4-H Day at the Capitol provides youth an opportunity to use their voice and practice good citizenship while
educating representatives and senators about the 4-H Program. 4-H members are highly encouraged to make an appointment with their congressmen or a congressional aide to talk about how the Florida 4-H Program has impacted their lives. During the day, participants will hear from public officials, participate in educational workshops, and see their congressmen in action. This year’s event is planned for Thursday, March 23rd.
Registration for this event is open through March 1st via 4HOnline. You may have participated in this event in the past, but this year, there are several important changes that will make your experience a little different (and hopefully even better).
This year, there will not be planned workshops for you to register for, but the 4-H Day at the Capitol Guidebook does include suggestions for educational tours and sites in Tallahassee that your club may want to take advantage of. Your registration includes a 4-H polo and lunch. Please wear dress pants, a skirt or khakis with your polo (no jeans or shorts). You want to look professional for your meetings with elected officials!
One of the primary goals of this event is for 4-Hers to have an opportunity to connect with their representative and/or senator to educate them about the 4-H program. Learning how to do this is a valuable citizenship skill. Please refer to the guidebook for detailed information and frequently asked questions. Here are a few tips to help you set up your appointments and prepare for your visit:
Call the Capitol Office and request an appointment- Contact the Capitol office the first week of March to request an appointment. The secretary will ask you to call back closer to March 23, 2017 to confirm an appointment time.
Learn about your Elected Officials
Make a Plan for your Visit and Practice – During the months the Florida Legislature is in session, legislators work long hours and have limited time. Most likely you will only have 3-5 minutes for your meeting, so you need be prepared. Refer to the guide for some tips on preparing for your meeting. Decide what member(s) of your club or council will speak and practice!
Call to Confirm your Appointment- Call your legislators’ Capitol Office again the week before 4-H Day at the Capitol to confirm your appointment with your legislator (or their aide of the legislator is not available)
Do you have an interest in government and citizenship? If so, consider enrolling in 4-H as either a member or volunteer. We have several programs to help youth learn about how our government works and how they can be an involved, caring and compassionate citizen. Contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office or visit some of these links:
The term “Backyard Chickens” is one many people use today. The idea of having a pet help you make breakfast is growing in popularity. I am often questioned as to which breed of chicken is the best breed. When asked, I always reply, “What do you want the chicken to do?” The reason I ask is because The American Poultry Association recognizes 65 different breeds of chickens. Each breed can meet a different need. Many people will blurt out, “I want eggs!” Well, do you care what color eggs? Do you care how often you get eggs? Does the size of the egg matter? Each breed is different and there are pros and cons to each breed. Some of the more popular breeds that you can find at your local feed store during upcoming “Chick Days” are described below:
Rhode Island Red: This is a breed that is a large-bodied bird that lays a large to extra-large brown egg. These hens are very personable and can have a great personality. This breed can become a pet in no time.
White Leghorn: This particular bird will lay a large white egg on a very regular basis. The Leghorn is not friendly and is often referred to as “flighty”. Leghorns will not, as a general rule, become pets. They will lay you an egg almost daily, but will run from you when it’s time to collect those eggs.
(Buff) Orpington: Usually sold in the color buff, additionally available in other colors. This is a large-bodied friendly bird. Orpingtons can become fast friends and will serve as a dual-purpose member of your flock. This means that they are great egg layers, and will also serve as a good meat bird if the desire or need arises.
Sex-link varieties: With this breed, you will not get a breed, but they have great production. Sometimes called Red Star, or Black Star, the chicks show a difference when day old chicks. It will be easy to determine between the two. If chicks are not your thing, you can always purchase young hens that are just starting to lay.
Many people are not ready to wait five to six months to get their beloved eggs from their new pets. If that is the case, you can always check with your local extension office to inquire if a local 4-H member might have some young hens for sale. On September 30th, 4-H members from across the panhandle will have a “Chick Chain” show and Auction. Save the date and get the best breed for you!
If you have children between the ages of 5-18 (as of September 1st, 2016) and you are interested in starting a backyard flock, you may want to sign up for the 4-H Chick Chain. This program teaches youth how to raise, care for, and show chickens. Registration is open February 1st-24th via 4HOnline. Youth will receive 12, day-old pullets on March 29th. Throughout the spring and summer, youth will learn the ins and outs of poultry farming, and how to market their eggs and hens for profit. They will keep business and health records, learn about bio-security, and gain poise, confidence, and communication skills while showing their hens in the fall. For more information, contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office, or read about last year’s program.
