The hard work, knowledge, and skills of the Methow Valley 4-H participants, an educational partner of the Methow Valley School District, was on full display at this year’s Okanogan County Fair!
Two years ago, Liberty Bell Senior, Emily Paul approached the Methow Valley School District Board of Directors and the Methow Valley 4-H clubs about establishing a possible partnership with the school district. The partnership would allow participating students in grades 9 – 12 to receive high school credit and apply their 4-H projects to their 10th grade Personal Project and their 12th grade Senior Project.
With a strong interest in developing knowledgeable and skillful students, who take action by applying their learning outside of the walls of a classroom, Emily’s proposal was unanimously supported and the partnership was established. The partnership, one of many, is a reflection of one of the district’s core beliefs — We can’t do it alone. We can do it together!
When asked why, one board member stated, “Simply put, there are many reasons as to why we think this makes good sense…” Here a just a few that were mentioned:
- Honors our community’s history, traditions, and cultures
- Provides youth with an opportunity to develop and apply their knowledge and skills through authentic, real-world learning opportunities
- Provides students with access to community-based mentors that have an interest in supporting our youth
- Promotes the development of positive attributes and attitudes that are difficult to measure, yet serve as strong predictors of success in life
- Acknowledges the hard work and dedication displayed by each student by counting their time spent exhibiting their learning at the Okanogan County Fair as a school day, rather than an absence from school
- Provides students with multiple pathways toward graduation and beyond, driven by individual student interests
What is 4-H?
4-H is the youth development education program of Washington State University Extension, which is conducted jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, your state land grant university (WSU) and your Okanogan County Government. Today 4-H is everywhere–in cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural communities. 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the nation.
The United States has more than 5 million members and 600,000 leaders. Around the world, 4-H type clubs now exist in at least 82 countries. In the 21st century, 4-H serves a broad clientele with expanded program focus using a variety of ways to deliver its effective “learn by doing” approach. For more information visit 4-H.org.
Interested in participating?
Students interested in participating in 4-H programs should look for announcements in October or contact Suellen White at (509)997-3252.