SDS Grade 5 Brings First 4-H Club to Campus

Ms. Mary Bolton and her fifth grade Suns have started the first 4-H Club on campus! 4-H, a program that provides educational experiences and develops life skills in the areas of science, health, agriculture and civic engagement, is the largest youth development program in the world.

Ms. Bolton worked with the 4-H Club at her previous school and wanted her SDS students to benefit from involvement. “The benefit of 4-H is to develop life skills such as communication, decision making, and community and global awareness. It also builds community and confidence. My goal for my boys is to grow in all these areas,” Ms. Bolton said.

In Tennessee, 4-H is a program of The University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University. Locally, they partner with Agricenter International. Ms. Bolton works with Mr. Michael Owen, Shelby County Agent for 4-H & Youth Development, who visits the class once a month to present lessons and mentor the boys. At their first meeting, the boys discussed the election process and even voted in their own election for 4-H class officers. Congratulations to President-Cash Tidwell, Vice-President-Gabe Sain, Secretary-Heinz Barksdale, and Reporter-Noah Demoss.

In talking with Cash and Gabe, both boys were excited to be voted as officers by their class. They also shared that they enjoyed the first lesson with the local representative, sharing: “Mr. Michael is super nice and fun!”

Fifth grade will culminate the year of 4-H with a field trip to the Agricenter. There they will bake bread, make salsa, pick berries, take a hike to the Wolf River, and visit the Farmer's Market.

"Ms. Bolton has been such a positive addition to our team of educators at SDS this year, and I'm so appreciative of her for first proposing a partnership with 4-H and taking the initiative to get it up and running with her 5th-grade group of boys,” said St. Dominic Dean Jefferson Brant. “The hands-on, service-oriented, and leadership-centered work of 4-H aligns well with the kind of education we offer our boys at SDS. I'm grateful for Ms. Bolton leading the way here and excited to see the positive things that come of this work moving forward!"