4-H ACTIVITIES
Amid the “Girls Rule” T-shirts, the set of twins, the cool eyeglasses, the pounding and the squeals of delight, there was learning.
In the Salvation Army basement last week, 15 children learned to make “pumpkin pie in a bag” during their weekly 4-H Afterschool activity.
The national 4-H organization is 100 years old this year, but its offspring, 4-H Afterschool, began in Butler County only about nine years ago. Its activities are geared for children from 5 to 12 years old.
The children worked together to measure pudding, milk and pumpkin into a zipper-type plastic bag, added cinnamon and ginger and mixed it well.
“It's good!” said Nia Patterson, 9, squishing the pumpkin and pudding together.
“I made the crust!” said James Messer, 7, who had crushed graham crackers.
This was their after-school snack, but even if the children were hungry, they also wanted to be a part of the preparation team.
“4-H is hands-on, nonformal ... We don't want it to be like school,” said Ellen Fogel, Penn State Extension Educator for 4-H Youth Development.
The activity, for example, taught children how to work as a team, how to complete a task, how to measure and to consider how pioneers used pumpkin for nourishment and enjoyment, said Jaye Young, Penn State Extension program assistant for 4-H Afterschool.
“Sometimes the older ones help the younger ones. That's something they're learning, too,” said Young, noting after-school programs usually include a broad age range of children.
For example, Tyler Heinl, 6, said it was his first time cooking, but twins Emma and Zoe Clark, 12, both said they are used to it.
“My brother's in love with cooking and we have to cook for him because he's in a wheelchair,” said Zoe. “He tells us how much we have to pour and stuff. It's really fun.”
The 4-H curriculum asks children to experience an activity, to reflect on its content, to learn from it and to apply what they learned, said Young.
She attributes 4-H Afterschool's popularity to the opportunity for parents to place their children in a safe place, with a trained, caring staff.
“In the after-school time period (children are) especially vulnerable,” said Young. “The stay-at-home mom just isn't there.”
In addition to the Salvation Army, five other after-school programs include 4-H activities now, and two more are expected to offer them by the end of the year.
In Butler, 4-H activities are offered at the Butler County Children's Center, Center Avenue School, the Dunbar Community Center, Kiddie City Daycare, and The Salvation Army. In Mars, Precious People Child Care offers the curriculum. Soon, 4-H programming will be offered at the Butler YMCA and for Butler home-schooled children.
4-H also offers the Clover Buds club at Kiddie City Daycare, 330 Whitestown Road, for children from 5 to 7 years old, Young said. Clover Buds activities are less competitive, she said.
“Ultimately, the goal is to train the (organization's) staff (to do the activities),” Young said, although she admits she runs two programs herself, at Kiddie City and at the Salvation Army.
The after-school activities focus on agriculture and science projects, which are especially popular now, said Fogel. They meet state standards for science and math education, she said. In addition, traditional 4-H clubs also are very strong in the county, Fogel said. Their members pay dues, elect officers, and may include programs as diverse as showing animals and robotics. Both kinds of clubs are part of the Penn State Cooperative Extension service of the university's agricultural college.
2-quart size zipper type freezer bags²/³ cup cold milk½ package (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding½ cup of solid pack pumpkin¼ teaspoon cinnamonteaspoon ground gingerGraham crackers, crushed in a zipper-type bag, for six 3-ounce cups3-ounce cups, spoonsScissorsWhipped toppingMix milk, pudding, pumpkin and spices in one zipper bag.Crush graham crackers in another zipper bag.Cut the corner of the graham cracker bag and pour some into the bottom of a cup.Cut the corner of the bag with the pumpkin mixture and pour it over the graham crackers.Top with whipped cream and eat with a spoon.Adapted from “4-H Acres of Adventure”
