4-H Youth Development

4-H Starts New Year

Renee L. Gore, 4-H Agent

4-H is a Community of Youth All Around the World Learning Leadership, Citizenship and Life Skills.  Our program year begins September 1st of every year.  It is with excitement and enthusiasm that we move into the new program year with the tried and true clubs and activities as well as a few new opportunities for the youth in our community.

Click here to download the 2009-2010 4-H Member Enrollment form

For upcoming times and dates of club meetings, check out the calendar in the most recent newsletter.

4-H CLUBS

Archery – Last year three adults and a teen youth certified in archery instruction.  We have a little bit of money to work with for ordering equipment.  Over the Summer we hosted an Archery Day Camp.  Get involved with Archery Project. Leaders: Debbie Clark, Deryk Clark, Paul Finn.  Other adults are training in November to help lead this project.

Cloverbuds – A special club for the 5 to 7 year olds exploring 4-H and other fun activities to keep little hands busy with Mrs. Joy Crosby leading.

Cloverleaf Cloggers – Put on your clogging shoes and come learn some fancy steps.  The Cloverleaf Cloggers 4-H club dances every Thursday out at the Fairgrounds.  They perform at different community events around the area for crowd pleasing fun.  Ms. Madeline Carroll and Janet Lawson, Leaders.

Camp Counselors – Just for teens 14 and up who have an interest in being a camp counselor.  2010 is our year to organize Camp Cherry Lake Residential camp for our Cluster Nassau, Baker and Madison Counties.  Come get involved with planning for Camp.  State Training for certification usually held in February, so get on board early.  Ms. Renee and Volunteers will help provide plenty of fun.

Dog Club -  A dog project club learning about dog health, grooming, training, and responsible pet ownership.  Leader, Lindsey Martinez

Environmental Club returns with Mrs. Debbie Clark and Mr. Andy Lamborn as leaders.  Members will have the chance to learn about forestry and wildlife ecology.  Active members can compete in the Forest Ecology and Wildlife Ecology Judging Team.

Fletcher’s 4-H Club also known as the Community Club and Drama Project. Be prepared to act your best and let drama do the rest.   Mrs. Kristie Fletcher, Leader

Horse Program – There are several choices in 4-H Horse Clubs this year.  The programs will host a 4-H / F.F.A. show at the Baker County Fair on October 10th, 2009.  Click here for Show bill and Entry form.  Information is also available on line at www.bakercountyfair.org or pick up a fair book.  The program also organizes a spring show for everyone in the community to come out and show their horses in a variety of events.  Members have the option of going on to compete at the Area B Horse Show in Clay County in the Spring to earn points to advance to the State Show in July where Senior Members compete for points to represent Florida at the South East Regional Show. If you do not own a horse there are still things to do.  The Horseless Love a Horse Project; Model Horse Project; Horse Bowl; Horse Judging and Demonstrations at County Events are just a few of the fun things to do to learn about horses. Members will focus this year on horsemanship and horse science while building a fun partnership riding and learning about their horse.

      Hoof N Around - Marjena Bass and Mary Pregler

      Hands & Hooves - Charlie Chanaki and Erin Wurst

      4-H Horse Power - Kim Long

Livestock Club – Members must join livestock club by December 31st 2009 to be eligible to show at the 2010 Fall Fair.  Mrs. LeAnn Ridgon and Mrs. B.J. Wilkerson have geared up to lead the club.  Several Projects are available through participation with the club.  Rabbits and Poultry (primarily chickens but other water fowl as well); Market Steer; Heifer; and Market Swine.  They have hosted educational meetings and workshops for members in the livestock projects.  Get involved this year to learn what you have to know to raise animals as a 4-H Project.  Members can also participate in the Livestock Judging Team competitions around the state.

