4-H Mentoring Program at the Franklin County Fair

The 4-H Mighty Shamrocks, a mentoring program of Franklin County Cornell Cooperative Extension, had the opportunity to exhibit their projects at the recent county fair held in Malone, New York.

The fair is an opportunity for all 4-H Members to “show off” their projects that have been completed during their project year. Projects are judged according to the category in which each item is entered. The 4-H Mighty Shamrocks members exhibited their Tye dye shirts and Blue-Bird Houses that were made from a kit. Congratulations go out to the following members who received a blue ribbon for their projects: Mikayla, Charlie and Tyson Thomas, Truman Square, Ellie and William Kenyon, Mackenzie and Dominic Taylor, Dakota Ostroski, Riane Richichi and Shane Cook.

During the fair, several members of the Mighty Shamrocks assisted in the 4-H Youth Building as a 4-H Youth Fair Junior Assistant. On Monday, Aug 6th and Thursday August 9th, mentors and mentees were responsible for cleaning and maintaining the 4-H area; encouraging and demonstrating the “giant” bubble display; monitoring “safe” play in the corn crib; and assisting in the 4-H Snack Shack. A thank you for a job well done goes out to the following Mentors: Tewasherake Barnes, John Bonaparte, Molly Brockway, Nolan Cooke, Mikayla Francis-Thomas, Ariel Lazore, Katrina Martin, Chance Monette, Adriana Reardon, Connor Walrath, and Quinton Wilson. The following Mentees that assisted were as follows: Shane Cook, Ellie and William Kenyon, Dakota and Starr Ostroski, Riane Richichi, Dominic and Mackenzie Taylor, and Charlie and Tyson Thomas.

In addition, each day during the fair, 4-H Clubs are encouraged to share a craft activity. The 4-H Mighty Shamrocks were one of the clubs that demonstrated the technique for making “Dream Catchers.” Mrs. Cecelia Francis, mother to Mentor Mikayla Francis and Mentees Charlie and Tyson Thomas, demonstrated one of the most fascinating traditions of Native Americans. Utilizing grape vines, a hoop is created. Attaching thread to one end of the hoop, it is weaved to resemble a “spider web.” Upon completion of the web, a symbolic bead and/or feather may be attached.

As noted by Mrs. Francis, the traditional dream catcher is intended to protect the sleeping individual from negative dreams, while letting positive dreams through. The positive dreams would slip through the hole in the center of the dream catcher, and glide down the feathers to the sleeping person below. The negative dreams would get caught up in the web, and expire when the first rays of the sun struck them.

For more information, regarding the 4-H Mentoring program and other Franklin County Cornell Cooperative Extension programs, call Connie Gerow, 4-H Mentoring Coordinator in Fort Covington, New York @ 518-358-4271 or Steve McDonald, Community Educator @ 518-483-7403 in Malone, New York.