Members of the Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers team and Arkansas 4-H Video Crew were recognized by National 4-H for their technology skills and community outreach in a short documentary, which premiered at the Grand Prairie Job Center in Stuttgart on Dec. 13.

The documentary was filmed and edited by the Arkansas 4-H Video Crew and Kerry Rodtnick, extension videographer for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and leader of the Arkansas 4-H Video Crew. The short film focuses on the efforts of Arkansas Tech Changemakers to teach technology skills to adults throughout the state.

Rodtnick said Tech Changemakers provide a significant service to their communities.

“Every community should have an active group of Tech Changemakers,” he said. “They fill a need that most of us know is present, but don’t address. While putting together our film, we discovered that the mission of Tech Changemakers changes not only the lives they help, but the Changemakers themselves.”

Cindy Phillips, extension program technician for 4-H Tech Changemakers, said she has also seen how the program affects participants.

“Once a changemaker, always a changemaker,” she said. “Our kids have found that once you do this, it’s good for the people we train, but it’s also good for us. It changes us forever.”

ARKANSAS’ UNIQUE IMPACT

Phillips said that in 2022, her son Rob Phillips — an Arkansas 4-H alumnus who served as a National 4-H Tech Changemakers spokesperson — attended a National 4-H marketing board meeting. There, he told attendees that Arkansas is the only state with a 4-H Video Crew. After learning about the unique program, National 4-H awarded a $10,000 grant to the crew to make a short film about the state’s Tech Changemakers.

“There’s nothing else like the Arkansas 4-H Video Crew,” Cindy Phillips said. “Arkansas is the only state that worked with National 4-H for this film. Everything in it was filmed by a kid, and Kerry put it together with the help of Video Crew kids. The video will be shared by National 4-H to help promote the Tech Changemakers program.”

The video was filmed by Arkansas 4-H Video Crew members Taylin Hayden, Connor Henry, Teegan Henry, Josiah Lillard and Rob Phillips.

It features footage from Arkansas and National Tech Changemakers training sessions, the Tennessee 4-H Roundup, Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council meetings, Arkansas Master Gardener conferences and presentations given at the Stuttgart job center.

Phillips, who is a native of Stuttgart, said they chose to premiere the video at the Grand Prairie Job Center because the film featured scenes where the Tech Changemakers taught the center’s clients.

“Finding places for the kids to teach is one of the challenges,” Phillips said. “Where do we go, and who can we help? I’ve known about the Grand Prairie Job Center for years, and one of the staff members told me that a client had almost lost his Social Security benefits and insurance because someone asked him nicely for his personal information online and he gave it to him.

“That year our team was teaching lessons about phishing scams, with an emphasis on how important it is to not give your information out to anybody,” she said. “The clients are really happy for the kids to come see them, and it’s one of the kids’ favorite places to go because they know they can make a difference.”

TRAINING TOMORROW’S LEADERS

Rodtnick said the Arkansas 4-H Video Crew and Tech Changemakers are gaining skills that benefit them today and prepare them for the future.

“It’s rewarding to see these kids taking full advantage of training in the technology field,” he said. “They get to see different perspectives on how technology can enhance their world. Kids are smarter than adults think — we need to guide them in the right direction early while also allowing them to explore new ways to use these technologies.”

In addition to being trained in teaching technology skills, Phillips said Tech Changemakers are also trained in public speaking.

“This is a great program for kids who are getting started on their public-speaking journey,” she said. “Some of them start out terrified to speak in front of a crowd, but then they become confident and they make new friends along the way.”

The 4-H Tech Changemakers program began in Arkansas in 2021 with more than 30 participants from 11 Arkansas counties. Studentsgave presentations on basic internet safety, phishing scams, password safety and cellphone use. In 2022, participants made nearly 5,600 connections in their communities.

In the 2023-24 program year, participation has grown to more than 50 team members from 22 counties. This year’s curriculum focuses on partnering with civic organizations and community groups with an emphasis on teaching job skills, resume building, how to safely search for jobs online and how to use social media marketing. Phillips said the goal is to reach more than 1,500 people across Arkansas who have limited access to technology.

Phillips, who grew up in Arkansas 4-H and raised her children in the program, said Tech Changemakers has made a profound impact on participants and their communities.

“It improves their public speaking wonderfully, but I think the most important part is once they start doing the program, they are constantly looking for someone to help and someone to teach,” she said. “The kids gain empathy and start to realize there are people out there who need them, and they can help them,” she said. “They don’t have to wait until they’ve graduated or have a college degree to help somebody.

“I think it’s the best 4-H program I’ve ever seen,” she said. “I have never seen a program do this much good in the community or make such wonderful changes in the kids who are doing it.”

To learn more about the Arkansas 4-H Video Crew, contact Kerry Rodtnick at [email protected]. To learn more about Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers, visit 4h.uada.edu/programs/science/engineering-technology/, contact Hope Bragg at [email protected] or contact Cindy Phillips at [email protected].

4-H is a youth development program operated by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture. The program teaches participants life skills through the “learn-by-doing” model. Program participants gain knowledge through non-formal, science-based, experiential education activities.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow the agency on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension.

Rebekah Hall is with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

    Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers Teegan Henry, Taylin Hayden, Connor Henry and Josiah Lillard demonstrate recreational drone use for Grand Prairie Job Center clients. (Special to The Commercial/University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture)