4-H Parents Make a Difference

It's September and that means 4-H clubs begin again!  I love spending time with our youth and watching them mature into tomorrow's leaders! The parent/caring adult of a 4-H member plays a major role in the support network of the Tennessee 4-H Youth Development Program.  Parental support is especially important in the development of youth.  If parent/caring adults are involved right from the beginning, chances are higher for a successful 4-H experience.  By involving yourself in 4-H youth activities, you create a sense of belonging for your child and all children involved.

 

You Can Make A Difference By Doing The Following:

ü  Show interest in what youth are doing.

ü  Provide materials and equipment your children may need.

ü  Make sure your child attends the 4-H club meetings.

ü  Be familiar with the 4-H members’ responsibilities.

ü  Support 4-H leaders. Get to know them, and let them know you appreciate their efforts.

ü  Encourage your children to complete their projects.  Let children do their own work; work side by side with your child; don’t do their project for them.  Let them experience success and set-backs.

ü  Support your child to complete any 4-H responsibility he or she may have been elected or selected to do.  Also, help youth follow through with tasks they volunteer for.

ü  Remember…the objective of 4-H is to build youth into responsible citizens.  The way they do their work – complete projects, conduct meetings, participate in competitive events, etc. - will develop life skills and help set work and character patterns for the rest of their lives.

ü  Encourage youth not to over commit themselves to too many activities.  Over commitment does not allow them to complete tasks effectively and often leads to frustration.

ü  Support other children in the club as you will your own children.  Give praise for a job well done and encourage them when difficulties arise.  This helps form trusting relationships and a sense of community within the club.

ü  Make 4-H a “family affair.” Get the entire family involved in 4-H activities and events – wither as spectators, participants or volunteers.

ü  Read all 4-H mailings.

ü  Become aware of opportunities through 4-H that may affect not only your child, but also others in the club and your community as well.

ü  Be 4-H’s best advertisement by knowing about the program.

ü  Be a positive role model in all areas especially sportsmanship and ethics.

ü  Assist in strengthening the educational quality of club activities.

ü  Promote the basic 4-H philosophy – our product is youth and our projects are the means by which we develop our product.

ü  Follow specific requirements that a club, organization or county group may require.

ü  Follow the 4-H guidelines and policies of the University of Tennessee Extension and the 4-H Youth Development Program.

Top Ten Reasons for your child to attend Summer Camp

Written by: Aneta Eichler, Extension Agent

 

            One of my fondest memories of childhood is packing my bags and boarding a great big yellow school bus with my twin sister.  We were off to 4-H camp!  I’m sure my mom was probably more excited than we were…a week with no kids in the house! J  I can still remember the excitement that coursed through my veins as I met new friends, swam every day, visited the craft house where I learned about leather crafting, participated in talent night and enjoyed the all night movie under the big pavilion.  I also remember the disappointment when I learned that I still had to do chores! YUK!  I had to make my bed, clean the cabin and serve in cafeteria duty.  However, completing these tasks with friends made it almost fun.  I would not trade my memories of 4-H camp for anything in the world (They have served me for well over 40 years…now that’s impact!).

            I still get to enjoy 4-H camp every summer and it is still one of my favorite job assignments!  I want to encourage you to consider sending your child or grandchild to camp with me this summer.  I have compiled the top ten reasons I think every child should have the opportunity to enjoy summer camp.

            10. Camp encourages healthy lifestyles and physical activity.  Many of our children are struggling with obesity and sedentary lifestyles due to video games, television and computers.  At camp they have the freedom to smell the fresh air, observe the stars under a moonlit sky, learn about native wildlife, canoe in the lake, play a sport or take a hike.  All this physical activity leads to happier, healthier youth.

            9.  Camp allows our youth to unplug.  Children leave their cell phones, ipods and other electronic devices at home for the week.  This gives children the opportunity to discover their creative side.  They are actually called upon to engage in the real world of trees, soil, water and wildlife.  Our children often suffer from “Nature Deficit Disorder”.  Camp can definitely remedy this situation.

