Anne Arundel County 4-H Happenings

As you're planning your summer and thinking about camps, please remember AAC 4-H Summer Camp will be held July 23-28 at the Western Maryland 4-H Center in Garrett County. Youth enjoy a variety of activities and return year after year to experience nature, cozy campfires and comradery. Our camp is also a great introduction to all that 4-H has to offer through our club programming:

• Shooting sports - riflery and archery

• Crafts - beads, paints, craft sticks

• Outdoor cooking

• Natural resources - nature hikes/walks

• Watersports - swim, canoe, SUP

• Stem - aerospace/rocketry

Our 4-H Clubs develop these skills, as well as soft skills, in areas such as leadership, team building, cooperation and personal responsibility. The unique experiences and friendships developed at camp can be reinforced by 4-H club participation throughout the year!

*** For more information about our 4-H clubs, please visit our 'Joining 4-H" webpage: https://extension.umd.edu/locations/anne-arundel-county/4-h-youth-development/participating-4-h/joining-4-h

*** For more information about our 4-H Summer Camp, please check our camp page: https://extension.umd.edu/locations/anne-arundel-county/4-h-youth-development/participating-4-h/4-h-camp.

Regards,

Gretchen and Joy

PS Love the great outdoors? Check out careers in environmental science that 4-H membership supports (highlighted near the bottom of our newsletter).

Our annual Anne Arundel County 4-H Summer Camp registration is now open. The event will be held at our Western Maryland 4-H Center in Garrett County on July 23-28th. The cost for this full week of outdoor fun is $425. Registration forms can be found on the camping webpage. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis until June 29, 2023.

Now that the March 1 target enrollment date has passed, all 4-H Volunteers must have an approved enrollment in 4-H Online before assuming volunteer duties. You can check your enrollment status in 4-H Online, and if you have not yet enrolled for 2023, you can still do so!

Remember there are two steps to the enrollment process, your volunteer enrollment and your volunteer screening. If you have received an email stating that your enrollment or screening is incomplete, please log into 4-H Online to complete it before assuming volunteer duties.

Also this year, we are using a new feature in 4-H Online, Member Profile Notes. This allows 4-H Online Managers to added Public and Private notes to document follow up actions or to send notification of enrollment/screening actions you may need to complete. You can access your Member Profile Notes after logging in and selecting your name from the Member List. An example of a Member Profile Note is below (please note for a “fake” volunteer and does not reflect what is in your Member Profile Notes).

$4 for 4-H

On Monday, April 4th (get it, 4th month, 4th day? 😆) the Maryland 4-H Foundation will launch the $4 for 4-H Annual Giving Day! However, you can donate any time between now and April 4th! BE SURE to designate Anne Arundel County when you make your donation. 50% of all donations go to support our local clubs!! ****Donate Today! https://go.umd.edu/4for4-H

MD State 4-H Shooting Sports Sporting Clays Fun Day

Let’s kick off the shooting sports season with a 4-H Sporting Clays and Archery Fun Day on April 15!

Registration: 9am - 1pm

Location: Schrader's Outdoor, 16090 Oakland Rd, Henderson, MD 21640

Cost of sporting clays: $35

Cost for archery: $10 (will need to bring your own equipment)

Shooting Sports Swag Basket: Participants are entered automatically. Additional tickets can be purchased for $5 each or 3 for $10.00 the day of the event.

Other shooting sports swag will be available for purchase (cash or check) on the day of the event. Please note lunch will not be provided. For more information, please contact Amanda Wahle awahle@umd.edu, or Rebecca Bittner regunder@umd.edu.

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 or contact Amanda Wahle, ES specialist: awahle@umd.edu for more info.

