Anne Arundel County 4-H Happenings

August: 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 4: Positive Emotions – a 4-H programming outcome is to assist youth in being optimistic and learn how to manage emotions in ways that lead to good health and well-being of themselves and others. Learning positive ways to express emotions rather than hiding feelings or expressing them in negative ways is part of a positive emotional intelligence. Adults and peers can help youth to name emotions and discuss how to handle them. It is not always an easy task; talking through emotions and being a good listener when others explain their feelings are healthy lifestyle skills.

Strategies/ Activities:

• Using “I Statements” – “I” Statements are a way of expressing how you are feeling from your point of view. They have been shown to reduce hostility and defensiveness (cite) when properly done. Here is a PDF on How and When to Use “I” Statements, youth can practice during club meetings. Additional reading here.
• 3 Ways to Increase Positive Emotions (from KidsHealth) and additional reading/ resources for youth and adults.
• Identify Emotions: Emotional wheels are helpful in identifying feelings. These wheels can be basic or more complex depending on age/maturity. Naming feelings can assist one with identifying causes and working on processing both the feeling(s) and the triggers. (The Emotional Wheel: Purpose, Definition, and Uses; Emotional Wheel for Kids)

As always, please share you Club’s work with us. We are excited to see how the Thrive pieces are incorporated into your planning.

Regards,

Gretchen

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 one through four will be recognized at the Club/County/City level. Youth meeting the requirements of level five and six will be recognized at an appropriate state event.

3. Diamond Clover Level Six Service Project Plan approval is not automatic. A youth must apply for Diamond Clover Level Six Service Project approval using the appropriate plan/report form due at the state level September 30th. DO NOT START PROJECT UNTIL APPROVAL IS RECEIVED FROM STATE 4-H OFFICE. Diamond Clover Level Six Recognition is not automatic. A youth must submit all completed materials for recognition by September 30th to the State 4-H Office the year the project is complete. If appropriate guidelines are not followed, the project will not be recognized. All dates must be clearly adhered to for recognition.

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 by 11/30.

Level 6 Projects:

All new Diamond Clover, Level 6 proposals are due to the UME - AAC 4-H office for 4-H Educator (Gretchen) to review by 9/1/22. After proposal approval, download all documents, fill in all information, then upload them to the Portal below by September 30th.

• Level Six Service Learning Project Proposal Form (Word Version HERE) - This is your planning document and your proposal form.
• DIAMOND CLOVER - LEVEL 6 PROPOSALS PORTAL- Submit proposal documents to this portal only. All documents must be uploaded into the portal to be considered submitted. If you are having problems uploading, please consult our office for assistance.

Animal Husbandry & Quality Assurance (AH&QA) should be done for all Anne Arundel County 4-H youth members enrolled in alpacas, beef, dairy, goats, horse and pony, llamas, poultry, sheep, swine and rabbits. If not complete, youth are not eligible to exhibit their project animals in Maryland County and State 2022 4-H Shows.

Keep track of your livestock projects rate of gain. Monthly checks will assist with updates, waiting until the County Fair check-in may be too late. The fairground's scales will be available on the first Saturdays of each month this summer (except July it will be the 9th). If you would like to check your animal's growth progress please sign up here.

Anne Arundel County Fair is September 14 - 18, 2022

Hopefully you have a box of indoor projects that you are going to enter in the AAC Fair!

The 2022 AAC 4-H Fair Catalog is on our website. All entries must be completed online through 'Martech Blue Ribbon' entry system. The site is open now and close Aug. 27. Access to the system is on the AAC Fair website.

- Please use the 4-H catalog posted on our website for 4-H entries - it differs from the AAC Fair catalog (open entries). Review it carefully for information, details and other 4-H specific contests and events.

- Explore a new Indoor Exhibit area you can enter - learn something new! Don't forget to review their specific entry details.

- NEW Indoor Entry time/dates - indoor entries will be accepted Sat. and Sun. (not on Monday), see the 4-H Fair Catalog for details.

- Youth/families with Livestock projects should review the book for general policies and rules, as well as for specific details for each species. Livestock entry fees are required, they will be deducted from premium checks.

- Fair Entry - Your 4-H membership card is used as your entry pass. They will be distributed to you by club leaders. Reminder - your registration had to be complete by June 1 to receive a card.

