Maricopa Trailblazers Set for New Year

The Maricopa Trailblazers 4-H Club met Monday at Maricopa High School for an organizational meeting and election of officers. Maricopa area teens, ages 9-19, had the opportunity to sign up for various projects. Children ages 5-8, called Clover Kids, are limited to non-competitive projects.

Maricopa Trailblazers’ 4-H Club draws a large family crowd.

The Trailblazers, under the direction of Community Club leader Janine Brown, affords local youth a multitude of potential projects to suit any and all interests. The projects offered currently include horses, rabbits, pygmy and dairy goats, dog obedience, pigeons, poultry, lambs, swine, and steers as well as veterinarian science. Other non-animal offerings are woodworking, electricity, cooking, consumer education, photography, hiking and outdoor safety, sewing, shooting sports, rockets, ceramics, and public speaking.

When asked what she likes about 4-H, Kristen Brown, 14, replied, “I like being involved and having my animals.” There are 70 animals at home on the Brown Family Farm. Kristen has a cow, 31 chickens, and two goats entered in the State Fair this week.

Kristen Brown has 34 animals entered in the State Fair this week.

Centered on home and community involvement in both rural and urban areas, the mission of 4-H is to provide educational opportunities for youth so they may become capable and contributing members of society.

4-H in Arizona is the youth development program for the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension. The University requires an annual program management fee of ten dollars with enrollment. The only other fees involved in 4-H are the cost of the individual’s project materials.

Anyone interested in joining the Maricopa Trailblazers, can contact either Janine Brown at 568-4192 or the Pinal County 4-H Office at (520) 836-5221. Membership can begin at any time during the year.