International Senior Project Guide

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Overview

Georgia 4-H Project Achievement empowers young people with skills for a lifetime. Through a competitive process, students explore their interests, unleash their creativity, share their work, and celebrate their achievements! This guide provides 9th—12th graders with examples for getting started with their project exploration.

Overview of Project Achievement Process

1) Choose project
2) Develop skills in leadership and service
3) Prepare portfolio for work completed from January 1 – December 31
4) Prepare presentation
5) Practice
6) Compete
7) Reflect

Description of International Project

4-H’ers may explore another country’s culture, tradition, festivals, history, celebrations, geography, population, religion, education, food, and/or language. Through this project 4-H’ers may:

• Develop an understanding and appreciation for various cultures and people
• Develop an awareness and understanding of current and/or historical international events
• Explore different countries’ cultures, traditions, festivals, celebrations, religions, education, food, language, population, or geography
• Create global friendships through hosting international students, traveling abroad, contacting 4-H’ers in other countries, or through other creative means
• Research, support, and promote global service opportunities
• Acquire skills and knowledge for a future in the international work force
• Explore careers related to international affairs, businesses, or study

Examples of Project Development Experiences

• Research a country’s culture, including food, economy, religion, historical events, and customs
• Contact other 4-H’ers or youth throughout the world via email, letter, or web chatting
• Travel to another country
• Host an international exchange student
• Get to know a student or community member from another country
• Study a foreign language
• Learn about foreign foods and prepare them for friends and family
• Research service organizations working to address global challenges
• Contact your local congressional representative’s office to discuss foreign policy

Project Sharing and Helping Examples

• Organize an international food potluck in your community
• Share what you have learned about another culture with other youth and adults. Possible groups include: county 4-H clubs, elementary or middle school classrooms, and civic clubs
• Share music, dance, or art of another country with your community
• Research, support, and promote global service opportunities, like UNICEF, Kiva.org, Heifer International, etc.
• Tutor or mentor a non-native English speaker
• Cook a meal from another country for your 4-H club
• Arrange a conference call or video chat between your club and another country’s club meeting
• Organize a 4-H project club using both the 4-H WeConnect global youth citizenship curriculum (available at www.4-Hmall.org) and Peace Corps Worldwide Schools curriculum (available at www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/)
• Organize a service project on Global Youth Service Day (see ysa.org)
• Mentor a younger 4-H’er in the International project

Special Considerations

• Youth should practice internet safety when communicating with new people online or in-person. A best practice is to take a friend or parent to shadow your interview or copy your parent/ guardian on online communications with adult mentors.
• Practice food safety when preparing food for family and community members for project work. (Food should not be prepared as part of the competition presentation.)
• Research international charity organizations using charitynavigator.org before donating or raising money.
• Be respectful of other cultures.
• Live animals and weapons are not permitted.

Recommended Resources

• Project Achievement – Georgia 4-H
• Cultural Exchange Program | IFYE USA
• Humanitarian Aid for Children in Crisis | UNICEF USA
• TakingITGlobal – Inspire. Inform. Involve.
• Home – Heifer International
• Roots & Shoots USA – Youth Movement of the Jane Goodall Institute
• Make a loan, change a life | Kiva
• Global Student Engagement – Center for Global and Cultural Student Engagement
• International Programs – Departments & Offices | College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
• Peace Corps – Peace Corps
• Youth Service America | Youth, Communities, and Democracy Thrive When We All Work Together for the Common Good

At Competition

International 4-H projects may use posters, artifacts, biofacts, and/or technology to support their presentation. The time limit for these presentations is 12 minutes. Computers, projectors, screens, and other technological devices may be used.

Prepared by: Jeff Buckley, Gabrielle Buono, Keri Hobbs
Reviewed by: Jason Estep and Jennifer Cantwell