Press Release
☷4 H projects develop life skill lessons
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 29,2022
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FORT CARSON , Colo . — Students from Abrams and Mountainside Elementary Schools stand in line waiting for their turn for an interview on their 4 - H projects during the Fort Carson 4 - H Fair April 21 , 2022 , at the Mesa School Age Center on Fort Carson . Thirty - five students worked on projects in four categories: cake decorating , entomology , stop action and artistic fabric . Their projects consisted of on - camera presentations , written descriptions ( a 4 - H story about what they’ve learned ) and visual presentations on cardboard posters . FORT CARSON , Colo . — Elementary school - aged students lined up on red dots in a classroom - like setting prepared to talk about their 4 - H projects , which they had worked on for several months . They seemed anxious , excited and ready to showcase what they had accomplished . The 35 students from Abrams and Mountainside Elementary schools participated in the Fort Carson 4 - H Fair April 21 , 2022 , at Child and Youth Services ' Mesa School Age Center on Fort Carson . Their projects were in one of four categories: cake decorating , entomology , stop motion and artistic fabric . Students are junior ambassadors of Mesa , which is part of the local 4 - H Club , said Debbie Bonvillain , a trainer at the center . Many of the students began working on their projects in January 2022 . Students started out with a draft of their project , they brainstormed , and used their skills to gather up materials , Bonvillain said . Their projects consisted of on - camera presentations , written descriptions ( a 4 - H story about what they’ve learned ) and visual presentations on cardboard posters . They also participated in a 3 - to - 5 - minute interview about their projects with a 4 - H judge . “The interview gives them an opportunity to share about what they’ve done and learned , to take some pride in what they’ve accomplished , and to give them an opportunity to further develop their communication skills , ” said Vanessa Tranel , military 4 - H specialist with the Colorado State University Extension . Tranel said it’s a simple interview , but it can help prepare the students for public speaking or even with their first job interview . The students competed against their Fort Carson classmates as well as students from Peterson Space Force Base and the United States Air Force Academy . Students with the top exhibits in the project areas will compete against students from 64 counties at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo in August 2022 . For Aaliyah Hall , her project focused on permanent designs . Hall , a fourth - grade student who attends Abrams Elementary School , explained that her project included using permanent markers and paints , which can be used on fabrics such as pillowcase , shirt or pants . Working on her project , she learned the importance of taking her time . “I learned to take my time because a couple of other projects I did I rushed , and it didn’t look nice , ” Hall said . She said even though she had some challenges with her tracing skills , she was proud of her final project . Fort Carson was one of the 4 - H military pilot sites in the mid - 1990s , said Tranel . “The purpose of the partnership is to help the kids develop life skills and resiliency skills so as they’re moving from installation to installation , it may not look exactly the same , but if they were in 4 - H at Fort Carson and they moved to Fort Hood or Italy or Germany , there will be something predictable for them , ” Tranel said . The 4 - H clover symbolizes the desire for effective learning — head , heart , hands and health . “The program may look a little bit different , but if they ( students ) were a member of the group here , they can be a member of the group there , ” Tranel said . Wherever the students live , they have the opportunity to benefit from participation in 4 - H . “It gives them some recognition for their hard work , and their parents can see what they’ve done , ” Tranel said . “And having pride in their work , which builds their self - esteem . ” Working on these projects helps students set goals and develop a work ethic . “They set goals to decide ‘I’m going to complete my project , and I’m going to do my project well , ’” Tranel said . The students are encouraged to finish what they start . “When they start a project , they end a project , ” Bonvillain said . “Their voice counts; it means something . They have skills , and I want them to put those skills to use and come out with something . “They have something to contribute , and somebody’s watching who will recognize that they’ve done a wonderful job . ”
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