A full day of 4-H

With the countdown to the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede already underway, local 4-Hers will get the opportunity to see first-hand a world of opportunities for this year's event at Kitsap County 4-H's Mega Monday.

The all-day event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. on Monday at Faith Fellowship, 6251 NW Newberry Hill Road in Silverdale. Registration on the day of the event is $7.

The purpose of the event is provide 4-Hers and their adult leaders ideas for new projects as well as answer questions about club record books and other common questions about 4-H, Kitsap County 4-H Extension Educator Kelly Fisk said.

"It's an opportunity to see what's out there, because a lot of our clubs have one club project that can be added on to," Fisk said.

A perfect example of this is clubs that are focused on dogs baking doggie cookies, which would add a baking project to their fair entries, she said.

Clubs with an emphasis on horses could also make saddle blankets as a sewing project, which would further enhance club members' learning experiences, she added.

With up to 100 students and adults expected to attended Monday's event, Fisk said there is something for both 4-Hers and non-4-Hers throughout the day.

"It's an opportunity to come and see what 4-H is all about and develop leadership skills," she said.

Even though 4-H has traditionally focused on kids from rural areas, the program is making inroads in more urban areas like Kitsap County through a variety of projects that can be done in relatively small spaces such as community gardens, she said.

Next year, Kitsap County's 4-H program will take a more active roll in providing science, engineering and technology opportunities for members through the 4-H SET program, which includes things such as robotics and other technologically based projects, she said.

"This should help because a lot of schools are requiring more science and math, but they don't have the resources," she said, noting that while many schools have labs, they lack ample hands-on opportunities for students.

For more information on Mega Monday, go to the Kitsap County 4-H Web site, http://kitsap.wsu.edu/4h/index.htm.

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