4-H Offers Exciting Class for K-12 Youth this School Year!

Heather Haines, 4-H Agent, UGA Extension Forsyth County

As summer comes to a close, many families are spending this weekend preparing for the school year. If you are looking for fun, educational experiences for the young people in your life, look no further! Forsyth County 4-H is currently registering youth in Kindergarten-12^th grade for many of the organization’s popular programs. Georgia 4-H is a part of the University of Georgia’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, and its mission is to help youth acquire knowledge, develop life skills, and form attitudes that will enable them to become self-directive and productive members of society. The program sets the stage for youth and adults to learn, grow and work together as catalysts for positive change.

Two 2nd grade girls at a table of apples — Local students learn about and sampled different apple varieties that are grown in Georgia to discover their favorite one.

For youth who are in Kindergarten-3^rd grade, the local 4-H program offers monthly Cloverbuds meetings at the Forsyth County Extension office. Meetings consist of a short lesson about a plant or animal and a craft. For the 2023-2024 school year, meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month from 5:30PM-6:30PM beginning September 5.

Youth in 4^th-12^th grade can join the 4-H staff for Community Club on the first Tuesday of each month from 7:00PM-8:00PM at the Extension office. At the September 5 meeting, youth will have the opportunity to vote on what they would like to learn about during Community Club meetings this school year.

Conservation Club is a place where students in 4^th-12^th grade learn about environmental sciences. Meetings this year will focus on environmental awareness, stewardship, and ecological principles. Meetings are held on the second Monday of every month 6:00PM -7:00PM.

A group of 4th-12th grade students examining pine cones and evergreen boughs. — Elin Turner examines tree samples during the Forestry Judging contest in order to identify them.

The Forsyth County 4-H office will also be hosting several other events this school year including Forestry Judging, the 4^th Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest, Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging, Poultry Judging, Wildlife Judging, community service projects, and our annual public speaking contests for youth in 4^th-12^th grade. Registration for Forestry Judging, Cloverbuds, Community Club, and Conservation Club are open now! Families can register by visiting https://t.uga.edu/9g2.

Don’t forget to also find us on Facebook at facebook.com/Forsyth4H and Instagram @ForsythCo4H to keep up with the latest 4-H events happening in the county and see all the great things that local youth are accomplishing!