Category Archives: Youth development

by | September 1, 2011 · 8:50 am

Partnership with Michigan DNR and MSU Extension connects urban youth to state parks, outdoor recreation

A program created by a collaborative effort between Michigan State University Extension and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources gets kids outside in the great outdoors and actively developing skills in fishing, archery, orienteering, camping and just exploring nature. The Outdoor Education Skills Clinic, part of the DNR’s Urban Outreach Initiative, is a great way to give youth from urban neighborhoods the opportunity to explore our state parks and the world outdoors. And while the kids are learning, having fun and being active, adult volunteers are gaining mentoring skills resulting in more positive outcomes.

 The clinic is an 8-week-program that took place June 20 through Aug. 12, 2011, at Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, Bald Mountain Recreation Area, Maybury State Park, Proud Lake Recreation Area, P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, Muskegon State Park and Bay City State Recreation Area. Altogether 2,287 youth participated along with 391 adults.

 Gary Williams, Extension educator in Wayne County, coordinates the program. Gary reports that every youth and every adult leader who participated in evaluations indicated that they had a positive learning experience in the great outdoors. And both groups responded overwhelmingly that they would like to participate in additional outdoor activities.

 As far as future clinics go, Gary says he is “in the groove already, looking forward to next year and planning an additional site.”

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by | August 18, 2011 · 9:30 am

Life of Lake Superior Youth Program continues to educate with “workshops on the move”

Eleven years ago, Michigan State University Extension developed the format for the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program. And eleven years later, it continues to maintain enhanced new programming each year.

 The Life of Lake Superior Youth Program brings children, aged 9 to 14, and adults together to explore their community and appreciate the opportunities that exist nearby in the arts, natural resources, history, culture, recreation and careers, which have relevance for children living along the Lake Superior shoreline. The option to have a parent or grandparent participate with their children in every activity is one of the distinctive features of the program. This year, 51 youth participated along with 15 parents/grandparents.

 Presented by MSU Extension in Alger County, the 2011 program took place on four days and four different sites in July. A series of “workshops on the move” included:

 July 7: Attendees received sailing instructions then sailed in Munising Bay. Staff members from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, part of the National Park Service, gave a demonstration in the Bayshore Marina in Munising on personal flotation devices.

Participants in the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program receive sailing instructions in Munising Bay.

Participants in the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program receive sailing instructions in Munising Bay, July 7, 2011. Photo by Alana Herzog.

 
Park rangers demonstrate personal flotation devices.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore chief ranger T.C. Colyer, assisted by park ranger Bill Smith, demonstrates personal flotation devices to participants of the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program, July 7, 2011, at Bayshore Marina. Photo by Birch Smith.

 July 13: Participants learned about geomorphology (which I’m told is the study of landforms), sport fishing and logging at Kingston Plains and Kingston Lake. As part of the fishing experience, Ron Kinnunen, Sea Grant senior district Extension educator, brought a collection of aquatic invasive specimens. He talked about fish anatomy while dissecting a Lake Superior whitefish. Kids were particularly enthralled with a large stuffed and mounted Asian Carp that he brought along. Incidentally, Ron helped design the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program at its onset and has contributed every year by teaching something related to his current Sea Grant research.

 July 19: Attendees helped plant 5,000 native wildflower plugs as part of the U.S. Forest Service’s work to restore native plants at Grand Island National Recreation Area. At another site, one of the island resident’s summer home, youth went on an exploration hike and did card loom weaving, incorporating birch bark, leaves, grasses and driftwood.

 July 27: Participants paddled a 24-foot voyageur canoe in Munising Bay, learned about the area’s history at the Alger Heritage Museum, did a re-enactment skit at the fur traders’ cabin and watched a blacksmith demonstration.

Participants in the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program were the crew paddling a voyageur canoe.

Participants in the Life of Lake Superior Youth Program were the crew paddling a voyageur canoe on Munising Bay, July 27, 2011. Photo by Jude Holloway.

 The event closed with an evening family fish boil celebration at the Alger Heritage Center, July 27.

