Category Archives: 4-H

by | May 9, 2013 · 8:32 am

4-H Military Family Book Sheets offer help during deployment

Deployment. It’s a word that more than 20,000 Michigan military children and youth are all too familiar with. Deployment involves the movement of military troops. For a child, it means one or both parents are away from home for an extended period. The situation can cause anxiety and confusion in children and stress in families.

Michigan State University Extension and Michigan 4-H Youth Development work to support military children and their families through programming and community education. Recently Michigan 4-H developed a series of family book sheets to aid children and families during the difficult time of deployment.

The 4-H Military Family Book Sheets help parents and guardians find books and activities to help their children during various stages of their service members’ deployments. Each book sheet contains a summary of the featured book, author and publication details, and activities that they can use with their children pre-, during or post-deployment to extend the message of the book. Parents or guardians can obtain the books that correspond to the book sheets through the local library, bookstore or online retailer.

Read more about the book sheets here.

Download the book sheets here.

The Michigan 4-H Military Partnerships goal is to connect military children and youth with local resources in order to achieve a sense of community support and enhance their well-being. Through the Michigan 4-H Military Partnerships, military youth meet other military youth and participate in a range of recreational, social and educational programs. Through these programs and 4-H experiences, military youth gain leadership, organizational, technical and life skills that they can apply to any real life situation.

Visit the Michigan 4-H Military Partnerships website and the National 4-H Military Partnerships website to find out more about the program.

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by | · 8:13 am

4-H robotic club competes at nationals

The Allegan County 4-H robotic club Team ROCK – Reaching Out to Community Kids – took part in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship April 24–27 in St. Louis, Mo.

The team was part of the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). FRC combines sports with science and technology. Teams must solve a problem in a six-week timeframe. Given a standard kit of parts, the members build robots and program them to perform tasks against competitors in the Ultimate Ascent competition. In the competition, the teams’ robots compete to score as many discs as they can into their goals.

Team ROCK was the first Michigan 4-H club to qualify for this worldwide robotics championship. This Allegan County News article pictures the team and talks about the members heading for the state finals. In the article, 4-H leader Jerry Williams mentions that the team had a “slim chance” for advancing to nationals. With dedication and teamwork, that chance did happen, and the 4-H’ers took part in the competition in St. Louis. The club members can be proud of the hard work and determination it took to get there. At the championship, the team had 5 wins and 3 losses.

Michigan State University Extension 4-H program coordinator Dian Liepe said, “I am so proud of these youth! They represented Allegan County 4-H and Michigan by exhibiting great sportsmanship and teamwork.”

Read more here.

This FIRST YouTube video gives you an idea of the excitement and fun that contestants had at the event.

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by | April 25, 2013 · 8:27 am

New 4-H snapshots available – and not just about animals

In a previous Spotlight article, I let you know about some new Michigan 4-H Youth Development animal science snapshot sheets available online. The fact sheets give an overview of a 4-H project in a “snapshot” or brief summary.

The first series of snapshots focused on dog, goat, poultry and rabbit projects. You may have been disappointed when you didn’t see your favorite animal project featured. Now, 4-H offers more animal snapshots. You can now find dairy cattle, swine, sheep, and horse and pony snapshots on the 4-H website. Try saying “sheep and swine snapshots” quickly, many times!

In addition, 4-H offers new snapshots focusing on other 4-H projects besides animal projects. Now, you can find snapshots on photography and horticulture as well.

The fact sheets let 4-H’ers know what to expect if they choose to get involved in a specific 4-H project. They also offer lists of curricula and resources.

Katie VanderKolk, Michigan State University Extension animal science educator, says the snapshots have been “overwhelmingly successful.”

Katie said, “County staff are using them in mainly two different ways: for recruitment of new members in specific project areas for new families and as a tool to help current volunteers gauge what they are doing in their club and build awareness of the resources and opportunities in that project area.”

Veronica Bolhuis, MSU Extension Children and Youth Institute 4-H program coordinator in Kalamazoo County, believes the snapshots are a great resource for both leaders and participants. She uses them when talking to potential participants and volunteers.

“It gives them a quick reference to the bigger picture. I love that they include 4-H resources on both the state and national side along with other resources. New families or new volunteers can be easily overwhelmed with the amount of information presented to them. This is a quick and easy tool to pull out for them and it doesn’t seem so overwhelming then,” Veronica said.

