Every year 4-H professionals across the state have the opportunity to apply for funding through the Ohio 4-H Foundation Grants Program. With the support of these grants, 4-H professionals are able to develop innovative, educational programs that positively benefit youth. In 2024, the Ohio 4-H Foundation awarded nearly $130,000 in grants to support experiential learning opportunities. Here are two stories about programs funded in 2024.
4-H members develop new life skills
This year, Medina County 4-H hosted its first Home Ec. School, giving youth the opportunity to develop the skills needed to complete their cooking, sewing, and cake decorating 4-H projects. 4-H members of all ages were invited to participate, with each member focusing on a specific project area: Let’s Start Cooking, Sew Fun, and Beginning Cake Decorating.
“Fourteen youth participated, and they received volunteer-led instruction in their project area. They all left having completed parts of their project and were sent home with materials to keep the project going,” said Medina County 4-H educator Sierra Baca. “Along with project-specific work, youth also worked on a tie blanket community service project, participated in yoga and Zumba classes, and made connections with other youth in the county.”
ChickQuest program hatches interest in 4-H
Thanks to a 4-H Foundation grant, Hocking County 4-H reintroduced the 4-H ChickQuest program to the Logan Hocking School District for the first time in many years. Based around STEM curriculum that uses fertilized eggs as a vehicle for learning, the ChickQuest program gives youth hands-on opportunities to investigate the lifestyle of an embryonic chicken egg.
“While the goal was to start with third grade classrooms, we quickly became popular with other grades in the schools and were able to introduce the program to first- and second-grade classrooms as well,” said Kayla Nihiser, Hocking County 4-H educator.
In addition to gaining new STEM skills, youth learned about 4-H and explored the opportunities available to them. “The ChickQuest program was a great way to promote Hocking County 4-H and show youth everything we have to offer.”