COVID Leads to New Opportunities

 

This article was written by Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent, for the Robesonian and Robeson Journal news papers.

If 2020 has proven anything, it’s that we are adaptable and creative thinkers. For example, this time of year I would be highlighting the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the fair had to be cancelled. So instead let’s talk about all the incredible virtual opportunities open to youth this fall. Many of these are set up as free opportunities available to teachers or parents; only a small number are open to just 4-H members. Want to see what you may just want to fall into?

Our NC 4-H Camps and Educational Centers put together a 7-part series of 45-minute educational sessions entitled Nature Adventures. This is a free series for teachers and families. You can register for the live or recorded sessions to make it easier to do at your own pace.

We are egg-cited to offer the 4-H Egg-Cellent Egg Contest to our 4-H members that raise laying hens. Youth will get the opportunity to learn what makes an “egg-cellent” egg and submit up to two dozen eggs for competition.

MARS Base Camp is the 4-H National Science Day experiment and comes with a rover, map reading, and coding opportunities. This is an exciting program we are offering to teachers and families in Robeson County for free. What child wouldn’t like to explore the Red Planet?

STREAMING with 4-H is an environmental education piece being put together in Hoke, New Hanover, and Robeson counties for teachers and families. This free opportunity starts October 1 with training on the series, then self-paced activities and lessons that fall in line with the NC Standard Course of Study. We are also adding three video lessons teachers and families will have access to, a live virtual field trip, and a nature arts and crafts contest.

We are also excited to let you know that NC 4-H is getting ready to launch a curriculum website that supports teachers with at least three different curricula and will connect you to our 4-H office for support on these resources. I know this seems overwhelming, but that’s not the end of the offerings.

Adult 4-H volunteers also have the opportunity to learn about the Head, Heart, Hands, and Health of Wellness as part of a training offered by the state 4-H office on September 30, 2020, from 6–7 p.m. For those wanting to improve their tech skills, there will also be a Kahoot! training on October 28 from 6–7 p.m.

So now the big question is, how do you sign up? Well that is easy, and there are multiple ways. Most of our registration is through Eventbrite. You can register through our 4-H App (download 4-H Now! from the Google Play or Apple app store, and when you open it, look for Robeson County 4-H) by clicking on programs, scrolling to the one(s) that interest you, and clicking on the registration button. You can also find all of our programs listed on our website or on our 4-H blog. It’s that easy to come and see what is fun, new, and exciting thanks to COVID-19 this year.

For more information, contact Shea Ann DeJarnette, Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, at 910-671-3276, by email at Shea_Ann_DeJarnette@ncsu.edu, or visit our website.