Conference Rewind: Second Take Sessions Recordings 

The decline in family mealtime due to the fast pace of modern life is a growing concern, as it negatively impacts both children and adults. Research highlights the numerous benefits of regular family dinners, including lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and early teenage pregnancy, as well as higher resilience and self-esteem among children. Family mealtime also fosters better communication skills, vocabulary development, and provides a stable environment to manage daily stresses. In response to this issue, the 4-H Family Dinner program was created to encourage families to prepare and enjoy meals together. Over five months, 4-H families received monthly flyers with new recipes and were challenged to cook the meals, take family photos, and complete questionnaires for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. The program saw participation from 18 families across the United States, including 33 adults and 46 youth. The impact of the program was significant, with 100% of parents reporting a positive experience, 89% indicating their child would eat the meal again, 78% noting their child's excitement to try new meals, 72% observing improved understanding of meal preparation, and 60% acknowledging increased family time. The 4-H Family Dinner program successfully promoted family bonding, communication, and life skills development, addressing the challenges of modern scheduling and enhancing positive family development.

Don’t let program planning and evaluation be an afterthought! As 4-H professionals, program planning and evaluation of our programs is of the utmost importance. However, it’s one of the topics that early career and experienced professionals struggle with. In this session, participants will be exposed to tools and techniques for effective program planning and evaluation. Throughout the session, we will explore various methodologies and best practices to ensure the success and continuous improvement of 4-H programs. By the end of this session, participants will have a solid understanding of how to plan and evaluate 4-H programs using a variety of tools and techniques. Participants will be equipped to make data-driven decisions that enhance program outcomes and foster continuous improvement. Come learn with members of the NAE4-HYDP Research and Evaluation Committee and Evaluation for PYD Impact  Working Group to increase your intentional practice of program planning and evaluation.

As the world population expands, there is a critical need to address food supply concerns. Apples are consistently one of the most consumed fruits in the United States and globally – as raw fruits, baked items, juices, and ciders. Yet, the crabapple is the only native apple species in the United States. Through years of selective breeding, apple farmers carefully select desirable traits and use the grafting method for apple reproduction and orchard management. Georgia 4-H developed a lesson that teaches upper elementary and middle school youth about apple breeding and reproduction. The lesson includes youth creating apple seed prints, practicing grafting techniques, and learning about apple cross-breeding through a taste-testing experience. After participating in these activities, youth will be able to define a cultivar, describe different apple cultivars and their strengths/limitations, and explain the basic selective breeding process for plants by modeling grafting techniques. In Georgia 4-H, over 100 county 4-H staff have participated in a hands-on workshop about the lesson, and to date, more than 3,000 youth experienced one or more learning sessions with the materials. During the workshop session, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the activities as if they were 4-H youth, including making apple prints, practicing grafting, sampling apples, and completing a color-along reading story. There will also be discussion about the successful implementation of these lessons within Georgia 4-H and promising practices learned from county and state 4-H professionals. Because apples have the ability to be grown in every state, the content can used by 4-H clubs across the nation. Participants will be provided all the materials and resources (lesson plan, PowerPoints, handouts, worksheets, etc.) at no cost, so they can easily replicate and train other 4-H professionals, volunteers, or possibly older 4-H members in their own state to teach the lesson.

Journaling is more than just putting pen to paper—it’s a powerful tool for organization, creativity, and mental well-being. This professional development session combines the artistic freedom of junk journaling with the structured versatility of bullet journaling, offering a dynamic approach to self-expression and productivity. Participants will explore how junk journaling fosters creativity through upcycling and layering techniques, while bullet journaling promotes organization, goal tracking, and mindfulness. Through hands-on activities, attendees will experiment with both journaling styles, gaining inspiration for personal use and programming applications. Whether enhancing youth development initiatives or integrating journaling into health-focused programming, this session equips participants with adaptable, budget-friendly strategies to take back to their communities.

A Day in the Ring and Animal & Me is an innovative way to engage people with disabilities in the fair experience. A Day in the Ring/Animal & Me is designed as a partnership with the Extension, 4-H Program, County Fair Board, and community volunteers passionate about providing individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate at the county fair. A Day in the Ring/Animal & Me program has impacted over 325 participants from 2018-2024. The program provides a safe learning environment for participants to experience how to care for and show an animal through orientation, one-on-one practice sessions, mock show simulation, and a special show day at the County Fair. It allows 4-H members to build relationships with participants and gain a greater understanding of and connection to people with disabilities. The poster session will show participants how to develop a hands-on educational show program for community members with disabilities. They will be able to identify and engage stakeholders to create a planning committee, build partnerships, and create promotional items, handouts, and required forms. Participants will learn how to develop and organize this mentoring program to reach new audiences and provide additional leadership and service opportunities for older 4-H members. All participants will leave with a complete packet of planning and organizational materials to help facilitate developing a program in their home county or state.

