Youth in Milwaukee discovered 4-H through a variety of engaging, short-term spark series! During Fall 2024, Milwaukee County 4-H Associate Educator Athena Mayes and AmeriCorps Member Jack Piaskoski led a variety of six-week series at nine schools and afterschool programs across the city. These fun, hands-on, educational series included: chess, creative writing, Lego Play, robotics, and science labs. The youth that participated in the programs range from 2nd through 9th grade. The majority of youth that participated also became a member of 4-H! Each series ended with a survey to gauge if the youth gained the skills and knowledge we expected. Data is currently being assessed.
Youth in the Chess clubs learned the basics such as terminology and practiced with their classmates. Youth were able to slow down and concentrate on the game, which included thinking ahead and problem solving.
Youth in Creative Writing learned a new aspect of building a story each week, including character development and scene setting. They ended their series with a book they wrote and illustrated centered around a superhero of their own design.
In Lego Play, youth were given a new challenge each week, such as building an underwater palace or an amusement park. In teams, the youth were able to creatively design their own visions of each challenge. The intent was for youth to have fun, think creatively, and relieve stress through structured play.
Our Robotics program allowed youth to build a Lego robot and learn how to code to get the robot to follow their directions. Youth worked in teams and solved problems together to complete a series of challenges.
Science Labs provided youth the opportunity to experiment and learn through trial and error. Labs included building a strong spaghetti tower, creating a lava lamp, designing a protective package for an egg that was dropped, and learning about the pigments within colorful fall leaves.
Through these short-term educational series, Milwaukee 4-H broadened its outreach, increased enrollment, and most importantly developed relationships with youth, families, and community organizations.
