4-H NEWSLETTER

Address:

P.O. Box 107

1201 E. Columbia

Okemah, OK 74859

Phone: 918-623-0641

Fax: 918-623-0103

Website:

oces.okstate.edu/Okfuskee

Facebook & Instagram:

Okfuskee County 4-H

2021 NED Discovery Unlimited Trip Date: March 27, 2021

Cost: $60

WHERE: Sky Ranch Cave Springs

AGES: 5th and 6th Graders

Our theme this year is a wildlife theme

Registration Due: March 10th to County Extension Office.

Please make checks payable to OSU Extension. If attending

Service project: Supplies for Wild Heart Ranch in Rogers County. If you

want to participate we ask that you bring anything listed on the this list: Baby flaked rice cereal, Canned puppy, dog or cat food, Newspapers, Baby food, Antibacterial Liquid dish soap (Dawn preferred, but will take anything), Paper towels, Trash bags, Stuffed animals in good condition, Unfrayed tow-els

This year at Discovery Unlimited the workshops will focus on the Wildlife Project. Delegates will be able to participate in the 7 story Tandem Zipline.

Youth will participate in workshops that surround the Head, Heart, Hands, and Health of each member. Discovery Unlimited is a one night overnight trip for our 5th and 6th graders to meet other members from the Northeast dis-trict, work on leaderships skills and just to have fun.

Parent Volunteer Trip Scholarship: The Volunteers are helping with 5 trip

scholarships for delegates this year. To apply to receive $30 off your Regis-

tration fee.

Due to COVID Space is limited to 5 delegates per county. Once the five spaces are filled we will start an alternate list and those delegates will have a chance to go once approved by the district office. Parents must drive 4-H members to and from the 1 day camp. Amanda will setup a Caravan so we can all drive together.

March/April 2021

SPRING CLOVER RALLY HAS GONE VIRTUAL!

ENTRY DEADLINE: Tuesday, April 6th

FAVORITE FOOD SHOW— The Favorite Food Show allows youth to make their favorite food, serve it appropriately, and see how it fits into their daily menu, Dietary Guidelines, and Daily Food Plan as represented by “My Plate”.

Age Divisions: Cloverbud (5-8 years old), Junior (3-5 Grade), Intermediate (6 – 8 Grade), and Senior (9-12 Grade) 4-H members participating must submit a video of their favorite food (prepared) and exhibited. Ex-hibit it on an attractive setting for one person. Include centerpiece, serving dish, dishes, silverware, etc. Table setting must be appropriate for the occasion. 4-H’er should be dressed appropriately for serving their Favorite Food. Include on the video 4-H member explaining how they prepared the food, how they planned the menu for the entire day. In addition to the video, Favorite Food Show participants must submit a recipe for their “Favorite Food” as well as a full day’s menu which would include your “Favorite Food”.

NEXT TOP CHEF— Okfuskee County 4-H members have an opportunity to display their food preparation skills in the “4-H: Next Top Chef” virtual event. This is an individual contest. Age Divisions: Junior: 3rd-7th grade Senior : 8th-12th Grade

Participants will be responsible for purchasing ingredients used in their chef demonstration. Attire: Participants should wear a clean apron or chef’s coat; closed toed shoes; long pants and

hair that is out of the face. Kitchen safety: Demonstrate and follow proper kitchen safety while preparing your reci-

pe. Contact the Extension Office for extra resource materials

Participants will submit (2) 5-minute videos for judging competition. The combined time of the videos cannot exceed more than 10 minutes. Remember to include your first and last name and name of your dish.

Video 1: Introduce yourself Tell what dish you are making List Ingredients you are using Show a minimum of 2 cooking techniques Video 2: Present one portion/serving of recipe

Tell what you prepared How does the dish fit into a healthy diet

and MyPlate How food safety concerns were addressed Serving size and cost per serving (of 4 main ingredients)

All participants will be assigned the same category and list of 4 ingredients that must be used in the recipe.

