by Jenny Savely | May 20, 2016
Danielle with her state officer team and Adam Putnam, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and 4-H Alum.
How do you 4-H? Through 4-H, youth can participate in clubs, mentorship, project mastery, competitions, local, state, and international trips, and service opportunities unlike any other youth development program in the country. Along with specific skills, 4-H also works to impart life skills, or workforce readiness skills, to its youth. One of the best ways 4-H teaches leadership and responsibility to youth is by giving youth the power to choose how involved they will be and take ownership over what their experience will look like. When youth choose in fully to 4-H, the results are remarkable and inspiring. When our Senior 4-H’ers (14-18 year olds) take advantage of all that is available to them, the impact is a rewarding one. One can observe Senior aged 4-H’ers youth who are both driven to challenge themselves and who take ownership of their own success in 4-H and of their county and state program at large. One such extraordinary example is State 4-H Council Treasurer, Danielle Tinker of Escambia County, FL.
Danielle affectionately says she had to “beg” her mother to get her involved in 4-H. That kind of drive is indicative of the approach Danielle has taken in her 4-H experience overall. “One of the greatest things about 4-H is that it has given me opportunities to try so many new and different things. Some of them… I am glad to have been exposed to them and had opportunity to learn about those things…Then there are areas and events that have changed who I am and where I will end up in life.” Because Senior 4-H youth are able to define their experience, they can explore the depth of their interest area. Sometimes only by trying on various projects do youth find the field that drives them most of all. After pursuing projects like hiking, camping, drama, participating in the fair exhibits, and consumer judging competitions, Danielle got involved in leadership and livestock raising. Here Danielle found her niche. She has passionately pursued many leadership roles at the club, county, and state level and succeeded in her goal to be part of the process of improving the program and spurring others to be involved. Her love of leadership and livestock together have helped Danielle to define her goals in a way that captures both areas, saying that “Through 4-H I have discovered that I love raising livestock and I hope someday to have my own farm where I can raise and care for livestock.”
Her entrepreneurial spirit, developing mastery in hog raising, and the leadership skills she has learned will translate into the lifelong values and behavioral change we see in many of our 4-H’ers that have let their experiences direct how they think of others, themselves, and their place in the world.
Being able to translate skills like leadership, responsibility, communication, resourcefulness, and being goal oriented from a specific task or project to all aspects of life is the type of behavior change positive youth development strives for. When asked about the benefits of 4-H, Danielle said,
“4-H has helped me develop skills that I can use in my future such as self confidence, public speaking and time management…Maybe most importantly through the leadership opportunities, events, and trainings that I have had in 4-H, I will never be the same. I have gained confidence, skills, and abilities that I can carry with me into whatever my future holds.”
Though all 4-H youth develop these skills, as youth age into being a Senior 4-H’er, many new opportunities become available that put them at the center of their county and state programming. Projects, leadership opportunities, and travel for this group is much more challenging and autonomous than the mentor heavy experience of younger 4-H’ers. Youth are able to meet with their peers throughout the state and nation who are delving into making what they experience in 4-H part of their lifelong vision and goals for themselves.
One of the most important skills 4-H teaches is to use your head, heart, hands, and health not only for oneself but for club, community, country, and world. Years of community service through 4-H have helped to mold Danielle into an empathetic and thoughtful young woman.
“I have learned about compassion for others through community service, and gained a passion for teaching and helping others get the most out of the opportunities afforded them through 4-H and that understanding will go with me in whatever I am passionate about as an adult.” While Danielle has pursued 4-H to the hilt, there is something to be gained through every experience.
Senior 4-H’ers can choose to be part of many incredible experiences that are exciting, rewarding, and continually challenge them in the moment as well as throughout their lives. 4-H is a program for all ages. Get on board. Contact your local county agent or look into all the incredible opportunities at the Florida 4-H website.
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 Melanie Taylor | Dec 11, 2015
The holidays are often filled with time-honored traditions that include some of our favorite meals and foods. As you celebrate, think of little changes you can make this holiday season to create healthier meals and active days. An added bonus, these small changes may help you to avoid those extra holiday pounds we all fear each year. Happy Cooking!
