louisiana 4-h military partnerships annual report
DESCRIPTION
This Annual Report highlights many of the 4-H camps and events that took part on the three military instillations in the state of Louisiana. Thanks to grant funding, each of the three instillations has a 4-H club on the base.TRANSCRIPT
Letter from the Louisiana State 4-H Military Liaison:
HEROES come in all sizes. I’ve seen the faces and heard the stories of a band of heroes most often overlooked: military kids. Military children take on greater responsibilities to keep their families functioning while their parents are deployed.
National 4-H Headquarters at the USDA has developed partnerships with the Army, Air Force, and Navy to support youth programs on military instillations across the United States. This military partnership has established 4-H clubs for military youth ages 5-18 on instillations and in communities. Through 4-H, military youth who relocate frequently will find similar programs and activities at each instillation. This helps provide stability and consistency in a way of life that continually changes. 4-H provides military children the ability to experience positive youth development programs focused in science, healthy living, and citizenship.
Each of Louisiana’s three military instillations participates in programs that teach military youth the importance of education and community service. Programs include: coastal restoration projects, rocketry and sewing camps as well as the Junior Leadership Program. Louisiana 4-H military partnerships rely on the resources of the Land Grant University, Louisiana State University. Both university and parish faculty serve as project directors, liaisons and specialists to each branch of our military both on and off post.
It is only through the support of 4-H and community volunteers that we can reach and provide care and support to the military families across our state. It takes commitment to influence the lives of our children. Join us and support our nation’s brave little heroes. Thank you for your care, time, and resources needed to support the littlest of our heroes.
I’ve been told I DREAM TOO BIG. The dream is not for me…it’s for the children…Louisiana’s Military Kids. ~ Tanya Giroir Louisiana 4-H Military Liaison
GET INVOLVED Louisiana 4-h Military Partnerships
2010 annual reportMilitary 4-H Partnerships are supported by 4-H National Headquarters/NIFA/USDA; Army Child, Youth and School Services; Air Force Airman and Family Services; Navy Child and Youth Programs; and the LSU AgCenter Cooperative Extension 4-H Program through grant funding at Kansas State University.
For the latest research –based information, visit our website: LSUAgCenter.com/4-H.The LSU AgCenter is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
Louisiana 4-H Military Partnerships can only be made possible through the countless hours of service that civilian volunteers put intohelping out military families around them. At times when the stability of a military family is in question, the care and support of the communi-ty brings a renewed sense of hope and security.
We encourage you to educate yourself on the issues that military families face on installations and bases and find out how you can help! To find out how you can get involved, contact our office, your local 4-h office or local military station.
Barksdale afb
Jeannie Crnkovic4-H Agent serving Barksdale AFB
Alex ShookAssistant County Agent
NAS New Orleans
Jan Morgan4-H Agent serving NAS New Orleans
Brenda Bulot4-H Volunteer
The Fort Polk SAS & MST
Kemberly Johnson4-H Agent serving Fort Polk JRTC
Chad HaganAssistant County Agent
~The 4-H Military Partnerships Team
Louisiana 4-H is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter
MISC-68 12/10
BARKSDALE AFBBAFB Sewing CampEach year, youth at Barksdale Air Force Base are given the opportunity to learn creative skills by working on both sewn and non-sewn projects as part of Barksdale’s Sewing Camp. Projects include: fleece blankets, patchwork pillows, sewing caddies, fleece scarves, needle holders, fleece hanger covers, hairbows and zipper bags. Everyone at BAFB agrees that they have “sew” much fun!
Fort Polk Art CampThe Art Club is an exciting way to experience many different types of art such as drawing, role playing, photography and set creation. This program provides hands-on activities that promote creativity and self-expression. This past year, many of the kids’ projects were put on display at the West Louisiana Forestry Festival.
Fort Polk FitnessFort Polk’s Fitness Initiative teaches both kids and adults on base how to choose a healthier lifestyle. The Fitness Initiative incorporates cooking experiments as well as fitness exercises. The program provides training on ways to select healthier, more nutritious foods as well as ways to stay active as part of an everyday routine.
Fort Polk Clover BudsThe Fort Polk Clover Buds learn from guests sharing information regarding insects, water quality and recycling, which teaches the importance of global conservation. This year, the Clover Buds welcomed an environmentalist on National Science Day, who demonstrated an experiment on water quality.
Rock EagleEach year, Fort Polk sends 4-H leaders and staff members to the Southern Regional Leader Forum. These leaders attend the conference to better understand 4-H as an organization, learn about new programs and share ideas with other 4-H leaders and members from the region. This year, the forum was held at Rock Eagle, Georgia.
THE FORT POLK SAS & MSTCoastal Restoration InitiativeConoco/Phillips is partnering with Louisiana 4-H to provide funds for the construction of four greenhouses at local schools within Plaquemines Parish. Students will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the greenhouses. This initiative will focus on cultivating wetland plants to help restore damaged regions of the Gulf Coast. These wetland plants will be taken from the greenhouses and transplanted along damaged areas of the Louisiana coastline.
Junior Leader ProgramJunior Leaders assist 4-H leaders by presenting 4-H programs to younger members. They also participate in the Step Up to Leadership program and other various service learning projects.Currently, the Junior Leader Club is partnering with Woodland’s Trail & Park in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, to remove debris from the park and work on coastal restoration projects. Junior Leader meetings are held monthly at the local 4-H office in Plaquemines Parish.
NAS NEW ORLEANS
“I love and really enjoy working with military kids for several reasons! I love that the kids can forget that their parents are away helping to keep our country safe and just be kids! This program also affords the opportunity for kids ages 5-18 to participate. This opportunity to enjoy, learn, and meet other kids just like them is not open to this large of an age span in any other club or community. The bonus for me is that I enjoy the camps as much as the kids! ~ Brenda Bulot, Volunteer Belle Chasse, LA
“4-h is simply what you make out of it - the more time and effort you put into it, the more you get out of it. As a competitor, volunteer, and counselor in 4-h, I was able to build personal leadership skills while helping others seek their full potential. I strongly believe that my appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point can be directly attributed to the leadership skills I learned through 4-h.”
~ Charles koch Anacoco, louisiana
BAFB Rocketry CampThe youth at Barksdale Air Force Base also spend their days trying to reach the stars! Barksdale Rocketry Camp brings the fun of science outdoors as military youth build their own rockets and shoot them toward the sky. Rocketry Camp gives the youth at Barksdale a chance to hang out and learn the science of flight in an fun and interactive way.
Louisiana 4-H ActivitiesBelle Chasse teens, ages 13-19, participate in 4-H Day at the Capitol each year to learn about the legistlative process. The 4th-6th graders on base participate in a 3-day premier teen camp, showcasing what Louisiana 4-H has to offer. This fun-filled camp is held at the 4-H Grant Walker Educational Center in Pollock, LA. Junior Leaders serve as camp counselors for this event and attend a special camp counselor training.