Whilst we load your content.
With support from National 4‑H Council and funding from the New York Life Foundation, Juntos 4‑H continues to work towards expanding its reach, providing skills and resources where it’s needed most, educating youth and families, and ultimately, bringing communities together.
October 5th was a great day for young True Leaders in STEM as students participated in the 2016 4‑H National Youth Science Day (4‑H NYSD). Located at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., students from Maryland, Virginia and D.C. became engineering experts for the day as they had fun with drones. In case you missed it, we’re sharing our favorite moments and photos from the day.
To kick off the day’s events, STEM, government and university leaders and experts gathered for the annual 4‑H NYSD VIP Breakfast, hosted by 4‑H alumna Glenda Humiston, vice president for the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. During a new a segment of the breakfast, National 4‑H Council presented the 2016 4‑H NYSD national partners, HughesNet, Lockheed Martin and U.S. Cellular, with the Inaugural Spark Awards, sparking an interest in STEM for nearly 100,000 young people annually across the country.
At the conclusion of the breakfast, attendees joined youth as they performed the 2017 4‑H NYSD Challenge, Drone Discovery. Youth split up in rotating groups to experience the three-part challenge, building their own foam drones and putting them to the test. Youth were also able to get hands-on at the special Drone Zone, with real drones provided by national sponsor DJI.
We were also honored to have two special guests to address youth during the event. U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith shared her perspective on the importance of providing STEM education and experiences to young people in America. Drone expert Brett Velicovich gave exciting demonstrations of his drones, along with giving away a few drones for the kids to take home.
Youth left with an appreciation and understanding of drones, and how they help solve real-world problems. The event was a success and it’s all because of the tremendous support of our partners, sponsors and 4‑H community.
Check out additional photos, videos and more from the national 4‑H NYSD event and be sure to follow the hashtag, #4HNYSD, for photos from local events nationwide!
The date is set and the countdown is on for the 2017 4‑H Youth in Action Awards Program! These awards are the highest honors National 4‑H Council grants to outstanding 4‑H’ers who embody 4‑H youth empowerment and leadership.
So what does it mean to be a 4‑H Youth in Action recipient? Since being honored, our 2016 winners have received once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in their fields of interest to learn, mentor, inform and inspire others to be leaders in their communities through action and service.
Get reacquainted with the 2016 4‑H Youth in Action winners, Ru, Thad, Lexie and Jacob, and see what they’ve been up to since being honored.
“Stepping forward into my future, I have an unlikely confidence in my future—a confidence that I have 4‑H to thank.”
Ruwanthi (Ru) Ekanayake, through University of California Cooperative Extension, is the 2016 winner in the Healthy Living pillar, sponsored by Molina Healthcare. As a member of the National 4‑H Healthy Living Ambassador team, Ru has been instrumental at bringing 4‑H’ers across the country together. She has also launched The Fourth H blog and created a Healthy Living Youth Summit for nine counties in Southern California.
Since her win as the Healthy Living and National winner, Ru has continued her work as an advocate for health and wellness. As the National Healthy Living youth spokesperson, she participated in a national 2017 4‑H Youth in Action webinar, sharing her experience and journey as a 4‑H Youth in Action Award recipient.
“I am blessed, through 4‑H, with the ability to connect with other youth that share a passion and vision for a better world.”
Thaddeus (Thad) Hughes, through University of Illinois Cooperative Extension, is the recipient of the 2016 STEM pillar award, sponsored by HughesNet. Thad has been a mentor for FIRST Lego League and Illinois State Robotics Competition teams for four years. Over the course of his work in 4‑H, he has helped to introduce STEM and robotics to more than 6,000 youth across Illinois.
In the past few months, Thad has continued to share and strengthen his passion for STEM and robotics. He received hands-on experience as an intern at HughesNet, where he served as a mentor/facilitator of their exclusive 4‑H National Youth Science Day Preview Event. He also appeared in a segment for the 2016 American Graduate Day broadcast, where he was joined by NASA astronaut and 4‑H alumna Peggy Whitson.
“I can’t wait to encourage our youth to work to obtain whatever their dreams may be! All it takes is someone to ask us to step up and be a leader.”
The winner of the 2016 Citizenship pillar is Lexie Lerblance, through Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension. As her 4‑H Project of Excellence, Lexie helped create TLC Wig Closet, a non-profit that provides wigs, head coverings, bras and prosthesis for women suffering from breast cancer. Through her 4‑H experience, she has spoken at the Pink Ribbon Luncheon and gave presentations to the Federal Board of Education.
