A typical day for Dee Keese starts with a 10-mile walk at 5 a.m. and her morning wraps up with a swim. Although Keese is in her late 70s, her daily routine would not surprise you if you knew what she has been doing for the last 48 years.

For nearly a half-century, Keese has been the 4-H community leader for the Palos Verdes Peninsula (PVP) club in Los Angeles County. A youth development program managed through local University of California Cooperative Extension offices, 4-H uses hands-on learning experiences to empower youth to build self-esteem and connect with their communities as emerging leaders.

“When you're pushing 80, working with young people helps to keep you young,” Keese said.

4-H has been a game changer in many ways

In the 1970s, Keese moved to the Palos Verdes area with her first-born son who had a learning disability. Others treated him differently in school, and it didn't help that he was the new kid in town. A neighbor encouraged Keese to enroll her son in 4-H.

“She told me, ‘You've got to put your son in 4-H so he can feel good about himself,'” explained Keese. “And let me tell you, it changed my life.”

In 1978, two weeks before her fifth child was born, Keese became the 4-H PVP club's community leader and has been in the role ever since.

While reflecting on her earlier days with 4-H, Keese remembered when most members were boys. Girls were not intentionally excluded at the time; clubs just didn't attract them. When girls eventually joined 4-H, it was a game changer.

“All of a sudden, the program shifted focus from solely agriculture and animals to include home economics like cooking and sewing,” Keese said. “Now, all my sons do the cooking in their homes. It's a good thing! Because we're moving away from traditional domestic duties, men and women are sharing roles, as they should be.” 

The PVP 4-H club offers activities like archery, sailing, surfing and geocaching. “Everything we do is to help our youth be better as adults, out in the real world and in the workforce,” said Keese. “We're relying on the internet too much. Kids need to get outside and do things.”

Over the years, Keese has taken members – who range in age from 5 to 19 – on numerous hikes in places like Havasupai Indian Reservation and Mt. Whitney. She's taken them kayaking on the Colorado River and, these days, co-hosts old-fashioned card game nights on the weekends with other community members.

As a lifeguard and water safety instructor, Keese gives free training to interested 4-H members to become lifeguards. Training courses usually cost well over $200 per person. “If they're interested, I train them and they have another skill to use. And it benefits our club,” said Keese. “When we have pool parties or beach days, my kids are prepared to step in and help.”

‘She will help anyone and everyone at any time'

Ace Yeck, former president of the PVP 4-H club, met Keese 12 years ago and decided to become a 4-H member when he was in fourth grade, following a convincing conversation with her. “She just kept giving me opportunities,” said Yeck.

Currently a third-year undergraduate at Loyola Marymount University studying entrepreneurship, Yeck credits 4-H for preparing him for college. “I got all my community service and public speaking practice through 4-H. I remember doing beach clean-ups, feeding the homeless, helping out at the Christmas fair, and all kinds of events,” he shared.

During his years with 4-H, Yeck was elected to the state board as an ambassador before he went on to represent 4-H at the national level. “Dee encouraged me every time, so I kept going,” he said.

Keese admitted that her life is so full and fun because of 4-H. Her motivation stems from the growth and progress that her students experience. “My kids let me know when I've done something to impact their life. It keeps me motivated,” she said.

While thinking about the members she's had over the last 48 years, she couldn't help but stress how important it is that they feel safe. Keese recalls one student who is gay and had a challenging time getting his parents to understand because of religious and cultural barriers. “The family's priest called me and told me that this student felt like I was the only one who loved him,” she said.

“I can talk about Dee forever,” said Yeck. “One of her best qualities is that she will help anyone and everyone at any time. She wakes up at 5 a.m. and goes to bed at, like, 10 p.m. During that time, she's always helping people,” he added. 

Because Keese comes from a different generation compared to the kids in her 4-H club, she attributes her successful impact to her ability to adapt. “If we want to keep kids in this, we've got to be flexible! And you've got to do things they like. We can't do things the way it's always been done before,” said Keese. “We have to be flexible.”

To Keese, 4-H is not just an opportunity to teach life skills or introduce kids to agriculture. It's a chance for them to build community. 

“That's what I think my generation does well, having grown up in the '50s and '60s,” Keese said. “We're all about that communal living.”

Desert REC program has reached more than 168,000 people thanks to broad community support

“Oohs” and “aahs” fill the classroom as Stacey Amparano, Farm Smart program manager at the Desert Research and Extension Center in Holtville, yanks an ear of corn off a stalk. Holding it high in the air, she begins shucking the corn to reveal a bright yellow color.

“It's corn!” yells a member of the audience. Amparano demonstrates how to shuck and shell corn to a group of local kindergarteners, all while explaining its many uses.

Farm Smart, an outreach program focused on agricultural literacy, has educated more than 168,000 people in the Imperial Valley and surrounding areas since its inception in 2001. The program is an integral part of Desert REC – one of nine centers operated across the state by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources – and serves K-12 students and their families.

