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Welcome!
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Welcome to our first ever Michigan 4-H Youth Mentoring newsletter designed just for mentors, 4-H Mentors on the Move. We hope to share information, opportunities, and activity  ideas that will be useful to you and your mentee. Program staff- please forward this to your mentors and encourage them to subscribe if they would like to continue to receive the newsletter. If there is a subject you would like to see discussed in this newsletter, we would be happy to hear from you. We would also love to include your stories and ideas! Please consider sharing your favorite activities or ideas with us for use in future newsletters by clicking here. |
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Capture the end of the summer with these outdoor match meeting ideas!
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As summer time begins to wind down, consider exploring the outdoors with your mentee while the weather is still enjoyable and they are out of school. Fishing and archery were both extremely popular workshops during this year's 4-H Mentoring Weekend. If you are interested in either of these activities, continue reading to find out more, including locations and permit policies necessary to explore both of these exciting outdoor sports! If you've never tried these activities, check out this great video to see mentors and mentees participating in an archery workshop at 4-H Mentoring Weekend - it will definitely make you want to give it a go! |
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Consider going fishing with your mentee! |
From rivers and streams to the Great Lakes, there are many places to go fishing in Michigan. Youth under the age of 17 may fish without a license, but all teens and adults 17 and older must have a fishing license. Information about licensing, license cost, and fishing seasons and regulation can be found at the Michigan DNR website. Don't need a full season fishing license? The State of Michigan now offers both 24 hour and 72 hour licenses for individuals who do not need a full year's license. Licenses can be purchased in person from a license agent or online.  Andy Wallace, one of the facilitators at Mentoring Weekend's fishing workshop, recommends contacting the local DNR office to ask for locations to fish, such as public piers or docks. He also recommends asking people at local bait and tackle stores where they recommend fishing. Wallace also emphasizes safety while fishing, "My motto is never fight yourself with your pole and line. ALWAYS allow yourself enough slack line so that your pole is not bent when you are doing anything with the hook!" Of course, Andy would love to hear from anyone who finds a good spot where the fish are really biting! |
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Take a Shot at Archery!
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While there are not as  many archery ranges as there are streams to fish in, there are archery ranges in many counties in Michigan that can provide opportunities to practice. The DNR compiles a list of shooting ranges throughout the state. While not every range is public, many are or permit public access. For more information on shooting ranges in your area, check out the DNR's map of shooting ranges. Call ahead to the ranges in your area to inquire about fees, equipment, and hours. If you know someone age 9-19 who might be interested in being a part of the 4-H Shooting Sports program, which includes archery, check out the program's website to learn more about how to get involved., or contact Dale Elshoff at elshoff@anr.msu.edu. |
4-H Mentoring Weekend Recap
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During the weekend of July 16th to the 18th, 20 mentoring matches and a team of volunteer staff members came together for this year's 4-H Mentoring Weekend. The group of 55 total spent 3 days and 2 nights at Kettunen Center, exploring the grounds and new positive leisure activities, all while strengthening their mentoring relationship during their time spent at the event. Check out this fun video to see a recap of 4-H Mentoring Weekend!  Participants were able to experience first-hand some of the new activities being featured by the 4-H Guided Adventures project, which is focused on engaging mentoring matches in outdoor recreational activities. Workshops from the 4-H Guided Adventures project included fishing, canoeing, kite building, archery, and geocaching. Participants of 4-H Mentoring Weekend were challenged at Kettunen Center's new rock wall climb, The MAX. Other workshops offered included creating crafty containers and explorations in drama and theater. Three hours of the weekend focused on skill building for mentors, utilizing new curriculum from the Michigan 4-H Mentor Training curriculum project, which included discussion about positive and directive feedback, positive youth development, cultural competency issues, and communication across generations. During this time, mentees explored the world of science with a few experiments, and solidified relationships with one another through a series of team building activities.  Even the free time between scheduled workshops was full of different activities for matches to engage in. They spent time working on "Creature Comforts" which was this year's service project, which is benefiting the Capital Area Humane Society in Ingham County. Fleece chew toys were made for dogs in the shelter, and ping pong balls were decorated to function as cat toys. There was a tie dye station for matches to enjoy, a Talent Show on Saturday night for participants and staff alike to demonstrate their hidden talents, and of course, 40 gallons of Jell-O were put to use in a battle to see who could get covered the most, judged by the one and only Julie Chapin! Programs from around the state were represented at the weekend, with matches from the following programs in attendance: Bethany Christian Services Big Brothers Big Sisters Grand Rapids
Big Brothers Big Sister of Monroe
Capital Area Big Brothers Big Sisters
Clinton County 4-H Key Mentoring
Heights of Hope
LEDA
Midland/Isabella DHS
Oscoda County 4-H Peer Mentoring Wayne County 4-H Mentoring Program This event would not have been possible without the incredible support of 4-H Youth Development, the Lansing Jaycees, and the programs that covered registration fees for their matches. A great big "thank you!" goes out to all of those who dedicated time and energy during the weekend as volunteer staff members. Thanks to those who helped promote the event, got their matches registered to attend, and covered registration fees so matches could attend.  Pictures and video of this year's event can be found on the Michigan 4-H Youth Mentoring Facebook page. Stay tuned on Facebook to hear when planning for next year's event starts! |
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MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing,MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
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