Since being honored as the Citizenship pillar winner, Lexie has continued her work in serving her community. She attended the 4‑H Citizenship Washington Focus with the Oklahoma delegation, where she learned what it really means to be a good citizen. Additionally, she was inducted into the Oklahoma 4‑H Hall of Fame, ranked number one in her state.
“I hope to motivate those with learning difficulties to join 4‑H, to reach for that brass ring and attain success.”
Jacob Shuman, through Ohio State University Cooperative Extension, is the 2016 Agriculture & Animal Science winner. He earned this award by creating TEACH B’s (Teens Educating Adults and Children about Honey Bees), a program that educates people about the importance of honeybees in pollinating crops and the need to help them survive in changing climates.
Jacob’s passion for bee care and awareness has since grown tremendously since his Youth in Action win. He had the opportunity to visit the Bayer CropScience facility and took in their bee exhibit and greenhouse.
On July 22, 2016, I was very fortunate to visit the Bayer CropScience facility in Research Triangle Park, NC. Bayer was the corporate sponsor for my 2016 Youth in Action Award in Agriculture and Animal Sciences. We received a warm welcome from Sarah Meyer and the research staff before continuing on with a tour of the BeeCare Center.
The Bayer CropScience facility is second to none. I was extremely impressed not only with the amount of brochures, research literature, and videos they had, but also with the interactive educational exhibits. One of the exhibits I really enjoyed was about beekeeping. It demonstrated the role honey bees play in the pollination of our crops. I sampled a variety of local honey, which surprisingly tasted different from the honey made in Ohio! In another exhibit, the different types of honey bees found in a hive were mounted on display. Other notable exhibits I enjoyed were the bee life cycle charts and the detailed honey bee models.
It was wonderful meeting Kim Huntzinger and the researchers and interns. I was able to see the current testing on bee parasites such as Varroa Mites and Nosema. It was exciting to wear a lab jacket, safety goggles and even perform some of the testing myself! I was given in-depth instruction on how Nosema is evaluated under a microscope and was allowed to complete some sample evaluations. I sampled and counted a Varroa infestation in a lab sample that was sent to the Bayer facility for evaluation.
The greenhouse displayed the vast areas of crop research that are currently taking place at the facility. Led by Nate, the tour was informative, and I found the projects and studies they were working on exciting. I learned about the parameters researchers altered to see the effects on various crops.
The current expansion of the Bayer CropScience facility is great. It is inspiring to see the partnership between Bayer and farmers grow, with the facility testing innovative methods to help farmers with crop production and increasing crop yields.
After attending the National 4‑H Council’s AgriScience summit in 2015 and 2016, I learned about the field and all that it has to offer. The summits further fueled my interest in pursuing a career in the field of AgriScience. Visiting a corporation like Bayer was beneficial because it provided me with a hands-on introduction into the field and encouraged my decision to go forward with my educational pursuits in AgriScience.
Following my visit, I was able to speak with members of my local beekeeping club in Ohio about my visit and the various research that is being conducted at Bayer. Like me, they were impressed and excited about the future of honey bees, agriculture, and Bayer Crop Science.
Winning the 2016 Youth in Action Award was simply amazing! It was the highlight of my 4‑H career. Visiting Bayer was a great opportunity and learning experience. Moreover, they could not have been more cordial and hospitable towards my mom and I. Being an advocate for honey bees and agriculture, I am proud that Bayer is my sponsor and supports 4‑H, agriculture, and America’s youth.
It’s that time of year again. Tractor Supply Company’s (TSC) 4‑H Paper Clover Promotion launches on October 5 to benefit local 4‑H programs. The promotion makes it easy for Tractor Supply customers to support local 4‑H youth by purchasing a paper clover—the symbol of 4‑H—for $1. Over 1,500 Tractor Supply Stores hang the clovers on the wall as a symbol of support for 4‑H in their community. Since its launch in 2009, the promotion has raised $9.2 million.
Before this fall’s kickoff, I sat down with TSC President and Chief Merchandising Officer Steve Barbarick to discuss how the partnership came about, what it means to both organizations and the importance of communities.
Jennifer Sirangelo (JS): Thanks for talking with me today, Steve. I’m really excited about Paper Clover this year. In fact, every year, I’m more enthusiastic and grateful for the partnership between 4‑H and TSC. Remember how all this started?