Nestled in the southeastern corner of the state, Imperial Valley is home to over 500,000 acres of farmable land and more than 65 crops, making it an ideal place to teach youth about the valley's significant contribution to California, the U.S., and the world.

“Farm Smart is a reminder to kids that they come from a place that feeds most of the country throughout the year. It's something to be proud of,” said Amparano.

While the younger participants might not grasp the full impact of Farm Smart right away, the community sure does. More than 60% of the program's funding comes from contributions from the community, including local organizations, institutions and families.

“I don't think many people realize that a majority of Farm Smart is funded by the community. It makes this program even more special, that our own community believes in our impact and wants us to keep going,” Amparano said.

For example, the Imperial Irrigation District has supported and funded the program since it began, donating $107,500 in 2022 alone.

“This program has created an awareness of how food is grown, harvested and put on our table,” said Norma Galindo, former IID board director. “It invites participation from the elementary through high school grades and serves as a hands-on experience that is priceless.”

During her tenure, Galindo championed the increase of IID's monetary allocation to Farm Smart and requested that older people be allowed to participate in the same manner as the students. This created an opportunity for Farm Smart to engage a segment of the population that is often overlooked. Like the youngsters, retirees escaping cold weather in northern states can learn about irrigation and soils and pick vegetables to take home.

Valeria Landeros, a community education specialist at Desert REC, grew up in the Imperial Valley and remembers attending a Farm Smart field trip in elementary school. “I remember learning how to milk a cow and make butter and thinking that we traveled somewhere far out of town,” she said.

“Most people who grow up in Imperial Valley and the greater area know nothing about the fields that surround us,” said Clarissa Abarca, another community education specialist at Desert REC.

Similar to Landeros, Abarca participated in Farm Smart field trips during elementary to high school and can attest to the program's ability to modify its content and suit the interest of all ages. As an educator, Abarca gets most excited about instilling an appreciation for agriculture and introducing students to the numerous careers in the sector.

Galindo said that she expects that the IID Board will continue to support this program with crucial funds.

“Any other [county] that emulates this type of program stands to benefit from it, if and when it is done on a long-term and consistent basis. Teaching the city folks about farming is a process, not 
an event,” said Galindo.

Farm Smart was selected as a recipient of the California State Future Farmers of America Distinguished Service Award and will be recognized at the upcoming State FFA Conference in March.

To learn more about Farm Smart visit https://drec.ucanr.edu/Farm_Smart/.

To provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment for unsupervised school children, Sue Manglallan started the first 4-H Youth Development Program after-school childcare program children in San Diego County. The University of California Cooperative Extension 4-H youth and family development advisor will retire Dec. 31 after 30 years of university service in San Diego.

In the mid-1990s, Manglallan helped to develop the California School-Age Child Care Center for Action. She led the creation of childcare programs for school age children at parks and recreation centers and has served as the principle investigator on many projects, such as Off to a Good Start and the Afterschool Life Skills Evaluation Project.

In 2009, under Manglallan's guidance, 4-H partnered with the U.S. military to provide youth development activities for San Diego County children of military men and women deployed all over the world. 4-H clubs were chartered in eight military youth centers. Manglallan and her 4-H staff trained the youth center staff, set up clubs and organized military youth activities.

Through the ongoing 4-H military partnership, children of military members participate in leadership projects, community service projects, mentoring programs and sciences projects. They also attend conferences and camps with other military kids throughout the state and the country. Since 4-H has reached out to military youth, enrollment numbers have grown from 500 to the current enrollment of 1,300 children and teens in San Diego County.

Not only has enrollment in the youth development programs increased under Manglallan's leadership, but she has also made changes to the organizational structure of 4-H programs. In 2013, she worked with the California State 4-H office to create a Volunteer Management Organization (VMO) model. The previous model, which focused primarily on administrative and management issues, left no time for program planning and development or outreach to diverse populations. The VMO model created a more sustainable environment to build and attract high-performing and engaged volunteers. These changes helped improve the overall efficiency of San Diego's entire 4-H program.

Out of these efforts, four focus group meetings were held with local and non-governmental agencies, tribal members, members of the public and current 4-H volunteers. The engaged and lively discussions soon formed the basis for the current 4-H VMO board, which began in 2015 and oversees and directs local 4-H activities. 

Since its inception, the VMO has organized and overseen two major fundraising events for local 4-H programming needs. Its annual 4-H golf tournament garners $8,000 to $10,000 per year and the petting zoo at the annual San Diego County Fair brings in $10,000 to $12,000 each year. Additionally, three new traditional 4-H clubs and one spin club have joined the San Diego County 4-H family.

Manglallan began her career as a 4-H agent in 1978 with the University of Arizona before eventually joining UCCE San Diego in 1983.