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 4-H Camp, Street Md). One of the greatest weekends in the Spring is the 4-H Engineering Camp! Located at the Harford County 4-H Campgrounds (The Rocks), its purpose is to introduce some of the numerous Engineering projects available through 4-H and to provide hands-on experiences to prepare youth for some of the county, regional, and state contests. In addition to in-depth exploration of Engineering projects, there will be fun challenges that will test youth's ability to use the Engineering Design Process to solve problems and achieve goals. Topics that have been featured include large tractor operation, welding, aerospace, computers, environmental engineering, GPS/GIS mapping, and underwater robotics. The MD 4-H Engineering Camp is for 4-H youth aged 12-18 (4-H age determined by youth's age on January 1 of that year). Youth must be enrolled in Maryland 4-H using the 4-H Online system to participate. There is a cap of 40 youth that can participate. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis determined by the date/time the registration is submitted through 4-H Online.

• Cost: $175/youth
• Registration Link: 4-H Online
• Registration deadline: April 9, 2023
• Cancellation Deadline: April 16, 2023. No refunds will be made after that date.
• The tentative schedule for the camp.

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 or contact Mark DeMorra, STEM Specialist: mdemorra@umd.edu for more info.

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 16, 2023 (date has been extended). 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.

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

*** NEW *** One Health Career Fair

The Healthy Animals | Healthy YOUth team is proud to announce the 2023 One Health Careers Summit for Teens. The Summit will bring together 4-H teens from across Maryland and West Virginia to increase awareness and knowledge of careers in human, animal, and environmental health. Designed for ages 13 and over, the Summit will provide the opportunity for teens to develop the knowledge and skills to address the important role that human, animal, and environmental health have in disease prevention.
Through specially-selected keynote speakers, speaker panels, and workshops, attendees will hear from experts in human, animal, and environmental health. Speakers will offer insights into their career paths and advice on breaking into their respective fields, as well as information about programs and opportunities for teens to begin working toward their careers right now! Volunteer opportunities, camps and related programs will also be highlighted. We hope to see youth from your county at this inaugural event hosted by the 'Maryland & West Virginia Healthy Animals | Healthy YOUth Project Team'.
Date: Saturday, April 15, 2023
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Location: University of Maryland Extension, Washington County

Cost: $10.00
Registration Closes: Sunday, April 2, 2023 or when filled. Registration limited to 25 youth.

Junior Sheep and Goat Skillathon (@ MD Sheep and Wool Festival)

2023 Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon: Held Sunday, May 7th at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. The skillathon is open to any youth between the ages of 8 and 18. Individuals from any county or state may participate. Register by April 26th:

https://www.eventbrite.com/.../junior-sheep-goat...

Find Quizzes to study in preparation! https://www.sheepandgoat.com/online-quizzes

For more information contact Ashley Travis at ashley90@umd.edu.

MD Animal Health Fair and Show Requirements

Dr. Marla Stevens from the Maryland Department of Agriculture has released the 2023 Maryland Animal Health Fair and Show Requirements. Please share with other members and volunteers.

The 2023 requirements are posted on the Maryland Department of Agriculture website on the Animal Health Programs page at https://mda.maryland.gov/AnimalHealth/Pages/default.aspx

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 or contact Chris Anderson, Animal Science Specialist: canders2@umd.edu for more info.

The Eastern Shore Spring Show

ESSS will be held Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Queen Anne's County 4-H Park in Centerville. 4-H/FFA youth from all shore counties plus Anne Arundel and surrounding counties are welcome and encouraged to participate to exhibit their beef, dairy, sheep, swine, meat goat, dairy goats, rabbits, cavies, and dogs.

All entries must be submitted online this year using the links below. Entry fees (checks made payable to ESSS, or cash) must be turned into county extension offices to complete the entry process. Deadline to submit entries online and submit entry fees to county extension offices is April 17th. For more information, please contact Navonne Owen, 4-H Educator Caroline County: nowen@umd.edu.

2023 Eastern Shore Spring Show Entry Form Links:

Dairy: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSDairy

Beef: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSBeef

Sheep: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSSheep

Dairy Goat: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSDairyGoat

Meat Goat: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSMeatGoat

Cavy: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSCavy

Rabbit: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSRabbit

Dog: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSDog

Swine: https://go.umd.edu/ESSSSwine

The Southern Maryland Invitational Livestock Expo

Smile show is fast approaching!! June 23-25, 2023! Make sure all your breed papers are in the participants name. There is a block of rooms available at the Country Inn and Suites in California, MD for $109 a night. Reservations should be made by June 1st. For more information: visit their webpage: https://smadc.com/farmer-resources/smile/

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! ***

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. Application deadline is 6/1/23.

