With the 4-H year starting Sept. 1, there are some new additions — Garden Club and Rez Riders Horse Club.

Horse Club held its first meeting in August, and about 11 children attended. The next meeting will be Sept. 25 in Hollywood. The club will be traveling reservation to reservation.

Kimberly Clement, Florida cooperative extension 4-H special projects coordinator, said those who cannot attend can send an email to join virtually. She said things like Horse Club help teach patience and learning from the ground up.

“It grows them. I think being involved in 4-H and the industry growing up was what grew me,” Clement said.

Environmental Resources Department will be working with 4-H for the Garden Club, and Krystle Bowers is starting a teaching garden in Hollywood. The upcoming meetings are scheduled for Sept. 17 and Oct. 14. Clement said they “have high hopes” for the club.

Enrollment for livestock members closes Oct. 31 and enrollment for Horse Club and Pee Wees, the youngest age group club, closes Dec. 31. There is a $10 membership fee, and enrollment is all online.

4-H in the Seminole Tribe dates back to 1955. It started out as cooking and sewing classes, and the first projects were cattle judging teams, according to Florida 4-H: A Century of Youth Success.

As of the 2023-24 year, 4-H has grown to 218 members. Clement said the goal is 250 this year. In 2019, they had 125 registered members. The current clubs include swine, cattle, Pee Wee, Horse Club, Community Club and Garden Club.

There are livestock shows and competitions members can go to throughout the year.

“Right now, we’re gearing up for our livestock club meetings, and that’s the swine and cattle,” Clement said. “The cattle kids got their animals in July, some of them a little bit before, so their club meetings have already started. September is when the swine kids will start in their club meetings, and then October, the Pee Wees will start their club meetings.”

Currently, Clement said they are gearing up for National 4-H week, which is the first week of October. To wrap that up, there will be a 4-H showcase on Oct. 12 in Big Cypress.

“That’s where 4-H agents from across south Florida come in and showcase what’s the most popular in their county,” Clement said.

4-H is also hosting a cattle showmanship clinic Nov. 2 followed by a cattle costume show.

The 4-H team is comprised of four employees and a group of volunteers. Clement said they are looking for additional volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the 4-H office at 863-763-4128.

Another aspect of 4-H is Community Club where people who may not have a lot of time to volunteer throughout the year, dedicate an hour or so to teaching a group about special interests and life skills. For example, one club meeting is about sewing and making totes out of feed bags.

Clement said she is looking forward to increased participation across 4-H this year.

“I want to see the numbers go up. I want to see the number of volunteers go up. I want to see the number of youth enrollment go up, the participation and not just our local events. I want to see the number of our kids participating outside of travel events and going to other places,” Clement said.

Traveling to shows and competitions helps the children involved make connections, learn about the industry and their passions, and step out of their comfort zones, she said.

“You don’t realize you have that spot [where] you’re helping kids. You just know I see the potential in you, and I’m not going to give up on you. And you keep pushing them,” Clement said. “But you know, just the fact that we believe in them and know that they can do it is something that they have to know
definitely.”

Clement has been with the tribe and 4-H for 10 years now.

“I love my kids, and I love the job that we do here – fostering positive youth development across the tribe. And there’s so many things that these kids are capable of,” Clement said. “They just need somebody to love them and trust in them, believe in them. And I feel like that’s us.”