Northampton County 4-H presents program reach, seeks help expanding school embryology amid staffing limits

Amy Hoffman, the 4‑H educator for Northampton County, presented an overview of Northampton County 4‑H and asked the Energy, Environment and Land Use Committee on Aug. 21 to consider helping the program reach more classrooms while it addresses staffing and equipment limits.

The program, run through Penn State Extension, operates 12 traditional clubs (monthly meetings focused on projects such as livestock, horses, STEM, cooking and sewing); runs overnight and day camps; and delivers group-enrollment programming in schools, libraries and partner organizations. Hoffman said the program has about 1,400 group-enrolled youth reached through classroom and partner visits and 66 volunteers who run clubs and serve on volunteer committees.

Hoffman said embryology — a classroom incubator program in which students observe eggs develop and hatch over a roughly 21‑day cycle — is one of the program's most popular offerings. In the most recent program year the embryology project reached 22 classrooms across six schools, including Easton and Bethlehem area schools and several regional charter schools. The program runs two 21‑day sessions each year (generally February–April and April–May); students typically keep chicks in…