VA Cooperative Ext - Fairfax County, Virginia

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VA Cooperative Ext.

Department of Community and Recreation Services
Patricia D. Franckewitz, Director
12011 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 1050
Fairfax, VA 22035-1115
Phone 703-324-4FUN, (4386)
TTY: 711
Fax: 703-222-9792

Virginia Cooperative Extension

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4-H Youth Program provides innovative opportunities that meet the evolving needs of our urban youth with limited resources while continuing to fulfill the needs of young citizens in all communities. 4-H youth program provides learn-by-doing, fun, and educational opportunities for youth 5-19 years of age. Nearly 5.2 million youth participate in 4-H throughout the United States. 4-H operates in cooperation with Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Fairfax County Department of Community & Recreation Services.

Kids can find out about the following opportunities available for young people through 4-H:

4-H Clubs are organized informal educational groups composed of five or more members, 9-19 years of age and managed by two or more volunteer leaders. Clubs have elected officers, hold monthly meetings and develop an annual program plan, including 4-H projects and community service.
Cloverbud Clubs are small neighborhood clubs for youth 5-8 years of age, led by two or more adults. The Cloverbud Clubs meet twice monthly to work on short, fun learning activities.
Special Interest Programs provide short term project workshops open to all young people in the area. Projects usually include youth leadership, public speaking, and veterinary science. As interests arise, they may organize additional special interest groups.
4-H School Enrichment Projects are available to schools to be conducted in the classroom. The 4-H Enrichment Projects provide embryology educational materials, fertile eggs and training to interested 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade teachers. Other 4-H School Projects include: Ready, Set, Grow, Electric Energy, and Forestry.
2008 4-H Camp The 4-H Camping program offers a safe environment for children to pursue a variety of recreation and educational opportunities. The traditional 4-H Junior Camp program provides youth between the ages of 9-13 with hands-on classes such as Canoeing, Archery, Swimming, Horsemanship, Outdoor Living Skills, and much more! Special programs also take place throughout the week, such as Water Olympics, Carnivals, and evening campfires. Enrollment and price information can be obtained through local county extension offices. Special Interest Camps include Shooting Education, Parent/Child Cloverbud Weekend, and several Wilderness Adventure Camps.
camp brochure pdf camp registration pdf
Special Programs that target at high-risk youths include Homework Help Centers, 4-H Character Club, Barrios Unidos, Kingsley After School Program and Family Resource Center in the Falls Church area.

Other Programs

Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) increases services and programs available to limited resource communities through collaboration and the creation of partnerships.

The Kingsley Family Resource Center, supported by Kingsley Community Coalition offers free educational programs that help limited resource children and families enhance their quality of life. Programs in the Kingsley community have included a Homework Help Center, 4-H Club, distribution of free produce, Computer Learning Center, community garden, and leadership programs.

Barrios Unidos (United Neighborhoods), a program for at-risk youth in the Culmore and Reston areas, sponsors KIDS CLUB, Girls' Power, an anti-violence support group, and a transitional program at juvenile detention centers.

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) programs provide education that increases knowledge, influences attitudes, teaches skills, and inspires aspirations. FCS programs in Fairfax County help address the needs and priority issues of Virginia’s families. Research-based information and educational programs regarding nutrition and health are offered and include such topics as MyPyramid, portion distortion, food safety (ServSafe), Dining with Diabetes, Suppers Made Simple curriculum, and many others. Programs regarding financial education are also available.

Nutrition Education Programs include 4-H Smart Choices Nutrition Education Program (SCNEP) and Expanded Foods & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). 4-H SCNEP teaches youth to improve their dietary practices and become more effective managers of their available resources, through hands-on cooking and other nutrition activities. EFNEP helps families and individuals acquire skills and changed behaviors that promote lifelong health, disease prevention and improve their use of food resources.

Classes on nutrition and wellness, exercise, and preventing obesity are held for young families with limited resources.

Environmental Horticulture promotes sustainable landscaping and natural resource protection by providing horticulture and environmental advisory services and training to homeowners and professionals through cooperative efforts with other agencies. Research-based information and educational programs are offered on such issues as water quality, forestry, soil conservation, lawn management, yard waste reduction through composting, and pesticide and fertilizer use. Training is held on proper pesticide use and safety for green industry professionals to become certified pesticide applicators.

Master Gardener volunteers operate Plant Clinics May through September to offer residents information on landscape management problems and provide diagnostic analysis. They also operate the Horticulture Helpline in the Extension Office three mornings a week to answer residents' questions. Additionally, Master Gardeners teach the 4-H Ready, Set, Grow horticulture project to interested 4th grade classrooms, conduct a Farmers Market Gleaning Program and Composting programs.

Yorkville After School Program is designed to motivate students to achieve and sustain academic success in school by:

Supporting FCPS Standards of Learning (SOL) objectives.
Providing homework assistance.
Engaging students in character building and experiential (hands-on)learning opportunities.
Taking students on field trips for first-hand learning experiences.

Related Links

For more information visit the web site for the Virginia Cooperative Extension; http://www.ext.vt.edu/offices/fairfax.htm