She also uses them as talking points when speaking with community members and other stakeholders.

Veronica said, “Sometimes people think, ‘Well, they’re just growing a garden – so what?’ When we can show the science, life skills, leadership and communication behind the project, then people are more engaged in why it is important to teach these skills.”

Find all of the 4-H project snapshot sheets online at 4h.msue.msu.edu/resources/michigan_4_h_project_snapshot_sheets

MI-4-HHorticultureSnapshot-thmb

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by | April 18, 2013 · 8:59 am

PURPLE Up! shows support for military families

On April 15, friends of the military wore purple to show their support of children whose parents serve in the military. Michigan State University Extension 4-H Military Partnerships participated with many other states across the country for the third annual PURPLE UP! For Military Kids!

Purple symbolizes all branches of the military. No matter what branch they’re in, military parents experience long deployments away from their children. People across our state and nation wore purple to support those families including some colleagues and me. (See photo below.)

Read more about PURPLE Up! in this MSU Extension News article: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/purple_up_for_military_families

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension colleagues support military kids on PURPLE Up! Day, April 15, 2013. Left to right: MSU Extension director Tom Coon, director of MSU Extension Children and Youth Institute Julie Chapin, Michigan 4-H Youth Development associate program leader B’Onko Sadler and MSU Extension associate director Steve Lovejoy. Photo credit: Katie Gervasi

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension colleagues support military kids on PURPLE Up! Day, April 15, 2013. Left to right: MSU Extension director Tom Coon, director of MSU Extension Children and Youth Institute Julie Chapin, Michigan 4-H Youth Development associate program leader B’Onko Sadler and MSU Extension associate director Steve Lovejoy. Photo credit: Katie Gervasi

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by | March 28, 2013 · 8:48 am

4-H’ers catch the entrepreneurial spirit raising show pigs

I’d like to share this great story with you that appeared in the March 2013 issue of Michigan Farmer. It focuses on two young 4-H’ers who with determination and hard work created a family business raising show pigs. Jacob and Wyatt Boyd convinced their parents Scot and Nikki, who own their own excavation and general contracting business, to expand their entrepreneurial skills into livestock.

But the boys didn’t just sit back and watch it happen. They worked hard to help build housing for the pigs. They read up on the subject, attended a Michigan State University clinic put on by MSU Extension 4-H program leader Jake DeDecker and visited World Hog Expo in Iowa.

They continue to work hard each day, earning a profit on the business. Read the article here:

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by | February 28, 2013 · 9:01 am

Extension educator’s work featured in Battle Creek Enquirer

I’d like to call your attention to a Feb. 7 story in the Battle Creek Enquirer that features Michigan State University Extension educator Sherry Grice. The article does a good job of explaining what exactly it is that Sherry does every day and in so doing gives people an idea of the scope of what our organization does in just one area: 4-H. From managing volunteers to collaborating with other organizations on dealing with issues involving your people to marketing programs, Sherry exemplifies the hard work and dedication that goes into a successful Extension program. She’s just one of the many of you out there helping others to succeed.

Sherry started with Extension in 1979. She’s been a leader particularly in her work with culturally diverse volunteers and received the 2009 Diversity Award from the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents.

Read the Battle Creek article here:

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013302070012

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by | November 15, 2012 · 11:39 am

Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens curator receives honorary FFA degree

Dr. Norm Lownds received an Honorary American FFA Degree – Other at the 85th National FFA Convention and Expo that took place Oct. 24–27 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Formerly Future Farmers of America, the FFA works to enhance the lives of young people by developing their potential forleadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The Honorary FFA degree recognizes those who have gone beyond daily contributions to make an extraordinary long-term difference in the lives of students.

Dr. Lownds is an associate professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Horticulture and is curator of the Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens, a remarkable resource supported by gifts to the Michigan 4-H Foundation.

Congratulations to Dr. Lownds!

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by | October 18, 2012 · 9:57 am

4-H day camp reaches kids through the creative and expressive arts

I’d like to call your attention to a small but impressive 4-H program that has been changing lives in Albion, Mich., for more than 10 years. The Michigan State University Extension 4-H Creative and Expressive Arts Summer Day Camp reaches fifth through ninth graders through a summer of training in interpretive dance, singing, acting and visual arts.