Kyle working the air traffic control booth at the National Flight Academy. Photo Credit: Prudence Caskey
4-H has joined forces with the National Flight academy to bring a unique and exciting aviation camp to our 4-Hers. The National Flight Academy builds heart-pumping, adrenaline-filled story line, which brings life to a mission as if the students are in a real-world scenario. Students apply these skills by flying the high-performance X-12 Triad, the National Flight Academy’s experimental aircraft, offering them hands-on comprehension of the principles of flight thrust, hovering and target drops. Our 3-day cruise will be held on President’s Day Weekend, February 18th – February 20th 2017. The event is open to 4-Hers across the Southeast and costs $375 per student which includes rooming, food, and a lot of fun and learning! This would be an awesome holiday or birthday gift for any special youth in your life.
Participation in the event can also help young people develop both life and workforce skills- not to mention academic achievement. Kyle Caskey, a Santa Rosa County 4-Her, attended a week-long cruise last summer and shared:
“Before I went to the National Flight Academy (NFA), I was really intimidated by math. I love science, but just didn’t get the math. At NFA, I was able to use math and see why it works. I brought my grade up to an A! Oh yeah, the food is really good too!”
Click Here for registration instructions: 4hregistrationletter-for-nfa. You must be registered before January 28th, 2017.
The National Flight Academy is located on the NAS base at 1 Fetterman Way, NAS Pensacola, FL 32508. See more about the academy at http://www.nationalflightacademy.com.
If you have an interest in science, engineering, math, and/or technology (STEM), consider becoming a 4-H volunteer so that you can share your passion to spark the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators. Contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org for more information.
Over 70 teens from across the panhandle participated in last year’s retreat, sponsored by Farm Credit of NW FL.
Interested in meeting other 4-H teens across the district? Do you love camp? Would you like to be more prepared for state events like 4-H Legislature or 4-H U? What about scholarships for college? If any of these questions caught your attention, then Teen Retreat is tailor made for you! Last year, a committee of youth and adults put together a weekend event to help teens grow their leadership, communication and workforce skills. With lots of positive feedback from last year’s participants, we are planning another event for 2017.
WHO: Teens ages 13-18 in the Northwest District of Florida (4-H Districts I, II & III) WHAT: A fun weekend retreat with your peers WHEN: February 24-26, 2017 WHERE:Camp Timpoochee, Niceville, FL HOW: Workshops and fun shops will be planned and taught by youth committee members. Everyone will also participate in a service project. Participants will be expected to bring what they learn back to their county council and organize a similar service project April 28-30.
Youth participated in a Shoe Cutting Party to help Sole Hope, and organization that provides shoes to children in Africa. We were able to send nearly 200 pairs of shoes!
Registration will open Friday, December 9th via 4HOnline. The cost is only $75/person thanks to corporate donations from State Farm and Farm Credit of Northwest Florida. Participate in our Teen Retreat T-shirt Design Contest and you could win a $50.00 scholarship for this event! Check with your local UF IFAS Extension Office to inquire about any additional scholarships that may be available. Once you complete your registration online, submit your payment to your local UF IFAS Extension Office.
4-H youth practices parliamentary procedure for club meetings. Photo Credit: UF IFAS Bay County Extension.
No matter what your political beliefs, there’s one thing we can all agree on: We have been inundated with election coverage. In November 2016, a new president will be elected to serve a four-year term, so now is an ideal time to start teaching kids about the presidential election process. Even though they may not be quite old enough to vote, kids can still benefit from learning about elections and how they can take part in the political process. Chances are that your child has noticed campaign signs, television commercials, news coverage, T-shirts, bumper stickers, buttons and conversations about the election. You may even hear them reciting what you say about each candidate.
Florida 4-H has a wonderful project that can help youth understand their government. It is Exploring Citizenship – My Government Unit 6. The My Government‖ project helps youth learn about our democratic form of government and understand the importance of citizen involvement in the government. It will also help youth find ways to get involved in government. 4-H Club officers are the beginning of the process learning basic parliamentary procedure. Another wonderful opportunity is the 4-H Day at the Capitol Program that provides youth with an opportunity to learn more about their state government and experience the political process first hand. During the day, participants will hear from public officials, participate in educational workshops, and see their congressmen in action.
