University of Missouri Extension

University Extension provides programming for youth ages 5-19 through traditional 4-H Clubs, school enrichment programs, and special interest groups designed to involve the youth in active learning experiences. In Pettis County there are currently 311 youth participating in ten organized 4-H clubs and 117 volunteers who give considerable time to the traditional 4-H program efforts. Also during the year 2001, 1,985 school-aged children participated in school enrichment programs.

Through hands-on-learning activities directed by Youth Specialist, Connie Mefford, Pettis County youth have the opportunity to learn skills designed to prepare them for the future as productive citizens and leaders of the community.

4-H YOUTH EDUCATION ASSOCIATE – In October of 2001 the Pettis County Extension Council voted to hire a full-time AYEA with funds obtained through the Alianzas Grant from UMKC. The grant is designed to assist communities where there is an influx in the Hispanic population. According to the 2000 Census data, Pettis County has experienced a 469.8% increase in the Hispanic population from 1990 to 2000, approximately 1,527 Hispanics which results in 4% of the overall population. It should also be noted that area service providers believe that the actual numbers of Latinos is even greater than what is reported in the Census. Therefore, it has become apparent that there is a great need for programs and resources that address the needs of Latino immigrants. With the addition of the new AYEA the Pettis County youth outreach services is committed to expanding it’s programming to include programs targeting Hispanic and other diverse audiences.

On January 2, 2002 the Pettis County University of Missouri Extension office welcomed Lori Gerke as 4-H Youth Education Associate. Lori has twenty-four years of experience serving in 4-H as a club and project leader. She was also involved as a 4-H member in the Benton County 4-H program as a youth. Lori holds a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics with a minor in Business Administration.

Cooperative Extension Offices, based on their role and relationship with Land Grant Universities, have administered 4-H programs since 1914. Cooperative Extension has been recognized as a primary contribution to the movement of the millions of rural families from subsistence living to middle class status. The 4-H program is one of the components of Extension’s effort to provide education to youth and adults in the family. The 4-H concept originated from school superintendents, to create a program where youth could apply school curriculum though practical, “hands on” learning. Originally intended for students in rural areas, the approach strengthened the connection between academic learning and desired activities outside school. The 4-H program thus motivated and continues to motivate students to remain in school, using academic learning to further their career and lifelong learning.

The 2001 4-H year has been a time for growth and quality youth development. The 4-H program involves community youth in a variety of educational and community service activities. Each club has a unique program plan that involves members in projects and community service activities designed to offer club members a wide variety of learning experiences.

The Council is comprised of two 4-H members and one adult leader from each club in the county. The 4-H Council acts as a policy setting board for county 4-H programs. Guidelines, promotions, events, leader training and financial management are important responsibilities of the council. The council meets on the 3rd Thursday of January, March, May, July, September and November. The Pettis County 4-H Council budget is made up of club dues, activity fees, fund raising events, private donations, and Pettis County United Way Funds.

Trip participation on the county and state level is high. Three senior 4-H’ers were delegates to the Washington Focus tour of Washington DC; four members attended State Club Congress; one member serve as a delegate to the Citizenship Focus in Jefferson City; five members attended State Teen Conference; and thirty-seven (ages 8-11), seven (ages 12 & 13) and three (ages 5-7) 4-H’ers attended 4-H camp at Camp Palestine.

Senior 4-H members have demonstrated a high level of participation this year in state and national 4-H events. A member of the Pettis County 4-H program is currently serving on the Central Region 4-H Council.

The Pettis County Jr. Livestock and Horse Shows are large 4-H events in Pettis County. One hundred and forty-six members showed two hundred fifty-three head of livestock. Fifty-two steers, twenty-five market hogs and five lambs were auctioned off at premium prices during the annual Pettis County Jr. Livestock Sale.

The Pettis County 4-H Horse Show involved twenty-eight 4-H members participating in a variety of thirty-nine classes. The Pettis County 4-H Horse Show also has the privilege of hosting a therapeutic class for children participating in the Center for Human Resources, Therapeutic Riding Program

One of the guiding principles of experiential education is that people learn best by doing something. In well-planned and managed day and multi-day camps the ultimate in experiential education can be achieved. 4-H camps provide 4-H'ers ages 5 to 18 the opportunity to learn decision-making, problem solving and teamwork as well as specialized skills in areas like the environment, science and leadership. In Pettis County 37 youth (ages 8-11), 7 youth (ages 12 & 13) and 3 youth (ages 5-7) attended 4-H camp at Camp Palestine just north of Knob Noster State Park. Eight youth (ages 14 to 16) volunteered as Teen camp counselors. The Pettis County 4-H Program also hosted 4-H Achievement Days, a Member/Leader Recognition Banquet in November, and a host of other activities throughout the year.

Increased training opportunities were made available for recruiting, training, and retraining volunteers activities include: State 4-H Leader's Conference, a regional

4-H leader’s conference, community leader workshops, new club leader training, and camp counselor training. New resources were also made available through satellite, videotapes, CD’s and printed materials. A 4-H newsletter is distributed to over two hundred families monthly.

