County 4-H educator reviews 2024 activities and seeks expansion funding for 2025–2026

Wendy Sweeter, County 4-H educator with South Dakota State University Extension, presented a departmental year-in-review and program plan to commissioners on Feb. 11.

Sweeter said 4-H programming in 2024 emphasized youth leadership, life skills and workforce readiness and relied on about 30 registered volunteers and community support. Highlights included holding weeklong achievement days at a new facility (first time since 2019), hosting a regional state-format dog show in Lenox, sending seven members on national 4-H trips, and offering classroom programs such as "chicks in the classroom" to 131 youth. Tracy Storrow's hire enabled robotics programming for roughly 310 youth in schools and libraries in the fall, she said.

For 2025 Sweeter said the department plans to start a STEM and robotics club with state-level competition, expand classroom offerings (chicks in the classroom and "Adopt-a-Cow/Beef"), and continue animal and family consumer science education. Looking to 2026, she said 4-H aims to introduce "Launch Skills," a life-skills curriculum, workforce-oriented programming and a Clover Buds program for ages 5 to 7.

Sweeter listed a possible capital need: purchasing a county vehicle for department travel. She cited a 2024 state bid price for a Chevy Equinox at $28,009.30 and said she'd been advised to budget an additional roughly $2,000 for purchase costs.

There were no questions from the commission and no action was requested; the presentation served as an update to the board and the public.