In the Kitchen:
• For gravies or sauces — if you are making pan gravy, first skim the fat off pan drippings. For cream or white sauces, use fat-free (skim) milk and soft tub or liquid margarine.
• For dressings or stuffing — add low-sodium broth or pan drippings with the fat skimmed off instead of lard or butter. Use herbs and spices and a whole grain bread for added flavor.
• For biscuits — use vegetable oil instead of lard or butter and fat-free (skim) milk or 1 percent buttermilk instead of regular milk.
• For greens — use skin-free smoked turkey, liquid smoke, fat-free bacon bits, or low-fat bacon instead of fatty meats.
• For sweet potato pie — mash sweet potato with orange juice concentrate, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and only one egg. Leave out the butter.
• For cakes, cookies, quick breads, and pancakes — use egg whites or egg substitute instead of whole eggs. Two egg whites can be substituted in many recipes for one whole egg.
• Use unsweetened applesauce or mashed ripe bananas instead of butter.
• Try cutting the amount of sugar listed in recipes in half.
• Use spices to add flavor such as cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg instead of salt.
• Try baked apples with cinnamon and a sprinkle of sugar instead of apple pie.
• Invite your guests to make their own parfait with colorful sliced fruit and low-fat yogurt.
For meats and poultry (chicken and turkey):
• Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
• Take off poultry skin before eating.
• Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
• Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
• Chill meat and poultry broth until fat becomes solid. Skim off fat before using the broth.
• Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
• Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.
When Shopping:
• Start with a lean choice.
• The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
• The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choice.
Use the food label to help you choose
• Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean.” You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
• Processed meats such as hams, sausages, frankfurters, and luncheon or deli meats have added sodium. Check the ingredient and Nutrition Facts label to help limit sodium intake.
• Fresh chicken, turkey, and pork that have been enhanced with a salt-containing solution also have added sodium. Check the product label for statements such as “self-basting” or “contains up to __% of __.”
• Lower fat versions of many processed meats are available. Look on the Nutrition Facts label to choose products with less fat and saturated fat.
De-Saturate
• Use a nonstick pan with vegetable cooking oil spray or a small amount of liquid vegetable oil instead of lard, butter, shortening, or other fats that are solid at room temperature.
Enjoy the Food, Fun, Friends and Family!
Cheers to Good Health
• Quench your thirst with low-calorie options. Drink water with lemon or lime slices. Offer seltzer water with a splash of 100% fruit juice.
Be the Life of the Party
• Laugh, mingle, dance, and play games. Focus on fun and enjoy the company of others.
Give to Others
• Spend time providing foods or preparing meals for those who may need a little help. Give food to a local food bank or volunteer to serve meals at a shelter during the holiday season. Giving back is a great mood booster.
Make Exercise a Part of the Fun
• Make being active part of your holiday tradition. Have fun walking and talking with family and friends after a holiday meal. Give gifts that encourage others to practice healthy habits such as workout DVDs, running shoes, and reusable water bottles.
Enjoy the Leftovers
• Create delicious new meals with your leftovers. Add turkey to soups or salads. Use extra veggies in omelets, sandwiches, or stews. The possibilities are endless!
Be sure your family and friends enjoy the food and fun, but focus on the time together. Remember this season is all about the memories, not just the food. You will feel better and enjoy your holiday time with less worry if you focus on staying healthy this season.
Source: USDA United States Department of Agriculture – www.MyPlate.gov
by Monica Brinkley | Nov 25, 2015
A Liberty County mother and son participate in the UF IFAS Extension Rediscover Bread Baking And Jam-Making Workshop.
Many years ago, a young girl attended a 4-H livestock club meeting along with her brothers and her father, who was serving as the volunteer club leader. During the meeting the local county 4-H Agent paid the club a visit to talk to the members about participating in the upcoming 4-H County Events Contest. The agent shared different project areas and types of demonstrations and speeches that could be done. Up until that point, the 4-H member had not been exposed to any projects outside the realm of livestock.
The agent had brought a colorful Fleishman’s Yeast Bread Cookbook that caught the eye of the young girl (at that time, Fleishman’s Yeast was a national sponsor for the 4-H Breads Project). The girl went home excited and told her mother that she wanted to do a demonstration on yeast breads. Her mother smiled and said, “I’ve never made yeast bread, but we will give it a try.” The 4-Her and her mom began practicing and discovered great success at baking yeast breads, so the girl began organizing her food preparation demonstration.
