Michigan 4-H Today

Impact

As we have observed before, impact can come in many forms. This month, we highlight the efforts of an individual and 3 programs put on by 4-H staff, all of which have made - and will continue to make - an impact on many of Michigan's young people.

Go to the Michigan 4-H web site for yet another story about a Michigan 4-H'er who has made an extraordinary difference in her community by starting a unique 4-H group. As a child, Emily Dunham was interested in horses. However, she had no access to a horse and her family had no experience with 4-H. When Emily was 11, she met a 4-H horse leader, who allowed her to borrow a horse to show at the Tuscola County Fair. Today, 4 years later, with the help and guidance of many local 4-H adult volunteers and leaders,15-year-old Emily has started the Tuscola 4-H Teen Mentor Club in which teenaged mentors, experienced in horsemanship and equine care, work with Cloverbuds (5- to 8-year-old 4-H'ers) who would otherwise have no access to a horse. Mentors donate their time, talent and project horse (if they own one) to the Cloverbuds so the 5- to- 8-year-olds can participate in the Cloverbud horse program at the Tuscola County Fair.

Every year, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City holds a special event, called "Cherry Connection," at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Center. This event allows visitors to see, taste and touch everything about cherries. Cherry Connection highlights include a tractor tour of the farm. learning all that goes into the cherry harvest, tasting various cherry products, participating in a fun "pit spit" and petting different 4-H animal projects. More than 10 groups from Leelanau County 4-H and Grand Traverse County 4-H provided different animals each day for a week, allowing visitors to pet and hold the animals. Many 4-H'ers informed participants about their 4-H experience and their animal projects. Petting Zoo animals included alpacas, chickens, junior beef cows, goats, horses, lambs, rabbits and more. What a fun way to share this aspect of 4-H projects with the public!

This year's (the fifth annual) Michigan 4-H Mentoring Weekend took place at Kettunen Center on July 20 to 22, 2012. This event brought together 78 participants (youth, their mentors and mentoring staff from planned youth-mentoring programs around the state) - a record number of attendees. Read about it on the Michigan 4-H web site.

Revolution of Responsibility 

The Revolution of Responsibility is Michigan 4-H's campaign to highlight how youth across the state are engaged in identifying challenges in their communities, overcoming obstacles and making positive community impacts as a result of their participation in 4-H. This month's Revolution of Responsibility articles center around:

• Catch poles (or catchpoles as they were originally known)
• A 1,000-pound (food-bank donation) return on investment that accrued from sending 2 teens to a conference
• The Michigan State University Extension 4-H Creative and Expressive Arts Summer Day Camp  

In Lenawee County, police, community members and animals were all at risk of harm because of the lack of catch poles in police vehicles until the Dog Gone Fun Club began looking for a service project that would give back to their community. According to Lt. Jeff Ewald of the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office, before the group's project culminated in a donation of 40 poles, the officers "had only one catch pole that was kept in [their] office." Now, they have a pole in each patrol vehicle. This enables the officers to respond to animal complaints more quickly and handle the situation before it escalates. Lenawee County 4-H Extension Educator Janelle Stewart will tell you that this project was very important for the youth, as well as the community, because ". . . they learned and were able to implement important life skills" such as researching a problem, budget setting, saving money, identifying and purchasing appropriate products, fund-raising, public speaking, and donor recognition. Read this story on the Michigan 4-H web site.

What do you get when you invest in sending 2 teenagers to a 4-H leadership conference at Kettunen Center? Well, when it's 4-H'ers Averi Copes, 13, and Amy Hamilton, 17 of the Brady Community 4-H Club of the Saginaw County 4-H program, you wind up with a project called "Poultry for the Poor" (or P2). Once the Saginaw County Fair was over, the club donated 120 chickens (or about 1,000 pounds of meat) and any money the birds made at the auction to the East Side Soup Kitchen. This all came at a time soup kitchen is showing an increased need. (They were up 2,200 meals in the first 6 months of 2012 alone.)  Since each bird costs $6 to raise and $3 to butcher, the group looked for sponsors to help them offset the costs of buying, raising and processing the chickens. They received donations from the Saginaw County Farm Bureau, the Frankenmuth Gleaners, State Senator Roger Kahn and a discount on feed from Erskine's Feed and Supply in Hemlock. Read this heartwarming story from the July 27 issue of mlive.com.

