Pam Dudding
Contributing writer
Groups are getting back together as “normal” as is allowed for now. The local Craig County 4-H is helping to get teens back into active participation again while at home.
Though they are scheduled for 2021, this gives them plenty of time to prepare.
The general 4-H age guidelines are as follows: Youth must be at least five-years-old and not older than 19 before September 30, 2021.
4-H has three programs they are looking for youth to participate in: dog program, rocketry and archery.
- 4-H Rocketry Academy offers fun, easy lessons that are correlated to the Virginia SOL’s for the entire family. There are three stages of lessons, each designed to be completed at home. Farrell noted that through a grant from Dominion Power, launch equipment will be available through arrangement with Farrell. The program will start with three initial stages:
- STAGE 1–Paper Straw, Balloon Rockets and Stomp Rockets. For ages five and up. It can be done completely at home, with stomp rockets launched in your backyard
- STAGE 2–Water Bottle Rockets for ages nine and up. Launch equipment and adult supervision is required
- STAGE 3–Solid Fuel Model Rockets for ages 11 and up Stage 3 will require the purchase of solid fuel model rockets and launch equipment
Craig County 4-H Extension Agent Sally Farrell shared, “The lessons are geared for families with children of varying ages and learning levels, so that the entire family can have fun while at home learning about physics, math, and aerodynamics.”
- Dog Program for youth – hopes are to have a dog clinic held at Virginia Tech in the spring of 2021. Also, there is a monthly virtual dog program offered on the Zoom platform, on the third Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m.
- Do you know of a youth who would like to participate in the State 4-H Virtual Dog Show? The information and rules for the Virginia 4-H Virtual Dog Show Rules:
- 1. 4-H members may participate in the trick, rally, obedience, and presentation classes and must be between the ages of 9 – 19 as of September 30, 2021.
- 2. 4-H Cloverbud members may participate in the costume and photo contest and must be between the ages of five through eight as of September 30, 2021
- 3. A dog owned by a family may be shown by more than one member of that family, even in the same class.
- 4. Dogs may be All-American (mixed breed) or purebred
- 5. Youth must train his or her dog.
- 6. No dog shall be eligible to compete with a physical condition that is detrimental to the health of the dog.
- 7. All video submissions must be continuous with no editing.
- 8. All submissions should be emailed to [email protected] by 5 p.m. on November 6. Videos can be emailed as YouTube or Google Doc links.
The classes and descriptions are:
Class 1: Most Creative Dog Costume (Open to Cloverbuds only) The costume depicts a theme (youth not in costume). The theme may be historical, humorous, cartoon, etc. Submit four photographs of your dog in costume, include front, sides, and back of the dog.
Class 2: Most Creative Dog and Youth Costume (Open to Cloverbuds only) The dog and youth costume depict a theme. The theme may be historical, humorous, cartoon, etc. Submit four photographs of you and your dog in costume, include front, sides, and back of the dog.
Class 3: Best Dog Photograph (Open to Cloverbuds only) submit your best photo of your dog.
Class 4: Best Trick (4-H Members only)
Class 5: Rally Obedience (4-H Members only)
Class 6: Obedience (4-H Members only)
Class 7: Presentations (4-H Members only)
It’s archery season and the 4-H is also looking for a few more youth to participate in their archery program on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. at their office. (The shooting sports has an older age guideline: Youth must be at least nine-years-old and not older than 19 before September 30, 2021.)
People interested in any of these programs are encouraged to contact local 4-H agent, Sally Farrell, for more information at 540-864-5812 or through [email protected].
