OTTUMWA —
Kids don’t raise livestock, learn welding and furnishing or nurture the perfect tomato in a typical school classroom, but 4-H gives them the chance to try these and much more.
“It’s like the Iowa State Fair, miniaturized,” said Gina Martin, Wapello County youth coordinator with Iowa State University Extension.
4-H, the 110-year-old youth development organization, gives young people in grades four to 12 hands-on experience and opportunities to give back to their communities. The Clover Program also exists for kindergartners through third-graders.
This is Martin’s second year organizing the Wapello County 4-H Expo, and while she wasn’t in 4-H as a kid — she grew up in Atlanta — she volunteered and got her children involved when she moved to Ottumwa 14 years ago.
Two of her children have graduated, but her youngest is still going strong in 4-H, showing dogs and participating in the non-livestock programs.
“The thing about 4-H is it’s really geared toward a child’s interests and exploration,” Martin said.
For example, she said, if a child has an interest in welding, he or she will be supervised by a knowledgeable adult in order to “learn by doing.”
“And if you look around, you’ll see families, not just kids,” Martin said.
That was the case for the Cartwright family.
Paul Cartwright, 14, of Blakesburg, said his Great Dane, Stella, “did pretty good” for her first time entering in the dog show Thursday morning.
Cartwright and his sister, Marissa, 12, got involved in 4-H since their parents, Paul and Angela Cartwright, were 4-H-ers when they were younger.
“Kids can do almost anything they want to do,” Angela said.
And all 4-H clubs give back through community service projects, Martin said.
“They’re learning a variety of things they need to succeed in life,” Martin said. “How to be healthy, how to be a good citizen, communication skills, presentation skills.”
Sarah Keith, 17, of Ottumwa, entered her golden labrador mix, Fara, for the first time this year.
Fara also did well, and even though the lab lives around horses, “she’s scared of the pigs,” Keith laughed.
Keith’s three older sisters were in 4-H, she said, and since a lot of her friends are involved, it’s a natural fit.
“And it keeps me occupied during the summer,” Keith said.
There were quite a few goats and cows entered this year, Martin said, though livestock is not as big in Wapello County 4-H as it used to be. Out of the 175 kids participating in 4-H in the county, 50 of them participate in the dog show.
Dogs showed their obedience and agility skills to judges all day Thursday.
Wapello County 4-H offers 24 classes for kids to take in order to train and prepare their dogs, and they’re required to take at least seven.
There are a few children who enter a lot of the poultry, Martin said, along with rabbits and goats. There weren’t any sheep entered this year, though, she said, probably since they are very expensive.
At the beef show Saturday, the 11 kids who completed their bucket bottle calf interviews on Thursday will receive their awards.
This year, children could also take their 4-H experience to the next level and learn how to judge steer, heifers, swine and goats.
Every volunteer knows exactly what needs to happen and when, Martin said, and everything seems to come together smoothly.
“If it wasn’t for the volunteers, we wouldn’t have this,” Martin said.
Local News
Related Photos
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Makynna Beinhart, Ottumwa first-grader, interviewed for her bucket bottle calf Thursday morning at the 4-H Expo at Bridge View Center. “She’s as big as one of his legs,” said Gina Martin, county youth coordinator. Chelsea Davis/The Courier
July 20, 2012
4-H teaches skills needed to succeed
Kids get hands-on experience, leadership opportunities
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