On February 24, 2018, the Youth of Texas 4-H Club headed for downtown Houston with a newfound sense of pride and accomplishment. For four years, one of their main goals had been to earn a place in the lineup at the HLSR RODEO HOUSTON Parade.  This year, their request was granted!

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The 2018 AgriScience Educational Trail began on Saturday, February 17 at New Waverly High School with youth traveling as pioneers on horseback and in wagons. The 91-mile journey ended a week later with youth riding the “What do you want to be when you grow up?” float featuring Miss Kaylyn Guillory, the first Miss Youth of Texas. The float trailer was sponsored by the City of Houston and the float itself was designed by Jim Kanan, designer of the float previously used to honor Hurricane Harvey victims in the Thanksgiving parade.

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During the week of travel, youth paid homage to Western culture and Texas history. Along the way, they set up camp and enjoyed healthy food, music and recreational activities such as outdoor cooking, family games and hiking before starting 3 days of STREAAM-based, educational workshops.

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Campsites were set up at stops at New Waverly High School, Camp Arnold Girl Scout Camp, Klein Multipurpose Center and Lone Star Ford. The final stop, was at the Juvenile Center where the travelers celebrated the end of the journey.

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Students spent three days exploring college majors and careers in Agriculture, Science, Natural Resources, Wildlife Management, and Environmental Sciences. The Educational Workshops were designed to aid students in investigating careers and selecting suitable Endorsements for high school graduation. They rotated between breakout sessions including:  Literacy 3.12 Journalism/Scrapbook Literacy, Nutrition and Culinary Arts, Robotics, Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment, Meat Management and Animal Nutrition/Guidelines, Nutrition and Exercise, Health and Wellness, Textiles and Sewing and Animal Agriculture. There was also a Heifer Livestock Show and Showmanship Clinic.

 

Students from area schools attended the workshops including Aldine ISD, Gregory-Lincoln Education Center, North Shore Senior High School, Lanier Middle School, Sam Houston High School, and A.A. Milne Elementary, Woodson K-8 School, KIPP, Cy-Fair High school and The Lawson Academy.

 

This year, the Youth of Texas 4-H Club joined hands with several new sponsors including H-E-B, Sam Houston State University, Houston Foodbank, Walmart, Creativity Shell, Fresh Face, RiceTec, PV A&M Cooperative Extension (Fortbend), Nature & Eclectic Outdoors.  The program is also supported by longstanding partners Texas A&M, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Lone Star Ford, New Waverly I.S.D, Klein I.S.D., Girl Scouts of San Jacinto, Harris County Precinct One and Commissioner, Rodney Ellis.

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The Youth of Texas 4-H Club would like to thank everyone who helped to make the event a tremendous success. Plans for the 2019 AgriScience Educational Trail are already underway!