 Healthy meals and snacks are part of each day of the program. Vicki Ballas, MSU Extension SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education) program associate, designed the “Captain Nutrition” component. In the past, healthy meals and snacks were always a critical part of the program. But when Vicki joined the Alger County staff, her creativity and interest in kids and nutrition, led to making the meal something the kids would be involved in preparing. All foods served are those that youth easily could teach their families to make at home. And before each meal or snack time, Vicki teaches them what they are preparing, including all food groups and making half their plates fruits and vegetables. The Captain Nutrition component of the last three years has truly enhanced the overall program.

 Since 2000, MSU Extension has partnered with more than 35 community services and their professional and technical staff to deliver unique workshops each summer. About 40 adult volunteers annually provide their services as presenters, mentors or community partners. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service actively participate in program planning as well as hosting Life of Lake Superior activities.

 Joan Vinette, MSU Extension educator in Alger County, attributes the program’s success to its dedicated volunteers and collaborators.

 Joan says, “It takes an intense effort to bring together all the logistics. But the rewards are in watching kids (together with peers or a parent or grandparent) enjoying outdoor learning at different venues that highlight natural features unique to Alger County. Youth get to experience recreational opportunities, scientific research, economics, cultural heritage and art that influence life along the shore of Lake Superior.”

 Visit the Life of Lake Superior Facebook page to view many more photos and some videos.

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by | April 7, 2011 · 8:12 am

New resource for parents and child care providers to extend books beyond just reading

The Better Kid Care America eXtension Community of Practice launched a new database of story-stretching ideas for child care providers and parents of young children. The database contains lots of hands-on, ready-to-try ways to extend some favorite children’s stories into additional learning experiences. Kendra Moyses, Michigan State University Extension educator with the Children and Youth Institute, helped revise and format materials from MSUE programs, such as Michigan Better Kid Care and Building Strong Families: Parenting the Preschooler, to help populate the database with activities that take books beyond just reading with young children.

Search or browse these story-stretching ideas to find great ways to expand children’s books with related language and literacy, math, science, art, social skills, music, movement and more. The ideas are especially designed to help young children of different ages expand their learning from children’s books. The story-stretching ideas can be used in many different areas of the curriculum in both child care classrooms, family child care homes and by parents with their young children.

There are three ways to see the story-stretching ideas:

Pass on this great resource to families and child care providers that you work with.

The Better Kid Care America Community of Practice is a team of early childhood professionals who are committed to supporting quality child care nationwide and dedicated to helping child care programs improve their quality. Its mission is to actively engage and educate child care providers, parents and community leaders with high quality, Web-based early childhood resources and learning experiences. Extension colleagues throughout the U.S., including Kendra, provide team leadership. Although we’ve reduced our own level of involvement in using the Better Kid Care curriculum, this national consortium makes it possible for us to connect child care providers in Michigan with the value of this program.

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by | July 29, 2010 · 11:59 am

4-H Discovery Campers explore the world of energy

At the first-ever 4-H Discovery Camp, a group of nine teens spent a week learning about alternative energy solutions July 5–9 through tours of Michigan State University on-campus labs, the MSU Power Plant, the MSU Museum, Zeeland Farm Services, MBI, Carbon Green Bioenergy and Horizon Wind Energy Farm. Participants also did hands-on research at the Kellogg Biological Station. The campers stayed in a campus dorm where they enjoyed a mix of recreational opportunities and learning experiences. They conducted their own experiments and created their own biofuel. The teens also had a chance to visit the farm of Leon Jackson in Applegate, Mich. Mr. Jackson makes his own biofuel while using solar panels and wind turbines to reduce his energy costs.

campers at Zeeland Farm Services

4-H Discovery Campers at Zeeland Farm Services with Jan Wendland (front row, left) Neil Kentner (front row, right) and Melanie Chiodini (back row, left)

The camp was part of the 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) nationwide initiative. The camp sponsor was the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan; day sponsor was the Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee. The camp fees were partially funded through a grant from Michigan State University Extension 4- H Youth Development.

campers at MSU Power Plant

4-H Discovery Campers listen to Gary Mell, performance engineer, at the MSU Power Plant

Wind energy farm turbines

4-H Discovery Campers viewed the wind turbines at Horizon Wind Energy Farms

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by | July 15, 2010 · 5:14 pm

