KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 August 4, 2020 \u2013 During a typical summer, Kristy Horan would have her hands full coordinating three summer fairs around the state, each showcasing youth-trained livestock, public speaking competitions, educational exhibits and more \u2013 plus similar activities at the Washington County Fair. But this isn\u2019t a typical summer.<\/p>\n
Instead, the leader of the 溏心vlog免费B站-sponsored 4-H program has done everything possible to transform those events into virtual activities without losing the fun and engaging spirit that children seek from 4-H, the youth development program that combines hands-on education with life skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of kids come to us for in-person experiences,\u201d said Horan, who has worked for the 4-H program for 20 years and took over leadership of the program last year. \u201cThey\u2019re looking to be outdoors and connect with other people and the environment. Trying to transition programs that were meant to be hands-on into virtual programs has had some challenges. And by now, a lot of kids are tired of virtual programming.\u201d<\/p>\n
But many children \u2013 some of whom have been involved in one of the state\u2019s 38 4-H clubs for most of their young lives \u2013 are still enthusiastic participants. Hundreds of children aged 5 to 18 typically compete to showcase their showmanship and caretaking skills with cows, sheep, goats, chickens and other domestic livestock in arenas at 4-H fairs in Portsmouth, Foster and Richmond each summer. They also exhibit items they have made, demonstrate their talents, and highlight special projects.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year\u2019s virtual fair wasn\u2019t the same experience they would have had with their friends, but it still gave them an opportunity to show off their projects,\u201d Horan said. \u201cSome started those projects last fall, well before the pandemic emerged \u2013 like those that were raising and training calves born last year \u2013 so we had to find a way to showcase them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The virtual fair, which concluded August 1, still allowed entries to be judged and exhibits to be viewed, and the results are now public so families and friends can celebrate the winners.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe tried to emulate the real fair as best we could, but we knew that not everything could be the same,\u201d Horan said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to judge the baked goods without tasting them.\u201d<\/p>\n