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Ohio 4-H Youth Development

Ohio State University Extension

CFAES

Ohio 4-H Highlights: March 2021

  1. 4-H program boosts youth STEM interest

    Bitmoji classroom - girl bitmoji on the right waving, there is a desk in the middle with a computer and plant, the white board says "welcome to 4-H world changers inspired by girls who code," there is a Brutus Buckeye poster on the wall on the left, a poster that says "STEM' below the Brutus poster, and a bookshelf with 4-H project books.

    Last summer, Braelyn Miller thought she’d try coding, though she was a bit intimidated about the prospect of programming a computer.

    She had never done it before. She had, however, spent hours and hours drawing buildings, people, eyes of people, and animals—all on her computer.

    So, when she discovered that coding involved creating a video game, she was immediately interested, though still a bit daunted.

    “I wasn’t exactly sure what I was doing at first,” said Miller, now in 6th grade in Marion.

    That uncertainty dissolved into eagerness as the weeks went by and Miller learned skill after skill. Those skills built upon each other, and over the summer, she created an app to teach her toddler sister about animals and colors.

    “It was fun because I was creating something I was interested in,” Miller said.Braelyn showing her goat at the Marion County Fair.

    And there was no grade. It didn’t have to be perfect, which was a relief to her.

    Having spent the summer tinkering with the app, she sought out a coding class when school started in the fall. Soon she was creating another app, this one adapted after the popular Flappy Bird mobile game in which a player controls the movement of a bird that tries to fly between columns of pipes without hitting them.

    What Miller loves most about coding is that she can decide what she wants to create and how to make it, what it will look like, what it will do. It can be practical, or just whimsical.

    “I think it surprised me,” Miller said about coding. “I didn’t think I was going to be very good at it. I had never done it before. I thought it looked really hard.”

    Miller got that start, and the experience and confidence that grew from it, as a participant in the 4-H World Changers program.

    An idea takes shape

    The World Changers idea started with Margo Long (’11 BS Agricultural Communication), an Ohio 4-H youth development educator in Marion County.

    Long, who is also a doctoral student in the CFAES Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership, said she got the idea from a course assignment, one that focused on gender disparities in STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

    From that assignment, she said, she saw a need to bridge those disparities, saw a need “to change the image of what a programmer or scientist looks like and does,” and saw Ohio 4-H, with its statewide reach and focus on hands-on learning, as an ideal vehicle for doing that. A screenshot of the app Braelyn created.

    Long grew the 4-H World Changers idea from there, inspired in part by Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization that works to close the gender gap in technology jobs. 

    Yet while closing that gap is indeed part of World Changers’ purpose, Long is sure to emphasize that the program is open to everyone, boys too. She said the program’s wider aim is sparking any youth’s interest in STEM.

    Initially, Long planned to launch 4-H World Changers as an in-person program in March 2020. But the pandemic lockdown forced a switch. World Changers ended up getting underway as a virtual program in May 2020.

    The change had a silver lining, Long said. It led to new collaboration that helped the program grow even more.

    A team comes together

    Three states to the east, two educators with STEM interests—Lauren Traister, Vermont 4-H teen and leadership coordinator, and Lisa Dion, lecturer in the University of Vermont College of Engineering and Mathematical Science—read about World Changers in a 4-H professionals Facebook group, reached out to Long, talked with her by Zoom, and starting last fall, joined her to work virtually on the program as a team.

    Photo of a Zoom meeting - the upper video feed is instructor Margo Long, below her is Cora presenting a design.Today, the team’s expanded 4-H World Changers program offers youth four, six-week series (for now still only virtual):

    • 4-H World Changers, which introduces youth to STEM through “unplugged” and coding activities, inspired by Girls Who Code’s Women in Tech curriculum. Youth learn about design, robotics, hardware, software, binary coding, computer science, space exploration, and test cycles.

    4-H World Changers: Thunkable Apps, in which youth discover mobile app development, including wireframe development, coding variables, conditionals, and functions. They eventually create their own mobile device app using a cross-platform program called Thunkable.

    4-H World Changers: HTML/CSS, which introduces youth to web design and HTML and CSS coding languages. Participants create their own web sites from scratch using Trinket, an all-in-one coding environment designed for education.

    4-H World Changers: Gaming With p5.js, in which youth gain skills to program a collecting game by using p5.js, a JavaScript library created especially for artists and designers.

    All four series are designed for middle and high school youth. But in some cases, Long said, youth from upper-level elementary school grades have been able to participate too.

