Anne Arundel County 4-H Happenings

The 4-H Public Speaking Philosophy

One of the many life skills that 4-H offers youth is effective public speaking. This skill, along with many others, helps to build confidence and leadership. Public speaking fosters creativity, critical thinking skills, leadership abilities, poise, and professionalism, which are valuable for the job market and life. Public speaking is an individual development experience.

The speaker's own growth, measured against their own previous experience and accomplishments is the most important feature of the program. Although the 4-H structure does identity "winners" in the competition, the primary objective is to develop strong communication skills in individual members.

Confident, responsible self-expression is a goal of the communication program. Public Speaking helps members to organize and present ideas, opinions, and information, in a logical and persuasive manner. They are building confidence in self-expression and taking responsibility for the most important skill of adult life - communication.

Judging their efforts provides valuable guidance to these young speakers. Judges comments reinforce and reward their efforts. An unbiased observer can identify strengths and pinpoint areas needing attention. Judging speeds growth and development by presenting a clear, honest reflection to the speaker.

We greatly appreciate the many youth and volunteers that attended our recent Public Speaking Workshop on March 6th. For more information about this workshop, please check out our workshop summary in the '4-Her Highlights and Club Events' below! Details and registration for the AAC Public Speaking contest is directly below, see you there!

Regards,

Gretchen and Joy

*** As always, most of our events can be found on our ‘ 2023 4-H Calendar’ ***

Saturday 3/25/23

9:30 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. presentations start

Baldwin Early Learning Center (Baldwin United Methodist Church)

Registration is now open through March 19th - click here.

County winners will have the opportunity to advance to the State Public Speaking Contest held at Maryland Day on 4/29/23 at the University of MD, College Park. Please check out our webpage for more information, rules, etc... Note there are 2 new categories!

*** JUDGES NEEDED. No experience/special credentials needed. Join us for a fun experience. Please email Gretchen for more info: gsumbrum@umd.edu.

Save the date! Our annual Anne Arundel County 4-H Summer Camp will be held July 23-28th. The cost for this full week of outdoor fun is $425. We will announce via our newsletter when registration is officially open. Forms will be linked and can always be found on the camping webpage.

2023 Re-enrollment through 4-H Online

All 4-H Member, Clover, and UME Volunteer re- enrollments via 4-H Online should now be completed. Please be sure to fill out the "4-H Experience Survey" following your enrollment (example to the right->) so we may continue to evaluate and improve our enrollment process.

Re-enrollment: 2023 membership families should have received notification directly through 4-H Online via broadcast email. To enroll, simply log into your family 4-H Online profile and click 'Enroll Now' next to your name. Remember to use your family account from last year (same email & password) and re-enroll each person listed on your account. *Please do not create a new account* 4-H Youth Members and clovers can submit $10 participation fee through 4-H Online. Volunteers are always free!! :)

Volunteers: Volunteer Type: if you belong to a club, choose Unit Volunteer. (Unit = Club). Doing this allows you to choose a club also. If you choose Project Volunteer, you will not be in a club and will not appear on the leader's roster.

Roles selected in 4-H Online must match the signed description in your hard copy volunteer file. You must complete both the enrollment and screening sections.

For returning volunteers with 5 or more years: The state 4-H program requires all UME Volunteers who have been an UME Volunteer for 5 or more years to complete the Maryland 4-H Volunteer Refresher Training. You can complete the Refresher Course anytime from the comfort of your own home by visiting our county 'Volunteers' webpage.

Additional resources can be found on our Maryland 4-H Webpage 'For Families'.

New Volunteers: please reach out to Christie ckneipp@umd.edu for guidance on getting started.

Upcoming Shooting Sports Instructor Trainings

Maryland 4-H Shooting Sports Rifle Instructor Level 1 Training

Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023

Time: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Location: Howard County Fairgrounds 2210 Fairgrounds Rd, West Friendship, MD 21794
Fee: $100.00
Participation: Maximum 20 participants by 3/27/23. A waitlist will be established when filled.

