Kids love to figure things out. Nearly 140 kids stretched their minds and investigative skills at the University of Illinois Extension 4-H Clover Clinic held at Illinois Central College in East Peoria. They gained new skills from more than 30 interactive workshops, such as ballroom dancing, origami, DNA extraction, farm animals, and robotics.

The goal was to inspire kids to explore their interests and be engaged in their communities. One of the workshops showed how to make ice cream using liquid nitrogen.

"The liquid nitrogen is like 320 degrees below zero, so it makes the ice cream really quickly," said Brimfield grade school student Catherine Mattern.

"If you're working with them at a young age, then you are instilling the desire and showing the value of being engaged in their communities; and the teens want to help younger youth," said 4-H youth development educator Ginger Schnecker.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Judy Mae Bingman, University of Illinois Extension Marketing and Communications Manager

Judy uses powerful words and photography to tell the Extension story. She is a skilled communication strategist and storyteller with demonstrated success in building teams and creating strong organizational brand identities that deepen Extension’s impact among key audiences, build brand loyalty, strengthen employee talent, and expand public engagement. She is a frequent conference presenter at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Conference and helps Extension staff across the nation tell compelling stories.