Jones looking to up St. John youth participation in 4-H
Published 12:05 am Saturday, February 25, 2017
- Curtis Jones, the new Assistant Youth Development Agent for 4-H in St. John the Baptist Parish, stands this week in front of his new work base in Edgard.
EDGARD — Curtis Jones is still learning his way around St. John the Baptist Parish.
The Mississippi transplant is only a few weeks into his new job as Assistant Youth Development Agent for 4-H in St. John, so excuse him if he mispronounces LaPlace and even Edgard for a while with his strong southern accent.
While he’s still learning place names, though, Jones is hard at work planting seeds he hopes will help the local 4-H organizations grow.
Pardon the pun.
“People do think 4-H is all about pigs and chickens,” Jones said. “We’re much more than that. It is a misconception. 4-H is a youth organization where youth can reach their fullest potential doing hands-on projects. It helps you enhance your leadership skills. Pretty much, it provides you with the necessary skills you need to be productive down the road.”
The local 4-H team includes Administrative Coordinator Sarah Isom, from left, Curtis Jones and Parish Chair and Area Nutrition Agent Cynthia Clifton.
Jones said he was pleased to find St. John Parish already has a very strong 4-H program, with 383 individuals in 15 school clubs.
“That is a good number,” Jones said. “We always want to be able to add on. My district in Mississippi didn’t have that many.”
Still, Jones would like to see the local organization grow, especially in the traditional livestock shows.
The 2017 Louisiana Livestock Show was held just last week in Gonzales with one St. John participant. Evania Cortorreal received blue ribbons for her cockeriel and pullets in the Broiler Show.
4-Her Evania Cortorreal of St. John the Baptist Parish recently competed in the Broiler Show at the State Livestock Show in Gonzales. Evania showed cockeriel and pullets and received blue ribbons.
“We don’t have a lot of livestock involvement here right now,” Jones said. “Hopefully, we can build that up again.”
Jones is most excited about the Junior Leadership Club from St. John. Out of the 15 local clubs, eight 4-H members are in the leadership club and regularly perform community service activities.
In July, Jones will take the group to the Grant Walker Educational Center in Pollack.
“We’ll stay two nights and three days and participate in leadership workshops,” Jones said. “We’ll have a chance to have a little fun too.”
He also will accompany a group to an educational center for the Louisiana Outdoor Science and Technology camp in July.
In addition, Jones is putting together a myriad of clubs local students can join, including a sewing club and a photography club. He also wants to organize a shooting club and will offer bicycle and all terrain vehicle safety courses, as well as workshops on preventing bullying and workforce preparation.
“Pretty much any activity you want to do, we can have a club,” he said. “We offer all kinds of things.”
Jones spent a good deal of time working for the Mississippi Ag Center overseeing 4-H clubs there, then he got into teaching for a while. He said he missed the hands-on teaching opportunities overseeing 4-H gave him.
“When you’re a teacher, you’re in the classroom with them all day and can’t get around as much,” he said. “I’ve been looking to get back into it and came across this position on the Internet.”
For more information about 4-H activities, contact the LSU Ag Center in Edgard at 985-497-3261 or visit LSUAgCenter.com.
