Youths had an opportunity to enjoy fun and educational activities during 4-H Project Day held recently at the Romano 4-H Center of Chester County, Honey Brook.

During the event, presented by Chester County 4-H, four projects were highlighted: working with leather, creating string art, making a birdhouse out of a gourd and learning about small engines.

The event was designed for 4-H members, as well as those interested in 4-H, the youth development program of Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Cooperative Extension. Toni Stuetz, Extension educator, reported that two youths joined 4-H during Project Day.

"Today is about getting them out and socialized and back in the 4-H mindset after the pandemic," said Stuetz, noting that last year's Project Day was held virtually.

For the gourd craft, led by volunteer Joanna Johnson, participants were provided with gourds with a pre-drilled hole that were donated by Smucker's Gourd Farm in Kinzers. Students painted the gourds and added designs with stencils, and they were able to take their completed gourds home.

Amy Magee of Black Diamond Designs led the leather craft. Using pieces of real leather, the youths created goat collars, keychains and bracelets. "Some of the children's project focus for 4-H is raising dairy goats. So they can use the collars (on the goats) for showing," said Magee. "They learned how to work with leather and stamp leather. They completed all the work themselves."

For the string art craft, which was led by teen volunteer Melissa Johnson, participants were given a pattern and a block of wood. They wound colored string around the nails to create a piece of art. "We gave them four designs to choose from - a pawprint, a 4-H clover, a goat or a horse," explained Stuetz. "They put their stencil on their wood and they had to put nails in all the little holes and then wrap the string around it to form the figure."

The small engine activity was led by Audrey Reith, Extension educator, who is also the leader of the SPARKS 4-H Ag Club in West Grove. She displayed real-life small engines for the youths to explore, including one from a motorcycle. After learning about the engines, the students created diagrams of how they worked.

Some of the items completed on Project Day, including the small engine diagrams, will be entered into competition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, which will be held in January 2022 in Harrisburg. "We wanted to give them opportunities not only to have a fun day but (to create something for the Farm Show)," Stuetz added. "For those who are competitive and want to show and get recognized beyond Chester County, we wanted to give them that opportunity."

4-H membership is open to all boys and girls ages 8 to 18. There are more than 30 4-H clubs in Chester County, which meet in local homes, schools, churches or community centers, as well as at the Romano 4-H Center. Information about the clubs is available at http://www.extension.psu.edu/programs/4-h/counties/chester/clubs.