Sherry Grice, MSU Extension educator, runs the program that culminates in the participants putting on a play for family and community members. Through the program, kids gain confidence and practice leadership, teamwork and academic, organization and problem-solving skills.

Many of the high school and college students who serve as mentors took part in the program as young children and return to give back. That’s a great reflection on the program’s success.

Read this Michigan 4-H Today article about the program.

View the ANR Communications video below about the program.

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by | October 11, 2012 · 8:30 am

4-H Great Lakes & Natural Resources Camp recognized as one of top 4-H science programs, report on study released

We knew all along that Michigan State University Extension’s 4-H Great Lakes & Natural Resources Camp is a great pre-college program for kids to learn through outdoor hands-on experiences and have fun in the process. Others have noticed as well. In 2008, the annual seven-day camp held on the shores of Lake Huron in Presque Isle, Michigan, was named as a 4-H Program of Distinction. In 2009, it won the National 4-H and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Natural Resources Conservation Education Award.

 In 2011, it was selected out of 70 nominations of promising science programs through a structured process of nominations and vetting as one of eight top science programs in a National 4-H science program in-depth case study. The study was part of the 4-H Youth Development Program’s National Science Initiative evaluation funded by the Noyce Foundation through a grant to National 4-H Council.

A new report was recently released on the case study. “Priming the Pipeline: Lessons from Promising 4-H Science Programs,” written by Derek Riley and Alisha Butler from Policy Studies Associates, features the camp and the seven other selected science programs. It covers practices in the following areas: youth outreach and recruitment, staff and science volunteers, professional development, science curricula and pedagogy, youth development and attitudes toward science, partner organizations and resource support, program evaluation, and program sustainability and scale-up.

Senior program leader Judy Ratkos serves as camp administrator and co-directs the camp with 4-H volunteer Bob Patterson.

Judy said, “It is truly an honor for the staff and volunteers involved in 4-H Great Lakes & Natural Resources Camp to have it recognized as one of the top 4-H science programs in the nation. To have it held up as a model for other youth science programs – both within and outside of 4-H – creates awareness that MSU Extension can help lead the way in increasing science literacy among Michigan young people and increase the number of youth pursuing postsecondary education and careers in science.

“The lessons shared in this newly released report should be helpful to other 4-H science programs striving to be ‘SET Ready.’ A SET Ready 4-H experience is a program that is framed in science, engineering and technology concepts based on SET standards and intentionally targets the development of SET abilities and the outcomes articulated by the 4-H SET Logic Model,” Judy said.

Congratulations to Judy and her team! They inspire the rest of us to make the best even better.

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by | September 13, 2012 · 1:03 pm

4-H volunteer receives community leadership award

Volunteer Gordon Munsell received the 2012 Cleary University Bob Lyons Community Leadership Award June 2 at the university’s graduation ceremony in Howell. The award recognizes volunteers whose work significantly influences a nonprofit organization.

Gordon has served as a Michigan State University Extension 4-H leader in Livingston County for 33 years. He became involved in 4‑H as an adult because of his own positive experiences as a young 4-H member.

Besides leading his 4-H club with his wife, Teena, Gordon serves Livingston County 4-H in numerous varied positions from goat superintendent to fair board liaison. His involvement in working with Cohoctah Township enabled the creation of a park, which hosts 4-H county horse workshops, clinics and shows. The countless hours Gordon spends dedicated to 4-H makes him a natural for this community leadership award.

Extension educator Roxanne Turner and Extension program instructor Sarah McKinney nominated Gordon for the award.

Roxanne, Gordon and Teena attended a reception the evening before the graduation ceremony at the home of Cleary University President Thomas P. Sullivan. The university’s Board of Trustees and others also attended. Roxanne, Sarah, the Gordons and some of their five grown children along with their spouses attended the graduation ceremony and dinner following.

When speaking about Gordon, Roxanne said, “He understands that we are trying to make better leaders for our future, teach life skills and emphasize the importance of citizenship and community service to youth of all ages. He also recognizes that working toward these goals takes a lot of time and effort.”

Congratulations, Gordon!

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