Tag Archives: jan brinn

by | December 22, 2011 · 3:14 pm

Michigan 4-H’er presents at international conference on world hunger

Callie Beukema

MSU Extension 4-H member Callie Beukema displays her certificate for participating at the Global Youth Institute Oct 13-15, 2011, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Allegan County 4-H member Callie Beukema of the Globe Trotters 4-H Club was the first-ever student to represent Michigan at the Global Youth Institute (GYI) Oct. 13–15 in Des Moines, Iowa, during the Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium. Callie was among the top students in the country selected to represent Michigan 4-H and her school, Calvary Schools of Holland. The symposium drew 1,400 people from 75 countries to discuss world hunger and food security issues.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug founded the World Food Prize to recognize and inspire great achievements in improving the quality, quantity and availability of food in the world. The World Food Prize celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.

At the GYI, students from 24 states and territories and four countries attended speeches by world-renowned leaders, presented their research and joined in hunger relief efforts. To be considered, students researched global food security issues in the country of their choice and wrote research papers on the topics. Selected students presented their papers to renowned experts and scientists at the conference.

Michigan State University Extension educator Jan Brinn mentored Callie in preparing for the event and writing the research paper. Callie presented a paper on the theme “The Millennium Goals: Agriculture to Trade,” focusing on food issues in Belize.

The experience sparked Callie’s interest in Belize as well as other cultures. She may participate in the 4-H Belize exchange in 2012 to experience firsthand what she had researched and possibly meet Jan’s Belizean 4-H exchange student contact. She’s also looking to pursue an international internship.

Participants also helped with a hands-on service project packaging meals for Outreach International, toured Syngenta Seeds Inc. in Slater, Iowa, and took part in an Oxfam Hunger Banquet to experience the realities of global hunger and poverty.

Callie Beukema

MSU Extension 4-H member Callie Beukema presented at the Global Youth Institute Oct 13-15, 2011, in Des Moines, Iowa.

 

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by | August 11, 2011 · 12:59 pm

Allegan County 4-H promotes science literacy, 4-H at Science Blast

Improving science literacy is one of the goals of the Michigan State University Extension “I Know MI Numbers” initiative. 4-H Science Blasts, held throughout the state, are part of the effort designed to help improve science scores in a state where science literacy for school-aged youth is below the national average. The blasts also help 4-H to reach the goal of engaging one million new young people in science programs by 2013.

 MSU Extension’s Allegan County 4-H Youth Development was a part of one of this summer’s Maranda’s Park Parties held July 28, 2011, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. The 4-H area included a 4-H Science Blast with four stations of learning and fun for the 4,900 individuals attending the event.

 MSU Extension educator Jan Brinn incorporated the 4-H Science Blast into the park party to meet the goals of the I Know MI Numbers initiative and National 4-H by educating youth in science. The 4-H area reached more than 900 youth who not only learned about science and 4‑H but had fun too.

 The Science Blast included four stations that covered the areas of animal science, plant science, engineering and technology, and environmental science. Youth met a cow up close and personal, took part in 4-H beef science activities, made butterflies using the 4-H “Project Butterfly Wings” curriculum, pollinated flowers using corn meal and made red bean necklaces. They enjoyed watching the TEAM ROCK Robotics 4-H robot pick up balloons made by Giggles the Clown. They even learned about worm farming from a young 4-H’er. Attendees also were able to proudly wear Science Blast tattoos.

 Jan is excited about the success of the event. “With the large number in attendance, TV cameras and wonderful 4-H volunteers helping in the 4-H area it was very successful. 4-H was promoted, youth educated in science and everyone had fun as well,” she said.

 

4-H leader Robyn Wixom

4-H leader Robyn Wixom (center) introduces attendees to Peggy the Cow at the 4-H Science Blast July 28, 2011, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. Peggy was a great conversation starter that got kids interested and asking questions about animal science. Photo by Janis Brin.

 
 
4-H leader Roxanne Henley

4-H leader Roxanne Henley teaches two attendees how to make bean necklaces and butterflies at the 4-H Science Blast July 28, 2011, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. Photo by Janis Brin.

 
Team Rock robot

Team ROCK 4-H member demonstrates the Robot 2000 to attentive participants at the 4-H Science Blast July 28, 2011, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. Photo by Janis Brin.

 
Attendees show off Science Blast tattoos

Attendees proudly show their “Science Blast” tattoos at the 4-H Science Blast July 28, 2011, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. Photo by Janis Brin.

 
 

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by | February 24, 2011 · 9:36 am

Cross-cultural exchange impacts Michigan youth

Approximately 6,000 Michigan children in grades K–6 participated in the 2010 Michigan 4-H Children’s Art Exchange with China. Of that number, seventy art pieces were selected to send to China as a gift to the children of China in Shandong Province. Chinese children sent 120 art pieces to Michigan to conclude the exchange.

 You can view the 2010 Michigan children’s artwork sent to China on the 4-H website at http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/cyf/youth/michart10/index.htm.

 For the exchange, Michigan and Chinese children are asked to create “visual letters” (paintings or drawings) of something important in their lives that they would like to share with children of the same age living halfway around the world. Visual letters become the means to communicate across language barriers. The themes and desire for connection are similar regardless of country and culture.

 Educators working with 5,067 Michigan children in 24 counties reported that 98 percent of the children increased awareness that art communicates ideas, feelings and stories as a result of their participation in this program. And 100 percent of the children gained new knowledge about China, increased awareness that there are similarities between themselves and Chinese children and expressed a desire to learn more about the children and their country.

 An exhibit funded by the MSU Asian Studies Center currently at the MSU Museum displays select pieces of Chinese children’s artwork from the 2010 exchange. The museum anticipates around 12,500 visitors for the duration of the exhibit, which runs Feb. 1 to March 31, 2011. For more information, visit http://museum.msu.edu/Exhibitions/Current/4-H_Children_Art_Exchange_with_China.html.

 Jan Brinn, Michigan State University Extension 4-H educator in Allegan County, and Betsy Knox, 4-H program leader and coordinator for the Michigan 4-H Art Exchange, co-presented a seminar “Global Education Through Art” at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) 2010 conference Oct 24–28 in Phoenix, Ariz. The seminar focused on the Michigan 4-H Children’s Art Exchange.

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