Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Youth Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wabasha County 4-H reports enrollment growth, school outreach and summer plans
Summary
Extension staff reported 186 enrolled members as of March 31, growth targets, program agreements with Wabasha-Kellogg schools, and summer activities while the educator takes parental leave.
WABASHA COUNTY — Extension staff told the board that Wabasha County 4-H is expanding membership and school partnerships and has a full summer calendar despite an educator’s parental leave.
Lisa Dirks, regional director with the University of Minnesota Extension, introduced the quarterly update and said staff had secured interim coverage during educator Carissa Espinosa’s parental leave. "We're about mid May through mid August, pending, you know, how things happen there," Dirks said, adding that an interim educator and a returning summer intern will cover programming.
Carissa Espinosa, Wabasha County 4-H educator, reported that as of March 31 the county had 186 enrolled members and 25 new members, with 50 volunteers and seven traditional community clubs. Espinosa said the program is working toward a goal of 227 members and aims to retain 70% of first-year members from 2023–24 into 2024–25.
Espinosa outlined in-school and after-school partnerships, including a program agreement with Wabasha-Kellogg schools and exploratory work with Lake City (a city that lies in both Wabasha and Goodhue counties). She said Wabasha-Kellogg after-school programs have served about 34–35 participants so far.
Staff highlighted recent activities: an ambassador retreat, a winter event with 23 participants, a cloverbud (K–2) day camp with 13 attendees, a countywide train trip with roughly 50 participants, and competitive results in the dairy project bowl (senior division placed second at state; intermediate third). Espinosa also noted leadership programs for older youth and regional Whitewater Camp counselor involvement.
Upcoming items include three day camps, regional Whitewater Camp in June, youth leadership programming ("Yellow"), the county fair and Minnesota State Fair participation, and outreach to school open houses when the educator returns in August.
"The program is not going to slow down," Espinosa said, thanking the board for support of Wabasha County youth.
Funding details, volunteer counts, and program-agreement partners were listed in the quarterly packet submitted to the board.