The Cattle Educational Trunks project is a collaborative, interactive learning initiative designed to enhance agricultural literacy by providing comprehensive, hands-on educational resources about the beef and dairy industries. Developed by UGA Extension, Farm Bureau, Georgia Beef Board, and the Georgia Cattlewomen Association, these trunks equip educators with engaging materials that align with K-12 curriculum standards, ensuring that students gain a deeper understanding of cattle farming, food production, and sustainability. Each trunk includes books, models, activity guides, and virtual resources to support experiential learning in classrooms, 4-H and FFA programs, and community outreach events. The program’s widespread implementation across Georgia and multiple other states has introduced over 3,500 students to STEM concepts, career pathways in agriculture, and real-world applications of animal science. Presentation Objectives: Participants will: 

•Explore the structure and contents of the Cattle Educational Trunks and their application in various educational settings. 

•Engage in hands-on activities that mirror the lessons included in the curriculum.

•Learn strategies for integrating agriculture education into STEM and career exploration programs. 

•Discuss implementation challenges and opportunities for expanding agricultural literacy initiatives. 

•Collaborate with other educators and stakeholders to develop ideas for incorporating the trunks into their own educational programs. 

This session will highlight the curriculum design, distribution model, and measurable impact of the Cattle Educational Trunks, providing a scalable framework for integrating agriculture education into diverse educational settings nationwide.

Link to resources: GCWA Cattle Educational Trunks

This workshop will provide an overview of CLOVER by 4-H and how it can be used in community club settings to support positive youth development. Participants will learn how to navigate the platform, locate relevant activities and courses. The session will include demonstrations of CLOVER features, examples of activity integration into club meetings, and time for participants to create an action plan for using CLOVER in their own clubs learning objectives. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: explain the purpose and key features of CLOVER by 4-H, including how it supports positive youth development in community club settings, navigate the CLOVER by 4-H platform to locate activities and resources relevant to their club’s needs, and identify at least three ways to integrate CLOVER activities into community club meetings to enhance engagement and learning.

Digital storytelling brings together diverse voices and empowers youth to shape the narrative of their 4-H experience, increasing engagement and community impact. This session explores how Extension professionals can train and support youth in content creation, covering storytelling techniques, platform best practices, and ethical considerations. Participants will engage in interactive exercises to develop a youth-led content plan and leave with resources for program implementation. This timely approach integrates DEIA considerations and the 4-H Thriving Model, ensuring youth from all backgrounds can contribute their voices authentically and effectively. Join us to harness the power of youth-driven media in 4-H!

This session aims to provide adult educators with the tools and knowledge to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) concepts to youth in diverse educational settings. Participants will explore practical strategies for teaching AI, with a focus on inclusivity and accessibility for all students. The session will highlight the AI curriculum developed by the National 4-H AI Committee and resources and lesson plans that can be adapted for use in clubs, schools, libraries, and after-school programs. Attendees will learn how to engage youth with AI through hands-on activities and discussions, while gaining insights on how to foster an equitable learning environment that supports all learners. By the end of the session, educators will leave with resources, AI toolkits, and actionable strategies to bring AI education into their communities. The session aims to empower educators to inspire youth from all backgrounds to explore AI, creating a broader, more inclusive approach to STEM education and preparing students for the future workforce in technology and innovation.

Digital storytelling brings together diverse voices and empowers youth to shape the narrative of their 4-H experience, increasing engagement and community impact. This session explores how Extension professionals can train and support youth in content creation, covering storytelling techniques, platform best practices, and ethical considerations. Participants will engage in interactive exercises to develop a youth-led content plan and leave with resources for program implementation. This timely approach integrates DEIA considerations and the 4-H Thriving Model, ensuring youth from all backgrounds can contribute their voices authentically and effectively. Join us to harness the power of youth-driven media in 4-H!

Four round table focus groups were conducted at the 2024 Volunteer Conference of Southern States. The objectives of these focus group were to:

  a. Determine how 4-H volunteers could document the impact that participation in the 4-H program makes on youth. 

  b. Determine how we could document the impact that serving as a 4-H volunteer makes on adults. 

