John G. Lilly
Jefferson County Extension Director/4-H Agent
Young people in 4-H are committed to improving their communities. Dr. Richard Lerner, and the team at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University highlights a notable trend. 4-H youth are three times more likely to actively contribute to their communities when compared with youth who do not participate in 4-H. (more…)
Looking at two different plans designed by group
Drawing a map layer
Teens and staff training to teach NYSD Material
October 6-12 was National 4-H Week, and more than 6 million young people across the country celebrated the great things that the 4-H youth development program offers young people and the incredible 4-H’ers who work each day to a make a positive impact on their community.
One of the highlights of National 4-H Week has become the 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD). For more than 100 years, 4-H has been at the forefront of teaching young people about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Currently, more than five million young people across the nation participate in 4-H STEM programming in topics as varied as robotics, agricultural science, rocketry, wind power, environmental science and alternative energy. NYSD is the premier national rallying event for this year-round 4-H STEM programming, bringing together youth, volunteers, and educators from the nation’s 109 land-grant colleges and universities to simultaneously complete the National Science Experiment.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013, was the official date of the sixth annual 4-H NYSD, and as a part of National 4-H Week, millions of young people became scientists for the day. This event, which takes place in urban, suburban and rural communities all across the nation, seeks to spark an early youth interest and leadership in STEM careers in an effort keep America competitive in those fields.
The 2013 NYSD Experiment is – 4-H Maps & Apps! This set of activities turns young people into geospatial thinkers as they design and map their ideal park, use GIS mapping to solve community problems, and contribute data about their community to the United States Geological Survey.
Research has proven that participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicates that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are:
National Youth Science Day is just one of the many ways we reach youth to make these kinds of impacts. If you would like more information on 4-H National Youth Science Day or would still like to participate in the activity, there is still time. Information is available at http://www.4-h.org/4-h-national-youth-science-day/. It’s not too late to plan and register your event for 2013!
Volunteer teaching local youth how to build underwater robots.
The goal of 4-H is to teach youth life skills. In so doing, we find that we also equip them with marketable skills, a sense of belonging, and a sense of self-worth, each of which makes them more apt to be successful. However, besides the most obvious benefit that your volunteer services are to your local youth and community, there are benefits for you personally as well. In fact, studies indicate that individuals who volunteer, experience greater health benefits,1 and in some cases, that individuals can combat the onset of depression simply by volunteering.2 Additional personal benefits of volunteerism include increased social skills, and an expanded social network.
Another thing to consider is that by volunteering with 4-H you will have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of children. This more than likely will trigger a sense of commitment, pride, and accomplishment in you which leads to a more positive self-image. The more positive your self-image, the more likely you are to set and accomplish positive personal goals, thus feeling a sense of accomplishment which creates a continuous circle of self-worth and confidence.
One of the most undervalued benefits of volunteering with 4-H is the time spent practicing the very life skills you are teaching through 4-H programming like communication, teamwork, and program planning. As you work with your youth to help them develop these life skills, you too are strengthening them in yourself. When they combine their increased life skills with taking part in the wide variety of training opportunities presented through 4-H, some volunteers may open new doors for employment based on the skills they have learned and developed.
In today’s time when families are busier than ever and time seems limited, having a positive adult role model can truly influence the path of youth. Volunteering with a 4-H program allows these positive impacts to occur. If you are already a 4-H volunteer, take pride in your contributions and reap the joy and benefits associated with such. If you are not currently a volunteer, the great news is that you do not have to look far to find a perfect match for your volunteerservices…the Florida 4-H program welcomes you, and area 4-H Agents are eager to help you get started!
1 Dulin and Hill, 2003; Brown et al., 2005; Brown et al., 2003; Liang et al., 2001; Morrow-Howell et al., 2003; Midlarsky and Kahana, 1994; and Schwartz et al., 2003
2 Depression Alliance http://www.depressionalliance.org/latest-news/volunteering-combats-depression.php
Leon County 4-H youth displaying ribbons at North Florida Fair
The arrival of the fall love bugs, the leaves changing colors and falling to the ground, and the sounds of bands rehearsing and cheerleaders chanting can only mean one thing in North Florida……no it’s not time to shop for Christmas gifts…even though it’s just around the corner, but instead, it means it’s almost FAIR TIME! Fair time is not only viewed as the first official 4-H program kickoff event where most of the club participants can play a part, but it’s also a time where youth take pride in showing off the work they have completed in their clubs.
