November 26, 2019
Kansas 4-H Cloverbud Survey
Greetings! I am Jaclyn Tweeten, a part time Program coordinator in the State 4-H Office. I am tasked with helping to develop and expand the Cloverbuds program. Having worked and been a part of growing two states’ Cloverbud systems locally, my goal is to leverage my experience and excitement to the Kansas 4-H Cloverbud Program.
The purpose of the 4-H Cloverbud program is to help support children in positive youth development practices as they explore the world around them. At a young age children begin to discover possibilities, build self-esteem, build social skills, decision making skills, and master physical skills while enjoying small activities. The Kansas 4-H Cloverbud program is a youth development opportunity specifically designed for those ages 5-6. In order to participate in the program children must be 5 years old by January 1st of the current year. The 4-H Cloverbud program invites youth to explore skills as they are developing and in a context that is different from those that are older. These life skills that youth learn are important building blocks of the 4-H Youth Development process. In a Cloverbud program, youth learn with hands on activities and experiment with various settings. The Cloverbud program is designed to be specifically age appropriate by being noncompetitive, focusing on skills development, through the five components of the experiential learning process. In this process, Cloverbuds will learn by experience doing the activity, sharing what they did, what happened during the process, reflecting how this activity helped them, and sharing what they have learned.
Children develop at their own pace, and some may need more time than others to grasp concepts; therefore it is important to organize activities that are tailored to each specific age level. 4-H leaders, mentors, and agents can implement activities that are specifically designed for this age group.
Not only do Cloverbuds need specific and age appropriate activities. They also need positive learning environments. 4-H leaders, agents, and Cloverbud Volunteers can help with implementing positive youth experiences by focusing on the four basic needs of the 4-H program which include belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. In the Cloverbud program, volunteers should allow the youth to feel a sense of belonging by showing interest in what they do and listening to them. Cloverbuds gain mastery skills in a Cloverbud program as the 4-H agents and volunteers create new opportunities for the Cloverbuds that they can complete. The 4-H Cloverbud program will allow youth to feel a sense of independence where they learn responsibilities in their life. Lastly, the Cloverbuds can learn generosity where they learn to serve and help each other.
To help develop and broaden the Cloverbud program, I have assembled a small committee of agents which has developed a short survey that will ask each Local Extension Unit to complete for each of their counties. The purpose of this survey is to better gauge the current state of the Kansas 4-H Cloverbud Program. Each local Extension unit is asked to forward this on to their county based Cloverbud Volunteers to complete by December 13. If you do not have a Cloverbud Program, we still would like your input. Please complete the survey by December 13. Please access the survey by clicking the link, https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aVNyNSzR6LjOX8V.
The information gathered will help us to discover needs and opportunities so we as a committee can better help resource you. Thank you for partnering with us in this exciting venture. Please feel free to contact me with questions at jtweeten@ksu.edu.