Teaching methods will include a combination of PowerPoint Presentation, small group activities, information sharing, and distributing the tools and resources that were developed resulting from the round table focus groups. Participants will receive the collection of tools that volunteers identified and have been created to document the impact that participating in 4-H has on youth. As identified in the round table focus groups, a variety of tools were developed to serve the different learning and leadership styles of adult 4-H volunteers. These include portfolios, photo collages, reflection journals, scrapbooks, and photo circles (all which meld into the Beyond Ready initiative.) Additionally, participants will receive the tools that volunteers identified and have been created for them to use to document the impact that serving as a 4-H volunteer has on adults. This collection of tools also includes a variety of options including achievement record books for adult volunteers, portfolios, photo collages, reflection journals, scrapbooks, and photo circles. Workshop participants will each receive a collection of both sets of tools and will be taught the best ways to introduce and utilize them. Complete information will be shared about the design of the round table discussion groups, including selection of participants, moderators, recorders, research design, qualitative categorization, and replication. A six-month follow-up will be conducted in April 2025. The findings from that follow-up, along with its implications for the future, will also be presented and discussed.

Whether a program is looking for new materials, ideas, or partnerships, Think Make Create Labs can easily be adapted into any program to help expand STEM access and resources. Learn what one state has done to reach new audiences and grow the STEM educator workforce in the delivery of hands-on STEM education. Having reached 70,000 youth and over 500 educators in 4 years, see how the focus on thriving youth pulls educators and communities together to promote hands-on STEM learning and development. Participants will learn more about the program and how they can adapt all or some of the concepts and delivery components into programs of their own to help grow 4-H STEM impact.

Across the country, 4-H programs have faced declining membership numbers post-pandemic, requiring new approaches to recruitment and retention to help youth become Beyond Ready. This session will explore strategies used by multiple states, with a case study from Pennsylvania, where membership grew by 17% in one year through targeted outreach efforts. Presenters will discuss Beyond Ready as a recruitment/retention driver, as well as email marketing, social media, direct mail, and data-driven recruitment strategies. The session will also examine challenges and lessons learned, providing attendees with adaptable tools to grow their own programs. Participants will leave with practical ideas and access to a digital resource folder to aid in their recruitment efforts.

Junior Engineers is an engaging and interactive program tailored for Cloverbuds, designed to spark early interest in STEM, with a particular focus on engineering principles. Through a series of six thoughtfully crafted lessons, the program introduces young learners to foundational engineering concepts, fostering curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills in an age-appropriate manner. Each lesson is hands-on and encourages active participation, blending fun with learning to make engineering approachable and exciting for young minds. Lessons cover topics such as basic structures and bridges, simple machines, renewable energy concepts, robotics basics, and creative design challenges. Activities are designed to be collaborative, promoting teamwork while allowing Cloverbuds to experiment, explore, and ask questions. The Junior Engineers program equips Cloverbuds with a foundational understanding of STEM concepts and inspires a lifelong passion for exploration and learning. By participating in these activities, young learners develop critical thinking skills, enhance their creativity, and gain confidence in their ability to solve problems and build things with their own hands. Additionally, the program lays the groundwork for continued STEM engagement as they grow older.   

This program not only introduces Cloverbuds to STEM but also demonstrates the accessibility and excitement of engineering, aiming to diversify participation in these fields from an early age. By cultivating curiosity and fostering a love for discovery, Junior Engineers empowers young learners to envision themselves as future innovators and problem-solvers in an increasingly STEM-driven world.

This session aims to empower 4-H staff, volunteers, and/or teen leaders to foster inclusivity and create supportive environments for neurodivergent youth. By providing a strengths-based perspective on neurodiversity, participants will develop practical skills to understand, communicate, and collaborate effectively with individuals who exhibit diverse cognitive profiles, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. The interactive training employs a blend of educational strategies, including engaging presentations, small-group discussions, role-playing activities, and hands-on workshops. Participants will explore real-world scenarios, practice de-escalation techniques for managing potential meltdowns, and develop action plans to implement inclusive practices in their 4-H communities. Resources such as case studies, summary handouts, and videos are incorporated to ensure comprehensive understanding and practical application. Participants will leave the session with enhanced knowledge of neurodiversity, increased confidence in their ability to support neurodivergent youth, and actionable strategies for fostering inclusive group dynamics. Evaluations from past sessions indicate significant improvement in participants’ understanding of neurodivergent challenges and strengths, as well as their ability to adapt leadership approaches to accommodate diverse needs. This session equips 4-H staff, volunteers, and/or teen leaders with skills to create equitable, inclusive environments that celebrate cognitive diversity. By addressing neurodivergence through a lens of empathy and strength, the presentation contributes to broader efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion, empowering youth to become agents of positive change in their communities. Through replication, this training model can support widespread adoption of inclusive practices, ensuring that neurodivergent individuals feel valued and supported across diverse settings.

