All posts by Serena

Agent Letter

Agent Letter

🎉✨🎇🎉

Happy New Year!

We are excited to be coming into 2021 ready to try new things, make new commitments and embrace everything that comes our way! We are ready to kick off the 2021 year with 4-H events, leadership growth opportunities, contests and more planned for you!

While we have been busy planning workshops and more, there are some things that have been moved around schedule wise, so be on the lookout for updates. Please mark your calendar for the following dates:

Camp Counselor Meeting – January 11th

Virtual Leaders Forum – February 6th

Virtual State Teen Conference – February 13th

4-H Project Skill-building Workshops – February 13th, 20th & 27th

**Favorite Foods, Photography contest & Foods Judging – March 6th

 

**Reminder all 4-H members must enroll with 4-H Online by March 1, 2021 to be eligible to participate in any summer statewide events.

Inclement Weather Policy – If the Christina School District closes for the day, has early dismissal or cancels after-school activities, then New Castle County 4-H events are cancelled. Weekend 4-H events will be cancelled if the University of Delaware closes or cancels events.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns and we hope to see you at a 4-H event soon!

Yours in 4-H,

Ms. Kaitlin

Extension Educator, 4-H

kklair@udel.edu

Announcements & Breaking News, County Events & Contests, Winter Events

UPDATE: Favorite Foods/Photo Contest NEW LOCATION

This year, the Favorite Foods and Photography Contests will be moved to the Embassy Suites in Newark (across from the Bob Carpenter Center) on MARCH 6.

Favorite Foods registration forms are due to Serena via email only by February 12. If you have any trouble with emailing the forms to her, please reach out to her and she will be happy to help!

Updated info and registration forms are below.*

*Please make sure to read through the Favorite Foods Guidelines. Some categories have been changed and updated. 

Favorite Food Contest Application PDF

Favorite Foods Contest Application- Word Version

Favorite Foods Guidelines 2021

Photo Contest Entry Form2021

2021 Photography Contest Rules

 

Announcements & Breaking News, Of Interest, Opportunities, State 4-H Events, Winter Events, Youth Leaders

Virtual State Teen Conference

Delaware 4-H 2021 Virtual State Teen Conference
Theme:  4-H Heroes:  Masking up for 4-H (Superhero Theme)
Event Date:  February 13, 2021
Time:  10am-Noon and 1pm-2:30pm (All day event)
 4-H Members 13 and older are invited to join DE 4-H State Teen Council members as they lead workshops on leadership, teambuilding, STEM, Healthy Living and Community Service.  UD Collegiate 4-H will also be leading a panel discussion.
Register By:  January 22, 2021

The Zoom link and password will be sent out 1 week prior to the event.  Event supplies will also be provided 1 week before.  Please contact Melissa in the State Office with questions.

Announcements & Breaking News, County 4-H News, Youth Leaders

Join the New Castle County Junior Council

Are you 13 years or older?
Join New Castle County Jr Council.
A County Club for all NCC 4-H Teens.
Get to know your fellow 4-H’ers from around the county, make decisions on Community Service projects, assist with planning and coordinating county competitions and events including Favorite Foods, Jr Leader Weekend, and Younger Member Overnighter.
Meetings are held the 4th Monday of the month at 7 PM.
Contact Jenny with any questions
Club Spotlight

Club Spotlight

Flock of Friends

Flock of Friends is a 4-H club that ranges in age from 5-12. We meet on the 2nd Sunday of the month at our leader’s house in Newark (176 Rhythm Court). We are focusing on Exploring 4H and finding areas of interest for our young members. We enjoy doing crafts and activities, giving back to the community and spending time with each other. Our members currently participate in Favorite Foods and Public Speaking but are looking to expand as they continue to learn and grow.  We enjoy field trips to the Children’s Theatre, Philadelphia around the holidays, scavenger hunts in the park, and year end BBQ pool parties sans COVID. For more information please contact the New Castle County 4-H Office at 302-831-2506.

 

Club News

Club News

Route 9 Culinary Club

The 4-H Culinary Club is celebrating their one-year anniversary.  When we are able to be in person, we meet at the Route 9 Library Innovation Center.  Now, we gather our ingredients and tools and prepare the recipes together in our own kitchens connected through Zoom.  In September, we began using 4-H Cooking 201 as our source of inspiration.  During the month of November, we focused on making recipes using pumpkin.  One club member, Francesca, grew, cleaned, and pureed the pumpkin she used in the recipes – her pumpkin pie is pictured..

 

 

 

Ruby’s grandmother told us “she absolutely LOVES coming over Wed nights to cook/bake!  Thanks so much for that!  Her mom and great-grandmother aren’t sorry about that either, I can tell you!  They’re always eagerly awaiting the results – for taste testing, of course!  I just wanted to say how thankful we all are for this opportunity.”

In December, every week a member led the class and demonstrated their favorite Christmas cookie recipes.  Many of these recipes had a memory associated with them.  All the cookies were delicious, and we could not pick a favorite.

