by Stefanie Prevatt | Apr 14, 2016
Becky Pengelley, SPin Sewing volunteer
Many of our greatest relationships can be traced back to chance encounters. Evelyn Gonzalez and Becky Pengelly, the Leon County 4-H Sewing SPIN (Special Interest) Club Leaders, met by chance though the encouragement their 4-H Agent, Stefanie Prevatt. Evelyn learned of Leon County 4-H in the summer of 2014 through her service with the Tallahassee Chapter of the American Sewing Guild. A few short weeks later, Becky found the 4-H Office after learning about the program through her college coursework at the University of Florida. Both had a love of sewing, a passion for working with youth, and jam-packed schedules. Not to be deterred, Evelyn and Becky quickly decided Florida 4-H’s new SPIN club model was the best fit for their busy schedules. When asked why she choose to volunteer with 4-H, Evelyn replied:
“Volunteering is always gratifying. There is a need and you are trying to fill it. Working with youth is stimulating and rewarding. They are smart, fast, and funny. They make me laugh. You learn about what makes kids tick, what their concerns are, and you learn about what you are teaching [sewing].
Evelyn Gonzalez teaching youth how to sew patches of a quilt.
Sewing is expensive. The cost of material is the number one concern for the continual operation of the Leon County 4-H Sewing SPIN Club. Fees are necessary for some projects, but Evelyn and Becky work around this issue. Evelyn has lived in Tallahassee for years and has used her connectedness to solicit fabric donations to reduce fees for club members. Becky is a repurpose queen with a passion for teens. When asked what inspires her to continue to be a 4-H volunteer, Becky replied: “The teens in our clubs come to each meeting so excited about what we are going to do, and they have so many ideas about what they will make once they learn…4-H has provided opportunities for [them] to learn things that they wouldn’t learn anywhere else in the community.”
The Leon County 4-H Sewing SPIN club has been serving Tallahassee since early 2015. With each new “spin,” members embark on a journey of learning new skills and creating projects that show their mastery of the subject. One parent stated: “Ms. Evelyn and Ms. Becky are so patient with the students. They clearly put a lot of work and energy into every meeting. The students leave with increased confidence and skill, which is evident from the huge smiles on their faces. We so appreciate these two ladies, as well as the other volunteers that give so generously of their time. The students are inspired, as well as challenged, to do more than they thought they could.”
Evelyn and Becky teach youth and parents to sew!
For those thinking about volunteering with Florida 4-H, Evelyn and Becky have this advice: “Don’t be afraid to work with someone different from you. Becky is a young college girl. We think we’re busy. And they’re busier. I marvel that they carve out some time on a Saturday to come help teach sewing. Share the load. Work with a team” (Evelyn) “I have had the opportunity to meet new people and to share the things I love with them! If you have something to share with children, 4-H will support you in doing this!” (Becky)
If you have a desire to make a difference in your community, think about sharing your talents with us! You can fuel the extraordinary efforts of our youth by joining us as a volunteer. To find out more, contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org/volunteers. Happy National Volunteer Appreciation Week- Come back tomorrow to learn about Gadsden County Community Club Leader, Mrs. Linda Jones.
by pmdavis | Apr 7, 2016
Hearts of Gold 4-H Club
Hearts of Gold 4-H Club and many others will be sporting the color Purple to support military youth on April 8! Join them celebrating April Month of the Military Child and Purple UP! Day April 8 or April 15. 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, headband etc. Just show your support and let our youth know we care about them! Can’t make the 8th then do something another day in April. We would like to encourage you to take pictures of your group wearing purple and share them on social media http://fb.me/msg/bayifas . This allows us to honor our young heroes and their families for their commitment and sacrifice for our freedom!
by Stefanie Prevatt | Mar 25, 2016
4-H has helped this Washington County youth develop confidence to speak in front of groups. Photo credit: Julie Dillard, UF IFAS
A 2001 Gallup poll found that 40% of Americans suffer from glossophobia, or fear of public speaking. This statistic inspired the famous joke by stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld that at most funerals, “the average person would prefer to be the one in the casket rather than the one delivering the eulogy.” Fortunately, 4-H offers an easy antidote through our public speaking program. 4-H public speaking helps youth:
- Demonstrate mastery of a subject
- Practice quality communication
- Increase self-confidence when speaking in front of others.
