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Service Learning and After-School 4-H Programs
| Name | Robin Currence | | Situation | After-school programs are in need of quality curricula that will teach youth new skills and challenge them to achieve. Dr. David Weatherford (Title) realized the potential for 4-H to provide curricula to after-school programs in South Carolina. He wrote and received a grant to implement training for after-school staff. This grant was issued to county 4-H programs in the form of mini-grants, available to after-school programs across the state. The program is called the "Eye of the Eagle", and it includes components on youth-adult partnerships and on service learning. | | Response | I completed an application for mini-grants for five after-school programs within my county. All were at different stages in the development of 4-H clubs within their programs. Working with the site coordinators, it became apparent that only two of them would meet the requirements of the grant. These two had the more established 4-H clubs. These two sites
are supervised/coordinated by the same person.
The staff of both sites (who are 4-H leaders in my county)agreed to attend local training on establishing youth-adultpartnerships and on service learning, as required by the mini-grant. When preparing to conduct the training, I invited representatives from the other after-school programs. One new 4-H leader joined us. That made a total of seven leaders trained.
As required by the mini-grant, each site had to develop a service
learning project with the youth in their program. Since the project took place near Christmas, both groups chose to make crafts for local nursing homes, to visit the nursing homes and present the crafts, and to collect food for food pantries in their communities. The mini-grant provided funds to purchase supplies to make the crafts, which included hand-made pillows and door decorations. The funds also allowed the groups to rent buses to travel to the nursing homes. | | Impact | The evaluations of the training showed that the participants had improved their understanding of youth-adult relationships. For the culmination of the project, the coordinator made a scrapbook of photos and written statements from the club members. Many commented on how happy it made them to give something to the nursing home residents. The 4-H leaders
commented verbally on how much they enjoyed the project. After the project, both sites continued sewing projects with the members.
The coordinator also agreed to attend a national 4-H after-school conference held in Atlanta. She did so in November, with funds provided by Dr. Weatherford, and has committed to share what she learned at a future training. |
Last update7/21/2008
This website is maintained by Dawn Lee.
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