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Urban group brings variety to 4-H display
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Ariana Mostella installs her theater project at the Oak Hill Clovers booth at the Canfield Fair. The 4-H group meets at a church on Youngstown’s South Side, and members have done a variety of projects, including gardening and fashion.
CANFIELD
The Oak Hill Clovers are proof that 4-H groups don’t have to show farm animals or even be based in a rural area.
The Clovers meet at St. Patrick Church on Youngstown’s South Side and are presenting their projects, ranging from theater to fashion, at the 165th Canfield Fair — opening today.
Nud’a Hassen, 14, of Youngs-town studied cake creation this year, learning different styles.
“I never realized how much work goes into [cakes]. Before, I just saw them at the store,” said the Youngstown Christian School student.
Hassen has been a Clover since the organization’s inception four years ago. Her previous projects include scrapbooking, fashion design and gardening.
“A lot of people hear 4-H and say, ‘Oh, you have animals,’ but it’s more than cows and horses. There are so many different types of projects,” Hassen said.
Janice Hanna, of the county extension agency’s education for 4-H youth development, said that even as the number of urban and suburburban 4-H groups grows and the types of projects diversify, some things remain the same.
“There are some counties with urban areas that are increasing the numbers of 4-H kids, but they’re not quite as traditional because kids are more independent with their projects. In Mahoning County, they do still meet in the community-club formats,” she said.
That’s one reason Shannon McMaster, 12, of Boardman said she enjoyed being a Clover.
“It’s been a lot of fun, and you get to spend time with people at church that you normally would only see once in a while,” she said.
McMaster, a student at Boardman Center Middle School, kept a pet rabbit as her 4-H project this year and had to research how to take care of it, which is a different category than the breeding or showing. She added that she learned a lot about plants and wildlife that she wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to in a suburb.
“You don’t see people with animals just walking around Boardman,” McMaster said, laughing.
McMaster and other Clovers also tend a one-acre garden across from St. Patrick Church, which was planted after seven vacant houses were demolished. Ted Vagas oversees the gardening with other parent volunteers.
The younger members of the group, called Cloverbuds, said that’s one of their favorite things.
“I do like the plants and getting in the dirt,” said 6-year-old Layla Hassen, sister of Nud’a.
Kathy Abramowski, a Clover adviser, said 4-H presents opportunities to children that they might not get from other extracurricular activities.
“I think some of the kids from the inner city go through projects and they choose something they’re interested in and follow through, and they learn a lot,” she said.
Ariana Mostella, 15, of Youngstown is in her third year of 4-H. This year she created a “Play the Role” theater project, where individuals can practice theater techniques, such as two people pretending to be reflections of each other as in a mirror. In the past, she’s done fashion projects and creative writing.
“I feel like I’ve gotten more knowledge about creative writing and theater, and I learned a lot more about sewing,” she said.
Mostella added that 4-H projects have helped her in classes at Ursuline High School, specifically writing essays in honors English.
“4-H is a really good experience, and I hope we get more members. You can do absolutely any type of project you want,” she said.
To learn more about 4-H and the Clovers, visit Building 25 near Kiddie Land at the Canfield Fair.