The fair is a venue for 4-H youth to put their 4-H work on display and in many cases receive premium money based on the quality of their entries. The fair also provides opportunities for competitive events to take place and for some youth to showcase their animals they have worked with and cared for during the past year.
Can a youth’s participation in the fair help to development them into a responsible adult? The answer is yes! The 4-H program seeks to be inclusive to all youth by using a variety of vehicles to teach youth life skills in traditional and non-traditional settings. The vehicles used with fairs could be exhibits, animals, competitions, booths, and the list goes on and on. A recent article in The Journal of Extension by Oregon State professionals found that “having fun” and“ spending time with friends” and “teamwork” were the highest rated motivators for participation in the fair. 
The study also revealed that participation in fairs through 4-H had a significant positive effect on participants levels of caring, contribution, and character. These characteristics are also part of the Essential Elements of 4-H that youth experience by being in an active 4-H program throughout the year. Those elements are Belonging, Independence, Generosity, and Mastery.
These results support the conclusion that participation in county 4-H fairs do contribute to the positive development of youth. Research shows that people as a whole learn more when they are having fun and the activities and events at fairs or no exception. By setting “fair” goals that are not tied to premium money but instead to the warm fuzzies felt by youth when they feel they have contributed to a worthwhile event is the right recipe that’s sure to earn them a blue ribbon for life. So, make plans to utilize the events in your local or regional fairs to help teach your youth life skills. If you choose project entries, and need additional help getting those submitted, please contact your local 4-H agent and request a copy of the Document entitled “Getting 4-H Exhibits Ready For The Fair”.
More information on this study can be obtained by visiting the Journal of Extension at www.joe.org and viewing volume 45, number 6.(Arnold, Meinhold, Skubinna, and Asthton)
LEGOLAND is sponsoring the 1st Annual 4-H Day at LEGOLAND on Saturday, September 28th– just in time for 4-H Club Kickoffs! Florida 4-H Families will be able to purchase tickets to LEGOLAND theme park for $30.00 each (regular price is $75.00). In addition, $5.00 from every ticket sold will go to the Florida 4-H Foundation to support 4-H Clubs and Educational Events.
Order up to 20 tickets in one transaction at: https://secure4.gatewayticketing.com/LegolandFlorida/shop/ViewItems.aspx?CG=4h&C=4h . Tickets are good for both youth and adults. For an additional $15.00/person, you can upgrade your ticket at the gate to include access to the water park. Upon arrival, youth can sign up for free robotics workshops to learn about WeDo, Mindstorms, and the new EV3 robotics kits.
LEGOLAND is a theme park with rides, a water park, educational exhibits, Florida Department of Agriculture Greenhouse, Botanical Gardens and much more. To learn more about LEGOLAND, visit their website at: http://florida.legoland.com/. For questions, please contact Annie Muscato, afmuscato@ufl.edu or Heather Kent hckent@ufl.edu.
Last night, Dr. Paula Davis taught us how we can make a difference by empowering youth to plan and lead effective club meetings. We even practiced parliamentary procedure by making trail mix. Whitney Cherry explained proper 4-H emblem usage and how to secure permission to use the 4-H name and emblem for your club.
All of the games and reference materials are available from our website at: https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/4hn/category/volunteer-training/make-a-difference-mondays/. The door prize winner for August was Edward Owen from Walton County. He won a 4-H Club Kit, containing everything you need to run a club meeting. September winners will be announced next week.
Due to feedback from volunteers like you, we have adjusted our training schedule so that the next session, October 21st, will be on Risk Management. 4-H Specialist Dr. Dale Pracht will be sharing valuable best practices for creating safe and secure environments for 4-H club meetings and events. Please invite any 4-H teens, parents or volunteers that you feel would benefit from this session!
When volunteers share their skills and expertise with youth during 4-H club meetings, youth learn valuable life and leadership skills.
Volunteers like you help 4-H make a difference in over 300,000 Florida 4-H youth each year!