Extension educator promotes love of fishing

The next generation will love fishing, too, and we can thank Gary Williams, Extension educator and Southeast Michigan Urban Natural Resources Outreach coordinator, for having a hand in that. Gary coordinates a program run by the partnership of Michigan State University Extension and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. This summer, Gary is teaching the basics of fishing to kids from all over Michigan at state parks and recreation areas. Gary believes that to get the kids to enjoy fishing, they need to be successful at it, so he makes sure every participant has the experience of catching a fish named Bubba. To read more about Gary and the work he is doing, click here.  Although you may think that catching a fish may not be one of the core life skills that every youth needs in order to succeed in tomorrow’s economy, look at it this way: if every youth has a greater appreciation for the environment around them and the other creatures that share it, we have a better chance of still having vibrant and life-sustaining ecosystems in our Great Lakes, inland lakes and rivers that are so distinctive to Michigan. And if their self-confidence is enhanced by having learned a new skill that can yield some health protein, they’ll be better prepared to learn other skills that can sustain them and Michigan in the future.

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by | May 27, 2010 · 11:56 am

4-H youth dominate 8th Grade MSU Pre-College Scholarships

It is truly a pleasure to brag about the Michigan State University Extension 4-H youth recipients of the 8th grade Michigan State University (MSU) Pre-College Program Scholarship for 2010. Of the 47 scholarships awarded, 45 went to MSUE 4-H youth! In fact, of the 407 MSU Pre-College Scholarships awarded since 2004, 4-H youth have received 287 or 70.5 percent of the total awarded.

 To be eligible to apply, kids have to have attended a pre-college program and be recommended for consideration through that program’s director. Youth who have attended 4-H Exploration Days or 4-H Great Lakes Natural Resources Camp are recommended through Judy Ratkos. Recipients receive a $2,000 scholarship applied to their first year at MSU as a degree-seeking student. If you had recipients from your county, please encourage them to send a thank-you note to the MSU Admissions Director, Mr. James Cotter, using the contact information included in their selection letter.

 If you like numbers, and even if you don’t, get a load of 4-H’s track record in earning scholarships by looking at these statistics:

 2003 awardees (2002 pre-college program participants) – college freshmen 2007-08: (A small number of ninth graders were awarded scholarships; they would have been college freshmen 2006-07.)This was the first year the pre-college scholarship was awarded. 4-H had no applicants that year since we didn’t yet know about the scholarship.

 2004 – Recipients were college freshmen 2008-09: 34 4-H participants awarded the scholarship – all Exploration Days. 4-H Great Lakes Natural Resources (GLNR) Camp wasn’t considered a “pre-college program” until 2005. 12 attending MSU as of Sept. 2009, entered as freshmen.

 2005 – Recipients were college freshmen 2009-10: 34 4-H participants selected – 30 from Exploration Days; 4 from GLNR Camp. 8 attending MSU as of Sept. 2009, entered as freshmen

 2006 – Recipients will be college freshmen 2010-11: (This will be the first year we could see transfer students from those who attended two years of community college.) 44 4-H participants selected – 41 Exploration Days; 3 GLNR Camp

 2007 – Recipients will be college freshmen 2011-12: 41 4-H participants selected – 37 Explorations Days; 4 GLNR Camp

 2008 – Recipients will be college freshmen 2012-13: 32 4-H participants selected – 30 Exploration Days; 2 GLNR Camp

 2009 – Recipients will be college freshmen 2013-14: 57 4-H participants selected – 53 Exploration Days; 4 GLNR Camp

 2010 – Recipients will be college freshmen 2014-15: 45 4-H participants selected – 40 Exploration Days; 5 GLNR Camp

 Up until this year, 60 MSU Pre-College Program Scholarships have been awarded annually. For 2010, fewer were selected (only 47 recipients) to help position MSU Admissions for changes to the scholarship eligibility, which will create a less predictable usage rate. Final details will be determined before summer programs begin in June, but thus far MSU Admissions has announced plans to both broaden the number of students that apply and limit the number that apply per program. The new eligibility range will be students entering eighth to 10th grade following their pre-college program involvement. The number of applicants each pre-college program can nominate will likely be based on a percentage of the number of eligible students that participate in each program.