- Ice Cream Social, Silent Basket Auction and Cake Auction information is listed in the AAC 4-H Foundation section below ⬇⬇⬇

- Free 4-H Fair T-shirt - Don't forget to order your FREE 4-H County Fair T-Shirt when you register your entries!

AAC Fair Royal Court & Junior Ambassador Court

The Fair is looking for Ambassadors! Youth ages 16 - 19 can apply for the Royal Court, ages 13 - 15 to be Jr. Ambassadors. As a member of the Court you will assist with events during fair week and have opportunities to continue your work throughout the year. Being an Ambassador provides experiences to work on leadership, networking, communication skills, and so much more while promoting all of the aspects of the AAC Fair. For additional details click the links above. You do not need to be a 4-H'er, pass it on to your friends.

The AAC Fair is so excited to be hosting the 70th Anniversary of our fair this year. As you know the fair is run by all volunteers. They need our help to make the fair the best it can be for this special anniversary. They have identified a list of things that need to be done prior to fair. Please click on this link to see the list and hopefully sign up for something you can help with. There's a big list and a couple of workdays to choose from. If you have any questions or need to coordinate materials needed for your project, please email our Fair week manager Sharon Gertz who will be coordinating the workdays. sgaafair@aol.com.

Also: Sat. Sept. 10th is a Fair clean up day from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.; you can bring your 4-H non-food entries with you! Additional clean up details to come.

AAC 4-H Cookout

Our annual county-wide 4-H Cookout will be held at Kinder Farm Park in Millersville at 6pm at the River Birch Pavilion on Friday, August 12th with a rain date of Friday, August 19th.

The 4-H Foundation will provide all the meats (hamburgers, hotdogs, vegan/veggie burgers), rolls, condiments, paper products, water and a limited variety of sodas. They request each family bring a side dish, salad, or dessert/snack to share, as well as other drinks of your choice. If you have any questions, contact Mary Thomas at hackty@aol.com. Please RSVP with the number attending and the dish that you are bringing to: https://forms.gle/isjE6S27oC3uhBYB7

Cake Auction at the Fair

AAC 4-H Foundation, Inc. invites YOU to participate in this Annual Event! 4-H CAKE AUCTION Sunday, September 18, 2022 at the Anne Arundel County Fair. Entries accepted from 4-H Members, Parents and Volunteers ~ Please consider baking a cake for the Cake Auction or come and bid on one! All proceeds benefit the 4-H Program in Anne Arundel County. Cakes can be dropped off Saturday from 12 - 8pm at the information booth or Sunday 9 - 10:30am in the 4-H department. Judging begins at 10:30am on Sunday. Live Auction at 12:45pm on the point stage. More information is available in the AAC 4-H Fair Catalog.

Ice Cream Social at the Fair

🍦 I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! 4-H Members, volunteers and their families are invited to join us under the dinner tent by the barns for FREE Ice Cream (with all the toppings) Friday, September 16th! Please show your 4-H membership card for admittance to this 10th Annual event hosted by our amazing AAC 4-H Foundation! 😋

Themed Basket Silent Auction at the Fair

The AAC 4-H Foundation team is asking for your support. A silent auction will take place at the County Fair to raise funds to support the impact of 4-H through the creation of various scholarships, awards, activities and events. All 4-H clubs are asked to donate a themed basket for the auction. Please encourage fair attendees to stop by the 4-H section in the indoor exhibit building and consider bidding on one of the many creatively themed baskets. We look forward to seeing you at the Fair! Ideas-->

4-H Foundation Meetings

The Anne Arundel County 4-H Foundation meets the third Wednesday of the month at the County Fair Office at 7 p.m. We encourage all 4-H clubs to send a representative to our meetings so we can better serve the County 4-H program. For further information visit our Foundation Page on our website, contact Joan Mauritzen at jm0037@prattlibrary.org.

Maryland State Fair is changing their schedule in 2022; it will be held over three weekends and some weekdays between August 25 and September 11, 2022. See the website for more details. The entry deadline for the 2022 Maryland State Fair 4-H Division was July 31st; we hope to see many AAC entries!

Clover Entries

The State Fair now has a Clover Department for Indoor Entries! Clovers (ages 5 - 7) can enter a Project Box. Boxes are about the size of a shoe box and can contain various items such as: crafts, sewing, natural resources, and much more. Entries closed July 31. Drop off of entries is Tuesday, August 23 from 2 - 8 p.m. Please bring your Clover along to drop off, State Council members will accept the box, discus the projects with Clovers, and give them feedback. Additional details on Clover entries (Section 16 - "4-H Clovers Exhibit"). Details on General Rules, Regulations, Drop off/ Pick up; All 4-H/FFA Exhibitor Info. Questions, contact Gretchen Sumbrum @ gsumbrum@umd.edu.