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.

Calling for Scholarship Applicants for the 2023 Maryland State Fair Scholarships in honor of F. Grove Miller and in memory of Marlin K. Hoff. Check out the application details and deadlines at www.marylandstatefair.com/general-info/scholarships

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 and essay requirements, is available on their website here. Please submit essays/applications to Amanda Wahle, awahle@umd.edu. Applications accepted until April 10, 2023.

Scholarship season is in full swing! You do not want to miss out on the MAEF Academic and Seibel Scholarships this year. We love being able to assist students with their education and hope you can take advantage of these opportunities. Use the link below to apply today! https://maefonline.com/home/student-center/scholarships/

Our annual AAC Public Speaking Contest was held Saturday 3/25/23 at the Baldwin Early Learning Center (Baldwin United Methodist Church). 18 incredible contestants competed in 5 categories with 8 qualifying for the State Public Speaking Contest held to be held at Maryland Day on 4/29/23 at the University of MD, College Park. We appreciate all the positive feedback and look forward to next year's event!

Public Speaking helps booster youth communication skills, leadership skills and self esteem preparing today's youth for continued education and career readiness!

A summary from our community service event, by James M. Photo attached by Malakai S:

At the March education meeting, Kinder Farm Park 4-H Club learned about being part of a community and the importance of doing community service. The club worked together to make sandwiches for the Lighthouse Homeless Shelter of Annapolis and donated "unbagged lunches" to feed 130 people. The club also made kindness notes to show support for the people in our community who are going through hard times. We enjoyed working together to make a difference in our community.

Thank you for your submission James! A responsible citizen has a role in making the world a better place to live. We love hearing about how your club used your 'hands for larger service' by giving to others.

Amanda Booze -Coach

Krissy Young - Assistant Coach
Team Members: Gigi Y, Abby B, Sarah N, Maddie S
The team placed 5th and Abby B placed 7th as an individual intermediate. Sarah N reported: " I learned different things about horses and other animals like foxes that I didn’t know before. I think that people should go to these types of events because they are a great experience and really fun."

Way to go Hi-Riders! Using your 'head (for clearer thinking)' and participating in these types of competitions helps you not only learn more about horses but also teamwork, responsibility and cooperation!

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

Anne Arundel County Volunteer Feedback

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.

Maryland 4-H Volunteer and Teen Forum

The Maryland 4-H Volunteer Advisory Committee along with the Volunteerism Subject Matter Committee (4-H Professionals) and the Maryland 4-H State Council have started working on preparations and plans to host a Maryland 4-H Volunteer and Teen Forum this November. This event has been presented as a weekend “conference” event to provide training and networking opportunities to 4-H teens and volunteers in support of youth and adult partnerships. The last time we hosted this event was 2018 and it was held in Ocean City.

We would love the hear your input on this event to help create a positive and engaging experience for all. Feel free to share your thoughts through the following survey link by April 17, 2023. bit.ly/foruminput2023

From the Maryland 4-H Volunteer Advisory Committee

Interested in joining the advisory committee? Sign up through the Advisory Committee survey and come join the conversation! Meetings are held monthly alternating on the 2nd Tuesday and Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm.

• We want to hear from you! We ask you to share your thoughts in this quick Volunteer Experience Survey with a focus this month on communication. Thank you advance and your thoughts can help us provide better communications moving forward!
• Want to share information with other volunteers or with the Maryland 4-H Volunteer Advisory Committee? Submit to the Volunteer Voice.
• Have a volunteer you want to celebrate on social media? Submit a Volunteer Celebration.

Thank you everything you do to “spark” the imagination and passion of youth and support the Maryland 4-H Program!

