The Muskingum County 4-H community recently gained a new team member with the addition of an extension educator.

With the addition of a new extension educator, Trevor Tom, Muskingum County 4-H is hoping to delve further into STEM programming, as well as equip young community members with essential life skills.

“We’re really looking at increasing our amount of STEM program that we do, kind of workforce development, that’s going to be my specialty,” Tom said.

Monday morning, 4-H representatives met with the Muskingum County Commissioners to provide updates on the year’s happenings and introduce their newest team member.

In addition to building on traditional 4-H pathways, Tom is also focusing on non-traditional 4-H involvement, including teaching classes at the YMCA.

In the future, Tom is working to host a “reality camp” to help instill applicable, real life skills in 4-H members.

“We’re trying to teach those skills already in 4-H, but if we can make kids who are going to be successful after we’re done with them in youth programming, that’s our ultimate goal,” Tom said. “So, those type of programs, we can see lasting effects on our youth.”

While some counties in Ohio have similar “reality” programming, Tom said Muskingum County 4-H is working to be a leader of that type of programming.

“That’s one of the really cool things, there are some existing ones (programs), but we’re also, Muskingum County is … gonna work to be the leading kind of edge in developing some of these programs that are suited for our kids,” Tom said.

Along with the STEM and real world programming, Tom added that he’s working to host a local government day in the fall. Throughout the day, youth participants are going to have the chance to learn more about public service, see the Muskingum County Courthouse and explore the many careers involved in local government.

Anyone interested in becoming more involved in Muskingum County 4-H can visit the group’s website here.