Food Category for 2021: MAIN DISH Essential Four Ingredients: Can of Tuna—Elbow Macaroni—Bell Pepper—Can of Peas

State Ambassador

What is a State Ambassador? A Group of 4-H members who work to promote 4-H, maintain donor relations, and assist the state office.

What are their roles and responsibilities? The main goals of State Ambassadors, is to make 4-H more visible in the community, tell the 4-H story, and maintain do-nor relationships. Each Ambassador reports every month to keep a record of their activities.

State Ambassadors is a great way for youth to help promote 4-H at the state lev-el. Youth must be 13 years old by March 15th to apply to be a State Ambassador. We have ambassador applications here in the office or they are posted on the county website. If you are interested in applying and would like Amanda to help with your application, please contact her at the Okfuskee County Extension Office.

Applications must be postmarked and submitted electronically and postmarked by March 15th

State Record Books

Like all other aspects of 4-H, record books teach life skills through experiential learning.

State Record Books are a great way to compete for awards and scholarships. Its also a great way for members to summarize project work, leadership and citizenship. It’s a great way to help members learn:

–To set goals and work toward them

–To make decisions

–To keep records

–To utilize available technology

–To summarize information

–To manage time and resources

–To communicate thoughts, feelings, and achievements

** If you would like help with your books please contact Amanda to set up time to come in the office to work on your book. If you would like for me to look over your book please drop you books off to the office April 9th.

State Record Books Due Dates:

Final Drafts: April 21th

Books must be at my office on this date.

4-H Volunteers

Volunteers Needed: We are always looking for certified 4-H volunteers.

Volunteer Roles:

Club Leaders

General Volunteers

Project Leader

Cloverbud Leaders

***Don't forget if you were a certified volunteer last year, and are going to be a volunteer again this year we need

your volunteer forms filled out online.

Camp Counselors 4-H Camp is just around the corner. If you are in 8th –12th grade and want to take a

leadership role with younger 4-H members, you need to pick up a Camp Counselor

Application Form from the extension office. We are looking for Teens just like you that

are willing to help make this year’s 4-H Camp experience the best ever. Counselor

Applications are due in the Extension Office by May 10th . Applications are availa-

ble here at the Extension Office.

Okfuskee County OHCE Senior 4-H Scholarship Applications Available

Deadline: April 1st

Each year, the Okfuskee County Oklahoma Home and Community Education organization (or OHCE) awards at least one $300 scholarship to an Okfuskee County 4-H member who has suc-cessfully completed the required applications by the appointed time. This year the scholarship application and required documents must be submitted to the Extension Center on or before April 1st.

The requirements include: Applicant must be a senior and a current 4-H member. Applicant must submit a permanent record book for the current year to the OSU Extension Office and

have completed no less than three (3) years of 4-H club work.

Applicant must also submit a: short story stating why he/she wants to be considered for the scholarship and a completed scholarship form (available from the OSU Extension Center).

Applicant receiving the scholarship will have their name announced during the County 4-H Achievement

Banquet. When the honoree enrolls in a college of their choice, and the county Extension office is notified, the money will then be presented to the honoree in the form of a check made payable jointly to the college and the honoree.

Okfuskee County “DUDS TO DAZZLE” Tuesday, April 27th

5:30 p.m. – Check-in 6:00 p.m. – Contest

Okfuskee County Fair Building Team pre-registration deadline (with team name and team members’ names):

Wednesday, April 21st NOTE: For this in-person contest, hand sanitizer will be provided, face masks are

required, and social distancing will be in place.

The Duds to Dazzle event allows participants to demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained through the 4-H Design and Construction project by designing, constructing, and presenting a finished product. It also assists youth in gaining an appreciation for recycling textiles. This is a team event. Age Divisions: Junior 3-7 grade Senior 8-12 grade

“DUDS TO DAZZLE” Continued… Here is a basic description of the contest:

Each team will be directed to a construction station. There will be collections of materials at each station, but no pattern. A textile, worksheet, and any necessary additional instructions will be located at each station to assist the team.

