Creating Opportunities for All
By: Jade Greene
Wild West District Youth Livestock Agent
Research shows that children naturally identify with animals. Animals have the natural ability to improve our mood, lower blood pressure, and provide a rush of feel-good chemicals. For children with special needs, animals play an incredibly important role. Touching an animal, feeding it, and feeling it breathe can help connect a special needs child to the animal in a unique way.
In 2022, 4-Hers in Stevens County presented an idea to the Extension Agents about hosting a livestock therapy event for youth with special needs (academic, emotional, physical). The goal for this event is to allow youth the hands on opportunity to interact in a safe and positive environment with a small livestock animal. This event will pair 4-H youth who own and work with sheep and goats with a second non-livestock 4-H participant. Together they will pair up with nominated special needs youth from surrounding counties. They will then spend time teaching the youth some of the basic techniques of taking care of and preparing an animal for a livestock show. At the end of the event, they will have the opportunity to show their animal in front of a judge with the assistance of their helpers.
This show has been a phenomenal success the past two years, with participants from Finney, Grant, Gray, and Stevens County. We are looking forward to making the 3rd Annual SuperStar show the best one yet! In addition to our show on June 8th, we will be inviting our participants to the SuperStar Showcase at the 2024 Stevens County Fair. They will have the opportunity to show off their hard work alongside their 4-H helpers.
If you would like to learn more about the show, please contact the Stevens County Extension Office at (620)544-4359 or email Jade at jsgreene@ksu.edu.
