It's a Wonder Our Teens had Fun

Volunteer service. That is one of the things we try to stress as part of our 4-H program. It is important for our youth to give back to their community and realize they are serving as a role model for younger youth who will one day follow in their footsteps. This summer we had four teen volunteers that we recognized; Chris Bullard, Megan Hurst, Korina Pittman and Santiago Acuna-Robinson. All four youth spent days and weeks of their summer working with other youth and volunteering (granted in a couple of cases they might have been voluntold) for various projects. Of course, they do not expect payment or reward for their efforts so that makes it especially nice when we can offer them something to say thank you for their help.
The teen volunteer retreat location was a secret. It was top secret as the teens tried to bribe their 4-H Agent with Diet Coke, hugs, undying grattitude and other spendiferous things to learn the final destination. However they would not learn the secret destination until we walked through the front doors of the most wonderful place we have gone yet.

We loaded our van up and pulled out just before ten. After a leasurly drive to Mrytle Beach we hunted for a destination lunch spot. Joe's crabshack seemed like the perfect location to scan the tourist attractions and check out all sorts of fun places. Little did our teen volunteers know that our table overlooked our destination spot and they worked to figure out where we were going. Things such as ice skating, zip lines, and sky diving were all mentioned. After a few photos and an filling lunch (but not too filling becuase as we told them, they were going to be active after lunch) we loaded back up and headed towards the main attraction.
Aggie and Shea Ann pulled a few more bluffs on the teens before heading into one of Mrtyle Beach's newest attractions, Wonder Works. Wonder works is a hands on science fun palace, or as they term it an amusement park for the mind. It includes activities such as an indoor ropes coourse, laser tag, and an adreline package. What our youth didn't know was this was not only a retreat for them to learn and have fun but we were using them to determine if this would be a good spot for our Bio-tech day camp. At the end of the day I can tell you they gave it a resounding two thumbs up and asked if they could come back.
Some of the things we experienced were super natural. We started in a hurricane wind tunnel where our youth donned safety glasses before experiencing hurricane force winds and had to hang on or they would have been tossed against a wall. From there they experienced the 360 bicycles. These extreme machines would rotate them up and over if they peddled hard enough. Santiago and Korina's efforts got them around not just one time but two. There were examples of levers and pullies attached to seats. As you sat in them you were expected to pull yourself up. It sounds and looks easier than it is, especially if you don't have the right set up on the pullies. There were grip machines, virtual air hockey, video walls, jumping meters, pitching machines, and so much more. All of that was just on the first floor.

Our youth were so excited about laser tag that they skiped over the next floor and went straight to the top level. There they played laser tag and braved the indoor ropes course that ran along the rather high ceiling in a rather large room. They were attached to steal beams and could chose which way to go and what obstacles to face. Unfortunatley that is all the time we had as we had to drive home to meet waiting parents. Needless to say our teens were exhausted but had a wonderful time, learned something and knew that their volunteer efforts were appreciated. We hope that they will continue to volunteer with 4-H and give back to their community in the future.

Careers Slide In

This is one of the days that has mixed blessings. Our cloverbuds are completing their week of Summer Fun and we will miss them but at the same time we are excited that they have learned so much and are a little better prepared to start back to school.

Today started with our typical coloring but then after learning about the schedule changes we settled in to work with Mrs. Tameka and Professor Popcorn. We reviewed the different food groups and what foods belong in which group. After playing a game with hula hoops it was time to jump into the kitchen and make our morning snack. Today they were particularly yummy as we made our own fruit kabobs. We could use kiwi, pineapple, grapes, and strawberries to create our edible works of art. After a few photos it was time to dig in and start enjoying all the naturally sweet goodness. We have really enjoyed the treats we learned to make with both Mrs. Tameka and Mrs. Janice.

After that it was time for a little science project. Miss Shea Ann wanted to show us what a temperature reaction can do. For an example we took all the broken crayons and peeled the paper off them them and placed them in muffin tins. Miss Shea Ann put them in the oven and they melted down. When they cooled we had each created our own crayon that we could take home with us. In some cases the colors blended and in others the colors didn't so when we use them the colors will be truly unique.

Chris and Megan, our wonderful teen leaders lead an Arts and Crafts activity for us. We each got to make finger puppets. Some of us made dogs, pigs, elephants, lions and more. It was a lot of fun gluing all the pieces together and learning how to follow instructions.