Registration Closes: TBD

Certified UME 4-H Volunteers interested in serving as 4-H Rifle Instructors for 4-H clubs or programs. Volunteers must have an approved enrollment for 2023. Participants are required to complete 4-5 hours of online coursework before the start of the training. Your approval and confirmation email will send a link to this training. This is a mandatory requirement to attend Instructor Training. Individuals unable to complete the online coursework before the start of in-person training will forfeit their spot and be asked to attend a future training.

Registration for this event is through 4-H Online. To access the event registration, log in to your 4-H Online family profile and click on the Events tab. You can find an Event Registration “how to” guide on the Maryland 4-H website. Contact Amanda Wahle, ES specialist: awahle@umd.edu for more info.

Information about all state hosted Environmental Science programs can be found on the state webpage: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/program-areas/environmental-sciences

Engineering Camp

The next Maryland State 4-H Engineering Camp will be April 21-23, 2023 at the Harford County 4-H Camp (The Rocks). We are looking for interested Tier 3 background-checked volunteers to help chaperone! Please reach out to Mark DeMorra, mdemorra@umd.edu, for questions and interest.

Volunteers needed for State Fair Engineering Contests

We are looking for interested educators, volunteers, and potential new leadership for our 4-H Engineering Contests at the Maryland State Fair. The current Engineering contests include:

• 4-H Bicycle Safety

• 4-H Small Engine

• 4-H Electricity/Energy

• 4-H Lawn Tractor (Learn to Earn)

• 4-H/FFA Tractor Operator’s Safety (Large Tractor)

Please reach out and/or have interested volunteers contact Mark DeMorra at mdemorra@umd.edu. We want to “resurrect” the state Welding and Computer contests in the Engineering Division too! If you are interested in assisting with these efforts, also contact Mark.

Information about all state hosted STEM programs can be found on the state webpage: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/program-areas/stem.

Dairy Quiz Bowl

The 2023 Maryland 4-H State Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest will be held on Saturday, April 22 at the Carroll County Extension Office. There will be a $5.00 entry fee for each contestant.

4-H members wishing to participate should contact their county/city 4-H office. Official registration for the contest is submitted via the 4-H Online registration system by April 7, 2023 (Registration will open soon). Counties may enter up to a maximum of eight members (comprised of a team of four members and four additional individuals or a team of four members/one alternate and three additional individuals) in each of the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions.

Contest rules are available on the Maryland 4-H Animal Science webpage at: https://extension.umd.edu/4-h/4-h-program-areas/animal-science-resources.

Horsemen's Party

The Maryland 4-H Horsemen’s Party will be going VIRTUAL again for 2023! Mark your calendars and plan to join us virtually on March 18, 2023.

Now in its 35th year, the Maryland Horsemen's Party serves as the primary fundraiser for the Sallie Robertson Memorial 4-H Horse Endowment Fund which supports 4-H equine educational programs, the annual trip for 4-Hers representing Maryland at the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-Up, along with scholarships for 4-H volunteers to attend leadership conferences, equine-related workshops and National 4-H Congress. Several other horse program awards and honors are presented that night as well. More information can be found here: 4-H Horse Program.

2023 Maryland 4-H State Horse Communications Contest

The 2023 Horse Communications Contest will again be held virtually. Registration for the contest will be open from April 3-17th. Members must submit their recorded presentations between those dates.

This contest provides an opportunity for youth enrolled in 4-H to demonstrate their public speaking skills and knowledge of equine-related subject matter in a competitive setting where attitudes of friendliness and fairness prevails. For this contest, members will submit a recording of their speech or demonstration for judges to evaluate. Awards are offered in all 3 age divisions.

Rules: MD 4-H State Horse Communication Contest Rules-2022. More information can be found here: 4-H Horse Program.

Video Recording: There are multiple free platforms to record your presentation: Phone, Video Camera, Zoom (https://zoom.us/ent?zcid=2582), Skype (https://www.skype.com/en/), or other recording programs.