    More youth and STEM

    In all, 4-H World Changers has reached more than 150 girls and boys to date—from Ohio, like Braelyn Miller; from Vermont; and from eight other states from Maine to California.

    Long’s passion for the program is both professional and personal.

    “I’ve been blessed to be the mother of three wonderful boys, so I hold the ‘boymom’ title proudly,” she said. Long Family photo - The family is sitting on a couch in front of a window. The mother is holding two boys on her lap, to her right is her husband, and their third son.

    At the same time, she said, working to close STEM’s gender gap “helps fill that void that I have by not having a daughter.”

    Long finds the program’s success gratifying, and pleasantly surprising, and said some lemonade came from the lockdown’s lemons.

    “I never in a million years would have thought that this small idea would have grown into what it is today, especially during a global pandemic,” she said.

    “I started out with 17 girls in the first virtual program, and now we’ve expanded to connect youth from all across country, from all walks of life, to bond over similar interests.”

    If not for the pandemic disrupting 4-H’s in-person programs, she said, “they might never have had this opportunity.”

    To learn more about 4-H World Changers, email Long at long.1632@osu.edu.

    Are you interested in helping to support this program? You can donate here. In the special instructions, please indicate that the gift is for 4-H World Changers.

  2. 4-H members learn about healthy living

    A woman doing the warrior pose.

    For six weeks in January and February, 19 youth, ages 8–18 from across Ohio, were engaged in the Healthy Mind, Healthy Body SPIN club. Each week, presenters at this special interest club led an opening activity and introduced a healthy living tool such as journaling, meditation bottles, healthy eating, guided relaxations, and breathing techniques. Youth were challenged to try a healthy living tool on their own, such as finding photos that made them feel calm, creating musical skits accompanied by their favorite songs for relaxing, and inventing their own smoothie recipes. A young girl holding a bottle.

    Participants also tried Yoga for Kids, where they practiced their poses for balance, stability, flexibility, and mindfulness, under the guidance of certified instructors. 

    At the end of the program, members received a healthy living kit that included yoga cards, a water bottle, and a 4-H journal, along with other resources to assist them in using healthy living tools on their own. 

    Members indicated they enjoyed practicing and learning new yoga moves, creating new smoothie recipes, and sharing them with their families. They learned being healthy is more than just about your outside appearance, but how you feel and take care of yourself physically and mentally.

  3. Ohio 4-H recognition award winners

    2021 Ohio 4-H Awards Recognition was held Thursday, March 11.

    Each year we recognize dedicated volunteers and alumni for their service to Ohio 4-H. This year’s recognition program was held virtually on March 11, honoring outstanding 4-H volunteers and teens.

    If you missed the program, you can view it below and find the list of honorees here.

     

  4. 4-H partners with JOANN

    A child painting a green heart. Text on the photo reads "Nothing should hold a kid back."

    JOANN and 4-H are once again teaming up to collect donations at the register for 4-H, as well as to offer special discounts for JOANN 4-H Rewards card members. This program will help the effort to ensure every kid has an equal opportunity to succeed, by bringing 4-H to more kids nationwide.

    This year, JOANN will be hosting a free take-home craft event on April 3 in all stores. Kits will include LEGO DOTS, there will be coloring pages, and kids will be able to create a bunny and chick.

    Visit any JOANN store by April 30 to participate, or learn more here.

  5. Faces of Ohio 4-H

    Bill Ayars, left, and Tony Xenikis

    Each month we highlight an Ohio 4-H alumnus. Our alumni have amazing stories to share, from their personal experiences in 4-H to how they have given back to the program. This month we feature business partners Bill Ayars, a Champaign County 4-H alumnus, and Tony Xenikis, a Madison County 4-H supporter.

    Bill Ayars grew up as a 4-H member in Champaign County. “I exhibited market steers for 10 years at the local, state, and national levels. I went to 4-H camp as a camper and then became a counselor. Now, I live in Mechanicsburg, and my children now show at the same fair I did.” Bill holding a steer's halter. His family is around the steer holding banners and trophies.

    Tony Xenikis was introduced to 4-H by his children. “I was never involved in 4-H while growing up in Campbell, a suburb of Youngstown. I became involved in 4-H when we moved to Madison County and my children The Xenikis family, left to right: Tony, his wife, Toula, and their children—boy, girl, boy.started showing their projects. I later got involved with the Madison County Agricultural Society and was instrumental in improving the fairground facilities.”

    Tony and Bill met at The Ohio State University through a work-study program as undergraduate students and were accepted into vet school at Ohio State the same year. Now they own the Westside Animal Clinic in Columbus.

