Iron County 4-H has experienced growth over the past 10 years by including new opportunities for youth to engage in projects that match the region in which we live. From Cross country skiing programs that have attracted the next generation of winter sport enthusiasts in a region of the state that annually sees 200+ inches of snow, to youth actively participating in summer camp programs, local government, and non-profit organizational boards. Over the years the 4-H program has expanded the local definition of what is a 4-H program.
In 2022 local 4-H youth were encouraged to participate in a statewide effort to measure the impact of 4-H on the lives of its members ages 13 and up. The Thriving Evaluation Survey provided valuable feedback for local educators and leaders as to areas that could be improved to increase the Thriving Trajectory of youth in the county program. Each county was able to get local feedback from members and use that feedback to strengthen their program. In Iron County the survey results supported an effort that was already underway but provided additional support for the importance of creating other opportunities for young people to explore their Sparks. Sparks are those skills, talents, and interests that bring them joy. Like the youth in governance programs and the Nordic ski programs that provided new entry points to 4-H, existing youth members also needed to be provided opportunities to explore their sparks.
In 2022 Iron County put out a call for new 4-H leaders to expand the educational project-based programming for its members. A new local business answered the call with a unique approach to the 4-H woodworking project. Karl Zinsmaster purchased an old church in Pense, WI and turned it into a Wood Shop called St. Mauds. The intention was to teach people to work with wood and use the tools in his shop.
Saint Maud’s mission statement reads: To strengthen children’s character through woodworking. Our aim is to foster self-reliance, nurture concentration, coach perseverance, encourage neatness, and instill a love for labor – all of which will prepare them for their future.
The program uses Slöyd, a historical Scandinavian method of education that uses woodworking to develop character in children. Saint Maud’s provides an authentic educational experience to youth. By using the very natural and human activity of “working with your hands” it is possible to develop educational completeness of the mind and body of children, and to overcome current gaps in our educational system. Using traditional woodworking, Saint Maud’s cultivates resilience and grit in each student, which sets the stage for a lifetime of learning. After completing the required 4-H leader training Karl told the Iron County 4-H Educator that he didn’t realize that 4-H had such a wide range of options for kids.
The alignment with Saint Maud’s and what 4-H offers young people is obvious and the program has been successful engaging young people in exploring their creative side and the guidance the leaders provide has resulted in high quality fair entries. The youth who show in the fair are confident and have impressed the judges with their craftsmanship and creativity.
