Florida 4-H News Room: 4-H News from Around the State

  (TALLAHASSEE, FL- November 26, 2012) - It is with great sadness and regret that we report the passing of Florida 4-H Hall of Fame member and past State 4-H Program Leader, Damon Miller Sr. on Saturday, November 24th after a brief illness.  Miller started working with Leon County Cooperative Extension Service in 1969 as a general county extension agent specializing in vegetable production, 4-H youth development and community resource development. Miller was appointed to the state 4-H staff in the 1970s.  He served as the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University 4-H Program Coordinator, organizing 4-H minority outreach programs in the panhandle and North Florida, until he was appointed State 4-H Program Leader in January 1998. He was instrumental in planning and coordinating the Florida 4-H Legislature, 4-H Public Speaking, and the 4-H Share the Fun programs from 1976 through his retirement in 2002.   "Growing up in 4-H, I remember the adults who helped me le

Marion County 4-H received high honors as they placed as reserve champions at the National 4-H Poultry Judging Contest in Louisville, Kentucky.  The team finished third in the production hen division, sixth in the market egg division and ninth in the market poultry. In addition to placing second overall, team member’s Ilene Boetger, placed first in the production hen division, and Sarah Harper placed sixth in the market egg division.  The four Marion County 4-H youth, Sarah Harper, Kailea Quad, Ilene Boetger and Gabriela Valentin, travelled to Louisville, Kentucky to judge three categories of chicken, eggs and turkeys.  The competitors were required to judge ready-to-cook chicken and turkey carcasses, live production hens and market eggs.   “4-H youth travelled from all over the country to compete in educational events that help them learn to make and defend decisions, speak publicly, and gain poultry-related skill,” said Xiomara Diaz, Marion County 4-H extension agent. 

Florida State 4-H representatives join UnitedHealthcare for a check presentation at the "Eat4-Health" partnership launch at the North Florida Fair. Florida 4-H received a $30,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare to promote healthy living. From L to R: Pete Vergott III, District Extension Director, University of Florida IFAS Extension; Heather Kent, 4-H Regional Specialized Agent; Marcus Boston Jr., Extension Agent, Leon County 4-H; Kelly Skidmore, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Florida; and UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound (Photo: Sam Holton/Holton Photography). Business Wire Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/12/3093682_p2/florida-4-h-and-unitedhealthcare.html#storylink=cpy Eat4-Health partnership includes 10 states, with 4-H youth as health ambassadors reaching other youth and families with messages to fight obesity United Health Care mascot Dr. Health E. Hound participates in 4-H Day at the North Florida Fair, leading hundred

4-H'ers concentrate on the project as they participate in the fifth annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD).  Contributed photo.  St. Johns County 4-H youth joined millions of young people across the nation to become scientists for the day during the fifth annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD). This annual event seeks to spark an early youth interest in science and future science careers, and to reclaim the nation’s position of leadership in scientific exploration. As part of 4-H NYSD, youth participated in the 4-H Eco-Bot Challenge: the 2012 National Science Experiment. Designed by The Ohio State University Extension, this year’s experiment introduced youth to robotic engineering concepts as they program an autonomous robot to clean up a simulated environmental spill. The 4-H Eco-Bot Challenge demonstrated that by utilizing engineering principles, youth can have a positive impact on communities and ecosystems. St Johns County 4-H’ers enhanced th

By Deborah Buckhalter November 04, 2012 First grader Kailyn Vega searches for a worm in a handful of mulch being held by Anita Crossley during 4-H Ag Adventures Friday at the North Florida Research and Education Center near Greenwood. Roughly 450 first-graders from all over Jackson County converged on Greenwood Thursday and Friday to take part in 4-H Agriculture Adventures at the North Florida Research and Education Center, where the youngsters ran into a couple of living scarecrows as they picked their way through a corn maze. The scarecrows were volunteers from the Jackson County Master Gardeners organization. They and other event volunteers were important contributors to the annual Ag Adventures program, said 4-H Youth Development Agent Ben Knowles. For instance beekeeper Herman Elmore taught the youngsters about the importance of bees to the production of honey, food and beeswax. The children learned about dairy cows, too, and other livestock like goats, ch