Score Sheets

Horse_Communications-Individual_Presentation_Scoresheet-2021

Horse_Communications-Individual_Public_Speech_Scoresheet-2021

Horse_Communications-Team_Presentation_Scoresheet-2021

Information about all state hosted Animal Science programs can be found on the state webpage: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/program-areas/animal-sciences

Inbound Opportunity - Hosting international youth

Do you know any families wanting to experience the world all in the comfort of their own home? We are seeking families to open their homes and hearts to a Japanese delegate between 12-17 years old and show them the American Culture. We need 13 families to host a Japanese Delegate this summer from mid-July through mid-August. The program is open to any family with a child 9-18 years old. No special trips or accommodations are required; simply let a delegate change you and your children's cultural awareness for the better.

Information about all state hosted International programs can be found on the state webpage: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/program-areas/international-programs. Or contact Carrie Wivell at cwivell@umd.edu.

NOTE: All events, County/State/National, are subject to change due to ongoing health crisis.

*** Be sure to share your club's next event with us so we can help you spread the word! ***

The CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) offers youth scholarships. This year, CMP will continue to award $1,000, $3,000 and $5,000 scholarships for over 90 rising high school seniors. Applicants will compete based on their rifle, pistol and/or shotgun competition history, academic excellence, community service, leadership and potential.

The CMP no longer requires a minimum GPA, though academic performance is still a key component of the selection criteria. In addition, the new automated application replaces paper forms and mailing documents with an online application and the ability to upload documents. CMP will award a total of $200,000 for the 2023-2024 school year.

The deadline to apply for a CMP Scholarship will be March 31, 2023. A link to the online application portal and other scholarship information can be found by visiting https://thecmp.org/youth/cmp-scholarship-program/.

The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees Essay Contest - The Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees is pleased to announce the topic for its 2023 4-H Essay Contest: The Importance of Beeswax.

Although honey bees are much-beloved for honey, bees also produce beeswax that can be used in many ways. For this essay, a 4-H student should discuss why beeswax is so important to the hive (it's a pantry, it's a nursery, it's the dance floor), but also discuss their favorite way to use beeswax outside the hive. Photos of candles, soaps, or lip balms that are made to show the 4-H'er's skill in using beeswax are welcomed as are recipes or brief instructions.

Additional information on eligibility, essay requirements, and deadlines is available on our website here.

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Elyssa Ciresi: 518.694.9793 or preservationofhoneybees.org.

Two (2) $500 scholarships will be awarded to current or former Anne Arundel County 4-H members enrolled at an accredited 2 year or 4 year college or university with the intention to obtain an associate, bachelor’s or graduate degree or enrolled at a post-secondary technical training program for the academic year 2023-2024.

For more information about the AAC All Stars, please check out their page on our website. For more information about this scholarship, please follow this link.

The 4-H Variety Show was held on Sunday, February 26th at the Baldwin Church Education Building in Millersville. What a great afternoon of entertainment! Clubs participating were Trail Blazers, Friendship Outdoor Skills and Kinder Farm Park 4-H Clubs.

The Anne Arundel County 4-H Foundation would like to thank everyone who participated, attended, and supported the show. A special thanks to our judges - Cindi DiBenio, Cris DiBenio, and Patty Seitz.

AAC-UME 4-H Program would also like to thank all of our participants, judges, guests/4-H volunteers, and especially our Anne Arundel County Foundation for their continued support through scholarships and event opportunities for our youth! Results were as follows:

GROUP ACTS:

CHAMPION

Friendship Outdoor Skills 4-H Club

Junior Group - Skit

Title: First Time Camper

Participants (8):

Intermediates - Fiona L and Makayla R

Juniors - Anna W, Flora W, Gavin C and Drew R

Clovers - Samuel H and Sophia R

RESERVE CHAMPION

Kinder Farm Park 4-H Livestock Club

Junior Group - Skit

Title: Farm-wear Fashion Show

Participants (5):

