Communications Day will be March 9th at Ballico School, 11818 W Gregg Street, Ballico. Registration is now open. To Register go to http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=3370
Please check the Merced County 4-H websites under events and activities for a full description of the categories. Also see the CA 4-H website for Impromptu topics at: http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Events/SFD/PD/
2013 4-H Presentation Themes
http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Events/SFD/PD/Recognition_Opportunities/
California 4-H will offer a thematic recognition pin for youth who participate in State Presentation Day and focus their presentations on one of the following areas: Engineering to Solve the World's Problems, Physical Activity, The Path to Thriving and C is for Contribute. Specific to Science, Engineering and Technology (SET): Engineering is the application of science to solve human issues by constructing technologies, structures, machines, devices, and systems. Scientists may ask why and develop an experiment to answer the question while engineers identify a need and then create a solution to meet the need. How can you use the engineering design process and the practices of engineering to solve California, the nation, and the world’s social, economic and environmental problems? How do you use engineering practices in your 4-H projects – animals, foods, health, plants, leadership, and others?
Special Recognition at 2013 State Presentation Day
A special recognition pin will be awarded for youth who participate in State Presentation Day and focus their presentations on healthy living. This year’s focus area is physical activity. Potential topics may include muscle strengthening, heart rate importance, workout wear, Zumba, activity log, exercise trends, fitness apps, stretching, benefits of exercise, fun ways to work out, ‘exergaming’, recreational sports, types of activity, making time for fitness, safe places in your community to be active and more. For details visit: http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Events/SFD/PD/Recognition_Opportunities/
Food Fashion and Fun Festival
Merced County
Food Fashion and Fun Day 2013
April 6, 2013
9 AM Registration
McSwain School
West Campus
785 Scott Rd, Merced
Register here: http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=6263
or print and mail/email this form: Application for Fashion Revue 2013
Location: McSwain School, West Campus, 785 Scott Rd, Merced
All Star Candidate Beth Cox invites you to come join us as we celebrate creativity in the home arts and the 100 year Birthday of 4-H in California!
Fashion Revue- Enter your Traditional, Purchased, Recycled, Embellished, Duct Tape Challenge, or 2 Yard Wonder Challenge to be judged by our panel of experts. Then model your garment in our fashion show.
Arts and crafts-come join us for Rubber Stamping, cupcake decorating, can can robot making, and more.
Food Fiesta-Enter your home made Birthday Cake or food Preserves to be judged. We will also be having a table decorating contest with a Birthday Theme to help Celebrate 4-H's 100th Birthday. See entry form for more details.
Service Learning Projects: Help our Emerald Star CandidateTim Magboo make Corn Bed Buddies to donate to local nursing homes
For more information contact the 4-H office at 209-385-7418.
Merced County Fair Exhibitor Handbooks
The Exhibitor Handbook is now available in the fair office lobby. The on-line version is available on the fair website www.MercedCountyFair.com.
Pinewood Derby Project
Corey Bayer will be holding a Countywide Pinewood Derby Project for his Emerald Star Project. He will hold meetings in the classroom on March 14 and 28th, April 11 and 25 from 4-6. Youth will be working on building their pinewood cars. Race Day will be held on May 18th from 12-3. The cost of the project is $10. Please RSVP by March 1 at bayerboysx2@gmail.com.
Ronald McDonald House Fundraiser
Austin Burris is collecting Pull Tabs from soda cans, soup cans and pet food cans to help raise money for the Ronald McDonald house. Pull tabs may be turned into the county 4-H office by June 3, 2013. If you have any questions please contact Austin at 201-8573. Please see the attached flyer.
Pathway to Your Future
“Pathways to your Future “ is a new project designed to help youth succeed in the University system. We will be focusing on career choices, how to choose a college, how to apply, what you need to do to get accepted, financial aid and cost, what is the best path for your college career, what to expect when you get there. We will have guest panelist and college tours. 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th graders come join this countywide project. The next meeting will be February 25th from 6-8 in the classroom at the 4-H office, 2145 Wardrobe Ave, Merced. If you have any questions contact me at 385-7418. There is still time to sign up.
Please click on the website below to register.