Each summer ushers in an opportunity for Calhoun County 4-H children, teens and young adults to make a difference as they build each other up, refine an expressive arts skill set and reinforce their sense of community by participating in the Michigan State University Extension 4-H Creative and Expressive Arts Summer Day Camp that has had a significant presence in their community for more than a decade. At the camp, high-school and college students serve as mentors, working with 5th- to 9th-grade youth to write songs, choreograph dances and build sets for an end-of-summer play they put on for their parents, guardians and community members. According to Sherry Grice, MSU Extension educator in Calhoun County, "the program is a mix of learning to perform and learning important life skills, including leadership, team work, problem-solving and academics . . . . The program fills the gap with productive summertime activities for youth. These young people have a lot of energy and skills - they need some way to express them in a positive way." This year, 40 youth participated in the production of Famine: The Thirst for Life. The entire story is on the Michigan 4-H web site.

4-H Highlights - Past, Present, Future  

Congratulations!

On May 15, more than 280 Michigan high-school and middle-school students gathered at Battle Creek's Kellogg Arena for the 2012 Generation E Showcase, a celebration and the culmination of months of work on the part of the entrepreneurs to formulate a business plan and create an operational business project. Of the 280 youth who attended, 17 youth entrepreneurs from 2 Delta County school districts represented 12 youth businesses created through an entrepreneurship program provided by the Delta County 4-H program. The cooperative afforded each business a little less risk. The group decided to donate any profit (after covering costs) to the Salvation Army and the Animal Shelter. For more information on this program, contact Extension Educator Dave Radloff.

The projects were judged on the basis of the business plan, a tabletop display, creativity and the presentation students made to the judges. Several of the Delta County youth (pictured above) received Outstanding Achievement Awards (worth $100 and $200) recognizing their business efforts. The individuals listed represented the business group at the showcase.

• Andrea Gendron and Heather Keenan (back row left) for UP Treasures, a business that offers baskets filled with unique, Upper Peninsula novelty items.
• Sara Bedient (back row middle) and Veronica Schram (back row right) for Captivating Crayons that innovatively changed an existing product into a new and exciting product (a 4-pack of multicolored, marbleized crayons in festive, holiday shapes).
• Rebecca Neubauer (front row left) for Caricatoons, a web-based caricature business which, using electronic-imaging software, turns customer-submitted photos into cartoons.
• Lydia Person (front row middle) for Beautiful Strings that creates and sells handmade friendship anklets and bracelets that can be sold to the female, teenaged consumer.
• Cassie McKeever (front row right) for the Little Bow Peep Boutique that provides fashionable accessories (such as tutus as headbands) for young girls at an affordable price. The product line can be used for a variety of events or just for fun.  

On July 17, the American Dairy Science Association bestowed the Hoard's Dairyman Development Award - the dairy industry's highest honor recognizing a dairy youth educator - on Joe Domecq, Michigan State University 4-H dairy specialist, coordinator of the MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology dairy management program and animal science academic specialist. The award recognizes a person with significant involvement in dairy-related youth activities who is highly regarded in the dairy industry for his or her role in personal development of dairy youth and for enhancing knowledge of - and interest in - the dairy youth industry. Read more here about Domecq and the award.

On June 21, 5 outstanding Michigan 4-H volunteers and a partner were honored with the Michigan Farm Bureau 4-H Excellence in Agriculture Award and the Michigan 4-H Citation Award.