            8.  Camp is a great place to learn new skills.  Children have the opportunity to learn new crafts, new games and new sports.  They might shoot a rifle for the first time or learn how to use a bow and arrow in archery.  They may develop their swimming skills or learn to play the most crazed game…ga ga ball!!  Learning a new skill can help bolster a young person’s confidence which will carry into other areas of their life.

            7.  Children learn to develop resiliency at camp.  The children are given an opportunity to meet new challenges face to face.  It might be as simple as learning a new skill or learning how to get along with others.  Each time the children are successful in conquering a challenge, they develop resiliency for the next challenge that comes along in their life. They can think back and remember another time they were challenged and overcame it.  This gives them courage to continue trying new things.

            6.  Camp builds independent children.  Camp gives children a safe environment in which to begin practicing independence.  They will be expected to make decisions for themselves, manage their daily choices, learn how to ask for help and how to resolve conflict without a parents input.  Children who become competent in self-managing their lives will also become better problem solvers.

            5. Campers have ample opportunities to develop social skills. When children share responsibilities within a cabin they must learn to cooperate well together.  There are chores to be completed which might lead to practice in resolving disagreements and most definitely requires healthy communications to get the job done effectively.  Each camper is expected to demonstrate respect for the others in their cabin, their leaders and the camp grounds.

            4. Camp is a fabulous place to belong.  Through silly songs and funny chants the children develop a strong sense of belonging to a larger group.  They share in similar memories that only that group of group of children will experience.  Usually the children can experience life without the labels often attached to them in schools.  They aren’t dyslexic or attention deficit, they are just kids having a really good time!

            3.  Campers can develop a powerful identity.  The camp staff and teen leaders work with each child personally to help them find something they are really good at.  Camp offers a wide range of activities that can encompass the abilities and interests of most children.  Children need to feel the confidence of self-worth.

            2.  Camp allows children to make new friends.  They will have the opportunity to meet other campers from several different Tennessee counties.  This allows them to learn of other 4-H programs and become knowledgeable of cultural diversity they may not otherwise experience.   Many of these campers will go on to see each other at various 4-H events throughout their career.  It’s always fun to recognize someone else when you are away from home.

            1.  It’s just plain FUN!!

For more information about our local camp dates and fees please contact the UT Extension office at 423-949-2611, email me at adodd2@utk.edu or visit 4-H Camp:

Jr. Camp                                  Jr. High Camp                         Electric Camp

Line & Design Camp               Academic Conference            Target S.M.A.R.T. camp

Behind the Scenes Camp        Quilt Workshop                       Hand-crafted Workshop

4-H Judging Teams

By: Sheldon D. Barker

While riding a pontoon boat on Reelfoot Lake one can’t help but be awed by the plants and animals adapted to live in such a unique place. For those of us who had never been to Reelfoot Lake, and for those who had, there could be no better way of seeing or learning about the lake. The Sequatchie County Senior High 4-H Wildlife Team had just such an opportunity three years ago. Learning about the wetland environment, and the plants and animals that live there was just part of the trip. The other was the opportunity to represent Tennessee at the National 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest. Since then the team has traveled to the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and to Natchez Trace State Park, learning firsthand about the wildlife of Tennessee.

One of the many great opportunities 4-H offers is Judging Teams. My best memories as an agent and as a 4-H member are Judging Team trips. Over the last few years Sequatchie County has had four state winning Judging Teams (that we can find records for), two state winning Forestry Teams in 1970 and 2011. The 2011 Forestry Team placed third at the National 4-H Forestry Invitational in 2012. The Sequatchie County 4-H Land Judging Team which, although runner-up at the state contest, competed at the National Contest in Oklahoma in 1975. In the Family and Consumer Sciences area, there was a 1989 Diary Products state winning team, and a 1995 Interior Design winning team. Add to this a long list of regional winning teams. Sequatchie County has a great history of competitive judging teams.

Judging teams are a great way to learn about a subject area, as well as develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, goal setting, and decision-making. Currently, Sequatchie County has four active judging teams Wildlife, Forestry, Consumer Decision Making and Life Skills.

