MSU's campus began flooding with people Wednesday as more than 2,500 4-H members and chaperones lined up to sign in for the 36th annual 4-H Exploration Days youth development conference.
4-H is a youth organization that brings adults and youth together to form clubs to learn and participate in various activities, according to its Web site.
Participants from 82 Michigan counties chose from 184 different activity sessions that take place Wednesday through Friday, including hands-on activities with animals, candle and jewelry making and animal photography. The 11-19 year-old members involved can choose one to two activity sessions to participate in.
Sara Archer, 14, came with her Iosco County 4-H group to learn how to show beef cattle. Not only will she learn how to win a few more ribbons at the fair, but she said she expects to have fun, too.
"It's fun to be here — you meet new people," she said, adding that she felt more independent while at MSU's 4-H Exploration Days.
"The main goal of this is to give kids a taste of college life, let them explore new opportunities and build skills for the future," said Judy Ratkos, program leader for 4-H Exploration Days.
MSU hosts the program with the intent that participants will get a taste of career options and return to MSU for college, Ratkos said.
Students signed up for the program through their county leaders, who enrolled them and prepared them for the event. Though 4-H has traditionally been recognized as an agricultural program, Ratkos said it has expanded into a wider range of activities.
She said challenge classes, such as canoeing and kayaking along with many of the art classes, are the first to go.
"We often get 800 registrations the first day enrollment opens," she said. "Hip-hop dancing fills up almost immediately every year."
Louis Garza, 16, managed to enroll in the dance session.
"The reason I'm taking those is because I'm in another education program called PRIDE — it's a drug education program," Garza said. The group goes to different schools performing skits and dances to promote drug-free lifestyles. In previous years Garza has shown chickens, goats and steers, as well as inanimate objects, at the Newaygo County Agricultural Fair.
"I like all of (the events) actually. It's fun. I get away from my family," he said.
Larry Powers of Adrian has returned for his third year as a volunteer and will be helping with the sailing session for about 30 students at Lake Lansing. Powers said the experience is just as valuable as the classes.
"I think it's kids all getting together, meeting new people. They're at that age where they should start interacting," he said.
With more than half the students here for the first time, Ratkos said the program thrives from word-of-mouth communication.
"We are the only youth conference that has not decreased in numbers over the years," she said. "We are proud of that."
