4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
4-H Latinx Outreach
4-H youth planted a garden in Molalla which provided inspiration and flowers to create art pieces for cultural celebrations.
Raíces y Alas Latinx Outreach Program
This past summer 4-H Youth Development partnered again with Clackamas County Latinx families at two sites in the county: Milwaukie and Molalla. The goal of the partnership is to engage this underserved audience through meaningful and culturally appropriate learning experiences leading to positive youth development. The name Raíces y Alas says it all: Roots & Wings. We work with families and community partners to celebrate cultural heritage (roots) and provide an experiential learning environment that gives children opportunities for success (wings).Youth and their families focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) topics and educational field trips. Activities included hands-on lessons in soil and plant sciences, as well as, time establishing their on-site garden in Molalla. A field trip to the Oregon Coast meant discovery of life in tidal pools, whale watching, and an excursion through the Oregon Coast Aquarium to complete their marine science studies.
Youth studied birds at an on-site bird feeder. A visit to the Audubon Society provided them an opportunity to study animal behavior and adaptations up close. The season came to a close with a five-day STEAM camp at Centro Cultural in Cornelius where youth made model geodes, created holographs, coded a computer program, and much more.
Igniting Creativity, Self-expression and Passion through Cultural Arts
Youth in the Raíces y Alas 4-H Latinx Outreach Program explored their cultural heritage through an Art in the Garden project this past fall. The project included the creation of youth art and visits to two important Latinx cultural celebrations: El Grito (the independence of Mexico and other Latin American countries from Spain) and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). These celebrations connect youth to traditional Latin American music, dance, and food.
The 4-H project garden planted by the youth provided inspiration and flowers to create cultural art pieces with the help of local artist Abel Valladares. Art forms included: papel picado (paper cut outs of skeleton and floral designs) corona funeraria (funeral flower wreaths) calaverita (songs & poetry that mock death) and decorated sugar skulls. The project culminated with youth displaying their artwork in celebration of Dia de los Muertos. This holiday is believed to welcome the souls of loved ones as spirits back to their families and friends for a few brief hours each year to enjoy the pleasures of life. It is believed that the souls of children return on November 1; and that souls of adults on November 2. To welcome the souls to the world of the living, communities celebrate with music, dancing, and food. Families place an ofrenda (offering) on altars with the photos of deceased loved ones, their favorite food, candles, decorations, marigolds, and other meaningful items. The youth constructed and displayed altars and decorated them with their artwork at Witchita Community Center in Milwaukie and Molalla Elementary School. The Art in the Garden project is made possible by a Cultural Coalition grant from the Clackamas County Art Alliance.
Molalla Community Garden Received a new Greenhouse
4-H Latinx Outreach Program youth and their families completed the installment of a greenhouse and gardening tool shed in Molalla thanks to an Innovative Fund grant from OSU Extension Service in Clackamas County. The youth garden is expanding into a community garden, serving as a source of culturally appropriate produce and youth science education space. 4-H Latinx Outreach Coordinator Rodrigo Corona is also working to establish a similar garden in Milwaukie.
For more information contact Rodrigo Corona, 4-H Latinx Outreach Coordinator:
4-H Latinx youth studied animal behavior and adaptations at the Audubon Society.
4-H Latinx Outreach Program youth and their families constructed a new greenhouse and garden shed in Molalla with the help of a grant from the OSU Extension Service in Clackamas.