    Beef & Steer - LeAnn Rigdon

    Swine - BJ Wilkerson

    Poultry - Monica Collins & Jennette Lee

    Rabbits - Waiting for confirmation

Sharp Shooters -   The Air Rifle project is working to establish a range to gear up the program for the year.  Mr. Gary Stephens certified Air Rifle Instructor guides the Sharpshooters for a marksmanship /gun safety program.  Looking for parent volunteers to get certified at State training in November in this Project Area.

SPECIAL INTEREST PROJECTS

Ms. Renee’ Gore, 4-H Agent will host several special interest projects for youth in Baker County this year as well.  These projects are short term in as little as 6 hours to 6 weeks and are offered seasonally as interested participants sign up.

ATV Safety - Ms. Renee’ is a Certified ATV Safety Instructor.  She will begin offering the 4 hour rider safety certification course when the weather cools a little this Fall and Winter

Photography - Pull out your digital camera and get ready to explore the world through the lens and focus of photography.  Offered this Fall.  Learn composition, point of view, rule of thirds, lighting and more special effects to help your photographs say WOW!

Project W.I.N.G.S. - A citizen’s initiative in science centered around the study of Butterflies.  Offered in the Spring when butterflies begin to emerge.  Move through the life cycle of the butterfly and collect data for scientists to study.

WHAT’S MORE?

4-H County Events - Fashion Revue; Photography Contest; Demonstrations and Public Speaking, Poster contest.  All great fun to show what you’ve learned in 4-H.  Participate at the county level and possibly move all the way up to state.

Baker County Fair - October is fair time with contests for the traditional Livestock and Horse show.  But did you know you can enter a Table Setting contest; put your container garden in the horticulture show?  Sewing, Canning and Photography?  For more information go to www.bakercountyfair.org

Overnight Junior Congress with the 4-H District V in December.  Classes on a variety of interesting topics taught by senior 4-H Members.  This year is being held in Clay County.

4-H COMING TO A CLASSROOM NEAR YOU

Ms. Renee’ helps local teachers with a variety of classroom enrichment projects.  Tell her what you are interested in and see if 4-H has a classroom project for you.

4-H Embryology Project - can be hosted at your school and classroom.  Ms. Renee’ brings incubators and fertile eggs to learn about the development of chicken embryo’s

4-H Tropicana Speech Contest – targeted for 4th, 5th and 6th graders.  Public speaking is a life skill for everyone.  County Winners receive a paid week of camp tuition at Cherry Lake for scholarship.

Ag Literacy Day; Arbor Day; Earth Day; Butterflies; Bees; worms and more.  Baker County Extension has a program for your class.

SUMMERTIME IS FUNTIME

Camp Cherry Lake – Residential camp where kids from 8 to 12 stay for the week and have fun participating in the overnight camping experience.  Camp fires, games, swimming, canoing, archery and more.There are a variety of state sponsored Residential Camps during the summer from Gator Adventures; Senior Camp; Operation Military Kids; Marine Environments; Shooting Sports and Sport Fishing and Horsemanship School.In Baker County we have a great offering of Day Camps. 

Environmental  Day Camp – Spend the week exploring the Shoals St. Mary’s Park learning about the ecosystems; forest; grassland; and aquatic environments.

Shooting Sports / Archery Day Camp – Improve your Archery Skills with this day camp centered around the history and sport of Archery Marksmanship  May combine with an Air Rifle Track this year.  Wait and See!

Crafty Campers I & II – We hope to have two tracks this year.  Sewing; textiles; sculpture; art and a variety of crafts for the beginner and experienced crafter alike. 

Junior Master Gardener Day Camp - Spend a week learning all about the ingredients for successful gardening and plant care.  Learn about seeds, soil, water, plants and bugs.  Make your Dish Garden/Container Garden to grow for the fair.

Inquiring Minds Day Camp – New this year, this invitational day camp is designed to provide the advanced experience for inquiring minds.  Museum day trips; Butterfly Rainforest; Swamp Adventures.  Limited to 13 participants.

Stay tuned for more opportunities as the year progresses:  Cooking 101?  Project W.I.N.G.S. and MORE!