One of Effingham County’s 4-H programs is creating a buzz.

The Bee Club is open to 4-H Cloverleafs (fifth- and sixth-graders) and Junior 4-H’ers (seventh- and eighth-graders). The club meets monthly at the Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center in Guyton.

Honey bees are declining in number in the United States, but the need for them to pollinate crops doesn’t cease. Effingham County 4-H is using the outdoors as a “classroom without walls” to bring relevance to the importance of honey bees and the values of the hive.

“A hands-on approach in the bee yard seems to be much more effective when teaching the skill of beekeeping,” said Faith Jaudon, 4-H program assistant and a University of Georgia-certified beekeeper.

Jaudon and her husband deWayne, who is also certified with the University of Georgia and volunteers for the Bee Club, said they “take great pride in mentoring youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society.”

The Bee Club is one of the Effingham County programs that epitomize the 4-H slogan “learn by doing.” Others include Shooting Sports, Kids in the Kitchen and, most recently, Archery.

For more information regarding the Bee Club or any other events offered through 4-H, contact the Effingham County Extension office at 754-8040.