Hello 4-H Families
October: Thriving Youth through Positive Youth Development (PYD)
Youth programs that are intentionally planned and implemented with a rich developmental context enable youth to thrive (Arnold & Gagnon, 2019). From January – April we touched on the developmental context, the “Soil”, of all 4-H programming: Spark, Relationships, Belonging, and Engagement. If we incorporate them, youth will thrive. 4-H focuses on seven indicators of thriving youth. From May through November, we’ll discover each indicator. After an overview of each, we would love for youth and volunteers to share how they utilized/ participated in an action to help youth prosper.
Indicator 6: Hopeful Purpose – youth have a sense of their purpose in life with a hopeful future. Having a hopeful purpose correlates to positive self-regulation skills – youth that feel they have a purpose are often motivated to focus on future goals and realistic pathways to get there. (cite)
Strategies/ Activities:
· Sparks – sparks are areas of interest; project clubs are formed based on youth sparks. During club meetings, facilitators can demonstrate how a spark connects to different areas of one’s life. Club meetings are also places to introduce new activities to allow for sampling and recognition of a new spark(s).
· Career Interests – highlight careers that align with sparks. Bring in guest speakers, visit sites/organizations, and/or have youth give presentations on a career of interest; this practices public speaking skills, too. Interests can be hobbies and they can lead to careers that one enjoys.
· Develop a “Sense of Agency” – this is the capacity and propensity to take purposeful initiative; finding motivation and eliminating negative thoughts, self-care techniques. Challenge your youth to use this “Healthy Habits, Healthy You” kit designed by our own MD State Council!
When having conversations try to focus on the positive aspects, be thankful for what is present as opposed to pointing out deficiencies. Challenge youth to find the bright side of an issue and/or help them find positive solutions. Keeping a hopeful mindset is a habit to be practiced; positive feeling/thoughts lead to positive actions. Share your examples of Hopeful Purpose with us.
Regards,
Gretchen
Senior Portfolios for National Leadership Trip opportunities
The Maryland 4-H Program is proud to offer senior 4-H members the opportunity to participate in Leadership Trips at the National Level. All enrolled and dues paying club members ages 14-18 (as of January 1st the year the trip takes place) from all counties are eligible to submit an application and portfolio packet for any of the following national leadership trips. To be considered for a Leadership Trip, a 4-H member must complete a portfolio package which includes:
Leadership Trip Application
4-H Resume (Example)
Essay: The 2023 Senior Essay Prompt is "Describe the benefit of participating in 4-H to an elected official and why they should support the 4-H Program." (Example)
On the webpage you will also find these links:
Senior Portfolio Process Informational flyer
How to Apply for a Leadership Opportunity Help Guide
Links to helpful resources:
- Overview of Portfolio Process
- Jazzing up your Resume
- Interview Etiquette
- Preparing 4-H'ers for Interview Success
More information can be found on the state webpage: https://go.umd.edu/nationalleadership, scroll to the National 4-H Leadership Opportunities.
Due Date: January 15 - Portfolios must be submitted to 4-H Online for any of the 5 the National Leadership Opportunities: National 4-H Conference, National 4-H Congress, Camp Miniwanca, Virginia 4-H Congress, and West Virginia Older 4-H Members Conference.
*** Please note that portfolios must be submitted to Gretchen Sumbrum for county approval at our county office by Dec. 1st. Once approved, the portfolio must be submitted to 4-H Online by 1/15/23. NOTE: It is very important that seniors understand they must be enrolled in 4-H for the 2023 year prior to submitting (if submitting sometime 1/1/23 - 1/15/23) AND that 4-H Online is often shut down from mid-Dec to mid-Jan. Seniors are strongly urged to take advantage of the November - mid December portal entry date to avoid missing the January 15th deadline.
4-H Turkey Shoot
The annual 4-H Turkey Shoot is scheduled to occur on Saturday, Nov 5, 2022, 9am at the Meyer Station Nature Center (note the event has moved up one week) This is a free event for all ages, 4-H and non4-H, youth and adult, with special activities available for youth aged 5-7. Contestants may choose archery or riflery and you shoot at paper targets. You may bring but do not need your own equipment. (see flyer). Breakfast and Lunch refreshments will be available for sale. The Anne Arundel County 4-H Foundation sponsors cash prizes to top scoring contestants. No RSVP required. Reach out to friendshipoutdoorskills4h@gmail.com for more information.
