ONARGA, Ill — 46 curious Cloverbuds from Ford and Iroquois Counties got a taste of “Big Kid 4-H” from 27 teenage 4-Hers from the Emerging Leaders SPIN Club at Cloverbud Camp on June 5, 2024, at the Ford-Iroquois Counties Extension Office. This fun-filled day featured everything from dog obedience to drone piloting, all while getting a sneak peek at what it takes to present their own projects at the county fair.

Cloverbud Camp was created to help young participants get ready for the more independent projects they can choose when they join regular 4-H instead of the leader-led projects they currently work on. The day wasn’t just for the younger generation; the camp also provided an opportunity for teenage 4-Hers to step into leadership roles, give them a chance to share their love of 4-H, and hopefully pass it along to the younger members.

“I see so many of our teens as the future leaders of our local communities,” says 4-H Program Coordinator Sara Seyfert, “so what better way to offer them opportunities to learn to lead than by asking them to share their beloved 4-H projects with our Cloverbuds who want to be just like the big kids?”

Cloverbuds were led by two older 4-Hers through a series of seven stations, where they were able to learn about projects such as Tractors/Tractor Safety, Dog Obedience, Visual Arts, Sewing, Livestock Judging, Food Science, and Drones. Campers got the chance to create their own images that they then got to sew into a potholder. They learned about goats and sheep and then got the chance to learn how to show them at a county fair. They flew drones and attempted to land them on spots on a Twister board to show off their skill. They got a chance to create edible slime to learn about the properties of food and then received a healthy snack to help teach them proper eating habits. They then learned about the features of tractors and how to protect themselves before getting the chance to sit in the driver’s seat of an antique tractor.

“The combination of Teens and Cloverbuds is so much fun to watch,” says Seyfert. “We get to watch our teens let down their guard to be a little silly and see our Cloverbuds’ eyes light up to realize they can (eventually) do all the awesome things the big kids get to do in 4-H.”

If you’re interested in learning more about 4-H in Ford and Iroquois Counties, contact Sara Seyfert at sseyfert@illinois.edu or call our office at 815-268-4051.

This program was offered free to all Cloverbuds in Ford and Iroquois counties thanks to our generous sponsors: Ford and Iroquois Counties 4-H Foundation, Gibson Area Hospital, Farm Credit, Kuhn’s, Bank of Gibson City, First Trust Bank, Affordable Arts and Shield’s Automotive of Paxton.

About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and is administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H grows true leaders, youth who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. The hands-on approach in 4-H gives young people guidance, tools, and encouragement and then puts them in the driver’s seat to make great things happen. Independent research confirms the unparalleled impact of the 4-H experience, demonstrating that young people are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, two times more likely to make healthier choices, two times more likely to be civically active, and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.