National FFA week (USA) took place during the third week of February.
As an opportunity to connect agricultural youth leaders around the world, I
reached out to my student teaching cooperating center FFA program to
connect the Pennsylvania FFA members to Ghanaian 4-H members. 4-H in Ghana looks very similar to FFA in the US: It is school-based, tied to classroom curriculum, and encourages home entrepreneurial projects (known as Supervised Agricultural Experience in the FFA).
The plan was to exchange
some preliminary information and some photos of the two student groups in honor
of National FFA Week. So I got out my camera and let my 4-H members pose away!
(note: Ghanaians love taking photos) I also asked them about their basic “biographical”
information and why the love 4-H. Here are the responses and photos of some of
my star members!
Name: Asare Boateng Samuel
Age: 15
Grade: Form 3
Position in 4-H/committee: Secretary
Home entrepreneurship project(s):
Gardening, literature
Why you joined 4-H/why you like 4-H: I
want to be a successful entrepreneur in the future and I know 4-H will help me.
Some other notes
about Asare: Asare sought out and competed in a national contest to draw a “car
of the future” and I got to accompany him to the capital, Accra, to deliver it
to the Toyota headquarters. He is extremely creative and curious: he has
written stories since primary school and even wrote a song for 4-H a few months
ago.
Name: Awayigah Ebenezer
Age: 15
Grade: Form 2
Position in 4-H/committee: Crops
committee assistant chairman
Home entrepreneurship project(s):
Gardening
Why you joined 4-H/why you like 4-H:
4-H is the only club at the school, so I joined. I have learned many things
that have helped me – like how to grow crops well, how to speak in front of
groups, and how to prepare and present reports. If it wasn’t for 4-H, I would
never have learned these things.
Some other notes
about Awayigah: Always the first one at the 4-H garden and the last one to
leave, he takes his role as an officer very seriously. He seeks new knowledge
and always tries to do what is best for the club. He often comes to help me at
my home garden and always warms my day with his lovely smile. He was the winner
of the “Growing Greener” award at the end of term 1 – an award given to the
most dedicated member in the 4-H garden.
Name: Rosemary Asirifi
Age: 15
Grade: Form 3
Position in 4-H/committee: Chairperson
for marketing/outreach committee
Home entrepreneurship project(s): Book
designing and typing skills
Why you joined 4-H/why you like 4-H: I
want to be skillful and develop critical thinking skills – I want to be an
entrepreneur in the future.
Some other notes
about Rosemary: After a few months of term 1, Saviour 4-H formed the
Marketing and Outreach committee and Rosemary was elected its leader. Though I had
not seen much leadership potential in her prior to her election, I quickly saw
why the members chose her: she is motivated, creative, and hardworking. One example
is how she took advantage of an opportunity in her community to publicize
Saviour 4-H in the Saviour Church Calendar – a calendar that goes out to the
entire country and its various Saviour churches. Rosemary won the “Best
Marketer” award at the end of term 1.
Name: Paddy David
Age: 14
Grade: Form 2
Position in 4-H/committee: Animal
Husbandry Committee Assistant Chairman
Home entrepreneurship project(s):
Gardening, Pig rearing
Why you joined 4-H/why you like 4-H: I
want to learn more agricultural skills, like how to raise pigs properly and how
to have a successful farm.
Some other notes about Paddy: Paddy is
one of those boys who you can count on. He is dedicated and loves to get his
hands dirty. He has been the key caretaker of the Saviour 4-H pigs – so much so
that he has his own key to the piggery! Along with his best friend, Awayigah,
he is always at the garden when 4-H says they will be working there and though
he is quiet, he is a vital contributor to the 4-H club. Paddy, as everyone
expected, won the “Animal Husbandry Award” at the end of term 1.
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