The 4-H breads category was very popular that year with a record number of competitors, but that didn’t scare this member. She won the county and district contests her first year competing which pushed her on to state competition in which she placed third in the state. For this 4-H member who had struggled in school, much needed confidence began to grow. From that point on she began considering a career as an Extension Agent.
After high school, this young lady went on to college and obtained a degree in Home Economics. She has served 30 years as an Extension Agent encouraging youth to be all that they can be in whatever their interests and desires. Yeast breads have been a vehicle for this agent to teach people many life lessons and skills. You may know this agent as Monica (Lewis) Brinkley, UF/IFAS Extension Liberty County Extension Director.
In honor of November, National Bread Month, and the fond memories of learning to bake yeast breads with her late mother, Monica and her Family and Consumer Sciences colleagues across the Florida Panhandle have put together a workshop titled, Rediscover Bread Baking And Jam-Making to teach families how to make bread in a bag and preserve jam. The families work together and carry home whole wheat yeast bread and preserved jam to enjoy together. Although the bread and jam do not last long, the memories created and skills learned will last a lifetime. If you are interested in this workshop or other workshops similar to this, please contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org. You never know where this may take you or a member of your family!
by Jena Gilmore | Oct 5, 2015
It is no secret that communication is a skill that is in high demand in the workplace. It is also a skill that requires confidence. That is one of the reasons why the Florida 4-H Positive Youth Development program intentionally targets the life skills of communication and confidence through every project and program. One program in particular has helped thousands of youth develop communication and confidence through public speaking.
In 1952, a public speaking program was established by a teacher in Palmetto, Florida. Tropicana Inc. adopted this program in 1969, and partnered with Florida 4-H to take the program statewide. The 4-H Tropicana Public Speaking Program is designed to help youth prepare and deliver a speech while growing confidence in their ability to communicate effectively. Annually over 150,000 youth in grades 4-6 from over 50 counties in Florida participate in this program.
Tropicana fully supports the public speaking contests on the school and county level by supplying lesson plans, certificates, ribbons, medals, and Tropicana orange juice. Tropicana also provides summer camp, scholarships to the 1st place winners at the county level. Local 4-H agents and volunteers coordinate the program at the county level. Currently, 13 counties in the Florida Panhandle also offer a district level completion that is sponsored by local civic clubs, UF IFAS, and FAMU.
The 4-H Tropicana Public Speaking Program has helped youth grow levels of confidence they never imagined possible. After the Walton County 4-H/Tropicana winners spoke at the local Kiwanis Club meeting, the 4-H office was swamped with requests for the youth to speak at other community events. As the youth began speaking to other groups, a fund was started for a District competition! It also opened the door for the youth to speak at the Annual Farm Bureau Meeting. The Walton County Farm Bureau members were so impressed, that they volunteered to help judge next year’s competition and also provided the necessary funding to make the 4-H District II Tropicana Public Speaking Program a reality! One 4-H parent shared:
“Honestly, he has been on cloud nine ever since. It was his first time to speak in front of people who were not his classmates or peers. We really credit 4-H with giving him the opportunities to step outside of his comfort zone and to realize that there is a big world out there.”
As you can see, 4-H GROWS CONFIDENCE by developing life skills resulting in youth who are prepared to be responsible citizens and productive members of the workforce. A recent study on positive youth development by Tufts University found that compared to their peers, youth involved in 4-H programs are four times more likely to make contributions to their communities and two times more likely to be civically active. For more information about how you can volunteer to help grow confidence in your local 4-H Program, contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org.
Links for more information:
Her entrepreneurial spirit, developing mastery in hog raising, and the leadership skills she has learned will translate into the lifelong values and behavioral change we see in many of our 4-H’ers that have let their experiences direct how they think of others, themselves, and their place in the world.
One of the most important skills 4-H teaches is to use your head, heart, hands, and health not only for oneself but for club, community, country, and world. Years of community service through 4-H have helped to mold Danielle into an empathetic and thoughtful young woman.
