CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 02/12/96

Japan Welcomes Georgia 4-H'ers

While the world is coming to Atlanta for the Olympic Games this summer, a group of Georgia 4-H'ers will be going the other direction.

They will travel to Japan July 16 to Aug. 14 as part of the 4- H/Labo Exchange Program.

Applications are being accepted right now, said Greg Price, a 4-H specialist with the University of Georgia Extension Service. Your county Extension agent has the forms, which should be returned by March 1.

"The 4-H/Labo in Japan Summer Homestay Program offers young people the chance to discover for themselves the secret behind modern Japan," Price said.

"They can see how its centuries-old customs have combined with the cutting edge of modern technology to produce this traditional yet vibrant country," he said.

The Labo International Exchange Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has been organizing in-Japan homestay experiences in partnership with 4-H since 1973.

In Georgia, it is coordinated by the UGA Extension Service through its 4-H program, which is the largest youth program in Georgia with nearly 200,000 members.

While staying with host families, the Georgia 4-H'ers will attend Labo Club meetings, an International Youth Symposium and attend a four-day Labo Camp.

"There are five Labo Camps throughout Japan," Price said, "and their rural locations give students the opportunity to see what life is like in the Japanese countryside.

"Thatched-roof farmhouses, kimono-clad farmers using centuries-old techniques to harvest rice, cascading waterfalls and fruits drying in the sunshine are common sights in rural Japan," he said.

During the summer, homestay activities will be as varied as the host families themselves. School will still be in session when they arrive, so the Georgians will have a chance to visit a Japanese school and meet the students and teachers.

When school is out, they will go on outings to local scenic and historic sites, learn traditional Japanese arts and enjoy other popular summer activities.

"But most important," Price said, "the Georgia 4-H'ers will be members of their host families.

"They will see how Japanese families live, what they eat, where they sleep and what they do in their spare time," he said. "They will have a unique insight into the lives and values of today's Japanese young people."

For more information about the 4-H/Labo Exchange Program and an application form, talk to your county Extension agent.

Experts/Sources:
Greg Price
Jeffrey Dean (center), assistant provost and campus director for UGA-Griffin, with 2024 Classified Employee Award recipients Daniel Nordstrom (left) and Kenny Corley. (Photos by Ashley Biles) CAES News
Corley, Nordstrom named UGA-Griffin 2024 Classified Employees of the Year 04/23/24 Ashley N Biles
The University of Georgia Griffin campus recently named Kenny Corley and Daniel Nordstrom the 2024 Classified Employees of the Year. The designation was made at the 35th annual Employee Recognition Ceremony held April 3. The Employee of the Year award is presented to classified personnel who have made a significant impact on programs at UGA-Griffin through superior job knowledge and performance, work attitude, initiative, dependability and time management.
A Master Gardener with UGA Extension teaches a class at the GROWL Fulton County Demonstration and Teaching Garden. (Submitted photo) CAES News
Volunteers uplift statewide UGA Extension outreach programs 04/22/24 Sheri Dorn, Keri Gandy Hobbs
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension depends on thousands of volunteers who give generously to extend program impact and reach in support Extension missions. During Volunteer Appreciation Week April 21-28, UGA Extension celebrates the many volunteers who donate their time to facilitate 4-H, Master Gardener and Family and Consumer Sciences programming. Volunteers across Extension contributed over 324,200 hours in 2023, the equivalent of more than 155 full-time employees.
uga commencement CAES News
CAES to celebrate new graduates during May 9 convocation 04/18/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
As another academic year draws to a close, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is gearing up for its Athens campus convocation ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at The Classic Center in Athens. “Each year, it’s an honor to celebrate the success of our CAES graduates,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “It’s amazing what these students accomplish during their time with us, and I’m always excited to commemorate this next step in their lives as they continue on to either further studies or the start of their careers.”
A student harvests red clover at UGArden. CAES News
UGA horticulture class shows students the science behind herbal remedies 04/16/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
The field of medicine is ever-changing, and the use of herbal medicines may play a bigger role in health care as the value of natural remedies gain recognition in the Western world. Students at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are delving into the field of medicinal remedies through the class “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.” Offered to undergraduate students through the Department of Horticulture, the class helps students develop a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and health.
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms CAES News
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms 04/15/24 David Mitchell
During the pandemic, labor problems became acute on many farms in Georgia and across the country. Farms once staffed by humans to bring produce from the field to stores for purchase were suddenly short-staffed, and the global supply chain was severely impacted. Working with UGA’s Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center and A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, a team of researchers led by School of Computing Professor Prashant Doshi is designing collaborative robots to mitigate some of these potential challenges.
2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate who went on to earn a master’s degree in 1982 and education specialist degree in 1984 from UGA’s College of Education. CAES News
Innovator, educator inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame 04/11/24 Maria M. Lameiras
An innovator in peanut breeding whose research revitalized an industry and an ardent champion of agricultural education were inducted into the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame at the 68th University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association Awards in Athens. The 2024 honorees are William D. Branch, Georgia Seed Development Professor in Peanut Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, and Elzie Argene Claxton, an agriculture educator and 1980 CAES agricultural education graduate.