Released July 15, 2008

LINCOLN, Neb. — After only one year, 4-H after-school programs in Nebraska are showing results, said Tracy J. Behnken, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Educator in Dodge County.

Behnken, who teaches on behalf of 4-H in after-school sessions in Linden Elementary School in Fremont and Logan View Schools in Hooper, said during some of the sessions children were so excited they begged their parents to let them stay.

"They were really excited about the activities we did," said Lisa Poppe, an extension educator in Dodge County who focuses on 4-H youth development. "We provided hands-on activities. They were not just sitting and listening to someone talk."

Together Behnken and Poppe have been teaching after-school programs in Hooper and Fremont since last September. Sessions were the first Tuesday at Linden and second Tuesday at Logan View.

In Fremont, 4-H works in conjunction with the YMCA. The Logan View school system instead received a grant to provide additional learning that allows Poppe and Behnken to teach the after-school program there.

Hundreds of youth take part in 4-H after-school programs across the state, said Tracy Pracheil, a UNL Extension educator in 4-H youth development.

"The UNL Extension 4-H Youth Development Program reaches over 135,000 youth," Pracheil said, "and one of the methods used to reach Nebraska's 21st century youth includes after-school programming."

One of the main goals of the after-school programs, Behnken said, is building interest and opportunities in science, engineering and technology, which is part of the mission of 4-H on a national and state level. 4-H also seeks to increase its enrollment by giving young students more exposure on how the organization operates.

"We want to provide knowledge to the public about how 4-H clubs work," Behnken said, "and how it goes beyond livestock and consumer science."

More than half of the six lesson plans for the year involved nutrition, which also is something that YMCA emphasizes.

"Their major focus is healthy lifestyle and exercise," Poppe said. "It fit well with our after-school program."

She said many students have become committed beyond the after-school programs. Many of them will showcase their work at the 4-H after-school booth at the Dodge County fair from July 31 to Aug. 3.

Serving trays and plates will be shown at the fair that incorporate what the youth learned about the Food Guide Pyramid. Tote bags with fruit and vegetable stampings that were made by students will be shown as well.

"I think it's been beneficial for us to provide hands-on activities with the kids," Poppe said. "We also like to teach the specific things that 4-H has to offer. It's a lot of work, but we enjoyed working with the youth."

Next year 4-H plans to expand after-school education in Fremont and Hooper. For a two-week period, Poppe and Behnken said they hope to have an entire day filled with 4-H education. The expansion will cost the pair more time, but they are willing to do it nonetheless.

"That's part of our job," Behnken said. "We'll have to make it work but we think it will be beneficial for our program as well as being beneficial for the kids."

For more information about 4-H and after-school programming, contact Tracy Pracheil at (402) 472-9016.

Nebraska 4-H is part of the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

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http://ianrnews.unl.edu/static/0807150.shtml

Contacts: Lisa Poppe, (402) 727-2775

Tracy J. Behnken, (402) 727-2775

Tracy Pracheil, (402) 472-9016

Sandi Alswager Karstens, (402) 472-3030