The Michigan Farm Bureau 4-H Excellence in Agriculture Award recognizes outstanding achievements of Michigan 4-H volunteers or groups who exhibit excellence in 4-H youth education and leadership development in the areas of 4-H beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, horses, horticulture, crops and soils, poultry, rabbits, sheep, swine and veterinary science. The Michigan Farm Bureau 4-H Excellence in Agriculture Endowment Fund at the Michigan 4-H Foundation funds this award. Dale Grabill (pictured right), organizational leader of the Grant Livestock Club in Newaygo County 4-H, was the recipient of the 2010-11 Michigan Farm Bureau 4-H Excellence in Agriculture Award, while Joan Spindler (pictured left) of Owosso (Shiawassee County 4-H) received the 2011-12 award. Grabill has guided hundreds of youth with a focus on their self-improvement, providing them with a group setting where they can learn skills, cultivating leadership and confidence to help them succeed in life. Spindler has served as leader of the Rangers 4-H Horse Club for more than 50 years. She excels in developing youth for the future and promotes leadership, citizenship and community service.

Since its inception in 1946, the Michigan 4-H Citation Award has honored and recognized individuals and organizations whose contributions to - and support of - MSU Extension 4-H Youth Development programs have significantly advanced the work of Michigan 4-H on a multicounty, regional, statewide and national basis. The honorees' contributions have expanded Michigan 4-H's capacity to positively impact the lives of Michigan's young people in significant and meaningful ways. Sponsored by Michigan 4-H Foundation donors, it is Michigan 4-H's highest recognition. This year, Michigan 4-H bestowed the Michigan 4-H Citation Awards on:

• Robert J. Patterson, Big Rapids, who has helped to make the 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp a multi-award winning educational program and he has influenced more than 1,400 young people in their appreciation and awareness of the great outdoors, many of whom have pursued careers in natural resources. He also served as Michigan 4-H Foundation trustee and a Mecosta County 4-H volunteer.
• Philip A. Seitz, Hale, whose strong belief in the power of 4-H youth programs to change children's lives led to the development of 4-H in Poland and the Michigan-Polish 4-H Exchange, a relationship that continues today. He served twice as a Michigan 4-H Foundation trustee and also as the board's president. He has also been an Iosco County 4-H volunteer and continues to be a valuable resource to the Michigan 4-H Challenge program.
• Chemical Financial Corporation, Midland, with which Michigan 4-H Youth Development has shared a 27-year partnership. Through this collaboration, Michigan 4-H and, ultimately, Michigan's young people have benefited from both their organizational and financial leadership talents. Two corporate presidents have served as Michigan 4-H Foundation trustees. The bank's support has annually helped underwrite 4 H volunteer training workshops, support community awards and banquets, and provide support for Michigan 4-H Youth Development's areas of greatest need. Chemical Bank branches and employees have also been local partners in recognizing, supporting and volunteering for 4-H at the county level.

Some Wrap-Ups

Every summer, thousands of youth from across the country are drawn to Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), a weeklong, 4-H citizenship program for teens ages 14 to 19. This year, 43 Michigan 4-H members and 6 adult chaperones stayed in the Washington, D.C. area from June 26 to July 2 to participate in the program. Read about their trip here.

From July 9 to 13, 41 youth (ages 13 to 18) participated in the second, annual 4-H Discovery Camp at Michigan State University. Jake DeDecker, the camp's coordinator, declared the event to be extremely successful as the youth investigated: (1) a number of different, cutting-edge technologies and innovations in the production, processing and application of bioenergy, (2) the importance of green energy to Michigan, (3) how they can be involved in their communities and (4) how they can be tomorrow's green engineers and scientists. This year's campers were able to see the entire process of biofuel production and use. First, they went to Kellogg Biological Station  where they saw test plots of crops and grasses that are being researched for their potential to contribute towards biofuel. Back on campus, they observed a press that turned canola seeds into oil and the machinery that further processed the oil into the final product which was then put into a truck's fuel tank to power the vehicle. They also took home a vial of biofuel (pictured right). Participants visited the MSU Recycling Center to see how a large community reuses and recycles its materials. Campers also went to a wind farm where they climbed into the windmill and they visited a net-zero home (one in which the home produces the electricity it uses, and extra electricity produced may be sold).

