Alabama 4-H provides afterschool clubs and activities to help students learn about nature, animals and other life skills through programs centered around animal showmanship and husbandry. According to Charlotte Petre, 4-H Agent in Crenshaw County, the programs are aimed at giving children a safe space to belong while discovering and nurturing their areas of interest.

“4-H is all about helping kids find their spark — their area of interest,” Petre said. “That’s what these clubs are trying to do, is to help kids in their different areas of interests and to help them experience some things, expand upon [them] and find their area of interest. If they haven’t found their spark yet, [clubs] give them a safe space and space of belonging — an area, a group, a club they can belong to — that’s positive”

Crenshaw County 4-Hers can choose from a variety of after-school clubs for the rest of March. These programs are open for children through ages nine through 18. 

Art Club

Through Art Club, children can learn about and practice drawing in perspective. The last meeting focused on a single perspective. The next meeting, set for March 24, 4 – 5 p.m. at the Tom Harbin Agricultural Center, will center around teaching children art from a double perspective. 

Cooking Club

The cooking club is for older children and aimed at teaching simple recipes that they can then take home to cook on their own. Additionally, there is a STEM lesson that coincides with each recipe children are learning that day. 

On March 20, children will be learning how to make soft pretzels with both gluten free and gluten-included varieties. The club meeting will be held at the Luverne Public Library from 4 – 5 p.m.. To register, call (334) 335-5326. 

Luverne Public Library Kathryn Tomlin leads Cooking Club classes and explained the benefit they offer children who attend.

“A lot of parents don’t have time at night to teach these kids how to make simple things that they can do on their own,” Tomlin said. “That’s what it focuses on: recipes that the kids can go and master by themselves and not have to have too much adult supervision. We always provide them with the recipe that goes along with it so they can continue to do it at home.”

Rabbit Club 

One of the newest afterschool clubs 4-H offers is the Rabbit Club. This activity is planned for children that already own rabbits and want to learn more about their pets and how to interact with their rabbit. 

Children will learn more about rabbit husbandry, how to provide enrichment for their rabbits, navigating their nutrition, showmanship and more. The next meeting will focus on showmanship, teaching children how to present their rabbit for a judge. 

The rabbit club will meet at the Tom Harbin Agricultural Center from 5-6 p.m. on March 24. 

Crenshaw County 4-H offers other programs for children, including an activity called Pig Pen, where children receive a young pig and raise it for a show in Coffee County in November. The registration fee for the program is $75. 

Additionally, there is also a Chicken project called “Chick Chain” that is open for registration. Participating 4-Hers can use fully grown chickens or purchase baby chicks and learn about showmanship and general chicken raising knowledge. 

Clubbers will meet monthly and end the program with a show in September.

To register for after school clubs and projects, please call the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at (334) 335-6312.