STEM Contests

The 4-H Robotics and Engineering (Large Tractor, Electricity/Energy, Small Engine, Bicycle Safety, Lawn Tractor) contests at the Maryland State Fair will open in July for youth to register for in 4-H Online and close in August. The dates/times/locations are:

• Large Tractor: Thursday August 25, 12pm, Racetrack Infield
  
• Robotics (Lego & REC): Sunday August 28: 9am, Back Lower Level of Grandstand
• Bicycle Safety: Saturday Sept 10: 10am, North End Cow Palace
• Lawn Tractor: Saturday Sept 10: 1pm, North End Cow Palace
  
• Small Engine: Saturday Sept 10, 4pm, North End Cow Palace
• Electricity/Energy: Saturday Sept 10, 5pm, North End Cow Palace

Maryland 4-H Equine Showmanship and Equitation Standards Requirement Reminder

Youth must pass both the 'Handling/Riding' and the 'Knowledge' exams for the required Tier in order to show at the 2022 Maryland State Fair. Please see the Animal Science, Horse Program webpage for more info: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/program-areas/animal-sciences/4-h-horse-program

The Maryland State Fair is seeking youth, ages 14-18, to work at the Maryland State Fair in the following buildings/exhibits: 4-H/FFA Home Arts Building, U-Learn Barn, and U-Learn Farm.

Available positions include:

• 4-H/FFA Home Arts Building: This is the main 4-H/FFA Exhibit Hall where non-animal exhibits are on display for the public to view. Youth workers will assist with the receipt, placement, care and release of exhibits, and general upkeep of the building. There will be extensive interaction with the public, youth workers will be required to advocate for 4-H/FFA and lead youth activity stations.

• U-Learn Barn: This educational exhibit will connect animals and agriculture to food & fiber consumers can purchase at the grocery store. Youth workers will assist with the care and feeding of the animals on exhibit as well as the general upkeep of the facility. There will be extensive interaction with the public and animals, youth workers will be required to advocate for 4-H/FFA and agriculture and lead youth activity stations.

• U-Learn Farm: This is an educational space where the public can learn about and explore agriculture in Maryland. Youth workers will assist with the activity stations, and general upkeep of the facility. There will be extensive interaction with the public, youth workers will be required to advocate for 4-H/FFA and agriculture and lead youth activity stations.

The Job Description, Reference Form and link to the Qualtrics Application Form can be found at the bottom of the Maryland 4-H/Get Involved/Maryland State Fair page of the 4-H website at: https://extension.umd.edu/programs/4-h-youth-development/get-involved/maryland-state-fair. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contact Chris Anderson, canders2@umd.edu; Jamie Morris, jkenton@umd.edu; or Kevin Huang, khuang14@umd.edu if you have questions about State Fair Entries or Youth Worker Positions.

The following are the dates for the 2022 Maryland State 4-H Shooting Sports contests. Registration for these events will take place in 4-H Online, and will open within the next few weeks:

Rifle - September 17, 2022

Archery - September 24, 2022

Shotgun - October 22, 2022

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! ***

Some feedback from the event:

Kynzie and Jaidyn R (Kinder Club members pictured) attended the Southern Maryland Invitational Livestock Expo June 24-26. They had a lot of fun and it was a great learning opportunity. It gave them more experience and knowledge on showing their dairy goats. (author: Jaidyn)

We attended the SMILE show. Both girls showed and absolutely loved it!! Maci showed her goat and also showed her steer for the first time ever. It was quite the learning experience I’m so glad we did it. Sadie showed her two goats and her rabbit. We are so glad they brought that show back. It was exhausting but definitely worth it!! (author: a proud mom; Maci & Sadie are members of Harwood)

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

Leaders, just a reminder Club/Unit Annual Documents are due By October 1st. Yet they can be sent now 😀

Please click the links below for more information:

• Annual Financial Summary Report Form
• Annual Property Inventory Form
• 990
  • Guide to 990N

MANY HANDS MAKES LIGHT WORK!