By Scott Fishman, Forum Publishing Group November 2, 2012 What can you do with a battery, toothbrush, cellphone vibrator and some tape? More than 100 students at the Broward County 4-H at the UF/IFAS Broward County Extension Office in Davie recently found out by using the materials to create mini eco-bots. This was the fifth year the 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands, Health) celebrated National Youth Science Day with an experiment. During the Eco-Bot Challenge, children were robotics engineers for the day. The groups created their own eco-bots to simulate environmental cleanup using rice. "It's nice to be able to reach out to them and have them get involved in it because it also pulls

Highlands County Board of County Commissioners has issued a proclamation to celebrate this year's National 4-H Week.   Highlands County, Florida National 4-H Week Proclamation Whereas, October 7-13,2012 is National 4-H Week in the United States, with more than 5 million youth, ages 5 to 18, taking part in 4-H club programs nationwide, and with 4-H ranking in total awareness among agencies serving youth; and,  Wheras , the Florida 4-H Program has been positively impacting children's lives since 1909 and has celebrated over 100 years of service.  The Florida Cooperative Extension Service conducts 4-h programs through the state's land-grant university, the University of Florida, with the mission to create supportive environments where diverse youth and caring adults may gain the knowledge and life skills they need to be productive, responsible citizens; and.. Click Here  to view the entire proclamation.

October 7-13 is National 4-H Week, and Wakulla County is celebrating the 4-H youth who have made an impact on the community, and are stepping up to the challenges of a complex and changing world. “After becoming involved in the 4-H Program here in the county, I realize how far-reaching and exciting that 4-H can be for young people,” said Wakulla County 4-H Volunteer Maria Odom. Recent findings from Tufts University's 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H.  Notably, the Tufts research discovered that the structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that 4-H'ers receive plays a vital role in helping them actively contribute to their communities.  In Wakulla County, more than 800 4-H members and 65 volunteers are involved in 4-H through community clubs, camping programs, after school and classroom clubs as well as th

The Erekson family works with Harvest Aviation to supply missionary families.   Denise Erekson loves to teach, and as a homeschooling mom of five girls, she gets plenty of practice. But Erekson isn't just devoted to her own girls. She also is the leader for the Green Acres 4-H club, Wauchula's local homeschooling club that bustles with 40 kids ages 5 to 18. "When we were new to the community, I wanted the girls to have an opportunity to have interaction with the community and to meet new friends outside of our church," said Erekson. The family moved to Hardee County six years ago from Ohio, but Erekson and her husband, Ronny, are originally Texas ranchers who worked cattle for 15 years. The family left the Lone Star state to take a job with Harvest Aviation, a not-for-profit flight service that delivers cargo to missionary families in Belize in Central America. Ronny is the aircraft mechanic for the local group, which flies out of the Wauchula

4H members beautify camp with inaugural event LAKE PLACID - It was a hot, busy morning for nearly 60 nature lovers at Camp Cloverleaf Saturday as the first 4-H Club National Planting Day event took place. Local 4-H members from several different groups came together at the camp to take part in a national campaign that was localized at the hands of several volunteers. The Keep Highlands County Beautiful campaign was the driving force behind the event and coordinator Christy Reed approached the 4-H about joining in on the effort. "Christy came to me about it in July," said Lauren Hrncirik, 4-H Youth Development Agent. The idea comes on the same day as other 4-Hers across America are making a more beautiful place to live in. "We started at 8:30, just like everyone else. I honestly thought we'd be out here well past lunch, but these kids work really fast," Hrncirik said. The first-time event was a huge success that Hrncirik and Reed contribute to all the

Former Florida 4-H President and Council 6 year Trustee Natalie Cheng is volunteering on the 4-H Global team. She took two weeks off from her professional career in New York to serve with the 4-H Global Team in Tanzania and Kenya, Africa.