Steve Barbarick (SB): Hi, Jennifer. You know, it’s funny. This was a partnership before it was even formal. Our stores have been hosting events for local 4‑H groups for many years. It wasn’t until probably six or seven years ago that we created a national partnership with 4‑H, but it’s been happening at the local level for a long time.
SB: Exactly. 4‑H is rooted in so many of the communities we serve. It’s the cornerstone of agricultural education, building leaders and teaching skills that a lot of these youth wouldn’t have otherwise. The rural lifestyle is about self-reliance, family values, animals, land, and a sense of pride in how one lives. Agriculture is the foundation of all of this in our communities and 4‑H is the most universal organization in rural areas devoted to protecting, sustaining, and promoting agriculture.
JS: I think the main element for me is allowing more kids to experience the benefits of the rural lifestyle: the science, the learning about our land, working with your hands and the hard work it really takes to produce our food. So many kids would never get that exposure without a rural lifestyle partner like TSC.
SB: And that’s exactly why this partnership is so great.
JS: A goal of the Paper Clover Promotion is to build pride and confidence in our kids. How have you seen that come to life over the past few years in your stores?
SB: That’s something I see every day. The Paper Clover Promotion is a national partnership, but it’s really designed at the local level. You see the real value at the Temple, Texas, store, or the Muskegon, Michigan, store, or somewhere in Alabama, or Florida. 4‑H’ers will come in and the local clubs will stage fundraisers in our stores, whether that‘s a bake sale or a hot-dog cookout or even a car wash.
JS: And when 4‑H’ers walk in and see all those clovers on the wall they know their community supports them. That builds confidence. And it shows that Tractor Supply cares about kids in their communities.
SB: Yes, and we encourage our store managers and team members to reach out to 4‑H and vice versa. So through that relationship, the kids know that the community really supports them, and I see their confidence and leadership skills grow every day.
JS: It’s easy to see why we value your partnership. The Paper Clover Promotion isn’t just another sponsorship or fundraiser – thanks to TSC and the close relationship you have with your communities. It really takes a national and local shared commitment for this kind of local impact to happen. We look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together this year.
HughesNet and 4‑H continue to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education through 4‑H National Youth Science Day when it kicks off across the country in October.
This year’s theme, Drone Discovery, designed by Cornell University Cooperative Extension, offers youth an opportunity to learn the engineering concepts behind fixed and rotary-winged drones. They will design and build a camera-equipped foam glider to complete a specific task, and create, code and “fly” a drone in an online simulator.
HughesNet partners with 4‑H to promote STEM education and is a 4‑H NYSD sponsor for the fourth year in row. Thaddeus Hughes, winner of the 2016 4‑H Youth in Action STEM Pillar Winner and 2016 Hughes summer intern, led a group of students from the Montgomery and Frederick County 4‑H clubs through an exclusive preview of the Drone Discovery challenge at Hughes headquarters in Maryland, on August 3.
The Drone Discovery challenge teaches youth the basic forces of controlled flight; concepts such as payload and remote sensing; coding and programming an unmanned vehicle; and how drones can solve complex real-world challenges such as identifying invasive plants in a corn field or tracking the path of a forest fire.
In addition to 4‑H NYSD, HughesNet sponsors 4‑H programs at their headquarters such as National Engineers Week, the 4‑H Youth in Action STEM Pillar and HughesNet sponsored STEM days at 4-H summer camps. This partnership brings STEM learning experiences to young people across the country, including the same communities 4‑H serves where resources for interactive STEM learning may be limited.
“HughesNet and 4‑H share a passion for STEM education,” said Peter Gulla, senior vice president of marketing at Hughes. “Access to quality science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education shouldn’t be determined by where you live. Kids all across the U.S. should be exposed to STEM. Not only is it important for the development of our youth, but it’s also important for our country’s future. Our passion towards STEM education is the core driver of our initiatives with 4-H. As the nation’s premier youth development organization, 4‑H has a long history of leading innovative programs, and we are proud to support the work they are doing.”
For more information on HughesNet’s STEM partnership with 4‑H, please visit: http://www.hughesnet.com/4h
For more on the connection between healthy living and leadership, we spoke with Becky Johnson, the executive director of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of ending childhood obesity. Johnson says that healthy habits help kids succeed in all areas of their lives.
What are the most important health habits to teach children?