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=7762
All Star and Emerald Star Projects
It is that time of year to start planning All Star and Emerald Star projects. If you are in 8th grade or older you may do an Emerald Star project, if you are in 9th grade or older you may do an All Star Project. If you have an idea or know you want to do a project but are not sure what to do please call me at 385-7418
California State 4-H Shooting Sports
Shooting Sports Project Leader Course
Rifle Discipline
PajaroValleyRod & Gun Club
557 ½ Lakeview Road
Watsonville, CA
Saturday, March 9, 2013 – 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 10, 2013 – 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant will be certified as rifle trainer and can lead a rifle project at the club or county level or serve as county trainer to certify project leaders in the shooting sports discipline of rifle. This course is also open to 4-H teen leaders (high school aged youth). For more information, or to register for the class, contact RandyTurnquist at randy@randyt.com or phone 831-566-2590. Please discuss the course fee with the instructor which could be up to $25 depending on if you wish to print your own course material or have him do it. (Please note that the rifle discipline is not an approved project in Santa Cruz County).
For more information about the class facility visit this website: www.pajarovalleyrodandgun.org
New Healthy Living Officer Position
Are you looking for ways to integrate healthy living practices into your 4-H club? Starting in the 2013-2014 program year California 4-H will be adding a Healthy Living officer position to the 4-H Officer Manual. The Healthy Living officer will serve as the club’s ambassador for health! By choosing to elect a Healthy Living officer your club is taking an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles. The Healthy Living officer will be the leadership for all health activities including: providing ideas on how to incorporate physical activities and healthy eating into each club meeting, write Healthy Living articles for the club newsletter and adopting and promoting a club Wellness Plan. Please help ensure that the health “H” of 4-H is at the forefront of all our meetings - consider electing a Healthy Living officer! The Choose Health Officer Guide developed by Cornell University Extension can be found at: http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Clubs/Officers/
2013 4-H Film Making Statewide Project, supported by BestBuy
http://www.ca4h.org/Projects/SET/Tech/CTLT/Film/
For 4-H members (age 13-19), volunteers, and staff to learn how to produce films. The goal of the 4-H Film Making Project is to enhance technological literacy of 4-H members by helping them learn the basics of film production including storyboarding, filming, and editing. Our goal is to have 4-H members produce films that feature how 4-H is impacting their community (for example, 4-H Revolution of Responsibility projects) and recording 4-H alumni and creating films featuring the "Voices of 4-H History" for the CA 4-H Centennial.
The project is coordinated by the 4-H Technology Leadership Team,
- Hosting four-hour video production workshops around California using the National 4-H Film Making Curriculum (workshops limited to 30 people)
- Lending video equipment kits to counties
- Showcasing completed videos at the State 4-H Film Festival and on various websites
Learn more and register for a workshop at http://www.ca4h.org/Projects/SET/Tech/CTLT/Film/
Save the Date: State 4-H Field Day 2013 – May 25 at UC Davis
http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Events/SFD/
State 4-H Field Day Educational Exhibits
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=9588
Applications due April 1, 2013
Educational exhibits and displays constitute a unique aspect of the State 4-H Field Day. These exhibits are a great opportunity to share knowledge, interact with youth and adults, and engage people in new activities. Possibilities for displays include hands-on activities, community service crafts, informative booths, etc.
SAVE the Date! November 8-10, 2013
100 Years and Thriving – Come celebrate California’s Centennial of 4-H with your 4-H colleagues at the State 4-H Leader’s Forum (SLF) at the Crowne Plaza in Sacramento. More information will be on the CA State 4-H website by the end of January. In the meantime, we are recruiting workshop presenters for this momentous event. Traditions or transitions, changes or choices, what kinds of information, issues, inspirations will you share with the delegates? Please contact Mary Engebreth - maryengebreth@comcast.net with suggestions of topics and/or experts.
California Focus June 14-18, 2013
California Focus is a unique citizenship educational experience that combines hands-on participation in workshops, debates and simulations with speakers, tours, fun activities and new friends from across California. http://ucanr.org/sites/UC4-H/Projects/Citizenship/Focus/CF/. Online Registration is now available.