Life Skills

Being a part of the Life Skills Judging team allows junior high youth (6,7,8 grades) to participate in a fun and competitive way while learning valuable life lessons. Youth have the opportunity to become sales clerks counting back correct change, baby sitters choosing appropriate toys and games, a fitness coach selecting the appropriate exercise routine or a myriad of other scenarios that prepare them hands-on for life. Each team will compete in four various stations that have a Family and Consumer Sciences emphasis.

Consumer Decision Making

Do you love to shop? Consumer Decision Making is just the team for you! Youth in grades 9 -12 learn how to evaluate different products by value, purpose and quality. Teams then compete to make the best purchasing decisions based on this knowledge. Students may “shop” for sunglasses, jeans, ipads, backpacks and so forth. Consumer Decision Making trains young people to develop a critical eye for quality, a keen sense of value and excellent decision making skills while enjoying the thrill of competition. Judging team members when comparing alternative items for purchase. Team members are also challenged to represent themselves well through oral reasons.

Wildlife Judging

What do black bears need to survive? Or wild turkey? Could you identify a song sparrow by its song? Wildlife judging is an opportunity to learn about wildlife: how to identify various species, what they eat, what are their habitat needs. Participants have to identify wildlife species, evaluate habitat, and complete a test. Wildlife Judging is open to all 4-H members.

Forestry Judging

Is it an oak or a maple? What bug is this eating on my tree? 4-H Members in Forestry Judging learn to identify trees, insects and diseases that affect trees, how to measure a tree, and how to make forest management decisions. Forestry Judging is open for 4-H Members in 4th to 11th grades.

Photo: Members of the 2011 Senior 4-H Forestry Team preparing for National Contest 

Accelerate Your Life: Be a Volunteer

Service to youth is the rent we pay for the space we occupy on earth. --Jane Deeter Rippin

Volunteering is the perfect way to feel connected to your community. The simple act of offering your skills and enthusiasm will positively impact the lives of others, as well as your own.  Each individual brings a unique perspective, which fosters relationships and interaction with others.

Several factors drive people into community service, but the powerful force behind volunteering is the social change that is made through the inspiration of people to make a difference. Organizations like ours cannot function without the energy and input of volunteers like you. We know that everyone has a talent to offer, whether it’s expertise in a particular field or simply offering their valuable time to help fulfill volunteer opportunities within their community.

We would like to invite you to consider giving of your time and talents to progressing the 4-H Youth Development programs in Sequatchie County.  Did you know that 4-H is the largest youth serving agency in the world?  Tennessee 4-H Youth Development is committed to promoting the healthy mind, body and spirit development of today’s young people who will become the citizens and leaders of tomorrow.  This mission is accomplished by providing the challenges, experiences, support, and nurturing environments young people need to develop to their fullest potential.

4-H Youth Development focuses on such life skills as:

•         Achieving Goals

•         Building Relationships

•         Communicating

•         Ethical Decision-Making

•         Healthy Lifestyle Choices

•         Leadership

•         Positive Self Esteem   

•         Responsible Citizenship

•         Responsibility

•         Teamwork

These life skills are developed through participation in Tennessee 4-H projects.  For a list of projects visit our Tennessee 4-H Website.  We have projects to meet the needs of our rural community in areas such as animal science, computers and technology, personal development, consumerism, home and family and science and engineering. 

UT Extension benefits each year from the hard work of caring volunteers.  Tennessee 4-H has more than 5,000 adult volunteers statewide, and last year they combined with 4-H youth to perform 247,000 hours of service valued at more than $5 million. Volunteering is an invaluable experience and engaging in service to others creates a valuable dimension to all communities. We invite you to explore volunteering opportunities in your local 4-H program.

If you would like to learn more about this topic or other UT Extension Programs in Sequatchie County:

 visit our website, or follow us on Facebook,  

 

Article written by: Aneta Eichler, UT Extension Agent I, Sequatchie County