by Melanie Taylor | May 1, 2019
Making friends at 4-H Camp in the early 1990’s (Melanie Taylor, Gulf County 4-H Agent, on right)
4-H Summer Camp preparations are in full swing all over the state. As a 4-H agent preparing for our week of county 4-H camp, my days are busy with phone calls and emails from parents, teen counselor training, adult volunteer screenings, paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork. Although it’s busy time for me as a 4-H agent, it also allows me to reflect why I chose this career path and why there is a sense of nostalgia as I prepare for 4-H camp.
Camp Memories
I grew up in Virginia and attended 4-H camp every year from age 9-18. I was a camper that grew into a counselor-in-training and then a full-fledged counselor. Those weeks of 4-H camp were filled with hot days and warm nights, but it was worth it all for the memories I’ll have for a lifetime. I can still smell the cafeteria food and hear the sounds in the gymnasium as kids played basketball and pounded at their leather-craft projects. I still get the chills when I think about our entire camp singing around the campfire circle and patiently waiting for a canoe, filled with camp staff, to land on the lakes edge. The staff would enter the campfire circle carrying the flame and ceremoniously light the fire. I’m still connected with my 4-H camp friends through social media and/or as close friends, and we continue to share our old, blurry camp pictures from the 1990’s each year on Facebook.
Memories to Last a Lifetime…
This is why I work hard to prepare camp for my county campers and teen counselors – I want to create similar memories for them. In 10, 20 or 30 years from now, I want them to think back on the fun moments they experienced in the Florida 4-H camping program. I want them to form friendships and make camp connections for a lifetime, whether it’s learning to kayak, fish, making arts and crafts, cooking over a campfire, singing camp songs and much more.
With all of this said, I hope you as parents will consider giving your child(ren) these special moments. The days are long, but fun, and nights are filled with campfires and hanging out with friends. When they arrive home on Friday, they’ll be exhausted but so excited to share all of the camp songs with you (prepare yourself for lots of loud, enthusiastic singing). They’ll have new friends they want you to meet and tell you camp stories they’ll always cherish.
When is Your County Camping?
In northwest Florida, there are two 4-H Camps:
4-H Camp Timpoochee in Niceville and 4-H Camp Cherry Lake in Madison.
Each county in these camping districts has one week of camp each summer. 
Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office now
to find out the details and register your child for a week of fun and memories!
by pmdavis | Apr 10, 2019
Purple Up! on Friday, April 12th
Most people think of the color green when they think of 4-H, but on Friday April 12, 2019, 4-H youth and volunteers in Florida will Purple Up! to show support for our military kids and families. Join us in showing support and celebrate our young heroes! Participation in the 10th annual Purple Up! day is easy – wearing purple and take photos to share on social media using #fl4h and #purpleup.
Why Purple Up?
Military youth have unique challenges. Imagine how you would feel about having long and repeated separations from your parent. Imagine your mom or dad missing important events like birthdays, holidays, and school events. How would you feel about frequent relocation or moves, having to make new friends, get familiar with new schools, and find new 4-H clubs and teams to join? These are all common experiences for military youth!
Many military children take these changes in stride, but it’s also hard to rebuilding a world every time they move. UF/IFAS Extension and 4-H are proud to be a part of the military family – 4-H works with military youth centers across the nation and overseas to create some consistency for youth in these situations.
Why the Color Purple?
Purple symbolizes all branches of the military and is the combination of Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red and Navy blue. By wearing purple and sharing in a visible way, you can show support and thank military children for their strength and sacrifices.
Did You Know?
Florida has the fifth highest number of school-age military children in the country according to the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center. We also have over 50,000 active and reserve military members whose families worry that they are in harm’s way when they deploy.
Be creative….the goal is for military youth to see the support in their school, youth groups, and the community! If you don’t have or own a purple shirt, wear a purple ribbon, tie or headband. Just show your support and let our youth know we care about them! Can’t make the Purple Up! date? Then do something another day in April, the Month of the Military Child!
Remember, take pictures of your group wearing purple and share them on social media using #fl4h and #purpleup.
This allows us to:
- collectively honor military children and their families
- let military kids see the support of their community
- thank military kids for their commitment and sacrifice
For more information on Purple Up!, contact Dr. Paula M. Davis at UF/IFAS Extension Bay County at 850-784-6105.
For more information on 4-H in your county, follow us on Facebook, and contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office.
By Paula Davis, Janet Psikogios and Jennifer Simms
by jgl1 | Mar 29, 2019
Like these Jefferson County volunteers, every 4-H volunteer is making a positive difference in the lives of youth.
As a 4-H Agent, one of the things I am most grateful for is volunteers. Our volunteers are leaders, cheerleaders, mentors, and advocates for our youth. It is with their help and service that many young people find their voice or passion and become healthy, capable, caring, and productive adults.
Volunteers assist by:
- leading club meetings
- serving as camp counselors
- judging speech and demonstration contests
- serving on advisory committees, and
- utilizing their unique interests, skills, and abilities to serve the 4-H program and extend it to audiences which would otherwise be unserved.
