The Claiborne Parish Cooperative Extension Service's 4-H Youth Program is designed for boys and girls from ages 9 through 19 and is based on the principle of "learning by doing." 4-H enables young people to learn technical facts and life skills useful in everyday activities. Club and community activities aid in the development of citizenship and leadership skills. 4-H also offers awards in recognition of self-improvement and work well done.
The 4-H club program is available to students in public and private schools in Claibome Parish in grades 4-12. Through the 4-H experience club members have the opportunity to become leaders in their local clubs and participate in fun "learn by doing" projects. Special project days, usually Saturday events, are offered during the year as added enhancement for projects.
Other activities include a one-week summer camp for outstanding club members in grades 4-6. The cost of the camp is minimal and some 4-Her's win scholarships to attend. Challenge Camp, a special camp designed to meet the needs of seventh graders, is offered on a weekend during the school year. for older members in grades 8-12 who have distinguishes themselves in their project work, competition is offered on the state level.
4-H Programs and Activities:
4-H Agents present Educational Programs at the monthly meetings (run by volunteer adult leaders) of 22 organized school clubs.
Volunteer leadership is a focus of 4-H programming. Parish, district, state and regional training is offered for adult volunteer 4-H leaders.
Youth leadership development is also a 4-H program goal. Junior Leaders are provided numerous opportunities for leadership development through parish activities, as well as district, state and national levels.
Livestock Program encourages responsibility, ethics and showmanship through project work, parish and state fairs, and district and state livestock shows. Claiborne Parish 4-H Livestock Club meets monthly.
Nutrition and Fitness areas include parish, district and state commodity cookery contests, providing opportunities for 4-H youth to nutritious dishes according to dietary guidelines. Teen and Adult volunteer leaders work closely with project groups on nutrition and fitness projects throughout the year. Agents present educational programs to 4-H'ers at monthly club meetings.
Environmental Awareness and Stewardship are promoted throughout the parish in various settings. Specific programs focus on water quality and conservation, forestry and wildlife habitat. Claiborne 4-H youth participate in special environmental-related camps, parish Earth Day and Energy Day activities.
The 4-H Clothing Project activities include parish and state Sew-with-Cotton contests, entering garments in the parish and state fairs, project groups led by teen and adult leaders, and ready-to-wear workshops, where 4-H'ers learn to read labels and care for clothing properly.
Special Activities with focus on specific areas of the 4-H program include:
Officer Training - a parish-wide training for all club officers to learn their responsibilities for the coming year.
Project Day - 4-H'ers complete activities from their project books, with help and guidance from Teen and Adult volunteer leaders.
Multi-Parish Energy Day - sponsored by Claiborne Electric and involves four parishes. Youth learn about electricity and the environment.
Parish Valentine Dance - parish 4-H'ers enjoy social recreation at this annual event. Emphasis is on proper behavior and aerobic skills through line dance activities.
Critter Cook-off - A new twist on the cookery contest idea, where 4-H youth prepare dishes with wild game, learn food safety rules, and participate in environmental group activities.
Leaf-Collecting and Mounting Workshops - Claiborne 4-H youth participate in a fall leaf-identification and collection, pressing and mounting the leaves for entry and display at the parish and state fairs. Area forestry agents guide participants in proper leaf identification in this fun activity.
Claiborne Parish Junior Leader Club - Claiborne 4-H members in grades 8 through 12 meet monthly to plan Special Activities, community service work, and other parish teen leadership activities. Leadership and personal development, as well as citizenship are emphasized with this club. Guests visit with teens on career choices as well as project work. Multi-parish Junior Leader activities with surrounding parishes are also planned.
Claiborne Parish & Louisiana State Fairs - 4-H youth enter livestock and general exhibits in these fairs. Junior Leaders assist with School Group Day and adult volunteers donate much-needed time and energy. Clubs develop educational booths and 4-H'ers enter articles such as clothing, canned goods, crafts, artwork and leaf collections.
Claiborne Parish 4-H Foundation Board Members - meet monthly to discuss parish finances and approve expenditures. Fund-raisers, scholarships and awards trips are major topics of discussion. Agents report monthly activities and expenses to the board.
Fund-Raisers - The annual World's Finest Chocolate Candy Sale is the main parish 4-H fund-raiser, with other small project-related fund-raisers throughout the year. Funds are used to provide parish activities, awards, scholarships, trips, and other expenses.
Travel Opportunities for 4-H Youth include:
4-H Summer Camp - for 4th -6th graders.