When we got done doing that (and washing our hands) there was a big surprise waiting for us. Mr. Larry, who is a Sergeant with the Robeson County Sheriff's office, and a 4-H Volunteer brought his patrol car for us to see. We climbed through it, played with the radios and buttons, tried on his hat and his bullet proof vest (it was really heavy). We found out that if you are in the back seat and close the door that you can't open it from inside. We asked him all sorts of questions about his job and what he does and we even asked him to join us for our special pizza lunch. Guess what? He did! Before he left he gave Miss Shea Ann official Sheriff office pencils that change colors when they get hot for each of us to take home. It was really neat and fun.

After our special lunch and a little play time for being so good Miss Shea Ann had a really special surprise. We got to see a slide show of all of us during the week. After the slide show she had one more surprise, we got to make our own ice cream sundaes (with a little help from Mrs. Penny). It was so good and we could pick anything we wanted to go on top. Then we went back in to the carpet and took group photos and asked to watch the slide show again. It was really neat to see ourselves on the big screen.

We had a blast during Cloverbud Day camp, we are just sad to see it end.

Growing in Science through Plant People

Day four of Cloverbud Day Camp was all about growing healthy. We started the day in the usual way coloring up a storm. Then we reviewed our schedule, who would be visiting, and what we would be doing before we voted on the games we would play. Then we got down to serious fun as we played Mother May I and the alarm game.

After our morning snack, which is always yummy and gives us a chance to chit chat, we got down to serious business with Mrs. Janice and Miss Shea Ann. With Mrs. Janice we got to use a sticky wall and put up all the things we learned about while cooking with her. We also got to make some more really yummy cookies that we will take home with us.

Miss Shea Ann had another science experiment for us that we will get to take home and try. We made our very own plant person. All plants needs sun, water, and food which they get from soil to grow. We recycled knee high pantyhose and placed grass seed in the toe and then added just enough soil to make a small, medium, or gigantic head. With the help of small hair bands we made noses, ears or other features. We added google eyes and with a sharpie we got a mouth and other features like eyelashes, eyebrows or even freckles. When we get home the tail will float in a jar of water and the head will be balanced on top where it can get light and within a week we should see 4-H green hair growing. It was all sorts of fun giving our plant people personality and we are looking forward to cutting their hair or styling it as it gets longer.

After we all had a chance to work with Mrs. Janice and Miss Shea Ann it was time for lunch with Mrs. Penny. One of the 4-H volunteers brought us a special treat for lunch, watermelon. We enjoyed digging our teeth into the juicy melon which is fun to eat and good for us.

After lunch Mrs. Jane joined us we we got to play with foam art. We made nameplates, and door hangers that we decorated ourselves. Chris and Megan helped us pick out the letters for our names so that we could put our names on them. It was really lots of fun playing with the squishy art stuff and lots of glue.

After we got done working with Mrs. Jane it was time to spend time with Mrs. Tameka and Professor popcorn. We got to do a little movement exercise today and then it was time to make our afternoon snack. Today we made the most beautiful yogurt parfaits. They had vanilla yogurt, strawberries, and granola crunchies. They were really pretty and simple enough that we can go home and make them for dessert with our families.

We have had fun all week and Miss Shea Ann said there is a big surprise in store for us tomorrow. We can't wait to see what it is.

Cooking up a Healthy Storm

We are very very busy in Cloverbud Day Camp. Day three had us cooking up all sorts of treats and scientific concoctions. To better understand our day you need to realize we have a complex schedule that starts at 8: 30 am and continues until 3 pm. It is almost like being in school but a whole lot more fun.

We began our day with our favorite thing...coloring. Each morning we make a color art piece to take home with us. Then we sit down on the carpet and go over our schedule for the day. Then it is game time. It gives us a chance to work on team work, sportsmanship and play one of our favorite games, the alarm game. We can't share the rules with you but we can tell you it is a whole bunch of fun.

After our morning exercising, we work up an appetite for our morning snack. After enjoying that it was time to kick back with Mrs. Janice and Miss. Shea Ann. Mrs. Janice had really cool worksheets for to do to review our measurements, we also got to smell our pyramid cookies cooking. Miss Shea Ann had a similar theme because we got to use cookie cutters for this exercise. She showed us how to make our own paper pulp out of used paper and water in a blender. then we took the mush and made shapes out of it with the cookie cutters. Then we added seeds to make them grow cards. What happens is when the cards dry we can give them as gifts to people and let them plant them. The paper will act as a biodegradable mulch and help the seeds germinate and grow. It is really fun to do.

