By Julie Schultz, Wayne County and
Tayler Wickham, Washington County
4-H provides youth with the opportunity to learn by doing; but that opportunity is not only limited to youth enrolled in a 4-H program.
4-H School Enrichment provides learning experiences to youth during the school day, with participation and cooperation from the school system.
4-H School Enrichment programs are delivered by 4-H staff, 4-H volunteers, or classroom teachers, and utilize research-based curricula that meet Nebraska Department of Education Content Standards.
The goal of these school enrichment programs? To provide classroom teachers with curriculum that supplements the lessons already being learned in the classroom, to provide students with an opportunity to learn with hands-on, minds-on methods, and to encourage long-term involvement in 4-H. And because Nebraska 4-H is an entity of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, 4-H School Enrichment is typically the first class a student takes at UNL!
So what does 4-H School Enrichment look like in a classroom? Think engagement! Think knowledge-based conversations! Think growing confidence! All aspects that 4-H brings to the life of 4-H youth members are introduced in the 4-H School Enrichment program.
Offering opportunities to learn and apply life skills like leadership, citizenship, and public speaking, 4-H School Enrichment provides more than just time for a teacher to sit back and watch the students learn. The structure of a school enrichment program is based upon the partnership between a classroom teacher and the local 4-H Staff, but are typically held during the school day hours and total to a minimum of six hours of educational programming.
What makes 4-H School Enrichment so successful? Two things: the use of research-based curricula and the 4-H Essential Elements! Every school enrichment program is filled with knowledge based on research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other land-grant institutions. This ensures that all students participating in the programs are receiving information that is accurate and up to date. 4-H Essential Elements are another resource for creating quality school enrichment programs because they focus on the social, physical, and emotional well-being of every student, and are necessary for positive youth development.
Nebraska Extension in Wayne County is committed to offering 4-H programs during school time hours through the 4-H School Enrichment program! Students all across Wayne County will have the opportunity to engage in new topics or find a new way to learn what they are already discussing in their classroom!
September Calendar
Sept. 1-4: Nebraska State Fair.
Sept. 4: Labor Day Observed, Extension Office closed.
Sept. 9-10: Norfolk Beef Expo.
Sept. 15: County Award Applications DUE to the Extension Office.
Sept. 15: 4-H Club of Excellence Summary Form DUE to the Extension Office.
Sept. 15: National 4-H Week PSA sign-up.
Sept. 21: 4-H Council, 7 p.m.
