SPOTLIGHT ON 4-H
Nebraska Extension 4-H Volunteer Newsletter - March 2021
Published & Edited by: Nebraska Extension - Thurston County Jennifer E. Hansen, Stacey Keys, & Samantha Beutler
In the March Spotlight!
- Volunteer Development Resources
- Unified Showing 4-H Club
- Understanding 4-H Terminology
- Pick Your Project
- Stop the Pass
- Clover Kid Grab & Go Lesson
- Keeping Youth Safe in a Virtual Environment
- New Scholarship Program for CEHS Students
Volunteer Development Resources - By Jill Goedeken
Volunteers are the heart of 4-H! 4-H is known for hands-on learning experiences and helping youth build confidence and practical life skills, thanks to many different volunteers serving in a variety of roles across the state. Nebraska 4-H offers a wide variety of involvement opportunities for adult volunteers, including helping with a one-time event or program, serving as a local 4-H Council member, project leader or 4-H club leader.
The volunteer role is a key part of a successful 4-H program. In 2021, new resources have been developed to increase the capacity of volunteers working with youth through the 4-H community club experience.
Many experiences, including 4-H, have explored alternatives for connecting with youth during challenging times of 2020. New resources for equipping volunteers to successfully lead 4-H experiences virtually are now available. The resources include how to operate the online platform, Zoom, as well as ways to provide an interactive experience for youth. Examples of virtual engagement include how to say the 4-H Pledge, ice breakers and lesson plans for leading an educational program virtually. Be sure to check out the “Plugged In 4-H Experiences” at https://4h.unl.edu/volunteer. Moving forward, the virtual program delivery is an option for 4-H volunteers to use while working with youth, which aids in the flexibility of working around scheduling, transportation issues, and convenience for club members.
In additional to virtual engagement resources, 2021 also brings new statewide training opportunities for volunteers working with youth through the 4-H community club experience for increasing their capacity as a leader. Leaders now have access to a newly published video series focusing on increasing their capacity in the areas of: positive youth development, risk management, safe environments for youth, club finances, youth led meetings, providing opportunities for youth engagement and 4-H in the community. The video series also incorporates additional resources to support the videos and to use at club meetings. In addition, the new video training series also includes information on the Project Leader volunteer role and special interest volunteer role.
Make sure to visit the Nebraska 4-H volunteer resources webpage often in 2021 for many exciting changes! All resources for 4-H volunteers can be found at: https://4h.unl.edu/volunteer. Thank you for serving Nebraska 4-H!
Unified Showing 4-H Club - by Tracy Anderson
Are youth with disabilities a part of your 4-H program or 4-H club? If not, have you ever considered asking them to join? The benefits of programs such as 4-H are vast. Research shows youth who participate in quality out-of-school programs like 4-H improve youth development outcomes including knowledge, social-emotional competence, health, peer acceptance, physical activity, and character development.
Youth with disabilities also benefit by participating in quality out-of-school programs such as 4-H. They gain important socialization opportunities with peers, knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, they participate in out-of-school programs at lower rates than other youth even though nearly 19% of all youth are identified as having disabilities or special health care needs. The American with Disabilities Act (1990) defines a person with a disability as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, having a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.
One teen in southeast Nebraska wanted to make a difference by giving youth with disabilities a chance to participate in an out-of-school opportunity so they, too, would reap the benefits from it. As a result, she started the Unified Showing 4-H Club. This club gives youth with disabilities an opportunity to participate in 4-H activities and learn about livestock—specifically lambs. The club pairs a youth with disabilities with a teenage “buddy” who helps ensure the youth’s and animal’s safety. The club leader provides a designated lamb and together they learn how to care for it, which includes feeding and bathing it. The youth also learn how to lead their lamb in the ring and show it.
At the end of the summer, the showmen can see their hard work pay off. They have their own class that is held during the 4-H Sheep Show at the county fair. The youth with disabilities lead their sheep around the ring with the help of their buddies. The judge asks the youth questions about their lamb and themselves. At the end, they receive a prize for showing their lamb, participating in the club, and working hard. These experiences empower youth with disabilities and possibly opens a door for them into the agricultural industry.
This year ask all youth to join 4-H!
For more information on how volunteers can start a Unified Showing 4-H Club, contact your local county extension office.
Reference:
Taylor-Winney, J.J., Giordono, L.S., Lesmeister, M.K., Fenn, M.L., Krahn, G. (2018). Disability Inclusion in 4-H: Aligned with the Mission, Stopped Short by Methods. Journal Of Youth Development, 13(3), 191-211. https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/18-13-03-RES-02
Understanding 4-H Terminology - By Holli Alley
When learning about the ins and outs of the 4-H program, one portion that can be confusing is the terminology. Parents and youth alike can easily get confused with the terms and languages of the program. The three most common phrases that are interwoven are ‘project, ‘curriculum’ and ‘exhibit’. While it is easy to get these words mixed up, they actually have different meanings and significances within Nebraska 4-H. In this article, we take a closer look at these terms.
