KINGSTON, R.I. – August 4, 2020 – During a typical summer, Kristy Horan would have her hands full coordinating three summer fairs around the state, each showcasing youth-trained livestock, public speaking competitions, educational exhibits and more – plus similar activities at the Washington County Fair. But this isn’t a typical summer.
Instead, the leader of the University of Rhode Island-sponsored 4-H program has done everything possible to transform those events into virtual activities without losing the fun and engaging spirit that children seek from 4-H, the youth development program that combines hands-on education with life skills.
“A lot of kids come to us for in-person experiences,” said Horan, who has worked for the 4-H program for 20 years and took over leadership of the program last year. “They’re looking to be outdoors and connect with other people and the environment. Trying to transition programs that were meant to be hands-on into virtual programs has had some challenges. And by now, a lot of kids are tired of virtual programming.”
But many children – some of whom have been involved in one of the state’s 38 4-H clubs for most of their young lives – are still enthusiastic participants. Hundreds of children aged 5 to 18 typically compete to showcase their showmanship and caretaking skills with cows, sheep, goats, chickens and other domestic livestock in arenas at 4-H fairs in Portsmouth, Foster and Richmond each summer. They also exhibit items they have made, demonstrate their talents, and highlight special projects.
“This year’s virtual fair wasn’t the same experience they would have had with their friends, but it still gave them an opportunity to show off their projects,” Horan said. “Some started those projects last fall, well before the pandemic emerged – like those that were raising and training calves born last year – so we had to find a way to showcase them.”
The virtual fair, which concluded August 1, still allowed entries to be judged and exhibits to be viewed, and the results are now public so families and friends can celebrate the winners.
“We tried to emulate the real fair as best we could, but we knew that not everything could be the same,” Horan said. “It’s hard to judge the baked goods without tasting them.”
Nonetheless, more than 250 youth from around the state participated, and the feedback was positive. Photos and videos of the entries, plus a list of results, can be found at https://web.uri.edu/4h/programs/fair-guides-and-rules/.
It’s not just the summer 4-h fairs that have gone virtual, though. The pandemic struck just days before the organization’s annual fine arts fair at Warwick Mall, so all of the entries had to be photographed or turned into digital entries. And science day at URI, when club members get to learn from the experts about various animals and animal care topics, was turned into a series of virtual activities, like Goat Bingo, which was held via Facetime.
Looking ahead, Horan said it’s difficult to predict when 4-H programming can return to its prior format.
“We’re going to continue to try to be as innovative as possible with future programming and still provide as much social experience for the kids as we can,” she said. “That’s one of our challenges – trying to keep them socialized and connected to each other while social distancing – so that’s what we’re going to be working on.
“They’re resilient and can transition to different formats better than I expected,” Horan added. “But these are difficult times for them, too. We’re developing some fun art projects for the fall that they can do to relax through the pandemic, and launching a mentor and pen pal program to keep them connected remotely.”