The Back Pack Project provided nutritious, kid-friendly food items to over 200 youth in the Vernon Parish schools during the holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter/spring break. Back packs were filled with these items – peanut butter/crackers, cereals, fruit, juice, pudding cups, granola bars, etc.

The group collaborated with local businesses to conduct the voter registration drive and the “get out the vote” campaign. Educational lessons were conducted on political propaganda, local elected officials and the effects of campaign materials on voters' decisions.

The Cameron Parish 4-H Jr. Leader group is a teen group that focuses on leadership development and service. The group involves youth from throughout the parish and all parish high schools. The Cameron 4-H program always includes an environmental program through both educational and service efforts.

The Lafayette 4-H Jr. Leadership group has working on an environmental service-learning effort since 2005 spurred by an evacuation of their Junior Leader planning retreat due to Hurricane Katrina. Initially the response was focused on response to human needs and has continuously developed with a strong emphasis on environmental restoration due to the impact of hurricanes.

The Green Teens of Calcasieu parish started as a result of the involvement of the Calcasieu 4-H Junior Leader club in a tri-parish service-learning effort called What Happens in the Environment Stays in the Environment! The 2007 original project involved 253 4-H youth leaders and 25 adult leaders from the tri-parish area. After the completion of the effort, a core group of teens thought there was still more learning and work to be done, thus the creation of The Green Teens.

The Vernon Parish 4-H Teen Leader club won this year’s Service-Learning Group Award for their “Hulking Out Cancer” project. After learning that one of their 4-H members had lLeukemia and recognizing that many of their family and friends had either survived or died from cancer, the Vernon Parish 4-H’ers were motivated to raise funds and awareness for cancer education and research.

Here are 2011 State Service-Learning Records Competition winners.

Webster 4-H Junior Leader Club members are pictured with March board game donations from parish schools to their "Rainy Day Box Collection" for 4-H Summer Camp.

The Jeff Davis and Lafayette 4-H Jr. Leaders were rewarded for their work throughout the 2009-2010 school year with an awards trip to San Antoino, Texas, from July 12-15, 2010. Jr. Leaders are involved in 4-H service projects in their parishes and assist 4-H events throughout the year to be able to attend the awards trip. To find out more...

Youth from Tensas parish participated in the Tensas Community Garden service-learning project. The goal of this project is to gain cooperative and leadership skills and provide produce to the community. To find out more...