How and where would you find a 4-H volunteer teaching public speaking? Almost anywhere you’ll find 4-H activities! Here are some examples:
The main public speaking education program supported by your 4-H Office is called County Events.
What is County Events?
County Events is a venue in which 4-H’ers can share what they have learned in their project work though several different contests, including demonstrations and illustrated talks. These are show-and-tell type presentations lasting 3-12 minutes in which a 4-H member shows mastery of a subject matter area. Some contest regulations include:
- Talks must fall between 3-12 minutes for juniors and intermediates, and 5-12 minutes for seniors.
- Team demonstrations must show active, equal participation of both members.
- Presentation must fall under an approved category.
Creating a Presentation
- Topic Selection- should be age appropriate and preferably related to their 4-H project.
- Organizing Thoughts- points should be logical and support the main theme.
- Visuals- neat, attractive and easy to read
- Practice Strategies- club meetings are a great place to practice and practice makes perfect!
Creating Buy in
Last month our Make a Difference Monday online volunteer training addressed ways for club leaders and parents to get their youth excited about public speaking. Regional Specialized 4-H Agent Stacey Ellison shared some creative ideas to encourage youth and families to “buy in” to the idea of public speaking:
- Set expectations
- Have older youth mentor younger youth
- Use the team approach
- Approach it as a game show or cooking show where they can highlight their knowledge or skills
Awards and Recognition
County Events combine two forms of achievement and recognition for youth. These are:
- Peer Competition (a panel of judges subjectively identifies, in a concrete time and place, the best teams or individuals through ranking)
Through this dual recognition system it would be possible for a blue ribbon presentation to place third in peer competition. All 4-H’ers who achieve blue ribbon standard at the county level move forward to the district level of competition.
If you have a passion for public speaking, consider becoming a 4-H volunteer. We are in need of judges for our speech contests as well as speech coaches. For more information on County Events please contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org.
by Jena Gilmore | Jan 29, 2016
Teen retreat participants can earn credits towards their camp counselor certification.
Each summer Florida 4-H camps are bustling with 4-H volunteers, staff, and youth enjoying their week long residential camping experience. As a significant delivery mode in experiential learning, residential camping annually is home to nearly 4000 youth participants and 250 volunteers and agents. Within this mixture are some very important teens that give up their week as a “camper” and graduate to the role of “Counselors” or “Counselors-in-Training (CIT).” These teens, ages 13-18 sacrifice alone time, electronics, and sometimes their sanity in order to fulfill their leadership role at camp and place their campers needs ahead of their own. We’ve seen them overcome struggles, we’ve seen their growth, and we want to pay them back for all the countless hours they have dedicated to the program!
Therefore, the 2016 4-H Teen Retreat is scheduled for February 19th-21st at Camp Cherry Lake for ages 13 to 18! This is no ordinary camping experience for Counselor and CIT age teens. There will be no responsibility of campers but definitely the responsibility of having fun while teambuilding with other teens across the Northwest District. In doing so, teens will participate in workshops, fun-shops, listen to a key note speaker to inspire the leader within them, and then finish up the weekend with dancing, fun activities, and more. All camp rules and dress codes apply for the weekend. This fun-packed weekend costs $90 (scholarships may be available) and you can send payment and registration forms to your local 4-H Agent at the county Extension Office. This program would not be possible without the generous support of Farm Credit of Northwest Florida. Teen Retreat is just one of the ways that Farm Credit is helping 4-H grow future leaders. 
Furthermore, within the 4-H Teen Retreat mini camping experience, teens will have the opportunity to discover the spark within themselves, ignite that spark, and see personal growth with the guidance of 4-H through activities that foster Leadership, Confidence, Compassion, Curiosity, and Creativity. Teens will gain leadership skills and confidence in their abilities as leaders and productive members of their community through workshops focusing on teamwork and personal goal setting. Next, teens will experience growth in compassion as they work together to complete a service project by contributing to “Sole Hope,” an organization that helps place closed toed shoes on the feet of children in third world countries. Lastly, teens will express and grow their curiosity and creativity in “fun-shops” offering projects in photography, videography, nine-square, and para cord bracelet making.
Teens that participate in the 4-H Teen Retreat will leave camp with an arsenal of leadership skills, problem solving strategies, community service ideas and much more to take back to their counties. Teens may also expand their leadership potential by participating in some of UF/IFAS 4-H Priority Programs such as community clubs by becoming an officer or enhancing their current position; participation in citizenship and leadership through 4-H Legislature (June 27-July 1) participation in county events and attending 4-H University (July 25-29th.) Below are links to the State Events page where youth can customize their 4-H experience and tailor participation in events to fit their own personal leadership goals.