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by | April 29, 2010 · 11:09 am

Mean Girls and Real Boys program has impact on the lives of kids/adults

The Michigan State House Education Committee is holding a hearing today to hear testimony on legislation that would require schools to adopt policies meant to monitor and reduce bullying behavior in schools. Several recent stories in the local and national media have called attention once again to incidents of adolescent suicides prompted by persistent bullying. Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) has developed and delivered a program in schools to address this issue for a number of years now, and it’s working. Mean Girls and Real Boys is a program that equips adults to work with kids around issues of gender-based bullying, bias and harassment.

 Community workshops are coordinated locally and hosted by county MSUE educators in collaboration with Children, Youth, Families and Communities staff and the MSUE multicultural diversity team. In February and March 2010, MSUE held workshops in Van Buren, Allegan, Emmet, Chippewa, Iron and Ingham counties. Presented by the team of Janet Olsen, CYFC program leader; Karen Pace, CYFC program leader; and Dionardo Pizaña, MSU Extension specialist, the workshops have consistently been of high interest to folks who work with young people and are eager to have the skills and tools to deal with bullying issues. The day-long workshop includes four powerful MSUE CYFC-produced videos of Michigan youth talking about issues of bullying, what they see happening around them and how rigid gender roles contribute to bullying, bias and harassment – and what they think youth and adults can do to address those issues.

 Amy Foster, prevention educator for the Domestic Violence Coalition based in Paw Paw who sees about 5,000 students each year was just one of the adults impressed with the program. According to Foster, the information she received during the workshop gave her a deeper understanding to the cause of violence, that up until that time, she hadn’t been able to identify. Foster wrote in an e-mail to Karen Pace, “You and your colleagues have also fueled my desire for alleviating and eliminating violence in our community.” Whether the legislature directs schools to adopt policies and practices to address this issue or not, MSUE will continue to serve our youth and communities by equipping adults and youth with tools they need to combat bullying behavior.

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by | February 25, 2010 · 3:58 pm

2010 Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Award winners announced

4-H is such a unique organization – in part because it’s a youth-serving organization linked to the research capacity of land-grant universities, and in part because it equips adult volunteers to deliver its programs. Our 4-H volunteers deserve a great deal of appreciation and respect, and we struggle to generate enough of that. Every volunteer brings a unique gift and dedication of service to Michigan 4-H Youth Development. The 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards honor outstanding volunteers for their dedication to youth. The Lifetime Volunteer Award is presented to a 4-H volunteer who has spent 10 or more years volunteering for 4-H; the Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to a 4-H volunteer with less than 10 years of service. Each year, counties are invited to nominate two outstanding individual volunteers, one in each of the two categories. Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Award recipients are selected from these nominees. The awards will be presented at the State 4-H Awards Ceremony held at the Wharton Center during 4-H Exploration Days in June. The honorees will receive a plaque and they will be asked to designate a 4-H program, club or activity to receive a $400 award in their name. Awardees will also have their name engraved on the Salute to Excellence perpetual plaques located at Kettunen Center, Michigan’s 4-H volunteer training center in Tustin. The award winners are submitted for regional and national recognition honors.

Cheri Booth, 4-H Youth Development state leader, announced the 2010 Michigan 4-H Salute to Excellence Awards winners. Lifetime Volunteer Awards will be presented to Harry J. Bonner, Sr., Albion, who has served as a Calhoun County 4-H volunteer for 31 years, and Joe and Theresa Whitenight, Ira, who have volunteered for more than 21 years in St. Clair County. Receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award will be Jan Pollard, Montrose, who has been a 4-H volunteer in Saginaw County for four years.

Harry J. Bonner, Sr., executive director of Substance Abuse Prevention Service, has been a leader, youth mentor, advocate and visionary of Michigan 4-H Youth Development. Harry sees the potential in all children and young people and has worked tirelessly to prepare them for the future. Through 4-H, and Harry Bonner’s efforts specifically, scores of youth had access to opportunities beyond their neighborhood and community that they would not have had otherwise. A master of networking, Harry was instrumental in bringing substance abuse resources and 4-H resources together in the production of two successful videos. Harry has promoted Michigan Extension’s 4-H Youth Development while sitting on governor boards, on the Calhoun County Board and while interacting with U.S. senators, state representatives, county commissioners, city mayors and school superintendents. He has invested time and efforts at all levels of 4-H. Harry has modeled the importance of building relationships with and across families, schools, youth organizations and other institutions impacting the lives of kids. When I’ve heard Harry talk about his partnership with 4-H and particularly with Calhoun County 4-H educator Sherri Grice, he speaks with great passion and resolve about the role 4-H can play in helping young people to learn their way into adulthood.