Over the years, Manglallan's colleagues have sought her expertise and collaboration for research, education and outreach endeavors. In April 2018, she was part of the statewide team UC ANR honored with its Distinguished Service Award for outstanding research in Youth Retention Research. Through her contributions to San Diego's local 4-H clubs and programming over the past three decades, Manglallan has developed a diverse and robust community for youth development and leadership in San Diego.

The UCCE San Diego office congratulates Manglallan on a well-earned retirement and will continue to inspire and train youth through the 4-H program by her example. 

 

When it comes to protecting the environment, 4-H members are not afraid to get their hands dirty. For the past few years, a 4-H club in Oakland has been working in partnership with the Friends of Sausal Creek to transform a section of hiking trail that had become overgrown with nonnative, invasive plant species.

Since adopting the stretch along Sausal Creek in Dimond Park in 2012, 20 4-H members ranging from 5 to 12 years old have been pulling out the invasive plants and replacing them with native plants.

“Friends of Sausal Creek provides us with all the plants and gives us guidance on what should go where,” said Genesta Zarehbin, the 4-H adult volunteer leading the project.

“We planted lots of native plants, such as strawberries, bee plant, ninebark, iris-leaf rush, wood rush, and thimbleberry, that look really cool — but it still gives the appearance of more ivy and spiderwort,” said Zarehbin, who lives in Oakland.

The creek is the 4-H project's outdoor classroom, where participants can learn about native plant species, their characteristics and uses, all while performing a community service. They also take part in fun learning activities related to the restoration project, such as scavenger hunts.

“They have field journals and do research to complete a plant page,” Zarehbin said. “The younger kids do observation -- how many leaves does it have? What color is it? How tall is it? It's a natural discussion when you're out there.”

After removing the invasive, nonnative plants, the 4-Hers had the opportunity to redesign the stretch of trail by choosing and planting natives. At monthly meetings held at the creek, the members regularly weed, water and mulch the plants and pick up trash.

“My kids really get into it,” said Zarehbin, whose children include 9- and 11-year-old sons and twin 6-year-old daughters. “They recognize cow parsnip and soaproot when we go out on hikes. In some areas they'll say, ‘This looks like people are taking care of it.' It gives them a sense of place and how humans shape the environment.”

During the drought, the 4-H members learned the hard way that they couldn't rely on rain to get new plantings established.

“The first year, everything died,” said Zarehbin. “The second year, we supplemented the water, and we have a number of plants that survived.”

The creek project is educating the 4-H members, and the 4-H members, in turn, are educating park visitors about the vital work of protecting our natural resources.

“Since our work site is in a very visible location, our 4-H members have been able to enlist the assistance of community members and they frequently have the opportunity to share information with curious onlookers,” said the 4-H project leader.

Zarehbin appreciates the autonomy that Friends of Sausal Creek has allowed, something that enables the kids to develop a sense of ownership. “They let the kids control how they want things to look,” she explained. “The Friends of Sausal Creek are willing to work with young kids and let them work hands-on and contribute in a meaningful way.”

“This is the youngest group that has adopted a spot,” said Kimra McAfee, executive director of Friends of Sausal Creek.

The organization often leads middle school and high school students on field trips, but 4-H is one the few long-term relationships they have with younger children.

Friends of Sausal Creek, which manages a 2600-acre watershed with two permanent full-time staff members, depends on the help of others to preserve and protect the creek.

Groups typically work on an adopted site a few times a year, whereas the 4-H members tend to their site at least once a month. At the last 4-H work day, 30 people participated, said Zarehbin.

“Their recurring workdays enable them to maintain the site – weeding around the native plants and watering them until they are established,” said McAfee. “Their work helps to increase the biodiversity in these urban wildlands.”

McAfee hopes the kids' enthusiasm for nurturing the natural environment will spread to other people in the community.  

“The 4-H site is a highly visible one, located across Sausal Creek from the Dimond Park tot lot and community center,” she said. “The kids' ongoing stewardship and dedication to their site can inspire other members of the community. We love the connection the kids get to their public lands by tending their site over time.”

Every year the 4-H club hosts an Earth Day event for a local public school to share what they're learning with other kids their age. Last year, 90 students from Sequoia Elementary School participated, making nature-based crafts and pulling invasive plants to widen the trail. This year the 4-H members have invited Glenville Elementary to join them at Dimond Park on March 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To learn more about participating in 4-H in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, contact May McMann, 4-H program representative at mmcmann@ucanr.edu or (925) 646-6543. To find a UC Cooperative Extension 4-H club near you, visit http://4h.ucanr.edu/Get_Involved/County.

 

For more than 100 years, the University of California Cooperative Extension researchers and educators have been drawing on local expertise to conduct agricultural, environmental, economic, youth development and nutrition research that helps California thrive. UC Cooperative Extension is part of the University of California's systemwide Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Learn more at ucanr.edu.