Project: 4-Hers enroll in a project(s) when they enroll in the 4-H program each year. 4-H enrollment takes place in late spring/early summer. Nebraska 4-H offers over 150 projects in eight curriculum areas. Examples of a 4-H project include Cooking 101, Quilt Quest, and Poultry. 4-H helps youth learn life skills through hands-on projects.
When youth participate in a project, they increase knowledge on a particular subject, gain life skills, build self-confidence, and learn by doing. They also have an opportunity to work with adult leaders and mentors.
Curriculum: All of the Nebraska 4-H projects fall under 8 curriculum areas. They include Animal Science, Communication and Expressive Art, Consumer and Family Science, Leadership Citizenship, and Personal Development, Environmental Education and Earth Sciences, Healthy Lifestyles, Plant Sciences, and Science Engineering and Technology.
Exhibit: A 4-H exhibit is an item resulting from project work that the 4-Her has chosen to bring to the fair and have evaluated by a judge. Exhibits might include cookies, a decorated t-shirt, or a market animal. 4-Hers are asked to pre-enter their 4-H fair exhibits to their local Extension Office prior to fair. Exhibits allow youth the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills learned by exhibiting in a certain project area.
The yearly enrollment process along with pre-fair registrations can be overwhelming at times. Understanding the different phrases and terms will help with these procedures. For more information about your local county enrollment and pre-fair regulations, contact your county Extension Office.
Pick Your Project, Then Pinpoint Your Curriculum to Create Effective Learning Experiences for Youth - By Tracy Pracheil
Nebraska 4-H is about more than just club, camp, school enrichment, and afterschool programs. The 4-H program prepares young people for successful futures and to be true leaders in their communities.
As a 4-H volunteer, you are creating educational opportunities that place a strong emphasis on life skills, such as critical thinking, citizenship, and leadership. These skills are fostered through experiences that use the experiential learning model. The 4-H Youth Development program uses experiential learning, or “learning by doing,” as a primary teaching approach. By experiencing the activity; sharing the results, reactions, and observations with others; processing the activity by discussing, looking at the experience, analyzing, and reflecting; generalizing to connect the experience to real-world examples; and applying what was learned to a similar or different situation; the educational experience you have worked so hard to organize and to provide will be meaningful and effective.
When enrolling, 4-H members are encouraged to work with parents, guardians, club leaders, or projects leaders to select one or more projects they are interested in working on throughout the year. Youth participants are able to direct their learning based upon their interests and individual learning preferences. Nebraska 4-H offers over 150 projects in 8 curriculum areas – there truly is something for everyone! Additional details about 4-H projects can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/projects.
A wide variety of curriculum and resources specific to each 4-H project has been developed by Extension professionals in Nebraska and across the nation – countless hours are spent writing, evaluating, reviewing, and publishing high quality 4-H educational materials. These materials have intentional educational objectives that support one or more of the educational outcomes. They also include the “learn by doing” model in their activities and help engage the learner with the experiential learning processes. Some examples of new curricula that are currently in development in Nebraska include the areas of embryology, leadership, entrepreneurship, career readiness, and many other areas!
To access the current curriculum and resources supporting 4-H projects, go to the Nebraska 4-H Pick Your Project at 4hcurriculum.unl.edu. Here you will find an online project selection guide that can be used to explore the curriculum and resources for over 150 Nebraska 4-H projects and resources. By helping youth pick their project, then pinpointing the corresponding curriculum and resources, you will be creating effective learning experiences for the leaders of tomorrow!
Stop the Pass - By Beth Janning
Kids and germs tend to go hand in hand, regardless of age. While a person tries to express why it is important to wash your hands correctly, sometimes a visual activity is the best way to express how germs travel from person to person or thing. In a 45 minute lesson, youth will record observations and questions they have while watching a video by Myth Busters. Then they will “swap” germs through an activity utilizing distilled water and baking soda where they mix cup contents. Once the swapping is over, a few drops of Phenol Red indicator will show if the kid is infected (pink) or not infected (orange).
Depending on the age of the youth, participants will discuss and decide who was patient zero (the youth that had baking soda in their cup at the very beginning). Additionally, door hangers are available to allow the upper elementary youth to be creative to remember the three key points. The middle and high school age youth dive a bit deeper into the economic understanding of how illness/disease may affect their family, community, and world.
To view the full lessons, complete this short info survey and receive all three lessons (an upper elementary, a middle school, and a high school lesson). https://go.unl.edu/stpsurvey.
This lesson pairs great with using the Glow Germ lotion to evaluate how well youth wash their hands or a visit from a health professional about diseases. These concepts also pair well with zoology or vet science. The original lesson comes from the Youth in Agriculture curriculum which you may find here - https://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/yia/index.html.
Clover Kid Grab & Go Lesson - By Tessa Hain
Clover Kids is a program that is designed to provide 5 to 7 year-olds a variety of educational and recreational experiences in a non-competitive environment. Studies prove non-competitive environments are more likely to develop confidence, creativity, and competence in children. The Clover Kids program corresponds with the child's stages of physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development.
