Oak Valley’s Innovative 4H Program Featured In SSDAToday
Below is an except from SSDA (Small School District Association) Today featuring Oak Valley Union School District.
The First In-School 4-H Program in Tulare County
BY GWEN BELL
This summer, the Oak Valley Union School District is launching a first in-school, 4-H program for kindergarten through eighth-grade students. Located in Tulare County, the district will initiate the 4-H program to provide a hands-on teaching and learning experience for their diverse and agriculturally rich community.
Agriculture is the lifeblood of the local economy, and Tulare sits in the heart of some of the most productive farmland in the world. California 4-H is an organization focused on rural youth ages 5-19 that promotes hands-on, experiential learning. Providing a positive environment where children learn by doing is at the core of 4-H programs.
Oak Valley USD Superintendent, Heather Pilgrim, is embracing the opportunity to leverage the 4-H model directly into her schools. She believes in the benefits of career technical education (CTE) and providing students of all ages with academic skills and training for future careers.
"There is a huge need for middle school CTE programs because middle school engagement is always an issue, Pilgrim said. "Having something unique like this directly benefits our kids."
Pilgrim is a former home economics teacher who is passionate about bringing skilled-based learning back to the classroom. Classes such as woodshop and home economics will be a part of the 4-H curriculum. "Just trying to bring back classes that we had when we were young because we all know the skill-based, blue-collar worker, hands-on electricians and carpenters, is vital to our economy. We have pushed for so long for everybody to be college-bound that these classes and (necessary skills) have gone away. It’s been nice through the 4-H curriculum to bring them back."
THE PROGRAM
Kelsie Pitigliano, an agricultural teacher, will be guiding students in the classroom, teaching a variety of 4-H projects.
As a first-year program, Superintendent Pilgrim explains, "We’ll be learning a lot, adjusting, and trying to see what works best. Kelsie’s responsibility is to bring the curriculum into the lower grades." Oak Valley USD students will be doing hands-on projects in plant science, animal science, horticulture, floral arrangements, and advanced vet science.
Beginning in August and throughout the year, more than 500 students will enroll as 4-H members to initiate their participation. The program is in its early stages of development and will require some teachers to be project leaders to help expand the agricultural activities and science-based materials. Superintendent Pilgrim says "In some ways, all teachers are going to be involved because some will probably be leading the projects or the curriculum. Kelsie will go into the first through third-grade classrooms and teach students while the teachers are on their prep. Because it’s school-wide, it’s going to become part of our culture, so everyone is going to be aware of it. How much each teacher is hands-on involved will probably vary depending on the grade level and if they are choosing to participate as a project leader."
Through the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP), students will take their learning from the classroom into proactive use one Saturday a month. Over time, students will be encouraged to participate in local and regional competitions in their communities.
Pitigliano has taken the kids outside to enjoy one of their favorite activities, gardening. "I noticed, no matter what age, the lower grades, the upper grades, they love going outside and having something to do," she said.
The younger students have planted various crops and are always eager to be in the garden. So far, they have planted almond trees, pistachio trees, walnut trees, squash, corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, zucchini, and potatoes. When it is time to plant, Pitigliano has the students vote on what to plant next. The students are engaged from beginning to end, from choosing what to plant to enjoying the fruits of their labor.
Seventh and eighth-graders will have the opportunity to participate in The Discovery Future Farmers of America (FFA) program, an intra-curricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. Once the program is chartered into the district, FFA officers will be established. Starting in August, seventh and eighth-grade students will enroll in a year-long FFA class and can receive their FFA degree upon completion.
In the 4-H program, students and their parents are required to own the animals they raise. Thus far, they have bred rabbits, chickens, sheep, and pigs. Homes for the animals are important, which is why OVUSD is building a barn. "The goal of this next year is to use additional COVID dollars for a barn that will house the small animals when the students are preparing for the fair," Pitigliano said.
ADVICE TO START A 4-H PROGRAM
Superintendent Pilgrim believes the most important process is figuring out how to budget properly. "Do your budget planning," she said. "It has taken me awhile to ensure that budgets are in place. We’ve been using our rural education dollars. We use a lot of the LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan) dollars, as the LCAP dollars pay for the agriculture teacher. We are also using the ELOP dollars. It’s a coordination of funding that helps support and drive this initiative. We are very fortunate to have those different funding sources."
Pitigliano advises those wanting to start working in the 4-H program to speak directly with people with deep knowledge in agriculture. Pitigliano talked to a regional 4-H coordinator to learn about community resources and several local farmers.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THE COUNTY FAIR
This is a pilot project for Oak Valley USD, and they could always use more community support. Pilgrim and Pitigliano said, "People are excited about it and want to help. We have to make sure we know where they can help so that we can integrate this program into our community. We want the people of Tulare to join and become a vital part of the whole program."
You can show your community support by attending the Tulare County Fair on September 14-18, and witness, first-hand, the benefit of this program from the Oak Valley Union School District community.