On Monday, September 12th, 2022, Anne Arundel County 4-H Youth Development needs adults (minimum 1 hour) to assist in judging youth 4-H projects at the Anne Arundel County Fair. Bring only yourself, instructions & materials will be given to you when you arrive. You do NOT need to be a 4-H volunteer, all are welcome.

We are also looking for volunteers to help with 4-H project indoor entry set-up on Tues, September 13th. Again, a simple 1 hour commitment can make a huge difference!

***For additional details and/or to rsvp for a time on either day, please contact Joy Sim at jsim@umd.edu.

Have your children aged out of 4-H but you would like to continue in supporting our quality programming? Interested in awards and scholarships for academics or camping? Perhaps you would just like information about how our county 'All Stars' and 'Foundation' supports positive youth development. Please take a moment to check out our newly updated '4-H All Stars and Foundation' webpage. We are SO grateful for all the work these organizations do for the youth in our county.

Please let us know if you have information you would like to see on our webpage or if you encounter incorrect/old information. We strive to update our pages as much as possible but there is always room for improvement!

In this part of the newsletter, we'll take a moment to discuss the basics of 4-H, how the University of Maryland Extension (UME) is structured, how 4-H fits into the UME, resources available to you at your UME county office, etc...

Taken from the 2021 Maryland 4-H Youth Development 2021 Annual Report. Dr. Nia Imani Fields, University of Maryland Extension Assistant Director and Maryland 4-H Program Leader, writes:

"4-H is one of the most powerful youth development programs in the world. 4-H has the ability to connect youth from all corners of a county, state, country, and the globe. Our program opens doors for young people to experience new things, meet new people, forge relationships with caring adults, and have perhaps their first exposure to colleges and careers. For many, 4-H is the first class of a land grant university. The 4-H Thriving Model illustrates the process of positive youth development in 4-H programs by connecting high quality program settings to the promotion of youth thriving. Youth who experience high quality 4-H programs, are more likely to achieve positive youth development outcomes including, academic motivation and success, social competence, high personal standards, connection with others, personal responsibility, and contribution to others through leadership and civic engagement. Youth who achieve positive developmental outcomes are more likely to also achieve long-term outcomes marked by vocational or academic success, civic engagement, employability and economic stability and happiness and well being culture for generations to come. The world needs the heads, hearts, hands, and health of our youth. As your Maryland 4-H program leader, here is my promise to you. We will continue to invest in the power of our young people, no matter their location, race, ethnicity, gender, or individual identity by highlighting and cultivating their valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around us. This will be true in all communities across our state so that together we respond to the needs and circumstances of all Maryland communities. We will celebrate the longstanding richness of our programs and people while opening doors to those who have not had the same opportunity. Maryland 4-H will continue to provide a supportive and inclusive program for all youth to reach their fullest potential and dream big! We look forward to an exciting future for Maryland 4-H, with renewed purpose and promise for all families who look to participate in a positive youth development experience. This is 4-H. "

Please follow this link to our website - click on the calendar icon for 2022 Calendar details. Updates will be made as they become available to us. All newsletters are now uploaded to our AAC website.

• 8/7 - AAC Fairground Clean-up: Volunteer
• 8/12 - AAC Foundation County-wide 4-H Cookout and Awards, KFP 6-8pm

• 8/14 - AAC Fairground Clean-up: Volunteer

• 8/25 - 9/11 - Maryland State Fair

• 9/1 - Diamond Clover (Level 6 Proposal) due to 4-H Educator for review

• 9/10 - Fairground Clean Up Day (more info to come)

• 9/14-18 - Anne Arundel County Fair (Entries made on the AACF website 7/15 - 8/27)

• 9/14 - AACF Royal and Junior Ambassador Court Contest
• 9/16 - AACF Ice Cream social

• 9/17 - Maryland State Rifle Contest (more info to come)

• 9/18 - AACF Cake Auction

• 9/24 - Maryland State Archery Contest ( more info to come)

• 9/30 - Diamond Clover (Level 6 Proposal) portal submission deadline (after 4-H Educator approval)

• 10/1 - Club/Unit Annual Documents

• 10/22 - Maryland State Shotgun Contest (more info to come)

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 Covid Policy: MD 4-H activities must comply with local directives for indoor or outdoor gatherings. If AACPS transitions to virtual learning, we are required to transition ALL indoor 4-H activities to virtual format (including 4-H Meetings). Outdoor activities are still permitted in alignment with local government requirements for masking, physical distance and capacity sizes.

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