Saturday, the Santa Rosa County Extension office held an open house for previous 4-H members to re-enroll for the new 4-H year starting Monday, and for new families to learn about the organization. While agriculture and animal husbandry are significant parts of 4-H in Santa Rosa County, Extension 4-H Agent, Prudence Caskey, explained how the club is not just “cows, plows, and sows.” Caskey said, “4-H has something literally for the kids in Jay and Navarre, as well as everyone in between.”
Students in Navarre with an interest in ocean life may wish to join the Marine Science Club. In addition to learning the fish, plants, birds, and invertebrates of the sea, students have the opportunity to take part in a state marine ecology event in November.
The Forestry Club, Caskey said, provides Pensacola State College with its yearly Lumberjack Festival activities. In addition to fun, hands-on activities like those and camping, students also learn the wide variety of products with products coming from trees such as chewing gum, makeup, and baseballs. Like the marine ecology event, forestry students have a state horticulture judging contest.
New to 4-H this year is the photography club. Caskey said teen member Steven Holster spearheaded the formation of the Santa Rosa Sharp Shooters. Holster said his aunt is a photographer so he wants to learn a professional skill. The club will teach editing, as well as shooting photographs at popular scenic locations, such as beach, lakes, nature trails, and farms. Cameras are not required to join, but owning one would be helpful, according to Holster.
The Aerospace Club, Caskey said, is popular with Operation Military Kids (OMK). Every military base, she said, has a 4-H club allowing students to continue through the organization no matter where they are.
4-H youth have made great personal strides in their own development. Caskey said, “4-H creates a sense of belonging. They take you as you are and accept you.” Katie Carmichael said she used to be terrified of public speaking. “I almost cried,” she said, “but once I got more involved with communication I came out of my shell.” Caskey said Carmichael competed on the county, district, and state levels with a 10 minute speech on bullying.
Holster is another success story of 4-H. During Saturday’s open house, Caskey was impressed how he, a 14-year-old, naturally carried on a conversation with adults, explaining facets of the organization.
The core of 4-H is life skills development, according to Caskey. She said every activity and club works to increase leadership skills, teamwork, problem solving, record keeping, and interviewing among many others. The last two, Caskey said, are important for applying for scholarships. Students have to maintain their own books and may apply for several scholarships, some requiring an interview. Caskey said students outside of 4-H often find themselves in their first interview ever when applying for a job after graduation.
Contact Caskey at the Extension office by calling 623-3868. She can go over the clubs not listed here like the robotics, archery and firearms, first-aid, the various animal clubs, and 4-H mock legislature. The website home of 4-H in Florida is https://florida.4honline.com where anyone joining 4-H as a youth, volunteer, or leader will have to go to sign up. Caskey said Jay still needs a club for those who can’t make the distance into the Milton area.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa 4-H begins new year