Seedlings 4-H Club travels to Disney World
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STEUBENVILLE -- Members of the Steubenville City Seedlings 4-H Club and FFA organization headed south to learn how science is used in everyday life.
Twenty-four students, including Cloverbuds in grades kindergarten through high school, advisers and family members, traveled to Disney World on Sept. 27-Oct. 1 to participate in educational programs through the Disney Imagination Campus's Leadership and Innovation program.
Students visited the Epcot Center to take part in the "Teamwork the Disney Way" class and had a chance to see the Animal Kingdom and become "wilderness explorers," taking part in an interactive scavenger hunt to learn about animals and the environment.
The scavenger hunt allowed the students to work together and visit three of Disney's resorts to learn about the history and some of the attractions. They engaged in a fun campfire event to build camaraderie, as well.
"As a district club, we want to provide our students with every learning opportunity possible. With the continuous support of our administration, Superintendent Melinda Young and our board of education, we are able to promote such activities that enhance our members' experiences," said adviser Heather Hoover, who shares duties with Tommi McConnell, Natali' Campana and Jamie Thompson.
"This is our second year as a club, and as a district we have recently received our FFA chapter recognition. Having the opportunity to take our members to Disney was an extraordinary experience for all. For some of our families, this was their first Disney trip, and we were ecstatic to share this adventure with them."
She noted it was fun and educational, and what the students learned will be very beneficial.
"The educational experiences that our members participated in only enhance what we are already doing within our club," she said.
"Members who attended this trip were able to bring back the Disney Leadership activities and use these as a foundation for other learning opportunities for our entire club," Hoover added.
Several of those who attended shared what they learned from the experience.
Thomas Smith, a fourth-grader at McKinley STEM Academy, said he enjoyed seeing Rafiki's Village exhibit from "The Lion King" and the petting zoo, among others.
"(I liked) seeing the Animal Kingdom and Scrooge McDuck and I saw Launchpad McQuack," he said.
Classmate Aylah Mitchell added she had a lot of fun at the Epcot Center.
"We worked together on a STEM challenge," she commented. "I also went behind the scenes at Disney so I could see what the employees see every day."
Ava Bailey, a kindergartner at McKinley STEM, said she liked meeting people and visiting the Animal Kingdom.
"There was a bird in the X-ray so he could feel better," she recalled of a visit to the veterinary site, as well as a view of baby prairie dogs.
Amy Bailey, Ava's mother and a teacher at McKinley STEM, attended. She said students pledged to be kind to animals and the environment, learned about animals and shared an experience that they can use in their 4-H programs.
"As a parent, I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to see the educational side of what Disney has to offer. At Epcot, they show how in the real world to provide cooperative learning and STEM."
Hoover said the Sunshine State sojourn was the club's first out-of-the-area trip, but the Seedlings have participated in several 4-H activities in Columbus and attended camps and events, including the Xtreme Counselor, the Spark Expo and the Cloverbud Engineering Challenge. Throughout the year, the club participates in community service projects, county-wide events and camps provided by the Jefferson County 4-H Extension Office.
The next activity will take place on Nov. 15 when members will be honored during the annual Steubenville City Seedlings 4-H Banquet. The club's year will close with open enrollment and registration for returning members and any new member from Steubenville City Schools beginning in January.