Impact Magazine Vol 25, No. 1 Summer 2009 : Page 9
SolutionsForYourLife.com 4-H clubs, replacing them with a system of volunteer-led community and project clubs. 1967 Camp Cherry Lake, a facility built in 1937, is deeded to Florida 4-H. 1972 4-H begins moving back into Florida public schools. 1975 The forerunner of the Florida 4-H Legislature begins, giving youth a “learning by doing” experience in state government each summer. 1983 Camp Ocala, Florida’s largest 4-H camp, opens in the Ocala National Forest. 1998 Camp Timpoochee opens a marine laboratory with numerous aquariums housing freshwater, bay and gulf organisms. 2002 National 4-H celebrates its 100th anniversary; Florida hosts a parade and celebration in St. Augustine. 2009 Celebrating its 100th anniversary, Florida 4-H has 234,000 members and 10,000 volunteers. 4-H Today The programs offered by 4-H clubs are determined by members’ interests and adult volunteers’ abilities. In Florida, that covers a lot of ground. Some clubs, particularly in rural areas, emphasize farming and animal husbandry — the topics tradition- ally associated with 4-H. But some of the most pop- ular 4-H programs today focus on government, busi- ness and cutting-edge science. ABOVE RIGHT A 4-H volunteer demonstrates use of a lariat at the Florida State Fair. BELOW LEFT Youngsters plant a tree at an Arbor Day event. BELOW RIGHT This rider rewards her horse with a snack. Here are some examples: Project Butterfly WINGS Here, 4-H’ers ages 9 to 13 become citizen scientists by observing and identifying butterflies. WINGS is an acronym for Winning Investigative Network for Great Science — and it’s more than just a slogan. Participants report their data on a Web site, http://www.flmnh.ufl. edu/wings/, for use by scientists, other 4-H’ers and the public. In this way, Project Butterfly WINGS is part of a larger effort to understand and conserve butterfly populations. Founded at UF, the program will become available nationwide this summer as part of national 4-H’s new Science, Engineering and Technology Program. “Our goal is for the kids to become excited about science through butterflies,” said Marilyn Martin, direc- tor of the program with the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. 9
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