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Congratulations!
Brianna MacGregor, of Port Huron and a member of the St. Clair County 4-H program, received the President's Volunteer Service Award, which honors Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. This outstanding 13-year-old young woman received the award for volunteering (including peer mentoring) all summer in the Woodrow Wilson 4-H Urban Garden in Port Huron.
 Kristy Oosterhouse was named Michigan's AmeriCorps Member of the Month. Oosterhouse splits her time between the Michigan State University Extension Eaton County Office (where she runs STOMP 4-H Youth Mentoring under the guidance of Jenny O'Neal, Extension educator) and the MSU campus (where her service includes 4-H Mentoring Weekend, the 4-H Guided Adventures curriculum and the 4-H Mentor Training curriculum). Having served as a member with the 4-H Mentor Michigan Initiative AmeriCorps program, Oosterhouse is now in her second year of service with the new Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps.
The Michigan Horse Council (MHC) presented Karen Waite, Michigan State University Extension equine specialist, with the 2011 Catalyst Award at its annual meeting in Lansing. Among Karen's many responsibilities, she oversees the Michigan 4-H equine youth program and the Michigan 4-H PEP (Proud Equestrians Program), a therapeutic horseback riding program for riders with disabilities. The award reflects her impact on the horse industry through education, leadership and innovation.
Entrepreneurship in the News
 In February, Michigan 4-H conducted the first 4-H Entrepreneurship Teen and Adult Volunteer Workshop at Kettunen Center. In attendance were 20 teen and 10 adult participants. Of the counties present 86 percent were new to entrepreneurship education. By the close of the workshop, participants, using the educational teaching model used at the
4-H Exploration Days Business and Entrepreneurship Expo, had formed business teams, worked through the pieces of a business plan, named their business, priced their product and created a marketing plan with a competitive pitch. Evaluation feedback was positive and new business launches are anticipated as a result. The teaching team included: Laura Allen, Kathy Jamieson, Alan Jaros, Sara Keinath and Melissa Payk.
Dave Radloff taught 50 4-H Environmental and Outdoor Education and Plant Sciences workshop participants the Business of Worm Farming. Congratulations to Dave's "WORMCO" worm-farming business club members who used this opportunity to sell worms during the event.
Capitol Experience: Michigan's Government in Action
March saw th e successful 2011 Capitol Experience for participating high-school youth in Lansing. Pictured left is this year's Genesee County Capital Experience delegation. Capitol Experience is a 4-day conference focusing on civic engagement and public policy. Among the program's highlights are time spent with legislators, observation of bill writing about issues important to young people and a Michigan legislature simulation. Plans are already in the works for the 2012 event, to be held March 18 to 21.
Operation Military Kids
Did you know that April was the Month of the Military Child? Or did you know that Michigan has 19,848 children and youth from military families who serve right along with their parents during deployments, relocations and homecomings?
In Michigan, Operation Military Kids (OMK) is an ongoing community support system for families, particularly children of parents in the National Guard and the Army Reserves. It provides an outlet with recreational, educational and social opportunities for military youth, that helps them to deal with their parents being in a risky atmosphere. (See the pictures from some past OMK events.) Many children in Michigan have one and sometimes both parents called into action and they may be gone from 1 to 18 months.
OMK is a 4-H program that joins with the school and community to educate the public about what military children may be experiencing and to increase capacity for youth, families and communities to support youth of military families. OMK's educational programming includes: - Ready, Set, Go! Training: A comprehensive training toolkit designed to educate youth workers, educators, counselors and other community-service agencies about military culture, the deployment cycle, fostering resilience in kids, media influence and building community capacity.
- Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK): A community-service opportunity for OMK State Teams
 to train military and nonmilitary youth to establish Speakers Bureaus to advocate for military-connected youth affected by deployment - Hero Packs: That are filled with fun items to help keep kids connected
- Mobile Tech Lab (MTL): That connects deployed parents to families through greeting cards and related items
- Camps: For military youth and teens, Purple Camps, Yellow Ribbon and others
For more information about this wonderful program, its events or if you would like to volunteer at an event, contact B'Onko Sadler, 4-H military liaison or Kendra Moyses, OMK coordinator. State 4-H Horse Jamboree  On April 16, 275 4-H'ers from across the state participated in the State 4-H Horse Jamboree at the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. The Jamboree included horse judging, hippology and the Horse Quiz Bowl. All three of these activities provide educational opportunities for young people regardless of their learning-style preference. As Karen Waite, MSU Extension equine specialist notes, the activities provide participants with the ". . . chance to develop and improve their science literacy without really knowing that they are learning about science. They just think they are learning about horses!"
