4-H & Youth Development, 2024 Q3

Scott Dai, Extension Agent, B.S., M.S.
scott.dai@ndsu.edu

Hi all, I’m the county’s new 4-H Youth Development Agent! I’m eager to use my experiences in STEM education, agroecology, outdoor education, and environmental science towards creating impactful youth development programs for our community. I’ve used my first two months towards getting to know our existing 4-H program, forming community relationships, and understanding our youth’s needs.

August:

I attended Basic 4-H Training, a two-day training that introduced Extension professionals to positive youth development principles, 4-H planning, and state/national opportunities. I am eager to bring the concepts from this training to our county.

September:

I used my forestry background to lead a station during Eco-Ed Days at the Williston REC, hosted by the Williams County Soil Conservation District. About 476 6th grade students learned about trees – students were particularly surprised that some detergents can contain chemicals from trees. I also visited Trenton’s After-School Program to lead an activity on robotics.

Next quarter, I will be participating in a STEM day hosted by the Bakken Skills Center to teach youth about greenhouse designs and different environmental challenges producers may face in growing crops. I will also be helping out in our annual Special Assignment Pizza event along with the rest of the Extension staff.

If there are any suggestions or insights about how 4-H can address key community issues, please don’t hesitate to reach out — I am excited for my new position, and I welcome all feedback concerning how I can serve youth members in our community.

Photo: Clever Clovers 4-H Club participating in Clean Williston