4H

Here's another "what we're up to" post that's somewhat out of date. Last fall neighbors of ours introduced us to their local 4H club, and we decided it sounded like a good fit - relatively low impact commitment (one meeting per month), and a good reason to pursue and stick with individual interests, and to potentially explore other things we might not have reason to do otherwise.

We were also very interested in the idea of a club where many ages and thus abilities are all together in one club. Anything that's set up such that kindergarteners and high school seniors are together sounds like a good venue for someone like Krassimir to be a part of something beyond himself, beyond school or his therapy center. There aren't many opportunities for a tiny eleven year old (ten at the time), enrolled as a kindergartener, with the developmental prowess of a one year old to belong to something outside of his family or his church. We know he recognizes and enjoys familiar people, and were excited both by the chance for him to get to know other people, but also for other people to know him.

The year went quite well. Parents are usually at the club meetings, and many of the parents would make sure to stop and say hi to Krassi every month, but there were a number of the kids that did, too, as the year went on.

The culmination of the year, however, was in the month or so leading up to the county fair. Every year our club participates in the "Share the Fun" event, which is a six minute skit written and performed by the club members. Owen and Leah expressed interest, and had been busily going to twice-weekly practices to memorize the songs and dances (they did a mini version of Oklahoma!), when a few weeks before the fair, some of the older club members brainstormed a way for Krassimir to be part of the skit, too, and invited him to be part of it.

I truly do not know how much Krassi understood about any of the whole deal, but I know *I* was thrilled that they had thought about him and found a way for him to take an active role in the club's six minutes in the spotlight. Krassi got to wear a plaid farmer shirt, a straw hat (which he of course didn't wear), and ride in his wagon modified to look like a miniature covered wagon. Rose pulled him up onto the stage, and at the end, Joe and Georgia dropped the tin cans tied up in the back, flipped the "Just Married" sign, and trundled on down the ramp. Not only did Krassi receive a ribbon for participating, but the club also was awarded "Reserve Champion" (which, for those of you who, like me, know/knew nothing about 4H is essentially a second-best of show award.)

These photos of the skit aren't great because they're just screen shots from a video, but it gives you the idea...There's Krassi in the red-covered-wagon on the left just above the piano music, and Leah and Owen square dancing (pink dress/white bonnet and overalls/straw hat).

Krassi's big moment came at the end of the skit.

This year we're excited to be signing him up again, and Reuben, too. (And Owen and Leah.)

Krassimir's 4H project - hand painted note cards. (I had taken a photo of them on display, but was having issues with my camera, so had to re-take at home after the fair.)

Ha! One other fun memory from the Fair experience - as we were signing in on the day when the projects are judged and left to be displayed, not really sure what we were doing, the first thing we hear is someone saying, "Hi, Krassi!" It was one of his paras from school - not a peer, but still, how delightful to have someone know this boy, and with the four of us there, that Krassi would be the one who knew someone made me smile.

Leah designed and sewed a beautiful farm quilt. There wasn't room for them to hang it so it was all visible, but they made sure to hang it so that much of it was visible!

Leah also entered the framed drawing above her head of three birds adapted from a photograph. As a "Cloverbud" (K-2nd grade), her and Krassi's ribbons were not weighted at all - they simply received a ribbon for participating.

Owen's remote control truck with trailer and mini-car. (Again, if you don't know 4H - the projects are all judged individually, meaning they aren't judged in comparison to other projects, partly because each project can be so very different from every other project. Instead, each child is judged almost against themselves, and in their ability to dialogue intelligently with the judge about what they set out to do, how they accomplished it, and what they learned through the process. A blue ribbon is awarded to projects that show a superior level of thoroughness and understanding. Red is for an adequate job, and white essentially shows that you showed up. After each project has been given its individual ribbon, and all the kids have left, the judges discuss among themselves and in each project area select the projects that were truly outstanding compared to the others, and those are awarded an Award of Excellence, Reserve Champion, or Champion ribbon.)

Owen was awfully excited to come back to the fair on Monday and find that his "how to choose the right lawnmower" presentation board had been given Reserve Champion.