12 Great Days at the

Pima County Fair 

Pima County 4-H’s end-of-year competitions returned with a bang as the Pima County Fair resumed after a two-year pandemic hiatus. This year’s competitions spanned 12 days and ended with two days of high energy public auctions presented by the Pima County Junior Livestock Sales Inc. The auctioned livestock hit multiple record-breaking prices this year; a steer went for $41 a pound, more than breaking the previous record, and a meat pen of rabbits went for $6,200 dollars as compared to the previous record of $2,300. These record-breaking individual lots helped the large stock auction raise over 1.1 million dollars and the small stock auction raise $135,000 dollars for local 4-H youth with market-animal projects. These funds go straight back into the youth’s pockets to help fund their next year’s projects and save for their college funds. Aside from the auction proceeds, youth were awarded for their efforts with ribbons provided by the Pima County Fairgrounds, buckles provided with funding raised by local businesses and donated by individuals, and various plaques and engraved items created in-house by 4-H youth and families at the Pima County 4-H FAB LAB. We look forward to another amazing year in 2022, and we hope youth enjoy their summer at Tucson Village Farm’s summer camps and other activities outside of their clubs. See you all again in the Fall!

Pima County 4-H Club Program

Covid Vaccination Rates Grow in South Tucson

In January of 2022, the number of adults fully vaccinated in South Tucson had stagnated at under 50%, but with continued efforts, as of March 2022, the City of South Tucson saw an increased vaccination rate to approximately 61%. To decrease COVID-19 in areas with low vaccine rates, The Garden Kitchen has been working closely with a variety of community and organizational partners including Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Pima County Health Department’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program, Avenidas Inc., and the City of South Tucson. Through leading the Healthy South Tucson Coalition, The Garden Kitchen provides a space for these groups to gather and combine efforts, providing more opportunities for testing and vaccination in traditionally underserved spaces. Upcoming testing and vaccine events will have customized outreach efforts and additional health services, making the event a one-stop shop for many families seeking health information and care. An important aspect of this programming is the spread of information to those that have questions about the vaccine for themselves or their family members and those that are pregnant or considering pregnanc. In order to dispel misinformation, community residents’ involvement in the design and distribution of messaging is being prioritized.

To find more information on vaccination, visit the Pima County Health Department and for more information on a variety of other resources, visit The Garden Kitchen.

Positive Tools for Parenting Teens

Does seeing eye-to-eye with teens sometimes seem impossible? Parents in the online Positive Discipline for Teens workshop offered by the Family Engagement Program are surprised at their ability to engage in conversation and compromise with their teens. Based on the work of social psychologist Alfred Adler, the Positive Discipline workshops promote the belief that children behave better when they experience a sense of belonging. Activities provide an opportunity for parents to see the world through their child’s eyes – to understand how they feel challenged and why they act the way they do. After attending classes, parents said they were better able to listen to their children and hear them out. By giving their teen a voice, they found that conversations were more productive and often resulted in win-win situations. The "two-lists activity",  in particular, helps parents to use conflict to build the skills they would like their children to have as adults – such as empathy, hard work, and honesty. With the future in mind, parents were able to see their teens as young adults and not small children. Mutual respect can affect the entire family dynamic resulting in more confident teens and a more positive relationship with their parents.

Learn more about the Family Engagement Program and its Positive Discipline Workshops.