads – last year I had a 4-Her of the day and had a new ad on the radio everyday of 4-H week

Newspaper Article – I usually use the one from the 4-H week and ad Washakie County stuff to it

Posters – We use the 4-H week one and add Washakie County pictures and hang them at businesses around town

Window Decorating Contest – our 4-H council puts up prize money and we have someone in the community judge them

First Baby of 4-H Week – Last year we had a club donate a bunch of 4-H items and put them in a basket and the first baby born that week got the basket along with other 4-H information and then we put it in the paper

Achievement Night – we always have our achievement night the Thursday of 4-H week

Weston County

Weston County decorates business windows with the 4-H week theme and the youth record radio psa’s to be aired during the week.

Teton County

Our 4-H Achievement night is during this time, we have a community open house where clubs set up a display booth representing their club.  This is also an ice cream social.  We do various small things like put ads in the newspapers, decorate a local bank’s display window, and run the PSA’s created by the State 4-H Office.  This year our leaders have gotten creative and are looking into creating banners to put on the town square or signs to stick in lawns.