After all of the cookie fun we had lunch with Mrs. Penny. After lunch Mrs. Tanya came and we had story time with her. She read us great stories then we did dot art with her and it was colorful fun. After we worked with Mrs. Tanya it was time for Mrs. Tamekia and Professor Popcorn. After reviewing different types of food in different types of food groups it was time to start cooking. We made our own individual pizzas with really neat ingredients. We put our own sauce and cheese on them and then a variety of veggie toppings. They put them in the oven and we had a neat treat to eat before we went home today.

We had all sorts of fun today and can't wait to see what is in store for us on Thursday! No doubt it will be more Cloverbud fun!

Getting Crafty About Planning

Just because we have summer programs going on doesn't mean club work has stopped. Oh contraire my friend. Tonight the Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club met to start planning their fair booth. Now we are not allowed to give away details about fair booths but I can honestly say it was thrilling, and will probably spill over to fill an everyday 4-H role.

In other business, the club also officially welcomed co-leader Tanya Underwood to the club. She brought all the youth a special gift of gigantic 4-H stickers to celebrate their hard work brainstorming fair booth ideas. She also had a homework assignment for each of them to go along with the fair booth theme.

Many of the club members met the youngest honorary member of the club Sammie. Sammie was born to 4-H volunteers Missy and Jeff Wright in June and she really seemed to enjoy her first official club meeting. Mrs. Tanya also seemed to enjoy rocking her as everyone had verbal social interaction. Without further business, club President, Dillon McCartney adjourned the meeting.

The next club meeting date is September 13, at 5:30 pm at the 4-H office.

Blowing Up and Slimming Down

Our second day of cloverbud day camp was, to say the least exciting. We found out how to blow things up and slim ourselves down in a tasty and fun ways. Of course our morning started with one of our favorite morning activities, coloring. Then we played games, working on our reflexes and team working abilities until it was time for morning snack. After a little munchie we headed back to work and split up into two teams, one stayed in the kitchen with Mrs. Janice and the rest of us went in to work with Miss Shea Ann.

Working with Mrs. Janice we learned about measuring. Did you know there are different measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid ingredients? We learned where a quarter of a cup is and how to add things so we can cook at home and help our parents. We also measured all the ingredients for a special cookie that we will get to eat later.

Miss Shea Ann did a little science experiment with us. We learned about chemical reactions and what can happen. She took a balloon filled with baking soda just like we use to make cookies. Then she had some vinegar in a soda bottle. What was cool was that when she put the balloon on top of the soda bottle and dumped the baking soda into it a chemical reaction happened which created a gas, specifically carbon dioxide which blew the balloon up without anyone taking a breath. It was really cool. After we did a science experiment we learned about an ancient art and craft, origami. Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. We all got the chance to make our own cat, dog and cup that we took home with us. It was a lot of fun.

After we all got a chance to work with Mrs. Janice and Miss. Shea Ann it was time to head to the bathroom and wash our hands to get ready for lunch. Mrs. Penny is an awesome cook and everyday we have great lunches that we all seem to like.

After lunch we got a chance to have story time and rest while our bellies were full. After story time we had our afternoon time with Mrs. Tameka and Professor Popcorn. We learned about our food groups and got to try popcorn with all sorts of seasonings, whatever we wanted to try. It was really good and we found out popcorn is a whole grain snack that is good for us. It was lots of fun and we can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

Getting Colorfully Adjusted

This is one of our very favorite weeks of Summer Fun, Cloverbud Day Camp! Cloverbud Day Camp is for youth between the ages of 5 and 8 years old. The camp starts at 8:30 am and runs until 3 each afternoon. Our Day Campers are getting into the swing of school on this schedule and getting the chance to make new friends and do a lot of hands on learning while they are with us.
Monday's are a little unusual as we are setting our schedule for the week, meeting each other, setting the rules and learning where everything is. Don't worry by Friday they will be old pros at this.
We started our day with coloring sheets to give everyone a chance to wake up and be creative. Then we hit the carpet to make our rules. Things like have fun, be respectful, and keep your hands and feet to yourself made the list. The day campers also made the consequences for breaking the rules.
After getting all of the ground rules out of the way it was time to meet Tamika McLean, Expanded Foods and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) Program Assistant. She introduced our youth to Professor Popcorn who likes to teach youth about foods, nutrition, and exercise. Today they also did the Glo-germ experiment. The youth put a special lotion on their hands and under a black light the germs on their hands would glow. Then they would go into the bathroom and practice proper hand washing that Mrs. Tamika taught them. After wards it was time to go to the kitchen to make a special treat.