Becky Johnson (BJ): Our motto at the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation is “healthy decisions that create healthy habits for life.” As a community – parents, schools, healthcare providers, government and non-governmental organizations – we need to educate and inform children and their families about making the best decisions when it comes to diet and physical activity and help them understand the long-term benefits of those decisions throughout their life. By providing families with the products, tools and information they need to achieve a healthy diet and active lifestyle, we are empowering them to establish patterns of behavior that will last a lifetime and that they can pass onto their children.
As for specific healthy lifestyle recommendations, individuals, especially children, should consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein and get 30-60 minutes of physical activity daily. However, it is important for adults and children to also understand that all foods in moderation can fit in a balanced diet and and healthy eating pattern.
BJ: By embracing healthy lifestyle habits, children become role models for their peers. Peer-to-peer testimonials are a powerful tool in educating and informing other children about the importance of healthy lifestyle decisions. In addition, there is a connection between nutrition and physical activity and academic performance and behavior in children. Young people who have access to nutritious meals and the proper amount of physical activity perform better academically and have less absenteeism and behavioral issues than those who don’t.
BJ: At a very young age, children model their parent’s behavior. If they see mom and dad making healthy decisions and developing healthy habits, many children will adopt those habits as well. So the most important thing parents can do is make healthy decisions and be a role model for their children. Likewise, educating and informing their children about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle is a critical part of the communication process. By making healthy decisions and developing healthy habits, parents and children can avoid obesity and obesity-related diseases like diabetes, stroke and heart disease, and may have a healthier, longer and more active life.
BJ: That food and physical activity are fun! We have such a wonderful food environment in this country, and from cooking at home to dining out, there is tremendous access to healthy food choices that are good for you and bursting with flavor. Likewise, there are so many opportunities to get moving. Find the foods, culinary experiences and physical opportunities you enjoy and are passionate about and live life to the fullest.
What are the best things about 4‑H’s healthy living activities?
BJ: National 4‑H Council has been a wonderful partner for the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and does a tremendous job of promoting overall wellness – including diet, physical activity, mental health and personal safety. These activities build character, leadership and self-esteem that will serve children well now and throughout their adult lives.
Last fall, we partnered with Text, Talk, Act to bring the conversation to our 4‑H programs. Due to the tremendous success, we are extending our partnership to make Text, Talk, Act available to 4‑H programs for your school and summer camp programming.
Text, Talk, Act uses text messaging to facilitate a face-to-face conversation on mental health. Participants gather in small groups (3-4 people) with one cell phone per group. They text START to the number 89800 to receive a series of text messages that guides their group through a conversation on mental health: why it is important, how to care for it, and how to help a friend in need. The text messages include videos, social media interactions, polling questions and discussion questions.
Throughout the month of June, 4‑H is teaming up to bring Text, Talk, Act to all of our 4‑H programs, free of charge*. Here are four things you can do to help out:
If you are interested in learning more about Text, Talk, Act, please contact Raquel Goodrich at rgoodrich@email.arizona.edu
At 4‑H, we are proud to partner with DCF for the third year to empower urban youth in key market areas to explore nature and the outdoors through the 4‑H Connecting Youth to Nature program. Currently, we are working in California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. These urban youth explore how organisms interact with the environment and learn how to address environmental issues, such as air and water quality, and how to sustain the ecology.
This initiative gives youth who rarely get the opportunity to spend time outdoors access to local, hands-on, outdoor nature experiences and projects. Not only does it help kids feel a connection with natural world, but it gives them the skills and experience they need to help make an impact in their communities.
Last year, 4‑H Connecting Youth to Nature programs exposed more than 13,000 youth, families and volunteers to the joys of nature and the outdoors. Through camps, field trips, afterschool programs, in-school projects, and teen-led enrichment programs, urban youth experience nature first-hand in order to gain a greater appreciation for the ecosystems and nature surrounding their communities.
Some kids are quick to say they do not like the outdoors. Others struggle to give up their phone to explore nature. But nearly all the kids who experience nature through 4‑H discover a passion for being outdoors in nature, regardless of perceived interest. 4‑H Connecting Youth to Nature helps kids discover the outdoors in a number of ways—from community cleanup efforts to planting native plants, and from removing invasive species to assessing habitat quality. For example, in Anaheim 4‑H helped urban youth grow milkweed plants in green houses as well as maintain bug hotels and bird houses. In New York City, 4‑H introduced youth to city parks where they planted flower bulbs and cared for trees in their own neighborhoods. In Oahu, 4‑H’ers learned how recycling preserves the state’s natural resources and pristine environment.