Project Runway  designers, it looks like you may have some competition! Last night, high school students from all over the country came and competed in an intense fashion and talent show hosted by 4-H. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Reitz Union at the University of Florida, the show, “Share the Fun and Fashion Review” showcased the talented and creative work of  25 to 30 high school students who designed and created outfits from scratch and with a budget. There were two categories of the fashion show: shopping on a budget (students had only $100 or less to create an outfit head to toe and were encouraged to find pieces from thrift stores) and construction (students had to design and create their outfits from scratch). Before the talent show, students had to learn skills that would help them for the competition, says Shaumond Scott, Florida 4-H communications coordinator. “Students had to learn how to sew, how to use patterns and durability,” says Scott. The talen

By Joey Flechas Sweat dripped from Quentin Carter's brow as he laid down chunks of pine straw over a piece of cardboard on the ground to stymie weeds. "I love to help people," Carter said. Almost 300 teens gathered at the University of Florida this week for the annual Florida 4-H Congress, which wrapped up Wednesday with a day of service. About 35 volunteers were at Wilmot Gardens, with some mulching and some hammering at slabs of granite to smooth out the surface of a soon-to-be park bench. Linda Luecking, project coordinator for the gardens, said the project marked the third year in a row that 4-H volunteers have worked at the gardens. "The great thing about getting 4-H students is that they are used to working," Luecking said. Another group worked at the Ronald McDonald House, organizing the food pantry, weeding and steam-cleaning the floors. Theresa Drew, house manager, said the volunteers were eager to work and attentive. "

4-H youth joined the University of Florida/St. Johns County Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and learned all about local agriculture last month. The Farm to Table camp was described as both a success and wonderful learning opportunity regarding the entire food production from St. Johns County farms to the community supermarket. With growing popularity of residents wanting to learn more about local agriculture, the youth experienced hands-on farm living by being a farmer for a day. Johns Sykes, Sykes and Cooper Farm, gave a tour of the farm including machinery used, the storage facility and actual harvest production. The youth also got the opportunity to shuck their own wide acre peas. While in Hastings, agriculture agent Steve Lands, gave a tour of the UF/IFAS Partnership for Water, Agriculture and Community Sustainability facility. Youth learned about edible landscaping, alternative agriculture and agricultural sustainability. Lands provided the youth with

Ten sewing camp participants from Manatee County recently presented residents of the Life Care Center of Sarasota with clothing protectors they had sewn earlier. The clothing protectors were a community service project completed during a 4-H sewing camp. At that time, 20 participants made 20 items in three hours in an assembly line-type production with the assistance of American Sewing Guild Sarasota Chapter members. “The clothing protectors are very welcomed and they will be used by residents during meal and craft times,” said Denise Tarutis, activity director of Life Care Center. Also during their visit to the center, 4-H sewing camp participant Maegan Betts shared a speech titled “The Lost Art of Sewing” with the group.  Afterwards, everyone joined in singing songs, “Grand Ole’ Flag,” “Yogi Bear,” and “Make New Friends.” “Wow! What a great community service project, allowing youth and adults to work together and to help others at the same time,” said Dr. Diana L. Smith, 4-

Just one week after trees at 4-H Camp Cloverleaf were toppled by a tornado spun from Tropical Storm Debby, the tree replanting has begun. As the camp reopened after a one-week shut down, two bus-loads of campers from Manatee County arrived. Full of excitement, some 88 youth and 14 adults scurried around the camp in an orderly manner throughout the week as cleanup continued. Then, on July 4, the group welcomed longtime 4-H leader Betty Glassburn as she arrived with a 12-foot live oak tree donated by SMR Farms of Manatee County. The live oak, selected for its canopy, is a stately-looking tree. “We are certainly fortunate to have not sustained more damage and welcome this tree replacement,” said Cloverleaf’s Manager Steve Cooper. Earlier, Cooper had pointed out several trees that were planted by Manatee County 4-H’ers through the years. Fortunately, they all survived. "Manatee County 4-H has camped at Camp Cloverleaf since 1954 and we feel some ownership for this camp. Seeing

