K-State Research and Extension Douglas County

Douglas County 4-H SPIN Clubs turn focus to specific projects

Nancy Noyes, 4-H Program Assistant

Our Douglas County 4-H Program has been introducing Special Interest Clubs, or SPIN Clubs over the last two years to complement the project area education available locally. The Biology & Natural Sciences SPIN Club, currently beginning the second year of sessions, has been a great success. This year we launched a Robotics SPIN Club and have been in discussion for both Fiber Arts and Horticulture SPIN groups.

You may question what the difference is from a project club or project meetings within the community club model. I will list the key concepts of the SPIN Club model.

  • Encourages youth to investigate topics that may or may not be typical of 4-H projects; their topic of interest.
  • Encourages new youth and families, not typically part of 4-H community clubs, to get involved.
  • Recruits volunteers with expertise in specific subject areas.
  • It has a beginning and ending schedule- yet it may continue if both volunteer and youth agree.
  • Club meets for a minimum of six sessions approximately one hour in length, although schedule may vary.
  • Utilizes the experiential “Learn By Doing” 4-H model.
  • Overall, it helps build the existing county 4-H program.
  • Recruits mentors who become certified 4-H Volunteers.
collage of images related to 4-h SPIN Club - KU Natural History Museum Curator shows specimen collection to 4H Biology and Natural Sciences SPIN Club. 4-H Biology & Natural Sciences SPIN Club visits KU Natural History Specimen Preservation Lab. KU ME student demonstrates 4-H robotics prototype. KU ME student robotics team developing 4-H robotics prototype.

To summarize, the SPIN club model recognizes that both youth and adults often have a limited amount of “free time,” because of multiple interests. SPIN clubs have the flexibility to provide positive youth development and adult mentorship through varying time frames, giving both youth and leaders more flexibility in when and how long they meet. A bonus in our community is we are cultivating partnerships with the University of Kansas in furthering both STEM and STEAM programming and have tapped into a willing audience of mentors with science graduate and postdoctoral students which teen youth respond to positively. We also have key support from the KU Mechanical Engineering staff and students which opens a wealth of possibilities for project programming.

The recruitment of skilled leadership has always been a hallmark of the 4-H Program. The SPIN Club model is versatile in building a highly skilled volunteer community by offering a short-term option for adults who do wish to contribute yet want to have a specific time frame for their commitment. We look forward to building more liaisons with community members who have specific skills and are willing to share with Douglas County youth.