The State 4-H and FFA Livestock Judging Contest took place July 13 at the MSU Pavilion for Livestock Education in East Lansing. This annual contest helps youth enhance their livestock evaluation and selection skills, as well as improve their communication and decision-making skills. Approximately 35 teams participated with a total of about 150 youth participants. Ages ranged from 8 to 13 for the junior division and from 14 to 18 for the senior division. Beef, sheep and swine were judged and included in the final scores. Boer goats were also judged for demonstration purposes, but not included in the final score.The Washtenaw County team won the senior contest. A $500 donation from the Michigan 4-H Foundation (will help the Washtenaw team travel to - and compete in - the National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky, November 12 to 14. The Michigan State University Department of Animal Science also makes travel scholarships available for the winning team. Good luck, Washtenaw, and congrats to all the teams and participants!

On July 15, more than 5,100 people (including 4-H'ers, their families, friends and staff) from across the state (and as far away as Chippewa County attended 4-H Science Day With the Lugnuts at Cooley Law School Stadium. In addition to the game (in which the Lugnuts beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels), the event featured 16 educational stations that engaged participants in scientific and 4-H hands-on, experiential-education activities. For instance, pictured right, a group of young people learn about the proper care and handling of snakes from a Potter Park Zoo  staff member. Additionally, the field's turf grass manager explained the science behind the various kinds of soil and grass used on the field and how to irrigate and fertilize it appropriately and the pitching coach described the science behind pitching. During the 7th Inning Stretch, MSUE Director Tom Coon and many 4-H'ers sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Jake DeDecker, 4-H Program Leader for Science and Technology, said this will become an annual event because this "great partnership with the Lugnuts increases awareness of science in the world around us and it sparks interest for youth to pursue science education in the classroom."

Michigan Youth Dairy Days took place at the MSU Pavilion from July 16 to 20 in conjunction with the Michigan Dairy Expo, the state's largest annual dairy event, and simultaneously with the Michigan Livestock Expo. At least 300 youth participated, representing 20 Michigan counties and exhibiting 310 cattle. It takes 75 volunteers to make this event a success. According to show coordinator, Carla McLachlan, "the mission of Michigan Dairy Expo is to encourage and promote youth involvement in dairy activities, showcase the Michigan dairy industry, and provide continuing education opportunities for the dairy industry in Michigan and neighboring states." Youth could participate in contests for judging, showmanship, quiz bowl and management. Those who participated in 3 of the 4 contest areas were eligible for overall awards in junior and senior divisions, with first place receiving an award of $1,000 and second place receiving $750 in each division!

This year's 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources (GLNR) Camp, held July 29 to August 4 at Camp Chickagami in Presque Isle, drew 70, 13- to 15-year-old campers. The camp, taught by MSU Extension educators, is designed to help the teens increase their science literacy through hands-on learning activities. For example, this year, the participants launched a research study investigating impacts of aquatic invasive species on fish biodiversity and they monitored amphibians in Lake Huron with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials. The campers also reversed roles and become teachers, picking a natural resource topic of their choice and presenting brief educational lectures to their peers. According to 15-year-old camper, Daniel Lavra, the GLNR program is "the best outdoors experience" available because participants have "a great opportunity to learn about the natural resources in the Great Lakes area, while, simultaneously, enjoying the outdoors, "meeting new people and making friends."

The 2012 Michigan 4-H State Horse Show, held from August 17 to 20, at the MSU Pavilion brought together approximately 520 4-H'ers from 48 Michigan counties. Since members are selected by their county 4-H programs to participate in this event, competing and representing their home county is a great honor for the youth. During the show, participants compete in English, dressage, western, trail, hunter hack, gymkhana and Miniature Horse classes with some of the most accomplished young equestrians in Michigan. In addition, the show provides the opportunity for young people to submit equine-themed scrapbooks, photography, creative writing and t-shirt designs that are potentially used for future State 4-H Horse Show t-shirts. What is unique about the State 4-H Horse Show is that it is almost entirely run by volunteers. Without their help and the support of the many sponsors and commercial vendors, the show simply could not occur. To read more about this year's show, visit here.

Coming Soon

Teens, aged 13 by January 1, 2013, and adults will be energized at the 4-H Visual Arts & Crafts Workshop to be held September 15 to 16 at Kettunen Center with loads of new ideas for working with youth in arts and crafts projects. Participants will also discover how youth can acquire leadership skills through the arts. Remember, you can now register online.

October may seem far away still, but it'll be here before you know it! It's definitely not too early to begin planning your activities for National 4-H Week, October 7 to 13.Will you have an open house? What will you need? Do you need to do a fund-raising activity before your 4-H week event? Or will you do a fund-raising activity during the week? How about a community-service project? Whatever you decide will take some planning, so don't be caught off guard at the end of September, wondering what you can pull together by October 7. At the web site given above, you'll find logos, bookmarks, flyers, newspaper ads and a press release template, while you can find additional toolkits for your campaign here .

Smack dab in the middle of National 4-H Week is 4-H National Youth Science Day on October 10. It features this year's National Science Experiment, the 4-H Eco-Bot Challenge, in which, according to the web site above, "youth will enhance their engineering skills by learning to think like a robotics engineer, assembling their own robots, also known as Eco-bots, and control surfaces in order to manage an environmental clean-up." Check out the web site to learn all you need to have a successful 4-H Youth Science Day, including how to order your Eco-bot resources.

Remember, you can still register for the North Central Regional Volunteer Forum, which is going to take place October 11 to 14 at the Hyatt Hotel, Witchita, Kansas. You can read more about this in the August 2012 Special Edition of Michigan 4-H Today.

If you'd like to renew and refresh your 4-H volunteer skills, be sure to come to the Michigan 4-H Volunteer Forum on Saturday, November 10, from 8 am to 4 pm at Michigan State University. The forum is for both 4-H teen and adult leaders and will feature hands-on workshops, networking opportunities and take-home resources. The keynote speaker will be Michele Payn-Knoper, former Hillsdale County 4-H member and founder of Cause Matters Corp. Her story has been featured as a Spartan Saga, too. The $30 early-bird registration rate, which covers program costs and lunch, is open until September 30. After that, the cost is $35. For more information and to register, visit the forum link above or check out the registration book.

Down the Road a Ways

4-H Capitol Experience is an annual 4-day conference that focuses on youth civic engagement and understanding, and impacting public policy. This event - which will be held in Lansing from March 17 to 20, 2013 - empowers youth to feel they can make a difference in public policy at the local and state levels. Applications and more information will be on the link given above.  

Upcoming Events 

September

September 1

4-H Rabbit and Cavy Expo 

Anthony Hall, MSU, East Lansing

September 15-16

4-H Learning Leadership Through the Arts Workshop

Kettunen Center, Tustin

September 30-October 4

2012 National 4-H Dairy Conference 

Madison, Wisconsin

October

October 5

Michigan 4-H Foundation Annual Meeting 

James B. Henry Center for Executive Development, Lansing

October 7-13

National 4-H Week 

Worldwide

October 10

4-H National Youth Science Day 

Nationwide

October 11-14

North Central Regional Volunteer Forum 

Hyatt Hotel, Witchita, Kansas

October 20-21

4-H Proud Equestrian Program (PEP) Instructor Update

Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners

4-H Clothing & Textiles Teen & Adult Volunteer Leader Workshop

Kettunen Center, Tustin

November

November 9-11

4-H Goat Teen Leader and Adult Volunteer Workshop

Kettunen Center, Tustin

November 10

Michigan 4-H Volunteer Forum

MSU Plant & Soil Sciences Building, East Lansing

November 16-18

4-H Teen Horse Leaders Conference

Kettunen Center, Tustin

November 23-27

December

December 1-2

4-H Poultry Teen and Adult Volunteer Workshop

Help Wanted 

Do You Know (or Are You) an Outstanding 4-H Member?

If so, National 4-H Council is now accepting applications for the annual Youth in Action award to be presented at the 4-H Legacy Awards Gala in New York City on April 18, 2013! This award recognizes an outstanding young person from a 4-H program who is realizing 4-H's vision for youth driving positive change in their communities. The award is open to 4-H members and recent alumni ages 16 to 21. Applicants should have led a project, service or event that:

• Identified a problem in their community;
• Included 4-H as part of the solution; and
• Made an impact in resolving the issue

Here in Michigan, we have a great example: Read the story and video about last year's winner, Nate Seese (pictured right) of Kent County 4-H. For more on this story, see the "Impact" section of the May-June 2012 Michigan 4-H Today for an article about Nate receiving last year's award.

To apply:

1. Download the 2013 Youth In Action Award Guidelines for complete award details. The application must include a 3-minute or shorter video (file size may not exceed 50MB) in which the nominee must address the following questions/statements:
• What problem or global issue did your community face?
• What was the solution to the problem or global issue, and how was 4-H involved?
• What impact did the resolution have on your community?
• How has 4-H impacted your life?
• Describe any adversities or challenges that your 4-H experience has helped you overcome?


2. Submit your nomination video to the program coordinator in your county Extension office by the deadline set by your county.
3. County staff must submit the applications online by Thursday, November 1, 2012, at 11:59 pm ET.

More Michigan 4-H News   

July 23 - In this article from the Daily Telegram, a former 4-H'er, long-time volunteer leader and current chairman of the Lenawee County Fair's merchants and vendors committee talks about how his connection to the fair began in childhood. Mark Vandenbusche explains that the experience and leadership skills gained from 4-H competitions at the fair led him and many other volunteers to dedicate the time and effort required to keep the tradition going because, he said, 4-H "is about building leadership for our future. I'm giving back to what helped shape me."

July 24 - Read this article from the Midland Daily News about Horse Tales, a 4-H group that raises funds for different causes in the community, that used a blood drive to help offset insurance costs for people with disabilities so they can participate in the Midland County 4-H Proud Equestrians Program.

July 30 - This article from The Daily Reporter describes the Branch County Friends Day Camp that hosted 56 young people, ages 7 to 11 who learned about being physically active, eating healthy, agriculture, 4-H activities and being a good friend.

July 31 - This is an article from The State News about Bug Day at the MSU 4-H Children's Garden which had about 80 young people in attendance.

August 3 - This article from the Sentinel-Standard.com reports on the fifth, annual international dinner held by the World Wide Kids 4-H Club, an Ionia County 4-H group. The dinner's purpose is to raise money and awareness to end hunger and poverty, and the proceeds went locally to Zion Food Pantry and the Ionia County Commission on Aging. Globally, proceeds went to Heifer International, the Nyaka School in Uganda and Starfysh.

August 7 - From the Lansing State Journal.com comes the story of the 3-day Camp Monet held annually at the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden.

This write-up in Awesome Mitten describes the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden and its history in detail.

Resources

Michigan 4-H Guiding Principles for Positive Youth Development

Michigan 4-H has 7 Guiding Principles for Positive Youth Development. These principles help us plan better and safer programs for Michigan's youth and they assist volunteer leaders and parents understand how Michigan 4-H programs are developed. The principle highlighted this month is:

Guiding Principle 7. Youth grow and contribute as active citizens through service and leadership.  

Youth feel included and involved in their communities. They have significant roles to play and important contributions to make as stewards of the future. Youth develop personal competencies that foster leadership, caring and citizenship.

Elements of effective practice:

• Youth are aware of and informed about local and global needs, opportunities and issues, and are provided meaningful roles in how decisions are made.
• Youth use their time, energies and skills for the benefit of others.
• Youth practice leadership skills to address needs, issues and opportunities.
• Youth are encouraged to recognize their roles as stewards in their communities.

Leadership and civic engagement are cornerstones of Michigan 4-H, which has a proven track record of teaching leadership skills to today's youth, mentoring them to become tomorrow's leaders, giving them a voice and encouraging in them a sense of civic responsibility. Young people have an opportunity to be engaged at the local, state and national levels in programs that foster leadership skills. Some of the state and national programs available for youth through Michigan 4-H include 4-H Capitol Experience, the Michigan 4-H Youth Conservation Council, Citizenship Washington Focus and National 4-H Congress. Another aspect of 4-H leadership is participation in service-learning and community-service projects. These projects can be a great way to involve young people in community and global issues and help them understand the need to be a part of the community on all levels. Often times, such participation gets youth thinking outside of their specific project area and gives them a real sense that yes, they, too, can make a difference about making their world a better place.

Michigan 4-H County Innovative Grants Deadline Coming Soon

Remember to check out the 4 different kinds of Michigan 4-H County Innovative Grants made available to encourage development of innovative 4-H program opportunities and new club development in local communities. This year, applications must be postmarked or emailed to the Michigan 4-H Foundation  by October 1, 2012. For more details on the grants and grant requirements, see the 4-H County Innovative Grant Packet. The packet is also available in a Word version.

RiverXchange Program

The 2012-2013 RiverXchange program, based in New Mexico, is looking for teachers of 5th-grade classes to join its innovative program which combines a yearlong water-resources curriculum with class partnerships through social-networking technology. New Mexico fifth graders are partnered with "high-tech pen pals" in another part of the U.S. or world to share what they are learning about critical water-resources issues relating to their local river. Through the curriculum, students learn about watersheds, water use in society and river ecosystems. Then, they decide for themselves what they can do to protect local water resources. Last year's program included lots of exchanges between pen pal classes who shared fun field trips, guest speakers and classroom activities. For more information about this free program, see the attached flyer and visit the program's web site at the link above.

Submission Guidelines   

This is a newsletter for and about Michigan 4-H Youth Development. It is a means by which we can communicate with one another and promote our great program impacts, showcase resources, spotlight staff, volunteers, members, alumni and curriculum. Therefore, we want articles that are not only pertinent to Michigan 4-H, but which have the most complete information possible and that will capture the reader's interest.

To that end, we are asking you to submit articles that are concise and contain answers to the questions who, what, where, when, how and why. We will be happy to include Internet links that will take the reader to the pertinent information. Therefore, please make sure links are live and take the reader right to the spot with the information not to a general Web page where the reader will have to hunt to find the information. To help highlight articles, we would like to include pictures. So, send us a few pictures with your article. Be sure they are the highest-possible resolution and do not embed them in the text.  

Ideas for article content might include those that feature:

1.       Programs (One that is upcoming or has been successfully completed)

2.       Grants (Possibilities, already funded and running or successfully completed)

3.       Scholarships (Possibilities or winner announcements)

4.       Resources (New or updated curricula)

5.       Honors, Awards

So we can meet publishing deadlines, please email your articles in Word or WordPerfect (no PDFs) to Priscilla Martin by the 15th of each month.

Note: To print a copy of this newsletter complete with formatting, prior to printing from Internet Explorer, go to:

1.       Tools

2.       Select Internet Options

3.       Press Advanced

4.       Scroll down to Printing and check "Print background colors and images"  

Contact Information 

Michigan 4-H Today is a bimonthly newsletter for all those interested in 4-H Youth Development programs including its members, parents, volunteers, staff, alumni and retirees. It is published by the Michigan State University Extension 4-H Youth Development office and it is distributed online.

Please contact Michigan 4-H Today:

Priscilla Martin, Editor

Room 240

446 West Circle Drive

East Lansing, MI 48824

Phone: 517-432-7635

Email: pjmartin@msu.edu

Fax: 517-353-4846

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. The name "4-H" and the emblem consisting of a four-leaf clover with stem and the "H" on each leaflet are protected under Title 18 U.S.C. 707.