The Extension Assistant Scientist/State 4-H Educational Design Specialist has posted to GatorJobs. The position number is 00002691. The direct link to the GatorJobs posting is http://jobs.ufl.edu/postings/31205

Florida 4-H is proud to announce this year’s Top 5 recipients of the Community Pride Award! Top 5 Award Winners Callahan Country Kids 4-H Club This Nassau County 4-H club decided they wanted to reach out to more people in need. With the community in mind as well as fallen veterans, the project enti­tled caring hearts doing their part” helped to support the elderly, fallen veterans, and people in need of food. District XIII Council District XIII’s main objective was to reach their com­munity to help overcome poverty and to teach others how to help. They wanted to make an impact in the lives of impoverished people. Throughout the year, they took on different projects that impacted the lives of the impoverished in the community and beyond. Juss Horsin’ Around 4-H Club This Nassau County 4-H club addressed the many needs and concerns of their community. They strived to cre­ate a positive impact through military appreciation, environmental impact, the elderly and

Top Manatee County 4-H’ers were recently recognized at the 56th Annual 4-H Awards Program held at the Manatee Civic Center, attended by more than 250 people. Awards were presented for Outstanding Overall 4-H Member, Horseman of the Year, Conservationist of the Year, Spring Gardening, Outstanding Record Book, Outstanding Project Study, and Lamp of Knowledge.Receiving the Outstanding Overall 4-H Member Awards: Chloe Bunyak (Junior - ages 8-10 years); Casey Wingate (Intermediate - ages 11-13 years); and Samuel Byers and Zachary Quattlebaum (Senior - ages 14-18 years). These awards were sponsored by Clements Surveying Inc., of Palmetto, and the local 4-H Foundation.Horseman of the Year awards went to Lonnie Weis (Junior/Intermediate Division) and Tabetha Lex (Senior Division). The Horseman of the Year award is presented each year to an outstanding equestrian who has the highest number of participation points. Criteria included participation in club meeting, clinics, shows, and doing commun

The Florida 4-H Youth Development Program uses a learn-by-doing approach paired with volunteers to help kids learn the life skills they need to be productive, responsible citizens. Recent studies show that kids spending time in youth programs like 4-H are less likely to be involved in high risk behaviors, have higher grades and better work habits. 4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands and Health and is a youth development program that is available for youth ages 5 to 18 that focuses on science, engineering, technology, healthy living and citizenship.” According to Leon County Extension Agent, Marcus Boston, Jr., 4-H is the “largest youth serving organization that exists and we're the only youth organization that is tied to the University systems where they provide the research information we use for the project books." Malek Dennard got involved with 4-H at the age of 8. He now hopes to be a role model for other kids involved in the program. He says, "every summer I go to 4-

WASHINGTON, March 24-29, 2012 – A delegation of four Florida 4-H youth and one adult chaperone joined 200 4-H members from across the country that came to the nation's capital to make their voice heard as part of the 2012 National 4-H Conference, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Florida’s youth delegation included Christy Connell from Santa Rosa County, Amanda Holmes from Marion County, Victoria Banner of Alachua County, Joel Weaver from Duval County and adult mentor Geralyn Sachs, St. Johns County 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent. Guest speakers throughout the week included Dr. Jill Biden, Second Lady of the United States, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Aaron Davis, former University of Nebraska football player. Dr. Biden, a longtime educator, spoke to conference participants about Joining Forces, the initiative she started with First Lady Michelle Obama to encourage all Americans to s