Grant County Youth To Celebrate National 4-H Week

National 4-H week will be observed around the world from October 2-8. To celebrate, Grant County’s 4-H hosts their annual Family Night on Monday, October 3. The event runs from 6-7 p.m. in the 4-H exhibit building at the Grant County 4-H grounds.

Grant County 4-H Youth Program Advisor Sara Koepke also invites families interested in joining 4-H to an informational meeting at 5:30 p.m. “Learn about the exciting programs offered by 4-H, engage with active 4-H youth, and ask your 4-H questions” she said. Games and treats will follow the meeting.

Grant County 4-H plans a medallion hunt throughout the week. A 4-H medallion will be hidden in the community with clues given daily on KMSD radio and the Grant County South Dakota 4-H Facebook page. The winner receives a 4-H gift package. The hunt begins Monday, October 3.

William Karels, a member of the Grant County 4-H Bike Rodeo team, is planning a Bike & Walk to School Day Wednesday, October 5. The event promotes safer routes to school, healthier habits, and plain old fun. This national celebration focuses on the need to reduce the number of child pedestrians and bicyclists injured around the world.

“I think biking is one of the best travel methods,” said William. “I want to make sure everyone stays safe and enjoys biking at the same time.”
Bikers and walkers are asked to meet at the Grant County Courthouse at 7:30 a.m. The walking school buses and bike trains will depart for Koch Elementary School and travel south on Third Street to Tenth Street. Another train will depart to St. Lawrence School at the same time. The St. Lawrence School will be traveling north on Third Street to East Third Avenue. Each rider is asked to wear a helmet if biking and will receive a snack at their destination.

Also during National 4-H week, hundreds of thousands of youth from all around the nation will complete a single, innovative experiment on 4-H National Youth Science Day on Wednesday, October 5. The 2016 National Science Experiment Drone Discovery explores the engineering design and flight principles of drones. This year, youth in fifth grade at Koch School will learn about drones and their real-world applications.

“4-H is a program where you make it what you want it to be – simple or complex,” stated Bill Steinlicht, Grant County 4-H Promotion and Expansion Committee member and 4-H leader. “Our 4-H program is an all-encompassing organization providing opportunities for youth from ages 8 to 18.”

In Grant County, more than 150 4-H youth and 50 volunteers from the community are involved in 4-H. According to Steinlicht, research has proved participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are nearly four times more likely to contribute to their communities, two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors, and two times more likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs during out-of-school time.

For more information about the Grant County 4-H Program, contact Koepke at 605-432-9221.

Photo courtesy of Sara Koepke.