HANCOCK COUNTY — The county’s new youth development educator has major plans on how to engage more kids in the Hancock County 4-H program.
Amber Barks is the newest staff member at the Hancock County Purdue Extension office in Greenfield.
She hopes to enhance the local 4-H program with a greater emphasis on STEM — a learning approach that encompasses science, technology, engineering and math.
“As we see kids move into different careers, they’re using technology more and more, so we want to make sure they’re prepared," said Barks, 33. "Even if you’re going to drive a combine, it now has a computer that drives itself, so we want to make sure kids are getting that tech base along with the other, because I think that is the future.”
Julie Gray, director for Purdue Extension’s Central District, said Barks represents a changing of the guard at the Hancock County Extension office.
Barks replaces longtime 4-H youth educator Sarah Burke, who retired after 23 years of service in 2018; and most recently Brian Greer, who left to pursue a teaching position.
Last May, Lais McCartney replaced the outgoing agriculture and natural resources educator, Roy Ballard, who had served the local Extension office for 14 years.
In November, Cheryl Jones, health and human sciences educator, settled in as the county Extension director, replacing Greer.
“Our staff is aging out,” said Gray. “We’ve seen a couple of great people retire, but now we’ve got a group of great people there to take their place. We’ve got people who are early or mid-career in their tenure, and it’s exciting to see what the future will hold for them.”
Barks spent five years as the 4-H youth educator in Fulton County before starting work at the Greenfield office on Jan. 19.
She’s been involved with 4-H at the local, state and national levels, attending the national 4-H conference and serving on the Indiana STEM team, which explores incorporating STEM into 4-H programming.
A lifelong Hoosier, Barks grew up raising boer goats on a small farm in Corydon. She focused on a wide variety of projects during her time as a 10-year 4-H member, including foods, crafts, scrapbooking and showing goats.
As a high school student, she earned her American FFA degree, the highest degree the organization bestows upon its members.
She then earned a degree in elementary education from Purdue University and went on to earn a master’s degree from Colorado State University in agricultural extension education.
Barks said she’s excited to start working with the Hancock County community. “I really like it here. I think it’s a nice blend of the urban and country blended together,” she said from her new office last week.
She thinks it’s important to broaden the 4-H program through STEM, especially for kids who don’t have a farming background.
“With the way our world is evolving, we have to be able to reach other disciplines to be able to engage kids in hands-on programming. Whether that is ag-based or STEM-based, that is more what careers are starting to focus on now,” she said.
STEM-based 4-H projects can take on many different forms, she said, like basic coding, 3D printing and robotics. The trend of incorporating STEM is being practiced by 4-H clubs throughout the country, with a big emphasis in Indiana.
“What we’re trying to accomplish with all the things we do is to prepare kids for careers,” Gray said. “I think everyone in education is bringing science and technology into all aspects of what kids are learning about. It’s really just a paradigm shift for us.”
Barks is thrilled to see STEM programming being rolled out in 4-H clubs nationwide.
“We’re just trying to expand to meet more youth. It has nothing to do with trying to change our traditional program, where we show livestock at the fair. We want to provide more opportunities,” Barks said.
She knows change doesn’t come without challenges.
“I believe one of my biggest challenges as a 4-H educator is changing mindsets,” she said. “Our program is evolving. We’re more than an agricultural program — we’re more science-based — and welcome kids into the program who don’t come from a farming background.”
As a 4-H veteran herself, Barks loves the fact that the program provides not just endless learning opportunities, but mentoring and guidance as well.
“I believe all young people need positive role models. In the 4-H program, youth are surrounded by older mentors who really care,” she said.
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More information about 4-H in Hancock County — including on how to join — is available at the county’s Extension website: extension.purdue.edu/HANCOCK/article/36226.
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