Intermediates - Olive P, Jaydin R, Calla B and Kynzie R

Junior - Kolton R

INDIVIDUAL ACTS:

CHAMPION

AvaLynn J - Trail Blazers 4-H Club

Junior Individual - Song

Title: Oliver M

RESERVE CHAMPION

Keith I - Kinder Farm Park 4-H Livestock Club

Senior Individual - Instrumental

Title: Misty by Erroll Garner

BLUE RIBBON

Maribel G - Trail Blazers 4-H Club

Senior Individual - Song

Title: Like the Dawn

CLOVER INDIVIDUAL ACTS:

PARTICIPATION

Nina J - Trail Blazers 4-H Club

Clover Individual - Song

Title: A Whole New World

The AAC 4-H Foundation Scholarship Program is off to a great start. Elizabeth K, of the Dairy Leasing Club, and Summer M, of the Linthicum 4-H Hi-Riders, gave a presentation to the Foundation about the National Competitions they competed in. Each of them were awarded a $250 scholarship to help defray the cost of their National 4-H trips last November. Michael M was also awarded a $100.00 scholarship to cover costs for his participation in the Maryland 4-H State Council Retreat. UME-AAC would like to congratulate all 3 of them on their scholarships!

For more information about our Anne Arundel County Foundation, how you can participate or scholarships they provide, please check out their information on our webpage.

To learn more about our National Trip Opportunities, please visit our 'Events & Opportunities' webpage.

AAC Public Speaking Workshop was held on March 6th, at the UME-AAC Office. 15 4-H Youth (with 10 adults) reviewed some public speaking basics, contest rules and scoring, and practice their skills in a supportive environment. Youth learned some tips to make their presentation a positive learning experience with real-life applications. Youth were very interactive and engaged! We received such positive feedback and look forward to seeing everyone at the contest on 3/25 (registration closes this Sunday 3/19) .

On February 20th a group of over 130 4-H youth and families from across Maryland gathered in Annapolis for our first ever MD 4-H ACTS. The event provided an opportunity for youth to travel to the state capitol, learn about civics, engage with legislators, and tell their 4-H stories. ACTS also celebrated and inspired youth to be engaged in civics and service. The program included a Morning Assembly with prominent leaders as guest speakers, a scavenger hunt, touring of the State Capitol, and a Showcase where 4-H’ers shared their interests and accomplishments.

Here are some youth responses to “What did you like most (about the event)?”: “Speaking on the senate floor thanks to my senator I met with”, “Getting to present my 4-H project to legislators and asking them to support 4-H and heritage breeds”, and “Our favorite part was meeting with our Delegates and Senator. We gave our prepared speeches and received such warm and positive feedback on our thoughts and concerns.

Interested in Civic Engagement and Leadership opportunities? Please stay tuned for more information on our upcoming Maryland State 4-H Teen Leadership Summit (to be held late June).

*** Share your club experiences, 4-H'er accomplishments, & any events with us so we can include them in the newsletter! ***

Anne Arundel County 4-H programs would not be successful without you, our volunteers. We appreciate all of the time and energy you put into making welcoming and engaging experiences. 4-H strives to make our programs the best they can be for all youth and families. Please take a minute to complete this survey giving us feedback re: the 2022 year. The information provided will be used to help us in planning our 2023 year. Thank you.

Our Anne Arundel County UME Office is hiring a full-time 4-H Program Assistant. This position will be located at our UME office in Gambrills, MD. To learn more about this position and to apply, visit: For more information visit https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/105024

In this part of the newsletter, we'll take a moment to explore careers 4-H supports through experiential learning by engaging youth in hands-on experiences and reflection.

Fear of public speaking ranks among Americans’ top terrors, some surveys say, surpassing fear of flying, terrorism, and often even death itself. So it’s a seriously handy career skill for someone who loves the limelight or the rush of making speeches in front of hundreds or even thousands of people! With our Public Speaking Event coming up in March, we wanted to highlight some careers this particular event may *spark* an interest in:

• Spokesperson - This career provides plenty of time in front of cameras and crowds as a spokesperson or press secretary. Whether working for a politician, an organization or a celebrity, spokespersons make sure public announcements are delivered in the most appropriate fashion possible.

