From Blogging To Podcasting To Creating Online Videos, 4-H Youth Are Leading The Way, Using New Media And Communication Tools To Share Breaking News, Event Coverage And Educational Information With Their Community.For Example, The 4-H News Technology Club In Jefferson County, Wash., Provides On-the-spot Reports Through Video Clips And Podcasts Posted To Their 4-H Network News Web Site. Club Members Have Covered A Fire In An Historic Hotel And A Red Cross Disaster Training Exercise And Conducted Interviews With Local Business Leaders. The Youth Are Hands-on In Every Step Of Putting Together The One-to-two-minute News Segments. "We Get Ideas About What We'll Do And Who We'll Interview, Then We Take The Camera, Tape Footage, Put It On The Computers And Edit It," 15-year-old Sophie Gilbert Said.Gilbert First Created A Video About A School Reunion But Quickly Saw The Educational Value For Her Community. She Has Produced Segments About Avoiding Drugs And Alcohol And A Beach Restoration Project. "There Is A Need For Us To Talk About Some Of The Important Things Going On In Our County And In The World," She Said. The Club Came Together As A Collaboration Among The Local 4-H Club, The Washington State University Extension Office And The Local Newspaper. Jack Olmsted, 4-H Leader For The Club, Pamela Roberts, 4-H Coordinator For The Jefferson County 4-H Office, And The Newspaper's Publisher Work Closely With The Youth. "Online Media Can Be A Priceless Resource To Capture Not Only The Value Of The 4-H Experience, But Also For Our Community, Country And The World," Said Olmsted. "The Youth Are Getting The Process Down And Planning Segments While Making Them Enjoyable But Also Informative." The 4-H Reporters Publish Their Stories To An International Audience Using Tools That Are Readily Available In Homes And Offices-a Video Camera, Computer Linked To The Internet And Telephone. "It Is Important To Show The World That This Can Be Done And It's Easy For Anyone To Do," Said 13-year-old Daniel Bryant. Club Members See Themselves As A Resource To Others Who Want To Start Using Online Media. They Also Improve Their Public Speaking Skills And Build Self-esteem As They Teach Adults How To Create And Post News Segments.4-H Is A Community Of Young People Across America Who Are Learning Leadership, Citizenship And Life Skills.
