Projects

Oak Town 4-H 2023-2024 Projects

 

Environmental Stewardship/Hiking: Leader, Allie DiLauro/Erich Vogel/Michelle Munson, Ages 8+
4-5 weekend meetings on East bay hiking trails. Likely Fall and Spring.

Fiber Arts/Sewing : Leaders Erica Gomes/Kelly Midha, 
Learn basic sewing skills and create projects of interest to group members. Sewing machine is not necessary; we will have machines on hand!
Monthly, late Sunday mornings

Fine Arts: Leaders Kelly Midha/ Jenn Gaylord
This project is about fostering self-expression, boosting confidence, and cultivating a love for art that will last a lifetime.
3 sessions, 2 hours each. Dates TBD

Goats, Beginning Nigerian Dwarf Goats: Leaders Allie DiLauro, Erica Gomes, Casey Walvoord
Content TBD

Harvesting: Leader Barbara Butko/Yasha Spong, Sept-Nov Ages 7+ (5/6 y/o with parents)
Harvest surplus produce in our community, learn about food insecurity i our community and learn the value of the produce we donate to family food resource centers. Learn about seed saving.
5 Sessions, Sundays,  in-person, 3-4:30pm, October -November

Ice Cream Making: Leader George Butko/Allie DiLauro.
Learn about several types of frozen desserts and methods to make them. each meeting at least one type of frozen dessert will be made and sampled. Ages 10 +
5-6 meetings in the fall (October-November). 
​
Introduction to 4-H: Leader: Barbara Butko/Jolene La
Learn some general information about 4-H and sample some of the highlighted projects featured in Oak Town 4-H. Strongly encouraged for new members 5-11 (5/6 with parent)
Likely monthly on weekend day TBD

Junior/Teen Leadership: Leader: Barbara Butko/Jolene La Ages, 11-14
Plan and run the Oak Town 4-H “Introduction to 4-H Project”. Help decide which projects we should highlight. Decide which project YOU want to showcase. YOUR ideas for meetings will direct this project. Commitment: Initial leader team planning and ending review sessions, likely on Zoom. Sign up to lead and help at two Intro to 4-H Project Meetings

Mini-Gardens: Leader Barbara Butko/ Joanna Bird, Ages  7+ (5-6 y/o with parent)
Learn to create succulent mini-gardens that fulfill the plants needs, are attractive and long lived.
Sundays, January-February, 3-4:30pm

Photography: Leaders George Butko/Kelly Midha/Barbara Butko,  Yearlong, Ages 9+
Photo Composition/Editing and Critiquing. May be a combo of in-person field trips and shooting opportunities and Zoom reviews and reflections. Meetings TBD
 
Small Animals/Small Pets: Leader Jolene LaErich Vogel
Yearlong, Ages 8+
Introduction and care of small pets such as rabbits, cavies, cats, dogs, chickens
6 monthly meetings. Weekends for one to one and half hours.  

Teen Group Determined Project: Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Games and More. Leaders: Barbara Butko/Holley Mortenson Ages 13+
Teens only project! Cooking, Crafts, Fun and More!
Join us for Social and creative activities, Group Determined- Join us at the first meeting to decide what we do & co-plan! YOUR ideas for meetings will direct this project.
Our meetings will be in-person, tentatively first Friday evenings, 6:30-8:30 pm, October through May, Skipping January. Join us for at least 3 meetings to get project credit.. Meeting ideas can include anything from group cooking projects (Pizza?), Art or Arts & Crafts, Photography Fashion Photo Shoot, …pretty much anything that can be done in about 2 hours in a home setting.

Vegetable Gardens: Leader Barbara Butko/Yasha Spong/Joanna Bird
March-May, Ages 7+
Select and plant seeds for crops that grow in our area in late spring and can be harvested by early summer with emphasis on submitting produce grown to the Alameda County Fair
6-8 Sundays, March-June. 
 
Projects Possibly under development: Baking, Fishing, Public Speaking

​A spreadsheet of the 2023-2024 Oak Town 4-H Project offerings is also available. 
 

Members choose one of more project areas to focus on each club year. The projects are led by adult and teen leaders. Projects meet may meet once monthly or more frequently for a short duration, 
  • Planned work in an area of interest to the 4-H member
  • Guided by a 4-H adult volunteer Project Leaders and Teen Leaders
  • Aimed at planned objectives that can be attained and measured
  • Meet for a minimum of 6 hours , some may meet much more
  • Summarized by some form of record keeping
Just about any interest can be turned into a project with the help of an adult volunteer Project Leader. County-wide projects are also available and include State Exchange (exchanging homes with 4-H members from another state for two weeks during the summer), Rising Stars (for kids 11-14 who want to DO stuff) and a County Teen Projects specifically for youth members 13+.

Meetings

The entire Oak Town 4-H Club membership meets once a month with Community Club Meetings from September through June. For the 2023-2024 4-H Program Year we will be meeting in-person at Dimond Recreation Center or Park. These meetings are run by elected youth officers. At the meetings members receive information about upcoming events, and may watch and give presentations, participate in community service, play group games or listen to guest speakers.

Meeting Minutes

Other Activities

In addition to Club and Project Meetings, members have the opportunity to participate in many other club, county, state and national events as allowed by current health restrictions or meeting virtually. As conditions deem it appropriate, youth are encouraged to attend community service events, field days (day long events focused on a project area), conferences, presentation days, awards ceremonies, skit night, skate night, Alameda County Fair, and sleep-away camp. There are many leadership opportunities for youth on the local club, county, state, and national level.