Youth volunteers, like our 4-H Camp counselors, are such an asset to the county 4-H program.
In the process, our volunteers shape future leaders by demonstrating leadership skills, instilling a sense of community, and offering a positive connection with someone from a different age group or generation. And while they do not serve for praise or recognition, many volunteers get a great deal of fulfillment, self-satisfaction, and enjoyment in volunteer service, as they watch youth develop self-confidence, self-worth, and leadership skills
Whether they serve episodically or for many years, volunteers are a valuable and essential component of 4-H. Without their help, 4-H could not deliver the excellent programs that are the cornerstone of Extension.
To all of the volunteers in the district, thank you for all you do.
Learn more about volunteering with Florida 4-H or contact your local UF/IFAS Extension to learn about 4-H in your county and discuss your possibilities with your 4-H Agent.
We’ll be highlighting more about 4-H volunteers during the month of April, so be on the lookout for some great stories!
by Marie Arick | Mar 28, 2019
Tropicana Speech Contest
Liberty County 4-H’s Annual 4-H/Tropicana Public Speaking Contest included a special guest speaker with a uniquely delivered speech!
Ms. Delmy Pineda, a sixth grader at W.R. Tolar School, suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Delmy shared with her therapist, Kara Bradley, her desire to participate in the Tropicana Speech Contest. Delmy knew this was her last chance to participate being a sixth grader, so together, the two set out to make this happen.
So why is this so different? Delmy’s primary vehicle of communication is via a speech assist device. Yes, a computer-generated voice provided through a computer program. A first for any competitor.
Delmy wrote her speech, “Who Runs the World”, presented it and won in her class! Although she did not win in her school competition, Delmy embraced the opportunity and really championed the spirit of the competition. With that spirit in mind, the school administration asked if she could present at the County Competition as an honorary speaker. Of course, Delmy was added to the program without hesitation. Delmy presented her speech utilizing her speech assist device, a first for the Tropicana Competition. Delmy received a standing ovation. At that moment, Delmy was running the world.
For more information about the 4-H/Tropicana Public Speaking Program, or any other opportunities for your child, please contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office.
by Taylor Wilken | Mar 22, 2019
Summer camp…memories cherished and never forgotten. Camp fires, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, roughing it old-school in cabins and bunk beds, camp songs and skits around the fire, life-long memories and friendships…these are some of the experiences your child can have at 4-H Camp Timpoochee or 4-H Camp Cherry Lake this summer!
Time to Unplug
4-H summer camps are places for youth to unplug and get some fresh air while gaining valuable skills that last a lifetime. A core philosophy of 4-H camp is “letting kids be kids” by utilizing the learn-by-doing approach with a balance of routine and unstructured time within a nurturing environment where youth feel a sense of community and belonging.
Explore & Discover
Campers are encouraged to get out of their comfort zones to discover and explore their interests, talents, and values. Classes including creative dramatics, marine exploration, air rifle, mad science, and many other programs allows them to explore and excel. Campers gain confidence, empowerment, and resiliency through these new experiences. A sense of community and belonging grows from the traditional camp songs and dances they learn. New friendships are formed from the multi-county dynamic that the 4-H summer camp provides where youth meet kids from other counties and walks-of-life.
Who: Campers (8-13 years of age) & Counselors (14-18 years of age)
Where: Camp Timpoochee- 4750 Timpoochee Lane, Niceville, Florida 32578
Camp Cherry Lake- 3861 NE Cherry Lake Circle, Madison, Florida 32340
Youth volunteers, like our 4-H Camp counselors, are a great asset to the county 4-H program.
by Marie Arick | Mar 11, 2019
4-H Food Challenge Mystery Basket
Being creative in the kitchen…using a surprise set of ingredients…making a tasty dish…frequent watcher of The Food Network? Then the 4-H Food Challenge camp is the summer day camp for you!
Take a Sneak Peek
Here’s a sample list of possible ingredients in the Fruit & Vegetable category:
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup of celery, sliced
- 1 ½ cups green bell pepper strips
- 1/3 cup onions, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tomato, cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons of canola oil, divided
- ½ cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons of cornstarch
Any idea what you’d prepare? What would you name your dish?
Participants in the 4-H Food Challenge camp will work in teams with 3 to 4 members. Teams will be presented with:
- a food category
- a set of mystery ingredients
- 40 minutes to create a dish, prepare a presentation about their dish, and clean their work area
When time is up, teams will present their creation to a panel of judges describing their collaboration in creating the dish, food safety practices used by the team, how they worked together, and finally, a description of the dish including some nutrition information.
We all eat, so food safety and preparation are skills that we all need. 4-H Food Challenge campers will learn those skills along with nutrition knowledge, teamwork and presentation skills. Look for this day camp opportunity in your local UF/IFAS Extension 4-H program this summer, and join us in putting our skills to the test!
*The 4-H Food Challenge is loosely based on The Food Network show “Chopped” and adapted from the Texas 4-H Food Challenge Contest.
Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office now 