Joe and Theresa Whitenight are a husband-and-wife team with more than 40 years of volunteer service combined. They are incredible ambassadors for the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Challenge (OAC) program. Through the years, they’ve led several different livestock project areas, served and held county council offices, began St. Clair County’s first Outdoor Adventure Challenge club and have helped start other OAC clubs in the county and across the state. They currently actively serve on many county 4-H event committees, the State 4-H Environmental and Outdoor Education Committee, and are head state 4-H OAC leader training instructors. On OAC trips, Joe and Theresa lead youth in activities that build decision-making and problem-solving skills. Understanding, teamwork, trust and respect are the foundation of the outdoor challenge trip, and Joe and Theresa are experts at laying that foundation. The Whitenights’ character and professionalism exemplify what to look for in a great 4-H volunteer. I can verify the allure of their OAC activities. I’ve been invited to join them for white-water rafting, rock climbing, and other adventures, all of which provide rich opportunities for youth (and adults!) to learn more about their interests, leadership and their abilities.

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by | February 18, 2010 · 12:51 pm

MSUE to PROSPER with Penn State and Iowa State

by Michelle Rodgers

We have recently received word that Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) has been accepted as an expansion state for the Penn State and Iowa State University PROSPER Partnerships program. PROSPER stands for Promoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience. Many of you were introduced two years ago to the PROSPER program by Penn State faculty who provided a video teleconference. And over the last several months, several of you completed a survey from the PROSPER partners to assess our state’s readiness to come on board with this program. As a result of participating in the study, Christine Venema, Lapeer County Extension educator, was randomly selected from the survey respondents to receive $500 for professional development. The results of the survey and an interview process ultimately led to our selection as one of 10 expansion states!

So, what does this mean for MSUE? The Iowa/Penn State PROSPER program team will be providing information, education and technical support aimed at building capacity for implementation of evidence-based programming in general, as well as implementing the PROSPER Partnership Model. Funding for this effort is being provided through the PROSPER team grant with the National Institute on Drug Abuse within the National Institutes of Health. The ultimate goal is to help MSUE build capacity and infrastructure to implement evidence-based programming for families and youth. We are excited about the possibility of working with the Iowa and Penn State Prosper team as one of the expansion states beginning in March. This work will largely fall into the Preparing Michigan’s Children and Youth for the Future program institute.

We are currently seeking applicants within MSUE to serve in the PROSPER Partnerships state liaison position.  Please go to the following Web site to read the vacancy announcement:  http://web2.canr.msu.edu/personnel/vacancies.cfm. The application deadline is February 26, 2010.

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by | · 12:50 pm

Winterfest introduces 4-H’ers to Kettunen Center, new friends

Thanks to a Michigan 4-H Youth Participation Fee Fund Grant, the Michigan State University Extension Central Region Winterfest planning committee, composed of Katie McCune-Eisenberger, Gratiot County; Michelle Neff, Clare County; Jodi Schulz, Bay County; Dave Thomas, Midland County; and Sally Weitfeld, Midland County; opened up Kettunen Center to more than 100 youth and adults participating in the 2010 4-H Winterfest Camp held Feb. 6-7. For 90 percent of the 9- to 12-year-old campers, this was their first time experiencing the center. The planning committee capitalized on the outdoor opportunities by offering ice fishing, snow shoeing, tubing and hiking. In addition, youth decorated cupcakes and pretzels, learned the importance of financial responsibility while painting piggy banks, made reusable shopping bags out of old camp T-shirts, learned the ins and outs of composting with worms and made quick and budget-friendly Valentine’s Day gifts. Sessions were led by volunteers, state and county 4‑H staff members and teen leaders. “Winterfest is a great way for 4-H’ers to form friendships with members across county lines. Our committee hopes these friendships will grow as they continue in 4-H,” said committee chair Michelle Neff, Clare County Extension director. “In addition, we introduced the 9- to 12-year-old members to Kettunen Center and encouraged them to attend state 4-H workshops when they become teen leaders.”

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