Citizenship Washington Focus Registration is currently being taken
June 23-July 2, 2013
Washington Focus, an educational conference offered at the National 4-H Center near Washington, D.C, gives youth the opportunity to explore, develop and refine the civic engagement skills they need in order to become outstanding leaders. Additional travel days include visits to Gettysburg, Philadelphia and New York City. http://www.ca4h.org/Projects/Citizenship/Focus/WF/
4-H State Leadership Conference 2013 – July 25-28, 2013 at UC Davis
Celebrating 100 years of California 4-H. This year’s theme: There’s no place like 4-H
The 4-H State Leadership Conference brings together high school youth from across California in a four-day leadership training, networking, and learning experience. http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Conferences/SLC/
JOIN The Revolution of Responsibility! $1,000 is available to 4-H Clubs and Groups
Due March 15, May 15 and July 15
To JOIN the revolution, 4-H members, with the help of an adult 4-H volunteer mentor, should follow these steps to plan a project.
- Identify an issue or problem in your community.
- Find community organizations to collaborate with.
- Plan the project: form goals, outline tasks, list needed resources, and prepare a budget
- Prepare ways to document and record your project to share with others.
- JOIN the revolution at http://ucanr.org/join/
A toolkit of tips, templates, links, and suggested guidelines has been developed to support your projects. From the initial work to identify a compelling community issue to the final celebration of its completion, use this toolkit to help you carry out the important steps necessary to ensure success. http://www.ca4h.org/Support/RofR/Toolkit/
The State 4-H Fashion Revue committee announces categories and service projects for 2013 SFR! Entry categories will be Traditional, Consumer Science Purchased, Wearable Art-Embellished, 2 Yard Wonder, and Duct Tape Challenge.
- Traditional: new this year, the entry must be sewn by the member as part of his/her 4-H Clothing and Textile project.
- Consumer Science Purchased has a $19.99 limit, shoes and sales tax not included. Receipts for all items showing except shoes are required, with purchases made during the 2012-2013 4-H year. The $100 CS Purchased category will not be offered.
- The Wearable Art – Embellished entry must start with a purchased garment. Duct tape entries are not eligible for WA-Embellished.
- 2 Yard Wonder is a Challenge category: using 2 yards of 100% cotton fabric, sew a garment and an accessory. Additional garments to complete the outfit may be sewn or purchased. There is no specific pattern requirement. The entry must be sewn by the member as part of his/her 4-H Clothing & Textiles project.
- Duct Tape Challenge: Create a wearable garment out of duct tape such as a jacket, shirt, pants, skirt or dress. The member may choose to begin with a purchased garment or not. Additional garments, accessories, fabric and materials may be added.
- For all entries, the outfit must be produced and modeled by the individual member. The outfit must meet SFR modesty guidelines.
- A member may only qualify to enter one outfit at SFR. To reduce confusion, counties are encouraged to adopt this policy: At county fashion revues where a member may enter more than one outfit, the garments, accessories, and shoes for each outfit must be distinctly different. An item in one outfit may not also be used as part of another outfit.
- Counties may offer additional categories that do not advance to SFR.
State Fashion Revue is coordinating two service projects. he first is a sewn teddy bear or doll. The second is a drawstring bag. Patterns and instructions will be posted on the SFR website. SFR will continue to accept quilts for troops to pass on. If you, your project, or your county would like more information about SFR, these categories and service projects, or would like to join the committee, please visit http://www.ca4h.org/Programs/Events/SFR/
Announcing the New Highest California 4-H Youth Award!
The Incentives and Recognition Advisory Committee is pleased to announce the launch of the California 4-H Diamond Clover Award. The Diamond Clover is awarded to the highest achieving 4-H youth members through an application and essay process. All youth who achieve the qualifications are eligible for this award. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year and while a young person is between 17 and 19 years of age. Each quarter, applications are reviewed by the Incentives and Recognition Advisory Committee and awards are given. Awardees are announced annually at the State Leadership Conference. Applications are available now for submission beginning July 1, 2012 at http://www.ca4h.org/Administration/Advisory_Committees/IR/
Rationale: Most youth serving organizations have a highest honor—Boy Scouts have Eagle Scouts, Girl Scouts have the Gold Award, Camp Fire USA has the WoHeLo Award. While the 4-H State Ambassador Program is a very high honor, it is a working honor and is prohibitive to many who may be deserving of a highest youth award.