Each team will have 60 minutes to construct an item, plan a presentation, and clean up the construction area. Each team will be provided with a startup textile item(s) for their assigned category and will create a garment/item

using them. Teams are challenged with being creative in developing an original product with the materials provided.

a. Teams must incorporate each material into the product. However, teams may determine the exact amount of each material to use, keeping in mind that a minimum of 50% of the final product must include the initial material(s). b. Teams will have access to a “closet” of additional materials that may be incorporated into their products. c. The sketch book, note cards, and worksheet may be used to prepare for construction of the item and the team’s presentation. Teams should be exact on materials utilized, construction steps, techniques used, etc.

When time is called, each team will present their item, according to the criteria on the score card, to a panel of at least two judges. A team can display the final product to the judges as they choose: mod-el, hold, or place on the table. Teams are allowed the use of note cards during the presentation but should not read from them. No talking or writing is allowed among any team members while waiting to give the team presentation.

a. All team members must participate in the presentation, with at least three of them having a speaking role. b. Judging time will include 5 minutes for the presentation and 3 minutes for judges’ questions c. Judges may ask teams questions that are not directly related to the item constructed during the event. Instead, some questions may address general Design and Construction knowledge.

Teams must clean their construction areas. Clean-up time is included in the 60-minute construction al-lotment. Only “hot” items will be allowed to remain in the construction area (such as an iron or glue gun)

*No electronic devices or jewelry is allowed in the contest (cell phones, smart watches, or other communication de-vices. *Members per team: Each team will have at least three and no more than five members. *Design categories: There will be three categories in each age division: Wearable, Accessory/Jewelry, and Non-wearable. Teams will be randomly assigned to a category, but assignments will not be announced until check-in on the day of contest.

a. Wearable is clothing that is suitable to be worn by people or pets. Ex: shirt, coat, vest, dress, costume, leggings, swimsuit cover, etc.

b. Accessory/Jewelry is an article or set of articles that can be added to an outfit to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive. Ex: apron, earrings, purse, headband, hat, belt, necklace, etc.

c. Non-wearable is an item that is not suitable to be worn. Ex: pillow, towel, jewelry pouch, cellphone or iPad case, stuffed animal, doll clothes, Christmas

stocking, etc. *Attire: Each team will have the option to wear coordinating clothing appropriate for construction and the team presentation. A team name is acceptable. *Resource materials: A Planning and Presentation Worksheet will be provided for each team at the contest. No other resource materials will be allowed. The following resources are available for teams to use in preparation for competition: Unraveling the Mystery of Design Elements and Principles in Clothing, Laundry on Your Own, Hand Stitching, Pricing Tips and Tricks, Safety Guide, and Simple Seaming Techniques. Con-tact the Extension Office for copies of the resources. *Sewing kit: Each team must supply their own equipment for the competition. A team can choose not to include a listed item, but no additional item can be added. (SEWING MACHINES AND IRONS/IRONING BOARDS WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE EXTENSION CENTER, IF NEEDED.

Jr. Record Book Work Days

March 26th @ 3:30-4:30pm

April 30th @ 3:30-4:30pm

May 7th @ 3:30-4:30pm

Jr. Record Book Work Days are for youth

in 3rd– 7th grade to come to the exten-

sion office to work on their record books.

Youth will be able to ask questions and

have help with planning out there goals

for there project work and will be able to

get their state record book started.

Sr. Record Book Work Days

•March 5th @ 3:30-4:30pm

•April 9th @ 3:30-6:00pm

•April 16th @ 3:30-4:30pm

•May 21st @ 3:30-4:30pm (for seniors that did not

submit a state record book or for youth wanting

help with their medal folder.)

