News & Notes
4-H Small Animal Project Judging Expanding at 2006 Ohio State Fair
For 2006, youth taking small animal projects will be evaluated on Friday, August 4, in the Youth Discovery Center at the Ohio State Fair. Please include this information in your county project judging guidelines as you are revising them for 2006. One junior and one senior can be selected to be judged in each of the following small animal projects: 215 Guinea Pig; 216 Cat 1; 217 Cat 2; 218 Cat 3; 220 Small Animals; and 227 Pet Rabbits. For the 220 Small Animals project, only the seven small animals represented in that project will be permitted. Other small animals, such as reptiles and amphibians, are considered self-determined projects and should be evaluated in those classes.
4-H'ers will bring their small animals the day of judging. Judging will include an interview/skillathon as well as showmanship. A clock trophy and outstanding of the day rosettes will be awarded in each age division for each project represented. Registration is due by Monday, July 24, 2006. Time assignments for counties, as well as other information, will be forthcoming. For more information, please contact Lucinda Miller at miller.78@osu.edu
Airplane Building WOrkshop Available to 4-H Youth
The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company, an educational institution, will be conducting workshops for youth throughout Ohio to build a replica of the world's first practical airplane, the 1905 Wright Flyer III. This replica, "The Spirit of Ohio" will be presented to the Ohio State Legislature. It will be installed in a major Ohio museum.
4-H'ers who would like to be part of this project can participate in a "rib workshop." They will help build a wing for the 1905 flyer, learn a little aviation history, and then add their name to the completed rib. When the flyer is complete, it will carry the names of all the 4-H'ers who helped in its construction whenever it is shown or on demonstration.
For more information on the workshops, contact Ron Bowerman at The Wright Brothers Aeroplane Company at 419-299-3807 or via e-mail at bowerman@mail.findlay.edu
Interactive Natural History Program Available to 4-H Youth
Local teachers, park naturalists and community organizations in Hancock County have created A.P.P.L.E. (Awesome Practical Powerful Learning Experience) Bus program. The A.P.P.L.E. bus is a fully equipped mobile laboratory that enables students to get out and study forests, meadows, streams and lake ecosystems. This project enhances natural history awareness by allowing 4-H youth to study microorganisms, water quality and other ecological issues. The bus program also gives students a "real-life" experience of what it is like to be a scientist.
For more information, contact Ron Bowerman at 419-299-3807 or via e-mail at bowerman@mail.findlay.edu
Ohio State Fair Non-Livestock Schedule Released
The 2006 Ohio State Fair Non-Livestock schedule has been completed and is now available at http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~4hfcs/fair/sched.htm
Livestock Judges List
The Department of Animal Sciences is again collecting names to populate the list of potential livestock judges for counties across Ohio. This is not an approved, certified, or recommended list of judges, but merely a listing of those who have judged Junior Fair shows in Ohio in the past three years. The list includes individuals who have judged: beef, sheep, swine, poultry, goats, dairy, rabbits, dogs and small animals.
Instructions for entering names to the list:
(1) Go to http://4hansci.osu.edu and click on Resources and then click on Judges List.
(2) This site is password protected (refer to 10/26/05 email from Amy Radunz to get pass word). Please keep these security names among University personnel only. You may have to enter the username and password more than once to enter the site.
(3) At the bottom of the page is a link to submit judges to the list. Enter the information and click on submit at the bottom of the page.
(4) Please submit all judges' names by December 15, 2005. We will compile the information and post the results in January.
4-H Family Guide Available
The Ohio 4-H Family Guide is now available on-line at http://www.ohio4h.org/youth/fg06/index.html. The Family Guide is currently being printed and hard copies will be available to counties very soon. The bulk order form and advisor order form will be sent via county mail within the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions, please contact Sally Warren at warren.93@osu.edu
Professional Development
Camping Related Professional Development Opportunities
Individuals who have an interest in camping or would like to learn more to strengthen or enhance their programs should be aware of the following professional development opportunities:
DramaTies - OSU Theater Department - December 3, 2005
Ohio ACA Conference - OSU Fawcett Center - January 26, 2006
National ACA Conference - Chicago, Illinois - February 7-10, 2006
National 4-H Camping Institute - South Dakota - February 17-21, 2006
Ohio 4-H Teen Conference - Columbus, Ohio - February 25, 2006
Ohio 4-H Volunteer Conference - Columbus, Ohio - March 1, 2006
ACA Mid-States Conference - Chicago, Illinois - April 6-8, 2006
For more information on these opportunities and other camping related information, please go to http://www.ohio4h.org/plt-camps/index.html or email Niki Nestor McNeely at mcneely.1@osu.edu
OSU Extension Annual Conference Registration Open
It's that time of the year!! Time for colleagues to come together to learn about exciting programs, share successful efforts, learn what did not happen as planned, network, and celebrate the success of our colleagues. All offices should have received a flyer in the county mail packet last week. The registration website is now open: http://hr.ag.ohio-state.edu/workshops/0540.html
4-H Cloverbud Corner
Hello 4-H Extension Professional!
