Youth & Family News

Youth voices offer unique perspectives, innovative ideas and valuable insights. As West Virginia  continues to move through the pandemic, teens want to know more about issues surrounding the public health crisis – now and in the future. Experts will give young people the “tea” (teen slang for “the scoop”) on a host of topics surrounding the pandemic during a special panel discussion on April 12, 2021, at 4 p.m.

The final spring virtual 4-H Special Interest (SPIN) clubs will start in mid-April in order to wrap up in May prior to our summer 4-H programs. These virtual 4-H SPIN clubs will focus on different topic areas and will last between four to six sessions. Do not hesitate to register.  Many of the SPIN clubs have filled quickly!

These 4-H SPIN clubs are open to 4-H members. Be sure to read each club description to determine which age groups are invited to participate. Each club is a little different.  Some clubs are designed to help 4-H members with their project work, but not all of them.  All youth are welcome to join a SPIN club to learn, no matter their project area!

Researchers of youth development from Tufts University and Boston College have started a new study examining adolescents’ beliefs, behaviors, and involvement in youth development programs. This study seeks to understand how youth develop in positive ways!

West Virginia 4-H is excited to launch more virtual 4-H Cloverbud Special Interest (SPIN) clubs in April. These virtual SPIN clubs will meet once a week for six weeks beginning the week of April 12 and ending the week of May 17.

They are open to any interested 4-H Cloverbud and volunteer. 4-H Cloverbuds are youth with birthdates between October 1, 2012 and June 30, 2015. Each club will be $20 to participate. This fee will cover the cost of a club kit of supplies for the kids to engage in hands-on activities at home related to the club topic.

4-H animal science programs provide members with the opportunity to gain life skills that they will carry into their future. Though the world around us is evolving, the importance of agriculture education is still an emerging need. The pandemic created an opportunity to offer innovated virtual programming.

The Adopt-A-Chick program was designed to give 4-H’ers the opportunity to participate in an integrated virtual or in-person and hands-on animal science program. Members adopted a chick from the time it was an egg until it hatched. Once hatched, participants are given the option to take the chick home. They can select laying hens and/or meat-production birds. Participants who select meat-production birds will be processing those birds in May with Dr. Joe Moritz, WVU Extension Poultry Specialist.

Every 4-H’er has a story, and those stories are worth telling! Sharing the story of your 4-H member could earn him/her a $500 mini-grant, and a scholarship to West Virginia’s Older Members Conference!

West Virginia 4-H is excited to kick off more virtual 4-H Special Interest (SPIN) clubs in April. These virtual 4-H SPIN clubs will focus on different topic areas and will last between four to six sessions. Do not hesitate to register.  Many of the March SPIN clubs filled all of the spots quickly!

These 4-H SPIN clubs are open to 4-H members. Be sure to read each club description to determine which age groups are invited to participate.  Each club is a little different.  Some clubs are designed to help 4-H members with their project work, but not all of them.  All youth are welcome to join a SPIN club to learn, no matter their project area!

West Virginia Extension is proud to announce our first annual Volunteer Professional Development Day -  It Starts with Us: 4-H Volunteers Leading the Way! This event will be held on Saturday, April 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please join us for a day of celebration as we take a moment to say thank you for all you do to make West Virginia 4-H such a huge success! There will also be opportunities to connect with other 4-H Volunteers across the state and learn something new to help you GROW as a volunteer professional in West Virginia 4-H!