    Both Tony and Bill have great 4-H memories to share. Tony said, “My favorite memories are of my kids doing well, showing their sheep, chickens, and cows. Once, when our sons were competing in open class, the youngest won beef showman and the oldest was reserve champion. The next day, in the junior show, the oldest son won the champion market steer and beef showman, and ultimately became the showman of showman for Madison County.” Bill added that spending time with friends at both the fair and 4-H camp was the most meaningful.

    4-H impacted both men in a positive manner. “4-H taught me responsibility, to be humble in success and graceful in defeat,” said Bill. Tony added, “4-H taught our kids that defeat is not the end game. It is about what you learned, the effort you've put into your projects, and how to improve for the next year.”

    It was important to both to give back to the program by being involved in the county fair and livestock shows. Tony shared, “I spent eight years on the Madison County Fair Board and watched it evolve into the greatest fair in the state of Ohio! Bill Ayars and family in front of lattice backdrop and wooden sign that says, "Champaign County Fair." Man holding a young girl; Bill; his wife, Belinda, is holding a plaque; young girl; another young girl; and a man wearing a cap.Every year my family makes sure we are part of the junior fair sales to support youth exhibitors.” The Ayars family also supports junior fair sales at county fairs, and Bill’s wife, Melinda, has been a 4-H advisor for the past 12 years.

    Bill and Tony shared their advice for today’s 4-H members. “Embrace the 4-H motto of ‘learning by doing,’ ” Bill said. Tony added, “Work hard, ask questions, take advice, and always be honest.”

  6. Calendar of events

    Asian boy in a magicians costume.

    March 26, Experience the Magic of 4-H with Geauga County (Zoom)—7 p.m. Join Geauga County 4-H for a virtual night out. Your family can enjoy a magic show presented by 4-H alumnus and professional family entertainer Conrad Cologne. You’ll get to laugh and have fun with your 4-H community, and the magic won’t just happen on your screen—it will happen in your hands! Register here. Find out what you need to have before the show here.

    2021 Buckeye Fresh Mini Meat Cutting Workshops (Columbus)—Workshops are Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participants select one of the following sessions: March 26 and 27, April 9 and 10, April 23 and 24, May 7 and 8, or May 21 and 22. After the workshop, participants will have a better understanding of anatomy, muscle myology, cutting guidelines, food safety, meat quality, the role of processed meat, and government regulated non-meat ingredients (i.e., salt, phosphates, nitrites, etc.), finalized by conducting hands-on cutting tests to understand the impact of yields on profit margins. Anyone 18 and older can attend. Cost to attend is $125. Email Lyda Garcia, PhD, at garcia.625@osu.edu with questions or to register.

    March 27, 4-H Camp Palmer Ground Clean Up (4-H Camp Palmer)—8:30–11:30 a.m. Please join us for a grounds clean up. Masks are required, and groups must register in advance to limit group size. Click here for more information (on Facebook), or email Bill Goodson at goodson.34@osu.edu.

    March 28, Experience the Magic of 4-H with Sandusky County (Zoom)—4 p.m., Bring your family together to experience a magic show presented by 4-H alumnus and professional family entertainer Conrad Cologne. Everyone gets a front-row seat to the show and will have fun with their 4-H friends! Click here to register.

    Everyone Can Garden Series (Zoom)—Sessions will be held on April 1, June 1, July 20, and Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. Do you have a physical limitation, such as mobility issues, chronic pain, arthritis, or skin sensitivities, that constrains outdoor activity? Do you want to know how you can still enjoy gardening despite these challenges? OSU Extension and the CFAES Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion invite you to the 2021 Gardening with Physical Limitations Webinar Series: Everyone Can Garden! We will address the basics of planning and planting a vegetable garden, basic maintenance including pest management, and canning and preservation basics, and will finish with end-of-season clean up and preparation for next year, all while taking into consideration a variety of physical limitations. Each session is designed to be a stand-alone program, so feel free to attend as many or few as you want! This webinar series is free and open to the public. For more information, click here.

    April 3, JOANN 4-H Event (JOANN Stores)—11 a.m.–2 p.m. JOANN will host a free take-home craft event in all stores. Kits will include LEGO DOTS, there will be coloring pages, and kids can create a bunny and chick.

    April 6–8, The Power Hour (Zoom)—Noon to 1 p.m. Power Hour is a three-session virtual workshop, based on the Active Parenting curriculum. We introduce participants to tools that may help them raise responsible, confident children, and navigate through issues that challenge parents. For more information, click here.