Wayne County 4-H News

The Wayne County 4-H program received 55 poster contest entries. Many thanks to youth from Genoa Elementary, Prichard Elementary and Buffalo Elementary for participating in this annual contest. Winners, who will be announced soon, will represent Wayne County in the State 4-H Poster Contest. To learn more, please contact our office at 304-272-6839.

The spring dates for the Tractor Supply Clover Campaign are March 27 - April 7, 2019. Stop by the store in Lavalette and help support  Wayne County 4-H by purchasing a paper clover for $1, $5 or any amount you would like.

The last week of February several professionals from Wayne County being trained in the international recognized Strengthening Families (SF) Program for 10-14 yr old youth and their parents/ caregivers.  This program has made a difference in thousands of families in all 50 states and in over 25 countries.

Parents want to protect their children, but it’s challenging. Youth need skills to help them resist the peer pressure that leads to risky behaviors. Research shows that protective parenting improves family relationships and decreases the level of family conflict, contributing to lower levels of substance use.

The 4th and 5th grade classes at Lavalette Elementary recently completed an 8-week program on computer science. This program, sponsored by Google, allows youth to be creators, rather than just consumers, of technology. Computer science's emphasis on problem solving is applicable across disciplines, driving growth and innovation across all sectors of the workforce. Students learned key principles of coding and computer programming through online videos and then applying what they learned in Scratch, a free online program that allows youth to create interactive stories.

The students featured below are from the 5th Grade class at Lavalette Elementary. They include: Jaden Adkins, Marshall Adkins, Parker Adkins, Zoe Adkins, Anastasia Bailey, Jasmine Burbutis, Ella Cassidy, Brayden Clagg, Blake Copley, Carleigh Cyrus, Rickey Dillard, Jeffrey Dillon, Avery Ellis, Zachary Flemings, Sara Foster, Kayla Hall, Lillian Hammonds, Matthew Hernandez, Kaylee Meade, Addison Mooney, Jaden Plew, Kaylee Meade, Jessie Scarberry, Kennedy Slusher, Kaylynn Spangler, and Jacob Thompson. To learn more about this computer science program, please contact the WVU Extension Service Wayne County office at 304-272-6839.

Third grade students at Lavalette Elementary School learned about the United States flag on Friday, February 22, 2019. Students received first hand experience in how to properly fold the American flag. This is the third school in the county to receive this educational lesson.

Any other Wayne County elementary schools that are interested in having this lesson, please contact Julie Tritz, 4-H Extension Agent.

An informational meeting will be held Wednesday, February 27 at 4:30 p.m., in the Wayne County Extension Office. The contests include: WV Stockmen's, Beef Cook-Off, Livestock Judging, and Forestry Contest. Youth between the ages of 8 and 18 years as of January 1, 2019, are eligible to participate in these contests. For more information, please contact Evan Wilson, Wayne-Cabell ANR Extension Agent or call our office at 304-272-6839.

The Wayne County 4-H Leaders are conducting their bi-annual fundraiser to raise funds to send youth to state 4-H camps and events. Please call our office 304-272-6839 for an order form. Items for sale include:

The last International Cooking class was held February 18, 2019. Youth “traveled” to Colombia, South America and learned to make a chicken stew, corn cakes, and a strawberry meringue. Eleven youth participated in this four class series. Other countries "visited" include: Italy, South Africa, and South Korea. Thanks to all the youth who “traveled” and learned a lot along the way about different cuisines. To learn about other 4-H opportunities in Wayne County, contact the Wayne County office at 304-272-6839.

Adult camp staff applications are available for Wayne County 4-H camps. Please complete the online application by March 22, 2019.

The Wayne County Extension Office is accepting applications for youth to serve as a 4-H Teen Camp Counselor this summer.

Volunteer opportunities include: