4-H Delivers

Military Youth Speak Out About their Needs at State 4-H Leadership Conference

The Issue

Members of our military service certainly experience much emotion during the cycle of deployment.  However, their family members experience this process as well. Children of military parents can feel a wide array of emotions, including sadness, anticipation, fear, stress, and isolation.

What has 4-H Done?

During the summer of 2009, Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK) workshops were held at the California State 4-H Leadership Conference (SLC). These workshops aimed to give military teens an opportunity to speak about their daily experiences as part of a military family. Military youth, along with their non-military peers, worked together to brainstorm about ways service organizations can support military kids impacted by a family member’s deployment.

The SOMK delegates also presented information at the closing ceremony of SLC.  They enacted a skit that featured an isolated military teen who was invited to join a local 4-H club. The skit depicted how 4-H teens can provide opportunities for military youth to be a part of fun, recreational, and educational activities.  These involvements in turn give military teens a sense of belonging.

The Payoff

4-H members and volunteers learned about the hardships military youth face and were given tools to help them cope.  4-H military and non-military youth used teamwork and leadership to produce creative presentations.

Authors: Chanda Gonzales, California 4-H Military Partnership Director, & John Trammell, California 4-H Military Partnership Computer Resource Specialist