4-H has a long and distinguished history of providing Kentucky youth and families with the opportunity to bring the world to the doorstep! Through international exchange programs such as LABO and UTREK, Kentucky 4-H families can experience the Japanese culture by hosting someone in their homes. We are currently looking for these dedicated families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to one of our exchange program youth from Japan. The LABO program places Japanese youth who are between the ages of 12-15 while the UTREK Japanese youth are between the ages of 15-17. LABO Youth are picked up by their host families in Louisville on July 23, 2008 where they will begin their four week home stay. UTREK youth are picked up in the Lexington area on June 28, 2008 and are in the home a little over 3 weeks. Both groups and their families are invited to 4-H International Day on August 20, 2008 at the Kentucky State Fair where they will spend the day together before saying their “goodbyes”.

To qualify as a host family you need to have a youth who is within two years of age of the Japanese child hosted. You also need to complete a background check, application process and reference review. Many families chose to host multiple years after participating in this wonderful program. One parent shares the following:

…My husband and I value diversity in education. While academics are fundamental, there is so much more to “educating” our young people. Establishing values and principles to live by is critical to the foundation of our society – we need people who have strength of character. One area of character development is doing our best to understand and accept people of different ages, gender, and cultural backgrounds. Our family has absolutely valued and appreciated the mutual benefits of participating in the international programs – of establishing new friendships and, even, new “family” members. We have learned from each other the different struggles of our respective nations, as well as appreciating certain aspects of each other’s native country. We value aspects of life differently, thus we live life differently. Yet with all our differences — young boys and girls, men and women – we all laugh, cry, love, and need to be loved. Our family has experienced the joys of opening our hearts, if just for a little while, to love another human being from a completely different culture — to make them a part of our heart and home. And to have the privilege of weeping when we must say “…good-bye.” Yes, the tears mean we’ll miss them, but they mostly represent the fact that we know we have had the honor of being loved in return, no matter how different we are. Lourina, 4-H Parent and Volunteer

Contact Mark Mains (mmains@uky.edu), Extension Specialist for more information or to apply today!

Healthy habits can be difficult for youth, who have grown up with computers, videos games and fast food, to buy into, but a healthy lifestyle has many long term health benefits. Kentucky 4-H offers a fun, user-friendly way to get youths thinking healthier through its Jump Into Foods and Fitness program. Childhood obesity is a major concern in Kentucky. According to a recent report released by Trust for America’s Health, the state ranked third in the nation in the percentage of children who are overweight. About 20.6 percent of the state’s children are overweight which is well above the national average of 14.8 percent. Childhood overweight is a growing trend and has no age limits. Children as young as two are already struggling with their weight. In fact, about 17 percent of children ages 2 to 4 are already overweight according to statistics from the 2002 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System.

The 4-H Jump Into Foods and Fitness program tries to chip away at the state’s childhood overweight problem by introducing healthy habits and physical activity into youths’ daily routines. As a part of the 4-H Health Core Curriculum, it has already produced results by increasing knowledge of the benefits of physical activity, offering healthier food options, raising awareness of diseases related to overweight, and demonstrating proper portion sizes to youth in 48 counties. Of the over 8,200 youth in the state that participated in the 4-H program in 2007, 68 percent indicated they had incorporated at least one health or nutrition practice into their daily lives.

Jump Into Foods and Fitness is fun for both adults and youth. Youth will enjoy fun, hands-on activities that stress fitness and healthy living. The program is very user-friendly for volunteers and agents and can be incorporated into after-school programs or enrichment classes. One of the reasons the program is so easy to follow and understand is because each activity is structured in the form of a fitness workout, including a warm up and cool down. While fitness is a component of each activity, time is divided between physical fitness and helping youth understand healthy habits, MyPyramid and nutritious food choices.
Studies show that youth who develop healthy habits early are more likely to practice them throughout their lives, which is why the Jump Into Foods and Fitness program is targeted at youths age 8 to 11.

For more information on the 4-H Jump Into Foods and Fitness program contact your local county Cooperative Extension Service. Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Most kids only get to dream of treasure hunting; geocaching is just one of the fun, hands-on projects that is part of Four-H’s science, engineering and technology program area. Kids get to explore science careers while they learn about global positioning systems, space exploration, aerospace and more. With a direct connections to the research of university of Kentucky, four-H programs help kids gain confidence and skills to succeed in today’s global workforce.

Youth will explore opportunities in careers that currently focus on Science, Engineering & Technology (SET) as well as careers on the horizon. The fundamental 4-H ideal of practical, “learn by doing” experiences encourages youth to experiment, innovate and think independently. Young people become confident, mature adults ready for success in today’s challenging world through 4-H, the only youth development program with a direct connection to technological advances from research conducted at state land-grant universities. Studies show that the more than 6.5 million youth participating in 4-H do better in school, are more motivated to help others, feel safe to try new things, achieve a sense of self-esteem, and develop lasting friendships.

4-H in Kentucky has three mission mandates: science, engineering and technology; healthy living; and citizenship. Youth learn leadership, citizenship and life skills through projects with topics as varied as Aerospace (rocketry), Biotechnology (Forensic Education), Geospatial Science (GPS/GIS), Electronics and electricity, Robotics (Forces & Motion), Energy Education (heat, light, chemical education, etc).

Cumberland County 4-H is just one of 40 counties in Kentucky that is participating in one or more areas in 4-H Science, engineering and technology (SET). 4-H Youth Development Agent, Elijah Wilson, through the Kentucky 4-H Foundation grant, purchased a trailer to use in their county and district for 4-H SET programs.

4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. Volunteers are essential to help youth make the most of these learning opportunities. If you are interested in leading a project-based club or sharing your expertise to provide young people with learning opportunities, please contact your local county extension office.