by Heather Kent | Nov 21, 2014
Mark Harvey, Friend of 4-H
Mark Harvey is the manager of the North Florida Fair located at our capital city of Tallahassee. For the last thirteen years, Mark has worked diligently to promote both UF/IFAS Extension and 4-H Positive Youth Development. Mark took over as manager of the North Florida Fair after a successful 25 year career with the Tallahassee Police Department. He is husband to wife Suzanne, and they have raised four children. As manager of the North Florida Fair, he has systematically made positive changes to the fair to develop new partnerships to increase both funding and attract new audiences to the fair. One of his strategies has been to highlight the opportunities and strengths of the 4-H Positive Youth Development Program. With his background in law enforcement, he has long-been an advocate of positive youth development and understands why programs like 4-H have such high public value.
Mark’s commitment to 4-H goes far beyond the typical support of providing premiums to members and clubs for participation in exhibits and contests. In order to facilitate better exposure for the 4-H program and the UF/IFAS County Extension offices though continued expansion of still exhibits in two buildings at the fair as well as during the annual 4-H day where 4-H youth demonstrate their life skills though four different project competition areas. Mark has encouraged the 4-H Extension Faculty of the Northwest District to take advantage of the North Florida Fair as an opportunity to market 4-H and educate the public in the Tallahassee area about the value of our program. Each year, he provides up to $1,000.00 for building improvements, educational displays, new signage, and marketing materials. These funds have helped the agents develop interactive displays on the Butterfly WINGS program and 4-H gardening projects. This past year, Mark invested his own personal funds to secure the engineering exhibits from the Mary Brogan Museum. These interactive exhibits help youth and families explore basic engineering concepts such as levers, pulleys, torque, and gravity. They have drastically increased traffic into the 4-H building and pair especially well with 4-H engineering projects such as robotics. In fact, with Mark’s support, the North Florida Fair was the first regional fair to incorporate a junk drawer robotics competition during 4-H Day at the fair. To encourage participation, Mark allowed faculty to bring youth to the fair to experience the engineering exhibits and participate in a mock contest.
What I appreciate most about Mark is his accessibility and his willingness to entertain new ideas and methods. He never automatically says “no,” but considers carefully how to use our resources at the fair to educate, inspire, and make a difference in the lives of those who attend. Mark Harvey is definitely a friend to the 4-H program, and one of our biggest advocates who is helping to Make A Difference through the Florida 4-H Program.
Do you know of a 4-H volunteer or advocate that deserves the spotlight? Send your nominations to Heather Kent at hckent@ufl.edu.
by Heather Kent | Nov 14, 2014
Did you know that you do not have to own an animal to participate in 4-H Day at the North Florida Fair? Many youth look forward to competing in judging contests. The North Florida fair provides opportunities for youth to compete in agriculture judging, horticulture judging, and consumer judging. In addition to the judging contests, youth can also participate in North Florida’s only Junk Drawer Robotics Contest, where teams design and build a simple robot out of everyday objects.
Just like any other competitive event, preparation is key. Here are some resources to help you prepare for your event:
- Agriculture Judging Rules and Guide
- Horticulture Judging Rules and Guide
- Consumer Choices Rules
- Fitness Apps
- Buying a SMART Phone– Oral Reasons Class
- Skin Cleanser/Acne Products
- After-school Snacks
- Junk Drawer Robotics Rules– to prepare, review the 4-H Junk Drawer Robotics Project Guide
Some general tips include:
- Make sure your registration is turned in on-time.
- Work with your club leader to coordinate car pools to and from the event. Counties further away may also need to arrange overnight accommodations (this needs to be done well in advance, as Tallahassee hotels fill up on home game weekends).
- Dress neatly. Wear a 4-H polo or club t-shirt if you have one. Some youth simply wear a white button down shirt with a 4-H patch sewn on. Wear denim, khaki, or dark colored pants, and be sure to layer your clothing. During this time of year, weather is unpredictable- mornings and evenings are cool, but mid-day can be quite warm. Wear closed toed shoes. Tennis shoes or boots are good choices; avoid flip flops or sandals.
- Bring a clipboard and 2-3 sharpened #2 pencils (mechanical pencils are even better).
- Work with your club leader or 4-H agent to purchase discount ride tickets. Armbands for unlimited rides can be purchased in advance for $15.00/person (this is a good savings).
- Bring extra money for food and beverages, or plan to pack a sack lunch.
- Visit the North Florida Fair’s website for show times- there are many shows that are free of charge and fun for the entire family.
- Make sure that you have a buddy at all times. Do not go anywhere without your buddy. Your 4-H Leader or Chaperone will want you to check in with them throughout the day. Decide in advance where, when, and how often you will meet.
- Don’t forget to attend the awards ceremony at 2PM!
by Heather Kent | Oct 31, 2014
For 4-H members and spectators alike, livestock shows are one of the most anticipated parts of a fair. Preparing your animal for a show begins months in advance. Great care is needed in feeding your animal, practicing showmanship, and making sure your animal is healthy. After all the time and effort that goes into raising your animal, you want to make sure that you have everything you need once you arrive at the fairgrounds.
Angel Granger, the 4-H Agent in Jackson County (also a former livestock club leader and 4-Her) suggests investing in a show box or rubber tote to keep all of your show supplies together.
Packing List for Large Animal Shows:
- Grooming tools- scotch comb, brush, shampoo, blower, clippers, scissors
- Feed supplies- feed, hay, buckets, feed tubs (rubber tubs work well)
- General supplies- water hose, spray nozzle, rubber boots, extension cord, extra rope, pitch fork, square point shovel, rake, and wheel barrow. Depending on the time of year, a fan is also a good idea (the temperature tends to change quickly in the fall and spring and can be unpredictable). Also pack a sign or poster about your animal (breed, age, name, sponsor, etc).