This session aims to empower 4-H staff, volunteers, and/or teen leaders to foster inclusivity and create supportive environments for neurodivergent youth. By providing a strengths-based perspective on neurodiversity, participants will develop practical skills to understand, communicate, and collaborate effectively with individuals who exhibit diverse cognitive profiles, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. The interactive training employs a blend of educational strategies, including engaging presentations, small-group discussions, role-playing activities, and hands-on workshops. Participants will explore real-world scenarios, practice de-escalation techniques for managing potential meltdowns, and develop action plans to implement inclusive practices in their 4-H communities. Resources such as case studies, summary handouts, and videos are incorporated to ensure comprehensive understanding and practical application. Participants will leave the session with enhanced knowledge of neurodiversity, increased confidence in their ability to support neurodivergent youth, and actionable strategies for fostering inclusive group dynamics. Evaluations from past sessions indicate significant improvement in participants’ understanding of neurodivergent challenges and strengths, as well as their ability to adapt leadership approaches to accommodate diverse needs. This session equips 4-H staff, volunteers, and/or teen leaders with skills to create equitable, inclusive environments that celebrate cognitive diversity. By addressing neurodivergence through a lens of empathy and strength, the presentation contributes to broader efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion, empowering youth to become agents of positive change in their communities. Through replication, this training model can support widespread adoption of inclusive practices, ensuring that neurodivergent individuals feel valued and supported across diverse settings.

Protect the Plate is a teen-led agricultural literacy program designed to engage youth in food safety, sustainability, and STEM-based learning. Using the Ag Innovators Experience (AIE) framework, the program trained 74 Teen Leaders to deliver hands-on, NGSS-aligned challenges, reaching 5,547 youth—well beyond the initial goal of 4,000. Implemented by four land-grant institutions, the program reached youth in schools and after-school sites while also being tailored to diverse audiences, including refugee communities, military families, and international partners. Youth engaged through peer-led instruction, virtual learning, and hands-on experiential activities. By fostering leadership, STEM engagement, and agricultural literacy, Protect the Plate empowered youth as educators and changemakers. Its diverse partnerships and culturally responsive approach ensured equitable access to agricultural education, positioning 4-H youth as future leaders in food safety and sustainability. This session will explore the program’s impact and share strategies for implementing inclusive, teen-led agricultural initiatives in 4-H and beyond.

Do you need to new ideas to train your 4-H volunteers? In this session, walk away with new ideas in the form of lesson plans to bring your volunteer training program to life! The Ohio 4-H program utilizes over 13,000 adult volunteers annually to provide leadership to its community club program. The foundations of the 4-H club program lie in the hands of these volunteers who need to be equipped with the tools to provide hands-on engaging opportunities for youth. Growing the quality of the volunteer programs by providing county 4-H professionals with tools to do so is essential to volunteer management.

The 4-H Project Leader Training session is designed for anyone interested in providing in-person training for older youth and adult volunteers interested in 4-H project leadership. Participants will receive access to the easy to follow training guide, slide deck and resources for the two-hour engaging presentation developed based on the The Project Leader Guide: An Overview, a newly created and peer reviewed resource developed by Wisconsin 4-H Educators. 4-H Project Leader Training Objectives: 4-H Thriving Model & Other Learning Models How to work with different Ages and Stages Where to find Curriculum and Resources How to plan a successful Project Meeting How to Engage Youth with Experiential Learning The Importance of Reflection and Evaluation The 4-H Project Leader Training materials cater to all learning styles and abilities, aiming to increase the number of 4-H project leaders. The resources are easy to access, reproduce and adjust to include local information. The 4-H Project Leader Training and Train the Trainer program and resources were developed to increase the knowledge and confidence of adult volunteers and older youth interested in 4-H project leadership roles. The training includes a trainers guide, slide deck, handouts, worksheets, hands-on activities, partner and group work, and model 4-H curriculum. This diverse approach ensures that all participants can engage with the material in a way that suits their learning preferences. The 4-H Project Leader Training is a well-structured, practical, and adaptable training that strengthens the 4-H volunteer program by equipping leaders with the skills and confidence they need to support youth effectively. The training materials are comprehensive with clear objectives and directions, they connect participants to real-world application by following the structure of a typical project meeting, and provide ideas on how to request and utilize participant feedback.