Officer training looked very different this year, as do many other 4-H activities and events. 4-H Youth from Calumet, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington County came together virtually for this training. The counties offered officer training on two dates for youth members to attend for learning the skills and responsibilities for the office position they will hold in the 2020-2021 4-H year. Several older youth from Fond du Lac and area counties led the officer sessions with the help of volunteers or county educators. The first session reached over 66 youth from the five counties.
In the general sessions, youth had an opportunity to learn and connect with other youth from different clubs and counties. Tips and tricks for engaging virtual meetings were shared and youth participated in games and ice breakers to lead at club meetings or activities and participated in a wrap-up reflection activity that they can bring back to their clubs. In the officer sessions, youth learned what is expected of their officer roles and received some strategies on how to be successful in these roles.
Many youth also learned about the WI Movement during officer training. In Wisconsin 4-H we value: being yourself, belonging together, building connections, discovering skills, exploring new opportunities, and give back to your community. Youth members discussed how to create a more welcoming environment to create a sense of belonging and building connections. A word cloud was created with youth’s sparks and interests. Members also shared new project areas they would like to explore.
Here are a few things youth shared after completing the training. A youth learned “A bunch of really good icebreaker ideas to bring back to the club.” Another youth mentioned, “What to think of when 4-H comes to mind.” Many other comments such as You can use different small activities to make transitions smoother, putting your ideas out there, making sure everyone has a voice, to have confidence and to learn how to take pictures. 43 of 50 participants rated overall the officer training at a good or excellent.
Clubs represented at the October 29th training were: Armstrong, Brandon Tanagers, Campbellsport, Ledgers, and Taft 23. The next training will take place on Tuesday, November 10th. Youth can still register at https://forms.gle/jd3BUC8AGz2AWfsP8.
Youth annotated on the screen how to create belonging together and building connections in 4-H.