- General animal first-aid kit. Antibiotic cream/salve, aspirin boluses and balling gun, blood stop powder, and bleach. It is a good idea to disinfect the sand before you place your animal on the ring. A simple bleach mixture of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water, in a spray bottle will do.
- Show equipment. Show stick, show halter/lead, tie out halter and lead ropes.
Packing List for Small Animal Shows:
- Grooming tools (brush, comb, nail file, nail clippers, grooming apron or old clothes)
- Feed supplies- feed, feed containers, water bottle
- General supplies- bucket, rags, string or tie wire, sign for your animal (name, breed, age, sponsor, etc)
- General animal first aid kit.
- Show equipment- most dog shows require a leash.
Supplies needed for every show regardless of the species you are showing:
- Show clothes. There is no uniform for 4-H, but you will want to dress neatly and modestly. A button down shirt and dark pants are appropriate. A neck tie or 4-H bolero tie is a nice touch. Make sure your hair is neatly styled and pulled back away from your face. You may also want to bring some safety pins for your exhibitor tag.
- Human first aid kit- you can purchase one for less than $10.00, or put one together yourself (band aids, antibiotic ointment, pain reliever).
- Paperwork: A copy of the registration form you mailed/submitted, your animal’s health papers, your lease document (if applicable), and your ORIGINAL breed registry papers. Photocopies will not be accepted at check-in. It is a great idea to put these papers in a three-ring binder inside sheet protectors.
- Your knowledge and good sportsmanship! Be familiar with your animal so that you are prepared to answer any questions the judge may ask. Look over your feed record and record book. Remember to both win and lose gracefully.
Be sure to label your items with your name. Consider laminating your packing list and keeping it in your show box with a dry-erase marker. That way, you can check the items off as you load them into your box or trailer. Being prepared will help you be less nervous and make your experience much more enjoyable. See you at the fair!
by Heather Kent | Oct 24, 2014
Fairs are often the highlight of the 4-H year. From a youth development perspective, fairs provide an opportunity for 4-H members to demonstrate new knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes. When youth, parents and volunteers work together, fairs are a great way for youth to learn and also be recognized for their efforts. Being properly prepared is key to having a great fair experience.
Youth Responsibilities- Establish a realistic timeline to work on your exhibits. Be sure to read the rules and regulations outlined in the 4-H section of the fair book. Pay close attention to deadlines and specific requirements for each project. Make sure that your exhibit is your own work. Exhibits should be in good condition, clean, and labeled with your name, county, and club. Judging score sheets for individual projects can help guide you as you prepare your exhibit.
Parent Responsibilities- Parents can help 4-H members obtain the materials and resources needed to complete 4-H projects, but should never do the project for the youth. Encourage your child to set realistic timelines and goals so that they do not miss entry deadlines. Help them complete their entry form. Many counties offer workshops or clinics in the weeks leading up to fair to help members prepare- take advantage of these sessions!
Volunteer Responsibilities- Share information about fair exhibit categories and deadlines with your 4-H parents. Project leaders are a great resource to help members decide what to exhibit about their project. It could be something they made, or it could be a poster or tabletop display about what they have learned. If possible, assign an older, more experienced member to mentor new members as they prepare.
Consider having a mock judging of exhibits so that any last minute adjustments can be made. Invite parents to attend along with the members and use this meeting as an opportunity to provide feedback and recognition to individual members and to promote club unity and pride.
4-H members are encouraged to try something more challenging each year and to practice good sportsmanship. Exhibiting is designed to be an enjoyable educational experience not just a contest. If you would like to help 4-Hers in your county get ready for the fair, or serve as a judge for your fair, contact your local county Extension Office.
by Heather Kent | Oct 9, 2014
4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD) is a great opportunity to engage youth in 4-H Science. Each year, National 4-H Council announces a National 4-H Science Experiment. NYSD is October 8th, but the experiment can be conducted anytime. This year, youth will be tasked with the same mission: in light of the recent natural disasters such as Typhoon Haiyan, National 4-H Council is asking youth to design and build an aerodynamic food transportation device that can deliver a payload of nutritious food to disaster victims. Youth will learn engineering concepts, develop math skills, learn about nutrition and help solve a relevant, global issue.
You can purchase a pre-made experiment kit from the 4-H Mall, or you can make your own for less than $10.00. All of the supplies can be found at your local hardware or big box store. A “how-to” video shows you how to set up and facilitate the experiment. A word of caution- the video shows youth jumping onto the launcher with both feet- this weakens your launcher and could cause youth to lose their balance. We recommend that youth only stomp on the bottle with one foot.
Experiment guides for volunteers and youth can be found online for free. If you register your event online, you will get access to three more activities that you can do with your kit. For teachers who lead in-school or afterschool 4-H clubs, this experiment achieves many of the common core science standards There are several contests and prizes for clubs, teachers, and youth. Many of these contests offer cash prizes or gift cards. To find out more, visit the NYSD website.
We would love to know how you and your youth benefited from this program. Please complete the evaluation for volunteers, and share the link for the evaluation for youth with your club members.
How do you plan on celebrating NYSD this year? Share your photos and ideas on our District Facebook and Twitter! Also, make plans to join us on October 20th for Make a Difference Monday at 7/6 central. Dr. Dale Pracht will be sharing how to create safe environments in our 4-H clubs. If you cannot make our live presentation, it will be archived along with this month’s presentation at http://florida4h.org/madmondays.
