Rotating News Article

for: Week of February 24, 2004

by: Vickie B. Mullins

Extension 4-H Agent

Santa Rosa County

Team-Up with 4-H

4-H goes to school – after-school that is. A new opportunity for middle school youth to participate in 4-H is being offered through the TEAM-UP program. Youth participating in the TEAM-UP programs at King, Avalon and Hobbs Middle Schools will also be enrolled in the Santa Rosa County 4-H program.

Santa Rosa County 4-H is a collaborating partner in a new youth program being administered by Santa Rosa County Communities in Schools. The TEAM-UP program, “Teen Education Accessing Mentors and Uniting Programs,” is a special grant program funded by a Title V Community Delinquency Prevention Grant.

Youth participating in the TEAM-UP program will be involved in a variety of educational 4-H projects and activities. The TEAM-UP staff has been trained to utilize several of the research based curriculums offered by the 4-H program. Youth will be involved in 4-H projects such as “Citizenship,” “Theater Arts” and one of the newest 4-H projects “Health Rocks.”

In January, fifteen youth and fourteen adults participated in the “Health Rocks – Train the Trainer” program. This new national 4-H project is designed to help youth make wise decisions and choices especially in those areas that affect their health. The research based 4-H curriculum contains six units that are led by trained “Health Rocks Teen Leaders” with the assistance of adult facilitators.

Utilizing youth as peer educators and mentors is an important component of the 4-H program. 4-H members are encouraged to share their knowledge and experiences with others. Several TEAM-UP youth have already been exposed to this idea and are or will be serving as youth leaders in the “4-H Health Rocks” project.

The “Health Rocks” 4-H project is already being used in the TEAM-UP program at Hobbs Middle School. Both youth and adult leaders report that the project has been well received by the youth participants. The activities in the “Health Rocks” project keep the youth active and involved. Youth are being encouraged to think for themselves and to consider how their decisions and choices will affect them now and in the future.

4-H Clubs are also being organized at each of the TEAM-UP school sites. One of the main objectives of 4-H Clubs is to provide youth with the opportunity to be youth directed and youth governed. The 4-H club provides youth with opportunities to learn about and develop their leadership skills. The club structure includes learning about and utilizing parliamentary procedure. Youth elect officers and participate in club business meetings. 4-H clubs also provide members with the chance to be self governing as they choose which project and activities they want to do. Although 4-H Clubs must have adult leaders, the leader’s purpose is to serve as a facilitator for the club.

The TEAM-UP program is providing youth with the opportunity to learn about and get involved in positive, constructive activities. Santa Rosa County 4-H is glad to be a partner in this project and hopes that the youth involved will become active participants in the county 4-H program.

For more information about 4-H contact Vickie B. Mullins, Santa Rosa County 4-H Coordinator, at 623-3868 or 934-5278.

4-H programs and activities are open to boys and girls ages 5 to 18 regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex or handicap.