Senior record book work days are for youth in

8th-12th grade wanting to complete a state rec-

ord book for either county or state submission

Virtual Skill-a-thon Contest Registration due April 30th Contest is

Skill-a-Thon and Consumer Judging Contest. These contests provide an opportunity for members to devel-

op life skills in a friendly but competitive setting by demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of dif-

ferent items in the areas of FCS, Livestock, Rabbit and Poultry, Dairy, Companion Animals, and Horses

*Consumer Judging Contest which allows 4-H members to compare similar products from a consumer point

of view to determine the “best buy”.

Skill-a-thon Contest will test youth knowledge in different breeds, feeds, equipment, and body ID. Using pic-

tures and feeds and supplements.

*Skill-a-thon Contest Choices:

FCS Skill-a-Thon Contest

Livestock Contest

Rabbit and Poultry Contest

Dairy Contest

Companion Animals Contest

Horses Contest

Youth participate in the Skill-a-thon contest at the county and district level. Youth can sign up for the skill-a-

thon contests at the District Contest Days at the end of May. *Youth can participate in as many contest

as they choose, there must be a minimum of 6 youth signed up for the contest for the contest to be

held

2021 Cognizant's Pathways in Technology Scholarship

The Cognizant’s Pathways in Technology Scholarship aims to build an inclusive pipeline of tech

talent by supporting students from underrepresented communities as they pursue a degree in com-

puter science. Jobs of the future require a solid foundation of relevant technological skills. For too

long, though, systemic barriers have prevented many from having equal access to the education

and advancement opportunities required to secure careers in technology. Applications can be found

at the link below.

https://www.cognizantusfoundation.org/pathways-in-technology-scholarship

Tuesday Tool Time is back! The meetings will be held quarterly from 6:30 - 7:15 pm. The first meeting will be on April 20th, 2021 the topic will be Staying Connected with Club Members – Guests will share successful experiences meeting Face-to-Face with community club, club programming in a package, and delivering project groups experiences. Register Here.: https://dasnr.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpdu6gpjIvGNdEfJEyj-vuA9HrKvk6aB0j

2021 Quarterly Schedule April 20 – Staying Connected with Club Members June 22 – Topic TBD September 28 – Topic TBD December 7 – Topic TBD

Key Club Membership into the Oklahoma 4-H Key Club is an honor extended only to the top 4-H

members. It is an honor that you must work hard for; but upon receiving the award you

will feel the pride and satisfaction of doing a good job. In order to apply for Key Club,

you must be a 4-H member 15 years of age by January 1st of the current project year.

The application and criteria for applying is available at the Extension Office or it can

also be found on the Oklahoma State 4-H website. Applications must be turned in to

Amanda by April 21st

Mark Your Calendars!!!

You can also put a save the date for the 2021 4-H Innovate Youth Leadership

Summit which will be virtual on Saturday, April 17th. The purpose of Oklahoma 4-

H Innovators is to train teens to teach and influence other youth through work-

shops and educational outreach.

More info to come at a later date.

State 4-H Parent -Volunteer Conference

The State Volunteer Board appreciates the workshop proposals which have

been submitted for the 2021 conference.

The Volunteer Board is planning for

a hybrid conference, a blend of face-

to-face and virtual. If the climate is

such that an on-site option is not

possible, the entire program will be

delivered virtually. Please use the

graphic to promote participation in

the conference June 26.

2021 Objectives

Registration and conference updates will be posted as they become available

N Nourish volunteers and parents with the fuel necessary for personal growth and good health, while meeting the needs of our membership.

O Opportunities to “Making the Best Better” by envisioning each circumstance as a unique pos-sibility.

W

Why the 4-H youth development effort is more important than ever to keep members connect-ed with caring adults, as well as providing alternatives and activities for families and clubs dur-ing challenging times.

Okfuskee County Cooperative Extension Service

P.O. Box 107

Okemah, OK 74859

***I’d love to hear from you all and your clubs on

what you have been up to through out the 4-H

year. In each newsletter I will post an article about

an event or program your club is doing. Help me

out by sending in a small article and some pictures

and it will go in the newsletter.

Sincerely, Amanda Sestak

Amanda Sestak

Ext. Educator, 4-H/Youth Development

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