Youth Connect Communities With New Technology

From blogging to podcasting to creating online videos, 4-H youth are leading the way, using new media and communication tools to share breaking news, event coverage and educational information with their community.

For example, the 4-H News technology c**b in Jefferson County, Wash., provides on-the-spot reports through video clips and podcasts posted to their 4-H Network News Web site. c**b members have covered a fire in an historic hotel and a Red Cross disaster training exercise and conducted interviews with local business leaders.

The youth are hands-on in every step of putting together the one-to-two-minute news segments. "We get ideas about what we'll do and who we'll interview, then we take the camera, tape footage, put it on the computers and edit it," 15-year-old Sophie Gilbert said.

Gilbert first created a video about a school reunion but quickly saw the educational value for her community. She has produced segments about avoiding drugs and alcohol and a beach restoration project. "There is a need for us to talk about some of the important things going on in our county and in the world," she said.

The c**b came together as a collaboration among the local 4-H c**b, the Washington State University Extension office and the local newspaper. Jack Olmsted, 4-H leader for the c**b, Pamela Roberts, 4-H coordinator for the Jefferson County 4-H office, and the newspaper's publisher work closely with the youth.