BEAVERTON, Ore. – Faced with the reality of no longer being able to meet in person with their 4-H youth at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington County Extension turned to Facebook videos that as a group have been watched nearly 5,000 times – and counting.
4-H Together on Thursdays was a weekly feature on the Washington County Facebook page. The first pre-recorded video announcing the program premiered on March 25. The videos focus on home-based activities including:
“After shifting to remote work under the state’s ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ order, we knew it was important to stay connected and keep learning together,” said Alice Phillips, 4-H faculty in Washington County.
Phillips has hosted two videos featuring hands-on art activities — things you can do with magazines, and making bookmarks. She recorded them at her dining room table.
Faculty recorded videos in their homes, on topics in which they have expertise. For example, Kristen Moore, a 4-H companion animal program coordinator, recorded videos with her Bernese mountain dog Beau and Pippin, a 12-year-old domestic shorthair cat.
“More time with pets at home creates new opportunities to build a stronger bond,” Moore said.
To increase engagement, the videos include a system so that kids can earn experience points for each activity they do. Kids who achieve experience point benchmarks earn small prizes.
Tune in and learn along with Washington County 4-H by following @4HWashingtonCounty on Facebook.
