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4‑H coordinator Sky Loos tells Jackson County commissioners the program has grown, adds STEM and new Horse Fair
Summary
At a Feb. 17 work session, Sky Loos of the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center told the Jackson County Board the county’s 4‑H is the third largest in Oregon with more than 600 club members, expanded STEM offerings and a newly established Horse Fair.
Sky Loos, 4‑H program coordinator at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, told the Jackson County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 17 that the county’s 4‑H program is the third largest in Oregon and “maintains a strong community presence with more than 600 club members, over 200 volunteers, 65 clubs, and nearly 2,000 participants including parents.”
Loos described the program’s continuing emphasis on livestock and the annual schedule of three fairs — Spring, Summer and a newly established Horse Fair — and said members also take part in leadership and enrichment opportunities, including the High Desert Leadership Retreat, national livestock judging competitions and speech and debate contests. “The 4‑H Program is also expanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Program opportunities,” she said, pointing to LEGO robotics workshops, cow‑eye and pig‑heart dissection days and other hands‑on learning experiences.
Commissioner Colleen Roberts thanked Loos for her leadership and attentiveness, and Loos said she values ensuring that participants feel heard. Former 4‑H participants Sophie Grow and Sidney Grow spoke about their experiences: Sophie described participating in small‑animal market projects, STEM activities, leadership roles and attending the National 4‑H Conference in Washington, D.C., where she worked on youth environmental initiatives; Sidney said she has participated in 4‑H for 10 years, is a member of the Rogue Fern Feathers and Rogue Valley Sharpshooters clubs, was accepted to the Ignite Conference in Washington, D.C., and hopes to pursue environmental engineering.
The presentation underscored 4‑H’s mix of traditional livestock programming and newer STEM offerings and highlighted volunteer involvement: Loos singled out the county’s volunteer base — more than 200 people, she said — as a critical resource for running clubs and events. Chair Rick Dyer and other commissioners thanked Loos and the Grow family for attending.
The update was informational; no action or vote was taken.
