On June 24, 2024, over one hundred 4-H teenagers and mentors from across the state were invited to the University of New Hampshire’s Child Study and Development Center (CSDC) for Teen Conference’s annual service-learning project. For those unfamiliar with 4-H’s dedication to service-learning initiatives, this project is a prime example of the goals of service-learning. Service-learning goes beyond “helping out” and is characterized by experiential education where learners are taught through practical application and then combined with action that will make an impact. A quote from our reflection from a teen participant was “Within this service-learning project I felt I learned how much of an effect an adult’s words can have on a young growing mind. I'm a student assistant teacher and seeing kids be told no is a common occurrence I see daily. I think a program like this would be great for all young growing minds.” This quote truly speaks to the overarching goal of this project: advocacy and youth voice.
Early childhood education continues to see the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of its workforce, according to the 2021 Urban Institute Report, with the workforce seeing a 17% reduction in early childhood educators after March 2020 (Council For Thriving Children NH’s Strategic Plan for Early Childhood, 9/2021). This coupled with limited access to high-quality, affordable childcare presents a challenge to the working families that need care to sustain their livelihoods as well as the American economy. Every parent wants the best environment for their child to learn and grow, one with educated and compassionate individuals who support investigation, curiosity, and healthy risk-taking. The CSDC is one such environment and Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Ranfos, spoke to our participants not only about the CSDC and its mission but about the importance of advocating for something you believe in. One teen reflected, “I learned there is a lot I can advocate for!”
A priority goal of this service-learning project was to encourage self-advocacy and kindness. Kindness, resiliency, respect, and self-love are something that many early childhood professionals spend their days supporting in our youngest of learners. This intentionality in teaching is typically lost somewhere between preschool and high school; our participants once again had the opportunity to be supported in communicating with their peers, managing conflict, and reveling in their personal identity. Through different art mediums, sensory materials, and a deep dive into social-emotional wellness, our teenagers got to explore their inner child again. The impact on our participants was clear when they said things like “I felt like the teachers encouraged me to be comfortable talking to peers I might not talk to otherwise and made me feel really comfortable being myself” and “Because of this experience I know I still want to be a psychologist”.
After leaving the CSDC the entire group was buzzing with a renewed energy to “be themselves” and this author overheard many snippets of conversations that boiled down to our teens talking about what they want to be when they grow up. Many asked how they could get involved with the CSDC, while others said they wished they could have done more for the kids, “We could have built (them) something! That would have been awesome!” Our service-learning project this year lent itself to advocacy service-learning, with an aim to educate others about a topic around a community need, creating awareness about how it impacts the community. With this foundational learning moment, the Teen Leadership program will be poised to assess the needs of our New Hampshire communities and the teen population to become agents of change. Continue to follow the New Hampshire 4-H Teen Leadership Pathway to see how their learning about the importance of advocacy translates into action in the 2024-2025 year!
Teens in Sensory Exploration: Fingerpainting