By participating in 4-H, youth are reported over twice as likely not to participate in risky behavior and are over 3 times more likely to contribute to their communities as compared to non-4Her’s (Florida 4-H: Facts & Impacts.) In the 2014 4-H Common Measures Statewide Survey of 4-H Seniors, 92% reported they know how to deal with stress in positive ways, 84% agree they learned things that helped them make a difference in their communities, 98% agreed they respect people from other cultures, and 95% agreed they can apply knowledge in ways that solve real-life problems through community service. These statistics show that through participating in 4-H activities and events, youth are becoming more competent, productive citizens in their communities. This in turn leads 4-H youth to be better prepared for leadership roles within the workplace.
Take advantage of everything 4-H has to offer by kick-starting 2016 with the 4-H Teen Retreat! For more information on how to sign up for the 2016 4-H Teen Retreat contact your local 4-H Agent and complete the registration form below. For resources on leadership please visit these EDIS publications referenced in this article.
- Teen Retreat Registration & Medication Forms:
http://walton.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Teen-Retreat-Registration_Fillable.pdf
http://walton.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Medication_Form.pdf
- Florida 4-H Camping Facts & Impacts:
http://florida4h.org/camps/files/4-H_Facts_and_Impacts-Camps.pdf
- Florida 4-H Facts & Impacts:
http://florida4h.org/about1/impact/4-H_Facts_and_Impacts.pdf
- 4-H Common Measures Statewide Survey:
http://florida4h.org/about1/impact/4-H_Statewide_Survey_of_Seniors.pdf
by Heather Kent | Nov 6, 2015
Florida 4-H offers hundreds of events and activities to support 4-H clubs and members. 4-H events are specialized programs designed and conducted to SUPPORT a 4-H members projects at the club, county, district, state, and national levels. Events and activities are typically tied to a project (or curriculum) area and help the youth develop and demonstrate mastery; one of four essential elements that must be present in a young person’s life in order for positive youth development to occur. Last month, Tracey Tesdall and Travis Shepard shared resources and tips for navigating Florida 4-H Events and activities to help parents and volunteers guide their 4-H members. You can watch the 45-minute presentation online, but here are some key points and pieces of information that they covered:
What resources are available?
Policies, Rules, and Guidelines for 4-H Events:
- General 4-H Policies on membership and participation can be found online. Note that the 4-H Age policy did change this year on September 1st. Rules related to specific contests and competitive events can be found on the events page.
- Overnight Events Policy- 4-H Members “real age” 19 have elevated risks associated with their attendance as a participant. Members “real age” 19 will not be housed with youth age 18 or younger. Otherwise members are housed within 2 years of age. Members who are real age 18+ are considered an “adult” in all illegal activities and conflicts.General Tips and Reminders:
- State Level Competitive Event Rules– Youth must be enrolled in 4-H at least 30 days prior to the events and they much have completed at least one year of 4-H work including the current year, as established by the 4-H Agent. 4-Hers on a state level winning team may not compete as FFA members the next year or vice-versa.
- Cancellation policy– Participants who register for an event and cancel before registration closes will receive a full reimbursement of any associated fees. Once registration has closed, no refunds will be awarded unless a documented medical emergency or natural disaster inhibits a participant from attending.
General Tips and Reminders:
- Pay close attention to state event deadlines
- Payment should always come from your county, unless otherwise specified (contact your local 4-H Office to be sure!)
- Make sure that your participation form is updated and current before an event (in case of an emergency). This applies to both youth and adult chaperones and volunteers. Forms can be updated electronically in 4HOnline or you can print and complete a paper participation form.
- Make sure you are familiar with event schedules, directions, dress codes, and what to pack (if overnight). Your local 4-H Office is a great resource. State-level event information can be found online and is updated often.
We hope that this information will help you and your 4-Hers plan a successful project this year in 4-H. If you have any questions, please contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office, or view the Make a Difference Monday presentation. On November 16th, join us at 7PM Eastern/6PM Central to learn about Mastering 4-H Project Records, Portfolios and Awards. For more information about Make a Difference Monday, our online volunteer training series, visit our website at http://florida4h.org/madmondays.
