By Kelly Feehan
November has arrived and that means it’s time to stop fertilizing lawns but continue to rake or mulch mow leaves into the turf. If you have bare or thin areas of turf, wait until at least late November to dormant seed instead of seeding next spring. And avoid walking on frosted turf.
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Unlocking Hands-On Learning: The Power of 4-H School Enrichment Programs
4-H School Enrichment programming is a vital educational resource designed to complement and enhance the traditional classroom experience. Through partnerships with public and private schools, these programs bring hands-on, experiential learning directly to students, enriching their understanding of key subjects while fostering essential life skills. In Nebraska, 4-H School Enrichment programs serve over 80,000 youth each year, aligning with state educational standards and covering a wide range of topics—from STEM experiments and robotics to nutrition and gardening. These programs provide practical, real-world applications of classroom concepts, making learning more engaging and impactful.
What Sets 4-H School Enrichment Apart?
Unlike traditional classroom learning, 4-H School Enrichment programs emphasize learning by doing, an approach proven to increase engagement and deepen understanding. Each program offers at least six hours of hands-on educational experiences delivered by trained 4-H staff, volunteers, or classroom teachers. By working closely with schools, 4-H ensures that each program is tailored to support the curriculum while offering a unique, non-formal learning experience that complements what students are studying.
In Platte County alone, 7,695 youth participated in 4-H School Enrichment programs during the 2023-2024 school year, demonstrating the wide reach and popularity of these initiatives.
The Purpose and Impact
The primary goal of 4-H School Enrichment programs is to create long-term connections between youth and 4-H, while also strengthening relationships between schools and 4-H. Students not only gain a deeper understanding of the subjects they are studying, but they also develop life skills such as leadership, citizenship, and public speaking—skills that will benefit them far beyond the classroom.
Additionally, these programs provide a safe and inclusive environment where youth can thrive emotionally and physically. This nurturing setting encourages youth-adult partnerships, promoting active involvement from all participants.
No Membership Required
One of the many advantages of 4-H School Enrichment programs is their accessibility. Students do not need to be enrolled in 4-H to participate, making these valuable learning experiences available to all youth during school hours.
High-Quality Programming
A successful 4-H School Enrichment program is sequential and varied, ensuring that it aligns with school curriculum and supports ongoing learning. Evaluations are conducted to ensure that students and teachers can articulate the program's impact, and each program fosters the Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development. These programs also provide access to the vast resources of land-grant universities and state and national 4-H opportunities, ensuring participants have the tools they need to succeed.
Through these partnerships, 4-H School Enrichment programs help students develop in-depth knowledge in areas like STEM, agriculture, and health, while also promoting enthusiasm for further 4-H involvement.
With 80,000 youth in Nebraska benefiting from these programs each year, 4-H School Enrichment is about more than just complementing classroom learning—it’s about equipping youth with the knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm they need to succeed in life. These programs inspire students to take what they’ve learned and apply it in meaningful, impactful ways, ensuring they are not only better students but better citizens.
By Bruno Patias Lena
The On-Farm Research (OFR) network provides a valuable opportunity for growers to test management practices they are interested in exploring. The primary goal of OFR is for growers and Extension educators to collaborate in finding ways to reduce input costs while maintaining or improving crop production, all while promoting environmental stewardship. By using replicated, field-scale research, the OFR network encourages growers to adopt alternative management practices with proven benefits.
Since April 2022, when the new Water and Cropping Systems Extension Educator began working at the Platte County Extension Office, there has been a consistent increase in the number of on-farm research studies conducted with local growers. The number of OFR trials has grown from just one in 2022, to 11 in 2023, and 15 in 2024.
The 26 OFR trials conducted since 2022 have focused on a variety of management practices, including fertilizer management for soybeans and corn, nitrogen management in corn, irrigation scheduling for both crops, the use of cover crops, and testing newer technologies like sprinkler packages on center pivots and hydraulic down pressure on planters.
A highlight of the 2024 growing season was the irrigation scheduling OFR trials. Four trials were conducted, comparing irrigation scheduling based on the grower’s decisions with a commercial irrigation scheduling tool. For each trial, half of a center pivot was dedicated to the test, and irrigation water was applied accordingly. The picture below illustrates an OFR trial conducted in Platte County.
The Nebraska Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer (NE-EMGV) program has dedicated volunteers, some of whom have devoted more than half of their lives to Extension, actively contributing to disseminating science-based resources and knowledge within communities. (Click the Master Gardener logo for more!)