New members are welcome, we accept youth between the ages of 8 and 13.  If you have a desire to learn to bake or cook or have a passion for trying new recipes, please contact Ms. Jenny at jtrunfio@udel.edu.  We will resume our weekly meetings on Wednesday, January 6.

healthy living

4th H for Health

Our body is made up of 70% water and we require hydration. Try these refreshing flavor combinations, or create your own!

Flavored Water (2 Qt. pitcher):

Watermelon Lime/Cucumber Lemon (or Lime):
1 cup watermelon /1/2 cucumber
1 lime/ 1 lemon or lime
5 mint leaves (optional)

Pineapple Grape/Berry Kiwi (or Orange):
1 cup canned deiced pineapple/ 10 strawberries or blackberries
Pineapple juice from can /1 kiwi or 1 orange
1 cup grapes

*Tips for releasing flavors of the produce:
Watermelon- cut into small pieces (1 to 2 inches)
Citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, limes) – remove rinds and slice into thin pieces
Cucumber – Slice into thin pieces
Mint – Tear leaves
Grapes – Slice in half
Berries – Remove top (strawberries only) and slice into small pieces
Kiwi – remove peel and slice into thin pieces


As we start off January, look ahead and what you want to accomplish in the next month or 2021. Here are some helpful tips to personal well-being and how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals for yourself or club.

S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting:

The five elements of S.M.A.R.T. goals are defined as:
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable (or actionable)
R – Relevant (or realistic)
T – Time-bound
Achieving goals is satisfying and builds confidence, yet the process of working towards a goal is a valuable part of lessons in life. Not all goals are achieved on the first try and this is the learning process that each 4-H member or child goes through. Keep pushing through and no one will be able to stop you from reaching your goals.

Worksheet to use to set goals.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/capture_your_clover_4_h_record_keeping_part_2_setting_goals
Full article located below:
https://4-h.org/about/blog/goal-setting-for-the-new-year-ask-a-4-h-member/

Of Interest, science

Science Corner

❄❄Make Your Own Snowglobe           for January❄❄

-Kristin Cook, 4-H Educator
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension

Materials:

Empty Jar with Lid
Water
Glycerin
White Glitter
Small Animals, Toys, Houses, Trees to Decorate

 

❄Glue the toys or other decorations to the inside of the lid, making sure the lid can still fit on the jar.

❄Fill the jar halfway with glycerin, then fill it almost to the top with water, then stir to mix.

❄Add a small amount of glitter. Stir with a spoon to test the ‘snow’ effect, and add more until you get the flurries or blizzard you like.

❄Fill the jar up the rest of the way, until the water is just above the top of the jar.

❄Gently put the lid on and screw it securely to the jar.

❄Wipe any water off the jar, and put some hot glue or tape around the lid.

Enjoy your snow globe!

How does it work?

Glycerin has a very high viscosity. Viscosity is how ‘thick’ a liquid is, how easily it pours. Honey and syrup have pretty high viscosities, water and rubbing alcohol have very low viscosities. Having a mixture of water and glycerin means the liquid inside your snow globe slows the glitter down as gravity pulls it down. This helps it look more like snow.

Financial Literacy

Financial Literacy

 4-H is all about teaching life skills. One life skill that the is important for our youth to learn is how to make informed decisions regarding money and finances and how to keep track of their money. Through a series of financial literacy lessons, 4-Hers from 5 through 18 can gain an understanding of how to earn money, how to save money, how to wisely spend money as well as how to keep financial records. As a bonus, they will also learn about the designing and making of money and how to detect counterfeit money. If your club would like to include financial literacy into a club meeting, please contact me. I will develop a lesson that is age appropriate and will fit into your meeting schedule then I will present it to your members. If you have any questions or would like to discuss some options, please contact me.

Maureen Ernst
NCC Program Assistant
cmmcmk@udel.edu

 

January’s financial literacy tip

Thought Worth Saving:

Whenever youth receives money either by means of allowance, gifts, or jobs, they should have a plan on how that money will be used.  This plan should be developed with input from both a parent or guardian and the youth.  To help with this plan, use four containers; i.e., jars, boxes, piggy banks.  Label one container save, one container invest, one container share, and one container spend.  Now decide what percentage of the money received should go into the container and write the percentage on the container.  Every time the youth gets money, it should be divided according to the plan and put into the appropriate container.

Example:

Noel, who is 12 years old,  and her dad agreed upon the following.  Each time she got money she would put 25% into savings, 50% into investing, 10% percent into sharing, and 15% into spending.  For Christmas, she got $30 dollars and divided her money into her piggy banks.

SAVE 25% -$7.50

INVEST 50%- $15.00

SHARE 10% – $3.00

SPEND 15%  -$4.50

Crafting

⛄ Craft Corner ⛄

Light Up Snowman

Snowmen are great winter time decorations to set up on your shelves when taking down your Christmas decorations. Here is a snowman craft that will help give a feeling of warmth and coziness as the snow is falling outside.