Puzzle Piece Picture Frame
Topic: Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
Ages: 5-7
Suggested Time: 30-45 minutes
Goal: This craft will complement any recycling lesson very well. In this lesson students will be introduced to the concepts of reducing, reusing, and recycling. They will be able to connect important environmental concepts of everyday experiences. Students will have a hands on activity to reinforce what they have learned.
Specific Objectives: The students will be able to:
- Understand the need for waste management
- Understand the meaning of the terms Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
- Differentiate the difference between the terms Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
- Create their own craft utilizing their new awareness of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Reduce: Keep trash out of the land fill by using used cereal boxes.
Reuse: Use old puzzle pieces.
Recycle: Create new items out of old.
Required Materials:
- Any 4x6 picture that they want to be framed
- Cereal box or cardboard
- Puzzle pieces
- Glue
- Pop tab for back used as a hook or a magnetic strip
- Scissors
Step by Step Procedures:
- Have the students bring a 4x6 photo that they want to frame
- Cut pieces of cereal box/cardboard about an inch bigger on all four sides (about 6x8) than the picture. Each student will just need one cut out.
- Have students glue their picture in the center of the cereal box/cardboard
- Give each student a handful of puzzle pieces (a 500-1000 piece puzzle from a garage sale or thrift store works great).
- Have them glue their puzzle pieces around their pictures, overlapping as they go until the cereal box is covered. Let dry.
- Glue the pop tab or magnetic strip on back and you are done. Easy and very cute!
You can also paint the puzzle pieces before you attach them to use for a Holiday puzzle frame. You can also add ribbons, bows, or any other embellishments.
Keeping Youth Safe in a Virtual Environment - By Kimberly Cook
Since early 2020 our world has changed greatly. You may find yourself reaching out to engage with youth virtually more than you ever thought you would. As many of you enter the world of online learning and meetings it is important to consider the safety and security of your participants. Remember to consider virtual programming in the same lens that you would for in-person programming. It is just as important to make participants feel safe and inclusive as they did when meeting in person.
As you prepare for your virtual learning experience think about the following.
- Use passwords and/or waiting rooms to protect from unwanted participants.
- No one-on-one interactions. Have a second adult managing or participating in the virtual experience.
- Notify parents that you will be using virtual platforms to connect with their child.
- Keep conversational, professional, and focused on educational or meeting purposes.
- Make sure your background is appropriate for audience.
- Watch for outside party connections and be prepared to remove or close out of learning experience, i.e. hackers, unintended participants
- Be aware of online capabilities of your club members. Do they ALL have access to technology? Do they know how to use technology safely?
- Do not make video a requirement. Parents/Guardians may not be comfortable allowing video conferencing.
- Create some ground rules for usage and participation in virtual environments.
It is also a good idea to remind participants how they can keep themselves safe.
- Do not provide identifiable details such as address, school, full names.
- Remind that photos and videos shared online always have the potential for becoming a permanent part of history.
- Never share passwords or links to join virtual experience with others.
- Do not respond to messages that make you feel bullied, threatened, or uncomfortable.
- Never post or say anything that could hurt others.
- Be careful of what you are showing in the background that might identify where you are. This is especially important if meeting with people you may not know.
It is just as important to keep a safe online learning environment as it is to keep youth engaged by creating educational, active, and fun learning experiences.
New Nebraska Career Scholarship Program helps future College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) Students - By Rachel Ibach
With help from the state of Nebraska Legislature, future University of Nebraska–Lincoln students interested in certain programs of study may be eligible to receive $8,000 in scholarships per year. In the College of Education and Human Sciences, students interested in studying athletic training or communication sciences and disorders may be eligible to receive the Nebraska Career Scholarship. This new scholarship program stems from the Nebraska Career Scholarships Act and is designed to help fill high-skill, high-demand and high-wage jobs in Nebraska. It is open to incoming freshmen and transfer students from the state of Nebraska who demonstrate strong academic potential. Students must maintain certain academic requirements (2.5 cumulative GPA and complete 30 credits per year) and must complete a required internship before their senior year in order to receive full funding for all four years. The College of Education and Human Sciences has a strong history of producing high-achieving graduates from both the athletic training and the communication sciences disorders undergraduate programs. Graduates in these program areas typically need to earn an advanced degree, so helping financially at the undergraduate level will make a significant financial difference in the lives of recipients.
Students interested in other academic majors or programs outside of the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln may also be eligible to receive the Nebraska Career Scholarships; specifically, those with an interest in math, engineering, and computer-related academic programs. Additionally, students from the University of Nebraska–Kearney, the University of Nebraska–Omaha and the University of Nebraska Medical Center may also be eligible to receive funds from the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act with funds totaling $2 million per year to the NU system.
To be considered for a scholarship for the Nebraska Career Scholarship, incoming first-year and transfer students just need to apply and be admitted for consideration. Awards are based on holistic review, so students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for fullest consideration. For more information, visit https://financialaid.unl.edu/nebraska-career-scholarship-guidelines-2020-2021.