Robeson County 4-H

Armchair quarterback is a favorite pastime while reading the paper or watching the news for many of us. How often have you read a headline or a story and come up with a suitable form of justice or prevention for a societal problem? For example, I had a supervisor who used to ask me why 4-H had not been a part of the life of any teen accused of a crime on the front page of the paper. Hypothetically, there are lists of answers I can give, but there is no way to know if any would actually be appropriate for that person’s situation. The reason 4-H and other nonformal youth development organizations exist is because we know, through research and evaluation, our programs make a difference in the lives of youth. We know not every child will have the chance to be a part of these programs due to time, cost, and support. So we offer a variety of programs, including a short program with big life-changing impacts known as camp. Week-long overnight 4-H camp takes place July 13-19 at Betsy-Jeff...

Finally, my heat is off and the air conditioning is on at my house. That is a sure sign that spring is here and summer is not far away. Another sure sign is that the 4-H Summer Fun Brochure is out and sign-up has begun! Needless to say, as the Extension 4-H Agent in this county, I am slightly biased and very excited about the offerings we have this summer. Parents, that being said, even if our program is not the one for your child, I would like to encourage you to sign them up for some type of experiential learning opportunity this summer. Why sign them up for something other then chores, T.V., and video games? The reasons are enormous. Being a couch potato is physically and mentally not healthy for them. The longer they sit inactive, the more likely they are to eat more because they are bored. Eating more can result in weight gain that could lead to serious health conditions. It is also the time risky behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, and making poor decisions, begin. Also, whe...