State Council - Join us
State Council is a statewide youth leadership organization open to all 4-H members ages 13- 18 as of January 1 of the current year. Comprised of youth officers, general members and 4-H faculty/staff advisors, the State Council is designed to offer youth a premiere leadership opportunity where they can represent their local 4-H program, network and learn with peers from across the state, and support/ promote 4-H and 4-H events. General membership applications are accepted from September 15 - November 15 each year. Applicants are notified by December 15th. The State Council program year begins January 1 and is launched with a retreat to prepare members for their roles and create their plan of work. More information can be found on the state Youth and Adult Leadership page (linked).
Interested Seniors are welcome to attend the State Council Virtual Open Houses on Oct 20th and Nov 2nd from 7-8pm.
Diamond Clover Awards
Diamond Clover Awards are designed to encourage 4-H members ages 8 to 18 to engage in a variety of projects and activities that will enable them to acquire the skills necessary to lead successful lives as competent, caring and contributing members of society.
Things to Keep in Mind:
1. The Diamond Clover (DC) Award is designed for younger youth to begin at Level One and progress through six levels, one level per year, acquiring valuable life skills as he/she advances. Youth who are older when joining 4-H, may begin at a higher level (one through four) if mutually agreeable to the participant and the club/group leader with the permission of the 4-H Educator. It is recommended that 4-H members have completed one year in the 4-H program before starting the DC program.
2. Youth meeting the requirements of Levels 1-4 will be recognized at the Club/County level. Youth meeting the requirements of Levels 5 & 6 will be recognized at an appropriate state event.
3. Diamond Clover, Level 6 Proposals (new projects) and Project Reports (completed projects) were due to the UME - AAC 4-H office for the 4-H Educator (Gretchen) by 9/15/22. All documents were to be uploaded to the Portal below by September 30th.
For all Diamond Clover Forms and additional information click here. Club Leaders are asked to send a list of Level 1-4 completed forms AND Level 5 proposals to UME-AAC (gsumbrum@umd.edu) by 11/30.
Extension Open House and Harvest Party
Our University of Maryland Extension Family Fall Harvest Festival will be Oct 14, 2022, from 1-5pm at our UME-AAC office (97 Dairy Lane). We will be giving away Free Pumpkins, Indian Corn and Popping Corn from our on site Urban Farming Research Clinic. Other activities onsite include contributions from our 4-H area, Master Gardeners, SNAP-Ed, and Family/Consumer Science areas. To register to attend this fun-filled family event, register here.
Environmental Science - Shooting Sports
Contest Details:
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2022
Start Time: 7:30 am
Location: Prince George's County Trap and Skeet Center, 10400 Good Luck Road, Glenn Dale, MD
Registration dates: September 6 – October 7, 2022 via 4-H Online
Eligibility:
4-H youth members must:
Have enrolled in Maryland 4-H before September 1, 2022
Be enrolled in the Shooting Sports Shotgun or Shooting Sports General project
Be recommended by their 4-H Shooting Sports Shotgun Instructor as proficient enough to safely participate in the contest.
Adult Coaches must be enrolled UME 4-H Volunteers who are currently certified as 4-H Shooting Sports Shotgun Instructors.
Complete contest information and rules are attached, and can be found on the Maryland 4-H website.
How to Register:
Registration for this event is through the 4-H Online State 4-H Shotgun Match event. To access the registration:
Log in to your 4-H Online family profile.
Click on the Events tab on the left sidebar menu.
Click the blue Register button under the event graphic and follow the registration steps.
You can find a step-by-step 4-H Online Event Registration help guide on the Maryland 4-H website. You can also contact your local 4-H office if you have questions or need assistance with event registration.
All event registrations must be submitted by 11:59 pm on October 7, 2022. Contact your local 4-H office or visit the Maryland 4-H website for more information.
STEM - Upcoming Opportunities
4-H Stem Challenge Workshop "Explorers of the Deep"
Welcome to the 2022 4-H STEM Challenge! Explorers of the Deep, focuses on the mysteries and adventures of ocean exploration—with robots! We will use science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to explore Earth’s Ocean and how it relates to all life on the planet—and focus on how the ocean impacts you and how you impact the ocean. Please click the flyer image above for more information/contact.
Cost :In person ($5.00) . Only 30 seats available - filling up fast!