• Professor/teacher - Professors and educators are required to be educated in the subject they teach. They write and produce most of their own material and often work for a tricky audience: your words must engage even the sleepiest college freshman.

• Speech Writer - Speech writers don’t actually give the speeches themselves, but they must know the subtle science of how to rouse an audience, build a speech that can motivate hundreds, and tack on that perfect finishing line.

• News Anchor - Delivers the news to hundreds, thousands or even millions of viewers. In this center-stage job, they’re responsible for accurate, appropriate and concise delivery on every broadcast.Plus, they are expected to keep their cool—and sometimes even improvise—when reporting on breaking news. No pressure, right?

• Politician - From the first campaign speech to the last address on legislation, a politician’s primary goal is connecting with crowds. In fact, public speaking is an essential skill in this role: a good speech can make or break a political career. What’s more, persuasive phrase can be vital for bringing about the change they want to see in the world.

• Religious Leader - As a pastor, priest, minister or any other religious leader, a major part of their work is to inspire those around them through spoken words. During a service, they give rousing speeches, offer inspirational ideas, and read out religious texts for all to hear. While growing others’ spiritual understanding is their primary goal, listening with a compassionate ear and providing solace are also important components of this position.

• Motivational Speaker - Motivational speaker takes the cake as the ultimate crowd-pleasing career. Using voice, energy and charisma, they get up on stage to inspire people to change their lives—whether by finding love, finishing their novel or simply transforming their outlook. In this role, they are the master of working a group so that each and every person feels like they’re speaking directly to them.

• Entertainer - Acting, singing, telling jokes, dancing, even playing an instrument as a professional often requires being in front of an audience. Developing the skills to perform in front of others is often just as important as the entertainer's specific talent.

• Lawyer - While a lawyer's primary job is to give advice to people about the law, there are many types of lawyers that advocate for their clients in court. Understanding the law and creating persuasive arguments are skills that require focused education and certification.

See our "AAC 4-H 2023 Calendar' for more details. Updates will be made as they become available. All newsletters are uploaded to our AAC website.

March

• 3/1 - Online enrollment completion deadline

• 3/6 - Public Speaking workshop

• 3/9-12 - Ignite by 4-H

• 3/18 - Maryland 4-H Horsemen’s Party, 4-H Horse Program

• 3/25 - AAC 4-H Public Speaking Contest

• 3/31 - Civilian Marksmanship Pgm Scholarship Deadline

April

• 4/2 - Rifle Instructor Level 1 Training
• 4/3 - 4/17 - Maryland 4-H State Horse Communications Contest
• 4/21-23 - MD 4-H Engineering Camp
• 4/22 - Dairy Quiz Bowl (register by 4/7)
• 6/1 - All Stars Academic Scholarship Deadline

Future Events

• 11/1 - 4/15 - Sheep Breeders Association Scholarship Application

• 7/23 - 7/28 - AAC 4-H Residential Summer Camp - Save the date!

4-H Inclement Weather Policy: If there is no school, or there is early dismissal in Anne Arundel County due to inclement weather, ALL 4-H events will be cancelled.

4-H Health Policy: MD 4-H activities must comply with local directives for indoor or outdoor gatherings, following AACPS advisories.

Have questions, ideas or news to share? Please Email Joy Sim, jsim1@umd.edu, to be included in our UME - AAC 4-H monthly newsletter.

Programing Questions? email Gretchen Sumbrum, UME - AAC Educator, gsumbrum@umd.edu.

Check out our Facebook page: Anne Arundel County 4-H

Email: GSumbrum@umd.edu
Website: https://extension.umd.edu/locations/anne-arundel-county/4-h-youth-development
Location: 97 Dairy Lane, Gambrills, MD, USA
Phone: 4102223900
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AACO4H