Our Dietetics program students have the opportunity to serve as judges for the contest that asks younger students to submit a recipe and nutrition information. This has been a great partnership, allowing our students to practice evaluation and critical thinking skills, while connecting with community and learning about 4H programs.
4-H Oahu has contributed to the students and families that ASAS serve and provided our students with opportunities ranging from gardening classes to STEM projects. In addition they have provided advocacy and leadership opportunities for our students, including Advisory Board membership.
The 4-H organization has assisted our students to focus on a variety of youth concerns, including parenting, family relationships, peer pressure, nutrition and fitness, teen violence, and career preparation and allows our students the opportunity to develop their leadership potential and develop skills for life.
As a judge for a 4-H cooking contest [I saw that] students gained valuable skills in cooking, planning a meal, and in turn will help to provide those in their family and community with great meals. The value of having this 4-H group create amazing foods will be endless in their future.
What I learned from this contest was that vegetables could be perfectly great like meat. And trying to use whatever resources our island has during this pandemic period keeps me and the whole family healthy. Most important lesson I’ve learned is that cooking is hard work so we don’t waste any food at the table at all.
[Our agent] has stepped in to guide all of the clubs in which our 4-H youth and volunteers were able to give back to our community by assembling over 4,000 seed packets of edible plants for distribution to families around Hawaii Island.
It helped us grow. It helped us connect. Just having that mentality of support with each other and getting through things. . . . It makes me want to go out and do some more.
4-H when done right can change lives and futures of it’s members; by doing this we change our community and then our world. 4-H is a vital part of our community. Positive role models don’t happen every day, they are created; that’s what we do here on Kaua`i. We create future leaders.
The way 4H incorporates life skills and Education into fun activities makes it so much more engaging and memorable for the kids.