Youth & Family News

The West Virginia 4-H Youth in Action Program announces four young leader in 4-H pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living, and STEM.

Monday, July 25, 2022, 9 a.m.  

We’re kicking off week six with a read-aloud of “The Earth Gives More” by Sue Fleiss. Read by Lauren Seiler, Director of Development at WVU Extension, and her son Henry, this story details the beauty that Earth has to offer. Next, Meshea Poore gives some great advice on how to deal with new beginnings. Then, we head to the kitchen with Angela Lawrence, a WVU Extension family and community development agent, to get a few tips on how to pack a healthy, balanced lunch for school. Next, a group of West Virginia 4-H’ers talks about how to explore and pursue career pathways in areas related to climate change. To finish off today, Kerri Carte is back to teach us how to make homemade popcorn with flavors even better than the pre-made kind.  

West Virginia 4-H is proud to recognize 24 winners from 17 counties in the 2022 State 4-H Poster Contest

Monday, July 18, 2022, 9 a.m.  

Week five starts with a read-aloud of “Say Something” by Peter H. Reynolds. Tara Curtis, director of marketing and communications at WVU Extension, kicks off this sweet story read by the WVU Extension communications team! Then we pass it over to two 4-H’ers, Megan and Vivian, to talk about climate change. They discuss how to organize and participate in meaningful activism. West Virginia State Senate representative and Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin even makes an appearance to talk about how youth can get in contact with their legislators. Next, Joe Obidzinski, program coordinator and historian at WVU Jackson’s Mill, leads us through the long history of how Jackson’s Mill became the hub for West Virginia 4-H camps. He also guides us on a tour of parts of the campus and explains how the buildings got their names.  

Monday, July 11, 2022, 9 a.m.  

We’re kicking off week four with Jorge Atiles, Dean of Extension and Engagement at WVU, doing a read aloud of “The One Day House” by Julia Durango. Next, our friends Arden and Maddi, WVU Extension Communications’ summer interns, take us on an adventure to learn about fun things to do at WVU. Then, we jump over to Meshea Poore to talk about respect. She teaches us that not only does everybody deserve respect, but everyone should show respect, too. To wrap up this Monday, Kanawha County Extension Agent Kerri Carte shows us how to make yummy BLT lettuce wraps. For this recipe, you will need a tomato, cucumber, green onions, a couple strips of bacon, light mayonnaise, and Bibb lettuce. 

Monday, July 4, 2022, 9 a.m.  

Week three kicks off with Adeola Ogunade, evaluation and communications specialist at WVU Extension, doing a read aloud of “Wish” by Chris Sanders. Next, we jump over to Meshea Poore to talk about belonging. She teaches us that belonging comes from respect for everyone’s interests and differences. Then, Nila Cobb, healthy lifestyle specialist at WVU Extension, talks about how to be a good friend and discusses bullying. She also leads an activity on how to make a friendship chain. For this activity, you will need strips of paper, a marker and a stapler. Speaking of friends, J.R. Davis, 4-H youth development agent, tells us a little bit about the 4-H pen pal program and teaches us how to address and write a letter.