As a reminder, there is a new 4-H Cloverbud guidebook written specifically for the 4-H Cloverbud volunteer. It is a great resource to use for your volunteer training, recruitment, and marketing.
I would like to share one of the sections in a condensed format that is included in the guidebook - "4-H Cloverbud Participation." This particular section provides information about the variety of ways and settings for how 4-H Cloverbud groups can be organized.
(1) 4-H Cloverbud Community Club: Cloverbud members form their own 4-H club, separate from any other group or club. 4-H Cloverbud clubs may meet in community centers, schools, churches or in the home of interested and caring parents or adults. The 4-H Cloverbud curricula are a recommended resource to use for club activities.
(2) Part of an Existing Community 4-H Club: Cloverbud members can be part of a 4-H Community Club, but meet on their own to do Cloverbud activities apart from the 8 and in third grade to 19 year-old 4-H members.
(3) Classroom Setting: 4-H Cloverbud materials are ideal for grades k-2 classrooms. Teachers can easily integrate the 4-H Cloverbud curriculum, available through the county Extension office, into their educational plan for school enrichment programs.
(4) After School: After-school programs and 4-H Cloverbuds go great together. The theme-based activities in the 4-H Cloverbud curriculum works well within the structure of after-school programs, whether after-school program staff serves as a 4-H Cloverbud leaders or partner with local 4-H Cloverbud volunteer leaders.
(5) Camps and Day Camps: These settings provide a unique opportunity for children to be engaged in extended experiences to foster healthy development. Specific policies are given in the guidebook for day or overnight camp events for 4-H Cloverbud kids.
The above information is related to one of nine other sections in the 4-H Cloverbud Volunteer Guidebook: A) 4-H traditions, B) What is the 4-H Cloverbud program? C) 4-H Cloverbud volunteer position description, D) 4-H Cloverbud participation, E) Who are these 4-H Cloverbud children? F) 4-H Cloverbud program foundations, G) Eight key elements of a successful 4-H Cloverbud program, H) New volunteers: Conducting 4-H Cloverbud sessions, I) Planning your 4-H Cloverbud club activities, and J) Resources and references.
The cost of this publication is $5.00 and can be obtained from OSU Extension publications. Order number is 4-H 711 AG. Questions about obtaining the material can be answered by calling the publications office at 614-292-1607.
Thanks again for your dedication to improving the lives of children in Ohio!
Keep the fun, faith, and philosophy.
Scott Scheer
Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development
Preadolescent Education
2005 4-H Afterschool Demonstration Sites:
Delivering Healthy Lifestyles and Science Literacy Education Through After-School Programs
(Written by: Theresa Ferrari & Graham Cochran)
Since the Surgeon General declared childhood obesity a national epidemic in 2002, much attention has focused on the unhealthy situation created by increasing rates of obesity, poor eating habits, and sedentary lifestyles .Because poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are risk factors for disease, it is essential for young people to develop habits for a healthy lifestyle. After-school programs can promote healthy lifestyles for youth by serving healthy snacks, building in daily physical activities, and providing fun ways to enhance nutrition knowledge and learn about making good food choices.
Scientific literacy is critical to a well-prepared workforce in any technology-oriented society. However, concerns have been raised about poor science achievement. Additionally, there appears to be declining interest in science as students get older. Science enrichment programs that use an experiential model of learning have been promoted as one way to counteract these trends After-school programs can actively engage students in learning and heighten their interest in science by providing opportunities for hands-on projects.
As a result of special funding from the “Youth – Our Future: The OSU Extension 4-H Program” initiative, funded by Governor Bob Taft, OSU Extension funded 16 counties as demonstration sites to deliver healthy lifestyle and/or science literacy programming. Approximately 1,900 youth were reached in programs were conducted during Spring 2005. Most of the counties (14 of 16) had at least 50% of the youth eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch; some had all or nearly all participants in this category. The vast majority of the youth participants (84%) were new to OSU Extension/4-H experiences.
Overall, the experiential nature of the activities seemed to be an important aspect of the curriculum. Preparing and eating nutritious snacks were highlights of the Jump Into Food and Fitness (JIFF) activities. For many youth it was the first time that they had tried certain foods (e.g., kiwi, cantaloupe, dried fruit). The JIFF curriculum stressed ways to build exercise into their daily activities. Program staff reported that children enjoyed the activities because they were fast-paced, fun, and interesting. There were indications of knowledge and behavior changes regarding knowledge of food groups, exercise, handwashing, and making wise food choices and eating healthy snacks at home. For some, learning about plants was entirely new content, while for others it reinforced what was learned during the school day school. Growing gardens accompanied some of the sites that used the Go Plants! curriculum. This further developed participants' knowledge and appreciation for plants.
Overall, OSU Extension staff who served as project directors reported that community partners were pleased to be cooperating with Extension/4-H and looked forward to future programming opportunities. Many have expressed interest in not only repeating, but expanding the programs, and are actively looking for ways to continue what was started. Expansion ideas include both expanding curriculum options offered as well as expanding to additional after-school sites.
The complete project report may be accessed at the 4-H Afterschool Priority Team web page at
http://www.ohio4h.org/plt-afterschool/
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