Upcoming MD 'Volunteer Trainings and Connections' are listed in the document below⤵

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.

It’s Spring! 💐 With warm air around the corner, we begin to focus our activities on the great outdoors. If you gravitate towards warmer weather, you might want to look into these types of Environmental Science careers. From archery to camping, 4-H hosts a plethora of events to *spark* your interest in reveling in the open air:

1. Agricultural scientist: Working closely with farmers and processing facilities will take place during the majority of your workdays. By performing different experiments to improve food processes and quality, you must have to have a firm trust formed with each of your clients. Honesty is important in this career, along with clear communication. Many serious precautions must be taken, but forming healthy and beneficial ways to improve food will pay off for all citizens.

2. Environmental consultant: As an expert, you will offer words of guidance to clients on matters that relate to environmental management concerns. It will be your responsibility to make sure that policies align with environmental laws. With constant updates given to clients, you will show your strong personable skills and build relationships that will earn you both great customer satisfaction, referrals and caring for the environment.

3. Air pollution analyst: With in-depth knowledge about the environment and air pollution, your goal is to create sustainable relationships between humans and nature. As an air pollution analyst, you must keep up to date on ways air pollution is occurring, as well as ways to prevent it.

4. Natural resource manager: There is a lot of work that goes into reducing the amount of harm that is done to our environment. A lot of this work is completed on the account of natural resource managers. Tasks can range from forming sustainability plans to performing hands-on work and officer involvement.

5. Recycling officer: As a recycling officer, you will develop and implement policies and help those who do recycle encourage others to recycle, too. You will organize setups at different events to make people aware of the numerous benefits of recycling. Planning community events and collaborating with other organizations and community leaders will also be part of your duties. Having enthusiasm is important for this role because your positivity and excitement will spark other’s interests.

6. Environmental educator: Making the public aware of environmental concerns and issues will be a part of your job every day. As an environmental educator, you will teach and interpret the natural world. Not only will you have opportunities to teach students, but you will also have the opportunity to train community members and groups involved in environmental organizations.

7. Nature conservation officer: Having a reputation as, “the law enforcement of great outdoors,” nature conservation officers are valued in the workforce in many ways. Aside from managing and protecting wildfire and water resources, you also have to have skills in leadership.

8. Environmental engineer: As an environmental engineer, you often will act as a mentor. Advising the public and policymakers to perform environment-friendly practices will be a constant part of your routine. This job requires a lot of knowledge on environmental safety and understanding what human practices harm the environment and how to minimize concerns.

9. Meteorologist: Understanding the earth’s atmosphere can sound difficult, but as a meteorologist, you will have the opportunity to study weather patterns, climate impacts, and the details of how severe weather might impact our daily lives. Being able to work under pressure is essential in this career because of the severe weather alerts that may occur. Along with a team, you will perform research and measurements of weather to keep people safe.

10. Zoologist: With the drive to gain knowledge, you’ll be sure to enjoy observing animal lifestyles within their habitats. As a zoologist, you’ll complete experiment trials of overseeing animals, while also building a relationship with them from afar. You’ll also play a part in making sure animals are safe in their habitats and find ways to improve the relationship between animals and humans.

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.

April

• 4/2 - Rifle Instructor Level 1 Training
• 4/4 - $4 for 4-H Fundraiser
• 4/15 - State 4-H Shooting Sports Sporting Clays Fun Day
  
• 4/15 - One Health Careers Summit for Teens (see info above)
  
• 4/3 - 4/17 - State 4-H Horse Communications Contest
• 4/21-23 - State 4-H Engineering Camp
• 4/22 - State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl (register by 4/7)

Future Events

• 5/7 - Junior Sheep and Goat Skillathon @ MD Sheep and Wool Festival
• 6/1 - All Stars Academic Scholarship Deadline

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

• 7/23 - 7/28 - AAC 4-H Residential Summer Camp

*** Don’t forget to check out Fair/Show information and Scholarship Info above

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, please email Gretchen Sumbrum, UME - AAC Educator, 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