Mt. Vernon Register-News

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October 5, 2012

4-H to celebrate National 4-H Week

By RORYE O’CONNOR rorye.oconnor@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Jefferson County 4-H’ers will celebrate National 4-H Week with scientific robot fun.

The week will begin Sunday and continue until Oct. 13, but local 4-H activities will continue until Oct. 27, said Carla Chesnek, 4-H program coordinator.

“The main thing we have going on this year is five members of our youth representatives ... are going to go to the local grade schools and teach a science lesson around Oct. 10,” she said, adding that the youth representatives are leaders of 4-H members age 12 and up, a program that started back up in April. “We have two boys who are going to teach an Ecobot lesson.”

She said an Ecobot is a self-propelled, mini homemade robot, which can be used to clean up spills like an oil spill or rice. The lesson will require grade school students to build a barrier to keep the robot within a certain area, and they will calculate percentages by seeing how much rice the robot cleans up in a grid area, Chesnek said.

The Ecobot lesson will be taught at Bluford Grade School, Waltonville Grade School, Woodlawn Grade School, Grand Prairie Grade School, St. Mary School and Farrington School by various 4-H’ers and volunteers.

“I’m very pleased with our 4-H kids who have stepped forward and are willing to go out and teach younger kids,” Chesnek said. “I can’t wait to see them do that next week.”

In addition, 4-H members will participate in the Fall Fest parade with a float, and will wear their 4-H shirts to school one day that week.

The Mt. Vernon Extension Office will host the National 4-H Week Window Display Contest, information states. Displays should be put up by Oct. 6 and not taken down until after Oct. 13. Chesnek said she was meeting with club leaders Thursday to find out which clubs will be creating window displays.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three displays.

There are several upcoming events and activities Chesnek said she is excited about as well.

A Clover Bud Club, for children kindergarten age to eight years old, will have its first meeting Tuesday, she said. Two volunteers for a 4-H shooting sports program are being trained at this time as well.

Jefferson County 4-H’ers will receive their awards from this year during the Annual Achievement Night at 6 p.m Oct. 20 at the new meeting room at Crossroads Community Hospital.

Another event capping the 4-H year will be Oct. 27 — the Junior Gardeners Special Interest Club will hold its final meeting with an exhibit of the work they’ve done. Master gardener Theresa Greene taught the class, during which several students received their Junior Master Gardener certification, Chesnek said.

“They also added the square foot gardens and planted a magnolia tree at the office, although I don’t know if it survived the drought,” she said. “They are going to be doing some decorating around the office this fall. I’m not sure everything they have planned, but they’re getting ready for it.”

The Jefferson County 4-H is beginning to enroll new members for next year. Those who are interested may call the office at 242-0780.

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Mt. Vernon Police blocked a portion of North Ninth Street Wednesday morning about 11 a.m. after reports the brick facade of the apartment building at the corner of Ninth and Maple streets was falling to the ground. The bricks took out cable lines, awnings and were landing on the street.