It is summertime. Do you know where your children are?

There is an advertisement that you see frequently on television stating that it is a certain hour of the night and asking you do you know where your children are at that time of the night. The intent of this advertisement is to caution parents that they need to make sure their children are involved in appropriate activities. In order to grow to be responsible and productive adults, children need to be provided opportunities to learn and to develop appropriate life skills. They should not be allowed too much free time with nothing to do and should not be allowed opportunities to be at places and involved in activities that are not appropriate for children.

If you are a parent, grandparent, or caregiver for school-age children, I hope you have taken advantage of involving your children in some of the many structured activities that are provided in this county during the summer for our youth. I see articles in this newspaper almost every day about day camps, bible schools, camps, and an assortment of other activities for youth, so I know there are plenty of opportunities available.

Here at the Extension Center, our 4-H staff is providing over 30 different Summer Fun Day Camps for youth ages 5 to 19. Most of them are half-day activities to help youth learn crafts or other fun skills, physical activities such as tennis and basketball, or field trips such as forestry or Alligator Adventure. Some are provided for several days, such as Junior Master Gardeners, Mini-Society which teaches youth how to develop their own business, and Environment Camp.

But what happens after summer is over? Kids go back to the drudgery of school, and their fun is over. But this does not have to happen. Four-H goes on all year long.

Four-H is the world's most recognized youth organization, providing youth with the opportunity to learn responsibility and basic life skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. I would venture to say that many adults reading this column were involved in some type of 4-H activities during their youth.

The 4-H program provides many fun activities, such as the Summer Fun Day Camps described above, which is for all youth whether they are 4-H members or not. But the most significant component of 4-H is the Community Club. There are currently over 20 4-H Community Clubs throughout the county.

Four-H Community Clubs are groups of anywhere from 6 to 8 youth, usually ages 5 to 18, to more than 50 youth. These clubs meet right in the communities where the children live, usually in the home of one of the parents or in church facilities, volunteer fire departments, or other community buildings. Most often they meet once each month, but some meet as often as weekly.

The youth involved in 4-H Community Clubs learn at an early age how to be a productive part of a civic group and the community in which they live. They elect their own officers who have specific responsibilities and preside at each meeting. They decide what projects they want to be involved in, and they usually have a fun and learning activity at each meeting.

Although they can participate in the many 4-H activities that are provided for all youth in the county, by being 4-H members, they can also participate in structured activities designed specifically for 4-H members. These activities include team building retreats, public speaking competition, talent shows, district and state workshops, and much more.

The Robeson County 4-H Program is supported by United Way. With this support, there are many financial incentives for 4-H members and funding for many 4-H projects and activities. Dues and special uniforms are not required by 4-H.

There is a full-time 4-H staff in our office. Shea Ann DeJarnette, 4-H agent; and Aggie Rogers and Nikki Edwards, 4-H program associates, coordinate all 4-H activities and provide support for the youth and their parents. These staff members also provide training for the youth and their parents. Most of the educational materials and Community Club materials that are needed are provided by our office.

This sounds like a great opportunity for your children, doesn't it? So, what is the catch? The catch is that adult volunteers are needed for each of the Community Clubs. These adult volunteers, usually parents or caregivers of the 4-H members, provide the adult supervision for the club and provide necessary guidance for the club and its members. These adult volunteers rely on the 4-H staff for the training and assistance they need and for oversight of all 4-H county activities.

Four-H is a tremendous opportunity for youth, and all youth in the county could gain tremendous benefits by being involved in a 4-H Community Club. But unfortunately, many parents and caregivers are not willing to give a few hours each month to serve as the adult leader for a club in their community.

I would like to encourage you to get your children involved in 4-H. Call your 4-H staff members at 910-671-3276 and find out if there is a club in your community. If a club is not conveniently available, talk to them about organizing a club in your community.

The best thing you can do for your child is to take an active part in helping them learn to be responsible and productive adults when they grow up. Get them involved in 4-H. Help them learn while having fun.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 07/18/06