Retired Hollywood cameraman Gene Talvin instructs thirteen-your old Daniel Bryant on shooting the 4-H News WorkSource interview for the local newspaper.
The 4-H News project in Jefferson County, Washington is Making the Best Better when it comes to publicly highlighting the educational contributions of 4-H youth programs. 4-H News is an evolving Internet media project that has youth in their communities capturing clubs, committees, events, and leaders in action.
The most powerful aspect of the project is its immediacy. Within minutes after shooting video of 4-H youth at a local rabbit show, these "Johnny-on-the-spot" reporters published their stories to an international audience. (Watch Video) Through Internet video, the public sees the children carefully grooming their rabbits and displaying a close emotional bond.
"You cannot capture in words the deep-rooted connections that 4-H youth develop with their animals. The power of video to communicate and share this relationship is inspirational," states Jack Olmsted, leader of the project.
The tools used to produce 4-H News are readily available in homes and offices - a video camera, a computer linked to the Internet, and a telephone. In addition to video online, the 4-H News project also features photos and audio.
"Using any telephone, you can call a free service that automatically publishes your conversation online. This allows our leaders and youth to post "field reports" to an international audience immediately," explained Pamela Roberts, 4-H coordinator and partner in the project. We use several free tools that permit 4-H
leaders to easily create audio and video reference materials for their clubs.
"We would love to see 100 4-H youths nationwide capturing local activities through online media," explains Olmsted. "It can become a priceless resource for your club, communities, country and the world."
You can go to http://4-hnews.blogspot.com to see the entire collection of Jefferson County 4-H News reports. If you would like to be involved with the project, contact Pamela Roberts at proberts@jefferson.wsu.edu.