Date & Time: Oct 9, 2022, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Registration Deadline: Sat, Oct 8
Location: MoCo Fairgrounds/Agricultural Center
Register: here
Upcoming NASA - Goddard Programs
The Goddard Visitor Center team is excited to share information and programs for students, groups and families this Fall! The visitor center will be open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Activities will continue throughout the Fall, including the return of the in-person Sunday Experiment on the third Sunday of each month from 1 to 3 p.m. For more information and to receive program email updates, e-mail: goddard-visitor-center-programs@lists.nasa.gov.
Events coming up include 3 virtual field trips. The first two events below have three parts: a series of short videos, a live interactive presentation with a Q&A session, and optional self-guided activities using common supplies on hand at home or at educational program locations. The third event is lecture-style with a Q&A session, as well as additional self-guided resources. These interactive presentations are taught live by a NASA education specialist and 45 minutes in length. Custom programs may be offered based on availability.
● Living and Working in Space, Kindergarten – 4th Grade
People are living and working in space right now! Participants will discover many of the different ways that scientists, engineers and astronauts have developed to help humans live in space. They will also learn about the parts of an astronaut’s spacesuit and then look at actual food items sent to the International Space Station.
● How to Build a Satellite, 5th – 8th Grade
Building a satellite takes many steps, requires help from a team, and needs creativity and innovation to make things work. Participants will explore the engineering design process and how scientists and engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center use it to solve problems. They will also talk about components of a satellite with demonstrations focusing on infrared light.
● Goddard Overview, 9th Grade – Adult
With facilities in Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, New York and West Virginia, Goddard is a place where a mission can go from start to finish — from planning to building to testing and even launching. Goddard is also involved in nearly every NASA science mission involving Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics (the study of the Sun and our local space environment), and astrophysics. Participants will receive an overview presentation focused on current missions. This program is lecture-style with a question-and-answer session and additional self-guided resources.
In-person group programs and facility tours are available Tuesday through Friday with prior reservation. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/visitgoddard. To schedule a virtual field trip or in-person program, contact Brian Ash at GSFC-VisitorCenter@mail.nasa.gov. For more information/questions within 4-H, please contact our State Stem Specialist Mark DeMorra, (mdemorra@umd.edu.
2022 Maryland STEM Festival: October & November
The Maryland STEM Festival is a month-long celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics that takes place every Fall across the state. Hundreds of events focused on fun, interactive STEM learning opportunities will occur in October and November 2022. Students, families, friends, STEM professionals, teachers, and volunteers will enjoy events led by partners in STEM education and industry. Information about the Festival and how to get involved can be found at: https://marylandstemfestival.org/ . For more information/questions, please contact Mark DeMorra, mdemorra@umd.edu.
Theme: Cybersecurity and Information Technology.
https://marylandstemfestival.org/events/submitevents
2022 STEM Festival Art Contest: https://marylandstemfestival.org/art-contest/art-contest-2022
Animal Science - Upcoming Opportunities
2022 Maryland 4-H State Animal Science Project Award (for seniors)
The Maryland 4-H Animal Science Project and Record Awards Program will be offered in 2022 to recognize 4-H members in the Animal Science Program for outstanding achievements in their project work. The awards program will provide recognition to 4-H members who demonstrate 1) distinguished levels of engagement in the Maryland 4-H Animal Science Program projects and related activities and 2) excellence in project record keeping activities. Application Portal is open on 4-H Oniline October 1st - October 31st. There are 13 project categories (see webpage) and awards will be presented at the Maryland 4-H Awards Gala.
- Maryland 4-H Animal Science Records State Award Program Guide -To submit login into Maryland 4-H Online, under the events tab search for "State 4-H Animal Science Record Book Contest" to upload your 3 forms. The portal will open about October 1st and will close on October 31st.
- Maryland 4-H Animal Science Record Awards - Submission Helpsheet
- Maryland 4-H Animal Science Records State Award Program Essay Scoresheet
2022 Dog Bowl
About Dog Bowl: In 4-H Dog Bowl, two teams of three to four players face off in front of a panel of judges and a moderator who asks questions during the matches. Each match consists of One-on-One questions which are limited to one player from each team to answer, and Open questions which may be answered by all players of each team. Players must be quick on the buzzer to earn the chance to answer the questions. Correct answers score points for the team. 4-H members who are interested should contact their county office right away as many teams have already begun holding practices to prepare for the upcoming contest.