Challenge Camp - special camp for 7th graders.
State Short Course - competition for 8th - 12th graders.
Citizenship Louisiana Focus - citizenship focus for Junior Leaders.
Citizenship Washington Focus - award trip for a Junior Leader.
Food, Fitness and Fashion Camp - for specific project groups.
Awards trips for state contest winners in various areas.
4-H youth are also involved in CHARACTER COUNTS! activities, through parish-wide training and using the program in club meetings and at special activities. The "Showing Character" program is used with the Livestock Club and "Character Critters" is being introduced into the parish pre-school programs and used by Child Development project members.
Claiborne Parish Family and Community Education (F.C.E.) Clubs are actively involved in the 4-H program. F.C.E. members assist with the annual Awards Banquet, lovingly create quilts for Outstanding Senior Boy and Girl, and work with 4-H youth on project activities.
Project Groups work on specific 4-H project areas. These groups are organized and led by parish volunteer adult leaders and Junior Leaders, and include, but are not limited to: Clothing, Foods/Nutrition, Photography, Electric, Livestock, and Environmental.
Community Service activities are performed by all 4-H members, through individual club work, Junior Leader club, and parish-wide events. They have included food, clothing and shoe drives, as well as work with the Claiborne Boys and Girls Club.
4-H Agents have extended their reach outside of the 4-H program to provide educational programming in the school classrooms as well. Agents have presented programs through individual classroom visits on nutrition, personal grooming, forestry, water quality and teamwork, as well as assisting with parish science and social studies fairs. School group day activities at the parish fair were planned and implemented by agents, volunteer leaders and Junior Leaders to provide educational opportunities for over 1,300 pre-school through sixth graders. Extension personnel have also been involved in parish teacher workshops, including the largest Project WET training in the state. Agents encourage the use of 4-H project materials in many other areas.
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - TROOP 72
Wayne Hatfield, Scoutmaster
318-927-2961
Dr. Bill Owens, Representative
318-927-3939
Boy scouting is designed to prepare young men (5th grade, 10-18 years) for life by teaching them strong moral and Christian values. It teaches them to serve their fellow men through service and community involvement. It teaches them self-reliance and respect for nature through outdoor activities.
In Homer, scouts organize and conduct food and clothing drives for the needy and help to clean up trash, nature trails, etc. Eagle scouts projects have including eye glasses for the elderly, designing fore escapes and safety programs for churches and community, safety and beautification project for the natatorium, repairing bicycles for needy kids, as well as other projects such as assisting the Fire Department and Ford Museum.
Meet in Boy Scout Center, sponsored by First Baptist Church of Homer.
For more information call Jennifer Roberts (318) 868-2774, Mickey Anglin at 927-9080, or Wayne Hatfield at 927-2961 or 9420.
CUB SCOUTS - PACK 7
Mike Legendre, Cubmaster
318-927-9945
Dr. Bill Owens, Representative
318-927-3939
Cub Scouts introduces young boys to scouting and the scouting principles of community service and brotherhood. Boys begin in first grade and go through 5th grade.
Homer Cub Scouts help the community with food and clothing drives and other service projects, as well as trash collecting and conservation projects. Scouting teaches boys Seif-rellance and moral and Christian Values through service and Community involvement. Cub Scouts meet at Presbyterian Church, Sponsor.
The Louisiana National Guard Youth "ChalleNGe" Program is a 17-month program which offers at risk adolescents an opportunity to change their future. The initial program consists of a five-month residential phase when the young people will learn self-discipline, leadership and responsibility while working to complete a high school equivalency diploma. Participants live and work in a controlled, military environment, which encourages teamwork and personal growth. A second twelve-month phase consists of helping to enroll students in continued education, a technical school program, or an entry-level job. The young person works with the guidance of a trained mentor during the post-residential phase.
Previously enrolled male, or female high school students, ages 16 to 18, who have dropped out of school, are eligible to apply. Qualified applicants must be a resident of Louisiana, be unemployed, free from drugs, not involved with the legal system, and most importantly, have a desire to complete the rigorous program.
The Youth ChalleNGe Program curriculum combines classroom work, community service, physical training, and challenging, individual and team activities into one unique experience. The core of the program consists of 200 hours of classroom instruction to prepare students for the state high school equivalency diploma. Other major blocks of instruction include a 10-part career skills and exploration program, health and drug abuse awareness, leadership and discipline, personal development, physical fitness, and basic work skills. Participation in community service projects also encourages personal growth and development.
