Children explore different subjects through 4-H, learning life skills along the way.
That was the case for Andrea Meadows, a fifth grade high ability teacher at Eastside Elementary School.
Meadows participated in 4-H for 10 years. She said in that decade, she learned how to do everything from creating presentations to public speaking.
She hopes to pass those skills on to her students.
Meadows’ students have already surpassed their grade level in terms of their academic abilities; she wanted to challenge them to go deeper.
Last year, she applied for a grant from the Anderson Education Foundation and began partnering with the local 4-H program. The grant was renewed for this school year.
“It allows students to participate as Sparks Club members,” Meadows said. “They have all the same rights and abilities to submit projects to 4-H.”
Meadows’ class of 20 students submitted a total of about 70 projects to the Madison County 4-H Fair during the 2023-24 academic year.
Projects ranged from sports to STEM-related content; each involved research and a presentation.
The Madison County 4-H Fair provides students with a chance to compete with other children in the county. Each project is scrutinized by judges who decide which students will advance to competition at the Indiana State Fair.
Educators from the local Purdue University Extension Office, the organization overseeing the 4-H program, have acted as guest speakers during classroom times.
Officials said the local program has grown by 6% since 2021, a number they attribute in part to school outreach efforts.
“We are reaching a lot more youth in Madison County and also forming partnerships where those youth are becoming 4-H members,” said Danielle Nyland, a 4-H educator.
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.