Here are a few general highlights for the 2022 4-H Dog Bowl Contest:
1. Contest Date: Sunday, December 4, 2022, 12:00pm.
2. Format and Location: Held in-person at the UMD Animal Science Building at College Park.
3. Registration: Registration will open next week in 4-H Online and will close November 15, 2022.
4. Team Questions: Questions will be due November 21, 2022 to Ashley.
5. Contest Resources: The contest resource list will remain unchanged from the 2021 contest, with the exception of the updated AKC Dog Breeds list (See the General Rules for complete information).
This information is also posted on the Maryland 4-H website at: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/program-areas/animal-sciences.
Please contact Ashley Travis at ashley90@umd.edu or Chris Anderson at canders2@umd.edu if you have questions.
State 4-H Volunteer Award Nominations
The Maryland 4-H Volunteer Awards are designed to recognize Certified UME 4-H Volunteers for their dedication, hard work, and support of the Maryland 4-H Youth Development Program. A few awards are designed to recognize non-4-H individuals or groups for their support of the 4-H Program, including the Friend of 4-H Award and the Partner in 4-H Award.
The nomination requirements are different for each of the 12 awards, focusing on either a specific quality or form of support rather than just a volunteer’s years of service. All Certified UME 4-H Volunteers may nominate a candidate and all are eligible for nomination. Please visit the state website for more details. This flyer articulates information about the specific Awards. Nominations accepted through Nov. 1st.
National 4-H Week 10/2 - 10/8
Our Fall National 4-H Week is coming up in October!
Looking for ways to celebrate 4-H? Check out these cool tips to keep 4-H Thriving: https://4-h.org/about/blog/10-ways-to-celebrate-national-4-h-week/
Fall 2022 Tractor Supply Company Paper Clover Campaign, 10/5 - 10/16
Since 2010, Tractor Supply has partnered with 4‑H to help create Opportunity4All and raise more than $14 million through the Paper Clover campaign. The success of these campaigns has impacted over 81,500 youth by providing them with the tools and resources they need to move forward and reach their full potential. 100 percent of funds raised through the bi-annual Paper Clover campaign directly benefits 4‑H youth. 90 percent of donations directly support 4‑H youth in the state where the funds were raised, and the remaining 10 percent supports the overall mission and growth of 4‑H nationally. Funds from the two 2022 Campaigns are to be used for camp scholarships or 4-H leadership activities/programs. Stop by your local Tractor Supply Co to purchase your own 'Paper Clover' anytime 10/5-10/16!
Learn more about 4‑H’s partnership with Tractor Supply at TRACTORSUPPLY.COM/4‑H. Be sure to follow https://www.facebook.com/4-h and https://www.instagram.com/national4h/?hl=en.
From the Anne Arundel County All Stars
Newly Inducted 4-H All Stars
Four new members from Anne Arundel County were inducted into the Maryland 4-H All Stars during a ceremony held at the 4-H All Stars Annual Conference on June 18th at the Howard County Fairgrounds. Anne Arundel County would like to Congratulate Delia Fishburne, Marina Karides, Deana Tice and Olivia Velthuis on this achievement.
The 4-H All Stars is an honor/service organization created to recognize those 4-H members, volunteers, and associates who have demonstrated outstanding service, character, and leadership. Membership is the highest recognition that a 4-H member or volunteer can achieve. Members are selected through a nomination process each year and must be nominated by their county 4-H All Stars. The 4-H All Stars’ goal is to contribute to positive youth development through service to the 4-H program of which they are a part of. For more information about the AAC All Stars, please see their page on the AAC 4-H website.
4-H Camp Scholarship Recipients
The 4-H All Stars of Anne Arundel County recently awarded five (5) $100.00 4-H camp scholarships to 2 teen staff and 3 first year campers who attended the 2022 Anne Arundel County 4-H Camp at the end of July. The distribution of scholarships depended on the number/categories of applications received. In order to apply for the scholarship, teen staff/first year campers must have completed the scholarship application form and submitted it, along with an essay, to the email address listed on the application form by early September. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Thomas, 4-H All Stars Camp Scholarship Committee, at 4hallstarsofaaco.campsch@gmail. The 4-H Camp scholarship recipients are:
- Teen Staff: Ava A. and Joelie G.
- First Time Campers: Jenna C., Seth H. and Richard S.
Club Annual Document Submission Reminder - DUE NOW
Club/Unit Leaders, just a reminder Club/Unit Annual Documents are due By October 1st but can be sent in anytime they are completed. Please reference this guide for submitting 990N: Guide to 990N. Remember to use the forms below, as we are required to upload these specific documents:
University of Maryland Extension - Anne Arundel County 4-H
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.
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
