(BEDFORD) – The Lawrence County Council received an update on programs administered from October – December by Lesley Lodmell, 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator of the Lawrence County Extension Office.
These programs include Hoosier Uplands After School Program, New Community Wellness Initiatives, CATCH My Breath, 4-H Volunteer Training, VET-103, and CATCH Nutritional Education.
More than 3,705 people participated in these programs from October- December in 188 Educational Program Sessions.
- Hoosier Uplands After-School Program
Over the last four years, three Lawrence County Educators have presented lessons monthly to each of the two Hoosier Hills Uplands After School sites in Lawrence County.
This year they reached about 91 youth monthly with lessons from the Junior Master Gardeners: Learn, Grow, Eat, and Go Curriculum. These lessons revolve around healthy food choices, understanding plants, and gardening and getting physically active.
- New Initiatives – Community Wellness
The Community Wellness Coordinator is assisting Mitchell Community Schools with the Blessings in a Backpack program at Hatfield and Burris Elementary Schools.
She will be determining if the leftovers from the cafeteria could be used in the backpack program. 42 percent of the students at Burris participate in the program and an estimated 300 children from both schools take food home each week.
- CATCH My Breath
CATCH My Breath is an e-cigarette prevention program that provides students with the skills to resist peer and media pressure influencing them to try e-cigarettes.
The sixth grade class at Mitchell Jr. High School was the first to participate in the CATCH My Breath program in Lawrence County. Four sessions, one hour in length were offered once a week during the Health Education period.
Approximately 112 students participated in the CATCH My Breath program.
- Volunteer Training
Annually the 4-H Educator hosts approximately 20 different volunteer training sessions that reach about 210 participants.
These range from orientations, committee boot camps, to full-day volunteer experiences. They are a total of 18 clubs that have at least one representative present to receive updates and training incorporated during three annual meetings and training.
There are approximately 205 adult volunteers that participate in 4-H.
“Being a 4-H Volunteer gives me the opportunity to interact with and invest in the youth in my community,” said Amanda Wilson 4-H Volunteer and Club Leader.
- VET 103
This program is offered by Spring Mill Veterinarian Dr. Jerry Rusch. This year’s topics included reproductive soundness, reproductive health, and immunology, basic minerals, pregnancy diagnosis, and vet client relationships.
The 101 series started in 2017 in partnership with Purdue Extension and Spring Mill Veterinarian Services due to the lack of large animal veterinarians who make farm calls.
The series is to help local farmers learn skills they can do themselves and save producers money.
Lawrence County is one of the top counties for beef cows in the State of Indiana.
- CATCH
Coordinated Approach To Child Health is a fun interactive program designed to teach youth about physical activity and healthy eating habits.
CATCH has been taught in 15 different elementary school classrooms for a total of 82 lessons.
Students learn about the importance of being physically active, making healthier food choices, eating healthier at a fast-food restaurant, limiting screen time, and making time to eat breakfast each day.
There are a total of 82 Healthy Living Youth Lessons taught this quarter and a total of 1,721 contacts made during these lessons.
To learn more about these programs contact the Lawrence County Extension Office at 812-275-4623.
