National 4-H Week in Henry County

MT. PLEASANT - For Nicole Syfert, who grew up as a 4-H kid in Mt. Pleasant, it was important her children to have the 4-H experience as well.

Providing the opportunity to her own daughters as well as other children in the Salem area inspired Syfert to start the Salem Sprouts, alongside fellow club leader Holli Lee.

'My older two started with me, five or six years ago, and they really enjoyed it,” Syfert said. Before Syfert and Lee started the Clover Kids chapter, there had not been a Salem-based club for several years. Several years into starting their club, the Salem Sprouts regularly sees more than 20 members each year.

Syfert felt 4-H taught her 'responsibility and the importance of community involvement,” values she hoped to pass down to her own children. As a kid in the program, Syfert remembers doing community service projects including trash pickups. She also has memories of learning how to sew through the program, something her twin 12-year-old daughters, Emerson and Peyton, have done as well.

With the Salem Sprouts, a club for kindergarten to third-graders, Syfert and Lee focus on hands-on STEM activities as well as community service activities including making blankets and pillows for sick children at the University of Iowa Hospital. Syfert and Lee involve club members in helping to raise money for the club's supplies and projects.

'Before COVID, my club would wait tables at Pizza Ranch … My club is younger so it was important for them to have the confidence to walk up and talk to people and understand what they're doing is to support the club,” Syfert said.

Emerson and Peyton, who have now since graduated to a club for older 4-Hers, said they've enjoyed the projects they've been a part of through the youth program.

Peyton said some of her favorite parts of 4-H so far has been learning to work together with other members on presentations and projects.

'One of my favorite memories is one time we did an activity in a group holding hands and we twisted ourselves up and had to untangle ourselves without letting go. I liked that because it was fun and took teamwork,” she said.

While Peyton said some of her favorite projects have included learning about space, Emerson's favorite activities often involve animals.

'I like learning about animals. I know a lot, but I want to get really good at them,” she said.

One of her favorite things she's done with 4-H was making toys out of T-shirts.

'I think it really made them happy and helped out the dogs at the shelter a lot,” she said.

Emerson added one of the most important things she's learned from being part of 4-H is the importance of 'helping each other out.”

'It's a good thing to do in life. I love helping people out,” she said.

As a club leader and as a parent to 4-H'ers, Syfert said being able to lead a group 'means the world” to her.

In particular, Syfert said she enjoys watching her club members graduate into older clubs.

'It's exciting to see them growing and continuing on in 4-H. We have such a nice group of kids and they try really hard and work hard on projects. It's very rewarding to be a part of that with them,” she said.