Date: May 27, 2022

Time: 5:30 pm

Location: Tangipahoa Parish Extension Office

Present: Megan Roberts, Dawn Culbreath, Melissa Ordoyne, Whitney Wallace, Graysen Wallace, Rowen Wallace, Peyten Wallace, Caiden Frazier, April Slaven, James Square, Terry Sharp, Heather Forest, Jaxon Forest, Brianne Forrest, Abigayle Forrest, Rose Dominguez, Cheryl Wade, Jackie Williams, Sharon Bengston, and Nina Briley.

Megan began meeting at 5:45pn, everyone introduced themselves, covered the purpose of the meeting, and thanked everyone for attending. The meal was sponsored by the Tangipahoa Parish Extension Office and provided by Mike’s Catfish. The following items were discussed:

Megan covered the 4-H Advisory leadership Council Job Description Overview for members, the responsibilities of the 4-H Advisory leadership Council are to represent their peers, identify needs and issues, identify opportunities for collaboration, be active in sharing their skills and knowledge to help the parish and understand Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service as a community resource. Volunteer member descriptions were handed out for all advisory committee members to review. Advisory members were chosen to represent your peers in the community, identify needs and issues facing your peers, provide program direction, identify opportunities for collaboration, share your skills and talents with 4-H'ers in our community.

There was a PowerPoint presentation which covered LSU AgCenter’s history, mission, and integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing the environment, and improving the quality of life through its 4-H youth, family and consumer sciences, and community development programs. The 4-H Youth Development Program in Tangipahoa Parish focuses on empowering our youth & giving them the skills to become productive members and leaders in our communities during the school year. Our 25 4-H clubs for this year includes 579 4-H members for the 2021-2022 school year programming focused on leadership, responsibility, and citizenship for our youth to develop crucial life skills. There was a summary of parish programs, and programs they wish to add in the future such as more STEM activities as well as an art workshop. Our youth also participated in a diversity of virtual educational and in person opportunities such as livestock shows, outdoor skill events, science and technology activities, talent shows, fashion/sewing events, art camps, cooking camps, field trips, and multiple community outreach programs. Events and camps hindered by Covid and/or Hurricane Laura are getting to getting back to some type of normalcy. The new Tangipahoa Parish 3^rd grade Cloverbuds program and its success was discussed.

The group discussion covered ways to increase the presence in more schools including getting more support from upper members of the school administration to be able to get into more schools. There were several suggestions to get enrollment information out to more students even when their school has no active clubs, there is ways for students to enjoy the benefits of 4-H through the community club or being a member at large. There was also discussion on how to increase overall 4-H enrollment, Junior Leader Club membership, improvements being made to the Tangipahoa Parish Fair, 4-H Fest improvements and ideas, several fundraising and grant ideas, additional project club ideas, and other educational program ideas. There was information shared about all of the service-learning activities completed by our 4-H members, Jr Leaders, and members from several schools with very strong clubs and the leaders supporting them.

The new 4-H online enrollment system was discussed and what that meant for students, parents, volunteers, and leaders.

Megan and Dawn thanked everyone for attending this meeting and adjourned at 7:30pm.

Minutes prepared by Melissa Ordoyne.