Summer sewing class

Students attended a 3-day sewing class earlier this month in the latest event held by the Wahkiakum County 4-H in association with the WSU Extension office. Students assembled in the Sewing Room of the Johnson Community Center where they were paired with an adult mentor and received one-on-one instruction on using a sewing machine. The volunteer mentors guided the students in their projects, teaching them the basics of sewing with a machine: winding the bobbin, threading the needle, lining the stitches, etc. Becca Rezac, a leader of the event, describes the bonding that took place between the kids, “They were very supportive of each other… when somebody finished something they would show it and everybody clapped… I think the adults got as much out of it as the kids.”

Students worked on a few different projects, including pillows, and were encouraged to enter their creations in the coming fair. The 4-H program values learning by doing and this sewing class is one example of how 4-H engages students in hands-on learning. One way they build confidence is by having them enter their work into the county fair. Wahkiakum County’s 4-H program started in 1914 and was one of the first in Washington State, “We have descendents of that first 4-H Club in 4-H today, serving as leaders and members,” says Carrie Shofner of the WSU Extension office. Wahkiakum’s 4-H has a diverse array of groups available to students including sewing and weaving, art, robotics, and a drone club. There are also groups that focus on a variety of animals such as poultry, goats, sheep, cattle, etc. These groups are designed to help kids find out what they’re interested in, Shofner explains “learning by doing, how to make their best better… learning how to find what their spark is, what excites them, and what they’re excited to learn about.”

For more information on the Wahkiakum County 4-H or to volunteer, call 360-795-3278.