University Extension provided educational enrichment programs in embryology, teamwork, conflict resolution, and financial planning. 4-H School Enrichment programs meet as part of a classroom session during school time using curriculums supplied through the 4-H program. Youth participating in these activities receive additional learning experiences.

Embryology: The Embryology program has increased each year with over sixteen hundred students participating. Tyson Hatchery of Sedalia donated one hundred and forty dozen pre-incubated eggs to the University Extension for use in the Embryology project.

Classroom teachers who were involved in the embryology project were also provided videotapes, curriculum and flyers outlining the hatching process. The 4-H incubation and embryology project has several objectives for students to obtain including:

1,609 students in Pettis County participated in the Embryology program in the spring of 2001.

Talking with TJ: Talking with TJ is a program designed to teach children in the second through fourth grades some basic skills in teamwork and conflict resolution. Talking with TJ is an exciting new educational program provided to 4-H through the Hallmark Corporate Foundation. The program utilizes video stories and fun activities in order to teach the principals of teamwork and problem solving. 280 Pettis County students participated in this program during the spring of 2001.

Show-Me Character Counts: The mission of Missouri 4-H is to create environments, in which young people are valued, contributing members of their community. Character education plays a key role in reaching this mission. 4-H Youth Development programming has for years been a proponent of character education encouraging fairness and honesty in all programs and subsequent events and activities.

Show-Me Character is a national as well as a local program designed to emphasize the need for good character building values, which encourage accountability and enhances ethical decision making in young people. During the last twenty to thirty years, there has been a rise in destructive and self-destructive behavior observed in youth populations. This trend has produced a need for character education in our institutions and youth organizations.

The Show-Me Character program was utilized with several youth groups (reaching 75 students) through out the year as well as implemented as part of the standard 4-H curriculum for the county clubs.

High School Financial Planning: The High School Financial Planning Program has been developed to alert, inform, and educate high school students in financial planning. It is essential in our fast-moving, economically based society to have some knowledge of basic concepts of financial planning. The purpose of the program is threefold:

The comprehensive program is designed to illustrate the constantly changing field of financial planning, and to address the changing needs and financial interests of the students.

4-H Program and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The project is designed to encourage and assist local schools to develop after school computer opportunities for youth in grades five through eight. Upper elementary and middle school youth have considerable amounts of discretionary time. This discretionary time represents an enormous potential for youth to engage in either positive or negative activities. The availability of positive activities that meet the needs and interests of youth are extremely important.

The purpose of this project is to develop programs that will attract at-risk upper elementary and middle school youth to safe environment where they can engage in meaningful activities that promote skill development. A large number of youth in this age group have a strong interest in computers. This interest combined with software that is both fun and educational will assure that youth will participate. By working with quality software the participants will develop skills that will be useful in school and future employment. Many analysts are predicting that by the time middle school youth enter the workforce most jobs will require some type of computer skills and that the employees with higher-level computer skills will be in the greatest demand. After school computer labs will enable even limited resource youth who do not have a computer at home, to develop their computer interest and skills.

A 4-H/DESE After School Computer Lab Program was established in Pettis County at the Sedalia Middle School in September of 2001. Out of the forty-eight applications of students wanting to participant in the program, twenty-nine were selected due to limited computer lab space. The lab meets twice weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Participants in the program are also eligible to participate in all other 4-H activities on the county and state level.

The "Professor Popcorn" curriculum meets the objectives of the Show-Me standards and helps children to discover the importance of proper nutrition and how to make healthy choices. 295 students and 18 Pettis County teachers participated in the Professor Popcorn program in the fall of 2001

A monthly 4-H newsletter goes out every month to 217 families in the county. Newsletters to special interest groups such as the local FFA advisors and County Commissioners are also sent out on a regular basis. 4-H news articles are sent to newspapers from local 4-H clubs and from the Extension Center on a routine basis. The addition and distribution of 4-H Family Handbooks have also assisted 4-H families in understanding the progression of learning experiences available to their youth.

Extension Centers throughout the state are striving to keep their current technological capabilities up to date, in order to obtain the most current information and to reach audiences that were once remote. With the implementation of statewide-computerized networks, Interactive Technological Centers (ITV’s) and federal access to the worldwide web, Extension Specialists rally to meet the ever-changing challenge.

The Pettis County University of Missouri Extension Center maintains a county web page (http://outreach.missouri.edu/pettis) that offers consumers a variety of helpful information. Along with geographical information regarding the office location and service hours, consumers can also find information regarding the Pettis County Farm Business Center, How to Start A Business Brochure, local programs provided by the four county specialist, a calendar of events, a list of Extension Council Members and Officers, a link to the Pettis & Benton County 4-H Web page (http://outreach.missouri.edu/ pettis/4-h) and Central Region Extension Web page (http://outreach.missouri.edu/ cmregion/cmregion.htm), as well as, links to local government agencies. 4-H families may even download the monthly 4-H newsletter from the local 4-H Web page if they so desire.


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		University of Missouri Extension Pettis County pettisco@missouri.edu Site maintained by Eva Kabler, kablere@missouri.edu Updated 05/24/04