4-H also has an outstanding teen program, 4-H Legislature, in Tallahassee annually. Senior 4-H’ers, ages 13 to 18, develop their skills to debate, analyze legislation and speak publicly, all while making new friends. At this civic educational event, youth can sponsor a bill, amend, or lobby it, then debate the issues on the Capitol House and Senate floors. The 4-H Legislature Program enables youth to understand the basic principles of democracy.
Democratic government requires citizen participation. Each citizen has a responsibility to stay informed on public issues, to express an opinion on these issues, and to make sure that government stays sensitive to the desires of the people. In the United States, only a small group fulfills this responsibility. To most people, voting is the extent of their participating. After election time they wait until the next election to become active again. Many citizens never become active even to register or vote.
Don’t be a “let someone else do it” citizen. Get involved! Make sure your democratic government represents you and other citizens and make sure your child understands what it means to be a citizen of the United States. For more information visit our website . 4-H is one of the nation’s most diverse organizations and includes people from all economic, racial, social, political, and geographic categories. There are no barriers to participation by any young person. Participants are given the opportunity to engage in activities that hold their personal interest. If you wish to volunteer or for more program information contact your local Extension office.
4-Hers are waiting for their moment with the poultry judge. Photo Credit: Misty Smith
I am often asked, “How do you wash a chicken?” I reply, “Just like a turkey, only on a smaller scale!” But for many 4-H’ers, washing chickens is part of showing chickens and is a skill they have to master.
Raising and showing poultry is quickly becoming a hobby for people of all ages. Youth who are active in a 4-H poultry project, are already one step ahead of the rest. Not only do they learn about poultry health, bio-security, and nutrition, they also learn about sportsmanship and other aspects of the poultry industry through showmanship. Many UF/IFAS Extension Offices offer day camps and clinics to help youth learn how to raise and show poultry, so contact your local office for more information- there’s one in every county! Here are a few steps 4-H youth can take to prepare for a poultry show:
Step 1: Handle your chicken daily. By handling your chicken daily, this will ensure that it is used to people, and will be friendly to the judge. A friendly chicken shows the judge that the chicken’s owner has been dedicated to preparing the bird for showing, not just ignoring it and bringing it to the show on show day.
Step 2: Practice holding your chicken. There is a correct way to hold a chicken when you are showing it and you will need to practice, practice, practice. When you and your bird feel comfortable around each other, you can start practicing holding and walking around with the bird the correct way, by placing your middle and fourth finger between the bird’s legs. Using your first finger and pinkie, hold the bird’s wings down. For carrying, put the bird’s head under your arm. When youth practice holding and carrying their bird, the bird becomes very docile and calm which makes for a great show chicken.
Step 3: Know the parts of the chicken. This step is one of the hardest in the entire showmanship procedure.
Poultry Showmanship can help youth build communication skills and confidence. Photo Credit: Julie Dillard
It is based on simply remembering the steps and practicing with your bird. Youth are quizzed on the parts of the chicken and whoever knows the most, does the best. Make sure you know about the head, wings, under color, width of body, breast, vent, abdomen, pubic bone, legs and feet, and how to cage a bird. All of these will ensure to the judge that youth have studied about their bird and are very knowledgeable on the parts of a chicken. Also, know about the breed of your chicken. You will want to do your homework on the breed of chicken that you are showing so any questions that the judge may ask about your bird you will know how to answer correctly.
Step 4: Know how to bathe your chicken. The easiest way to bathe a chicken is with a 5 gallon bucket of lukewarm water and dish soap. You want to “dip” the chicken 2-3 times in the soapy water, avoiding getting the head wet, and then dip them in clean water to rinse them off. Never submerge a chickens head in the water due to the fact that the chicken can aspirate and die. If your chicken’s head is soiled, use a wet cloth to wipe it clean. The chicken will take care of the rest by preening itself so make sure that you bathe the chicken 48 hours prior to the show so that there will be time for natural oil replacement. Place your chicken in a wire cage to ensure it stays clean before the show.
Step 5: Have fun! Showing chickens is a great and rewarding experience for youth. Poultry shows are a great opportunity for youth to demonstrate their skills, gain confidence, make lifelong friends and practice responsibility. The 4-H poultry project can be the spark that leads youth to a career in animal science industry where the possibilities are endless!
Do you have a passion for poultry? If so, consider using your knowledge, skills and interests as a 4-H poultry volunteer. We could use your expertise planning shows, teaching workshops and helping youth experience success with their poultry project. Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org for more info.
4-H Day at the Capitol provides youth an opportunity to use their voice and practice good citizenship while