Horse judging, involves young people in evaluating 8 classes of 4 horses, placing and answering questions about the horses, and then preparing and delivering sets of oral reasons to defend their placings. In Hippology, young people in the junior division (9- to 13-year-olds) participate in a variety of equine-related activities including a written exam, a slide test and identification stations. Senior members (ages 14 to 19) participate in the same activities, also judge 2 classes, and develop and deliver solutions to a prepared and a spontaneous equine-related problem. Horse Quiz Bowl is an equine game show in which youth test their knowledge about horse care and management in a team format. You Are Invited to Join the 4-H President's Active Lifestyle Award Challenge  President Obama has challenged 1,000,000 Americans to complete the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA). On April 1, 4-H National Headquarters launched its effort (the 4-H President's Active Lifestyle Award Challenge) to have 100,000 4-H youth complete the PALA by September 30, 2011. The PALA recognizes individuals who log their recommended physical activity for 6 consecutive weeks, 5 days a week (60 minutes for youth, 30 minutes minimum for adults). To help 4-H reach its goal, consider joining the national 4-H group (or creating your own 4-H group) and reporting your numbers. For questions or if you want to get more involved, contact Suzanne Le Menestrel or Lindsey Jewell.
Coming Soon In 2009 and 2010, Michigan 4-H held Science Blasts on the MSU campus. Now it's time to bring these fun-filled, educational events closer to home! That's right: Many counties will ho st a Science Blast in May, June or July (including a Science Blast on May 20 in the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden on the MSU campus) or during the week of October 1 to 8. Through hands-on activities and experiments, Science Blasts connect in-school learning with real-world experiences. So, call your county Extension 4-H office and find out when a Science Blast is coming to your area! And be on the lookout for National 4-H Youth Science Day coming in October. Another part of the initiative will support teachers across Michigan with resources, experiments and lesson plans focusing on three science areas: biology (animal and veterinary sciences), plant sciences and environmental sciences (including bioenergy). MSU Extension will provide resource packets to teachers along with training in how to incorporate the resources into their classroom lessons. The materials will align with Michigan Science Education Standards by grade. A Little Farther Down the Road  2011 4-H Exploration Days, Michigan 4-H's premiere precollege event, is coming June 22 to 24. Every year, about 2,500 youth (ages 11 [by January 1, 2011] to 19) and chaperones, from just about every Michigan county, descend on MSU's East Lansing campus to attend nearly 200 action-packed sessions, develop valuable skills, make new friends, enjoy lots of fun activities (including swimming, skating, shopping, exploring, bowling, basketball, even a great dance Thursday night) and much more.
 There is still time to register and it's a bargain. The cost $165 ($175 if you aren'ta 4-H member yet) covers all meals, a shared dorm room, your sessions and a t-shirt. If you commute instead of staying in a dorm, the cost is $110 (or $120 if you're not a 4-H member yet). There might even be some scholarships available. For more information and the details about your county delegation, contact the 4-H staff in your county Extension 4-H office.
2011Michigan 4-H Discovery Camp registration has begun. The camp (one of the only camps of its kind), which will be held on MSU's East Lansing campus from July 25 to 29. Space is limited to 35 youth and 4 or 5 adults (who will serve as chaperones). At this fun and interactive camp for 14- to 19-year-olds, participants:
- Explore ideas, research and opportunities in the field of bioenergy.
- Work with leading researchers at MSU who are developing the latest innovations in biofuel production and technology that offer alternatives to fossil-based fuels.
- Visit companies that are taking the latest discoveries of science and turning them into real products that impact our families, local communities, Michigan and even the world.
- Conduct experiments, ask questions and problem solve new ideas.
- Find out how new bioenergy crops are produced and converted into useable energy.
- Learn about all the great degrees and careers available to them in these new and exciting fields
Check out this exciting 4-H opportunity and Discover what awaits you! There's still s pace available for 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp, an award-winning (2009 National 4-H Program of Distinction) precollege program to be held July 31 to August 6, 2011 at Camp Chickagami in Presque Isle County. This camp provides teens (ages 13 to 15 on July 1 or entering grades 8 to 10 next fall) with opportunities to: - Improve their knowledge about the Great Lakes, and natural resources ecology and management issues.
- Increase awareness of environmental problems, foster environmental stewardship and enhance involvement in local natural resources projects.
- Increase interest in the outdoors, develop leadership skills and self-confidence and influence career decisions.
- Enjoy quality camp activities, gain hands-on science experiences, meet new people and develop friendships.
- Learn from natural resources and youth-development experts.
- Develop possible career interests.
The Camp fee is $335 for campers who are 4-H members and $345 for campers who are not 4-H members. This includes meals, snacks, lodging, a t-shirt, and program and activity fees. Donors to the Michigan 4-H Foundation, Michigan Sea Grant Extension and the Michigan Charter Boat Association generously offset about 26 percent of the actual $450-per-camper cost. A limited number of state scholarships are offered for teens with financial need. Contact your county Extension 4-H office for more information, a camper application packet or to see if local scholarships are available. Applications and deposit deadlines are: - May 16, 2011: $100 deposit for 4-H members ($110 for applicants who are not 4-H members) are due to your county MSU Extension Office.
- June 13, 2011: The remaining $235 payment is due along with additional forms that will be sent in a camper acceptance letter.
- After May 16 (until camp fills or until June 10, 2011, whichever comes first): Late enrollments will be accepted with a $25 late fee.
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And welcome to the premier edition of the online version of Michigan 4-H Today. We have had many changes throughout Extension in the last year (and this is one of them), but one rock solid constant amidst all of these is the positive youth development (and fun!) that results from our participation in 4-H programs.