A how to video can be found at the link below. You may choose to skip over the directions for the mirror base.
https://youtu.be/uQ0W0_pqECw

Supplies

  • Rust-oleum 2x ultra cover matte clear finish spray or frosted finish spray
  • Small fish bowl vase (This will be the head of the snowman.)*
  • Medium fish bowl vase (This will be the body of the snowman.)*
  • Black permanent marker
  • Orange permanent marker
  • Snowflake stick ons for buttons
  • Scarf (ribbon, strip of material, or knitted)
  • Hat (ornament from dollar store or hand made)
  • Battery operated tea candle
  • Glass cleaner
  • Paper towel or cloth
  • Adhesive glue for glass
  • Glue gun
  • Glue sticks
  • Scissors

 

Directions

  • Clean the vases with a glass cleaner and let dry.
  • Spray the outside of the vases with matte clear finish or frosted finish spray and let dry completely.
  • The openings of the vases are the bottoms.
  • Draw eyes and a mouth on the side of the small vase using the black permanent marker.
  • Draw a carrot nose (thin long triangle shape) using the orange permanent marker.
  • Glue the face painted bowl to the bottom side of the body bowl using the glass adhesive.
  • Let dry.
  • Add the snowflake buttons to the body.
  • Glue on the hat to the top of the head using the hot glue.
  • Cut the scarf material to the desired length, wrap around the neck, and tie.
  • Set the snowman over a lighted battery operated tea candle.

Snowman Hat

Supplies

  • Black sparkle cardstock (found in the scrapbooking section)
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Decorations

Draw and cut a circle from the cardstock for the top of the hat.
Cut a rectangle shape from the cardstock to fit around the circumference of the circle plus a 1/4 inch.
Glue the rectangle around the outer edge of the circle forming a hat shape.
Glue the two ends of the rectangle. (The edges should overlap 1/4 inch.)
Draw and cut a circle slightly larger than the first from the cardstock for a brim.
Glue the larger circle to the bottom of the hat.
Glue some decorations onto the hat.
The sizes of the circles and the rectangle depend on the size of your vase.
*These may be found in the vase aisle of a dollar store.

Agent Letter

Agent Letter

 

As we head into the end of 2020, we begin to slow down in the 4-H community so we can hit the ground running in the New Year. As we take a moment and reflect on all that has gone on the past eleven months, I want to thank each and every one of you for having grace and rolling with it as we adapted to each new hurdle that came our way in work and personal lives.  We have learned a lot, struggled, and still pushed ahead to keep the 4-H Program going to the best of our ability.  Thank you again for your patience and understanding.

The University of Delaware offices ( and therefore, the NCC 4-H office) will be closed Monday, December 21st  – Friday, January 1st .  We will “re-open” on Monday, January 4th (still working remotely).

This past month we celebrated Health month, Public Speaking and National STEM Summit. In December we must look forward to the following events:

  • Jr. Council Meeting
  • Code Week
  • Conference and Healthy Living Summit Applications Due

Here are some upcoming things to look forward to in January: Photography Contest, Foods Judging, Camp Counselor Meetings, AG Summit Applications will be due– and get those recipes out as we start thinking about Favorite Foods!

We are thrilled that clubs can now meet in person, but that means that it is your responsibility to make sure you are wearing your mask and continuing to follow all safety requirements when attending 4-H club events!

We love to hear all of the great things you are doing with your club members; club reporters don’t forget to submit your club news to Serena by the 25th of each month to be included in the newsletter. Be sure to look at our online newsletter, Friday emails and Delaware 4-H Facebook for updates and news. If you aren’t receiving the Friday emails, please let us know. As you know, we’re using a new 4-H Online system and we’re still working out the kinks. Serena has reported that it doesn’t always accurately display who has received our broadcast emails and who has not.  Feel free to reach out to her at serenac@udel.edu.

I hope you enjoy the Holidays with your family and loved ones! Remember to take a few second to embrace the moment, relax and enjoy!

 

Yours in 4-H,

Kaitlin Klair

Extension Educator, 4-H

kklair@udel.edu

Adult Volunteer Leaders, Volunteer Opportunities

Let’s Talk- Webinar on Supporting Youth in Difficult Times

Real Conversations About Supporting Youth During Difficult Times

November 9 

2 pm- 3:30 pm

 

During this difficult time, understanding the warning signs of stress and/or a developing mental health condition is a key to supporting youth and families. We’ll review some of the myths and facts of mental illness. You’ll learn some strategies for having real conversations with youth and teens that will build resiliency skills and you’ll be provided information about free resources, support, etc. for individuals and their families. This program will be offered via a Zoom webinar. After registration, participant materials and the Zoom URL will be shared.

Who is Presenting? Annie Slease, M.Ed. Director of Advocacy and Education NAMI/DE

Who Should attend? Parents, educators or volunteers working with adolescents and teens.

Cost: This program has been underwritten by the UD Sea Grant Program and the Sustainable Coastal Communities Initiative

Register HERE