After we got done preparing our treats we headed back into the auditorium and made very special 4-H bracelets with Miss Shea Ann. Our bracelets taught us all about 4-H, the pledge, logo and motto. We also learned the the colors for 4-H are green and white. After that it was time for lunch. Mrs. Penny made us a wonderful lunch and we had a good time eating and making new friends. After lunch we worked with Mrs. Janice and learned how to use a measuring cup and spoons. Miss Shea Ann did science experiments with us and we learned how to make different colors. We learned about colors that can't be made by adding two colors together, those are primary colors. The we actually made colors with primary colors. For example we mixed red and blue and made a pretty purple. We mixed blue and yellow to make 4-H green, and then when we mixed yellow and red it made orange. It was a lot of fun making the water turn colors then we practiced the same thing with crayons on a special worksheet Miss Shea Ann made.

At the end of the day we ate our snack and gathered all of our things together. Tomorrow will be a new day with new adventures, and we can't wait to come back.

Taking a Shot in the Dark

The following is a report submitted by the Dirty Dozen 4-H Club concerning their meeting today.
"Our meeting started out overcast and a little warm and ended up overcast and HOT. The first part of the meeting was spent discussing our upcoming fair display. Dillon and Christopher, the 2 members that showed up, came up with some really good ideas. Allen was unable to attend the meeting but sent his parents in his place. Mrs. Peggy took notes and kept us inline as to our seal and project record books. (Which we need to follow up on).
Mr. George and Mr. Jake weren't left out of the action. When the shooting started they were right in there keeping up with the kids. They even helped put bullet holes in cans hanging from twine that will be used for an upcoming project that the rest of you will learn about at our next meeting.
I think they all did very well shooting the cans, (Mr. Jake even shot the string holding 1 of the cans), and paper targets considering they did it from the standing position at distances from 15 yards to 25 yards. (25 yards was Mr. George's idea).
Our next club meeting will be held Saturday, Sept. 3rd., at the 4-H office.

See you there,
--Mr. Larry"

Wrapping it all Together

The last day of Biotech the Threequeal day camp was a little nontraditional. We did something that other people do for us and that was to give a presentation. Each County chose a different day to highlight, made a poster and got up to talk about what they learned. The rules were simple everyone had to help with the presentation and everyone had to speak.
On Monday one group talked about food science. They talked about how bread is made and that root bear and bread both use yeast in different ways. They were able to talk about chemical reactions and temperature reactions. They also said the peach jam was really good. Overall the comments were that the foods rocked and so does 4-H which keeps a smile on their face.
The group that talked about our trip to Pope Air Field just didn't quite know where to start. There were so many things to talk about. The technology of airplanes and equipment. The survival gear (they seemed to especially love the parachutes) and tower trainer made big impressions also. The entire military life and lifestyle as well as codes and ethics also impressed our youth.
Wednesday at the life sciences museum our youth must have had a blast. Their poster showed everything from butterflies and insects to animals and games. They even represented the musical steel instruments on the playground and lessons in magnetism that they took part in at the museum.
The presentation about the trip to ECU was very logical and straight forward. Our youth were able to recall not only the purpose of the Da Vinci robot but the history and the future implications of the robot. The day campers recalled the benefits to operating with the robot versus a human (humans hands are not as steady, incision in the patient is smaller and ribs don't have to be spread, recovery time is shorter, etc.). They even recanted details of the heart surgery they watched.
After the presentations we had a catered lunch and then went bowling to practice centrifugal force at its finest. Looking in from the outside it might look like we had a lot of fun field trips this week. In part we did. However our youth demonstrated that they learned something. Our evaluation shows that 100% of our youth were able to determine a career that they might want to explore, or one they know they don't want to explore thanks to this day camp. They were introduced to ideas, professions, technologies, sciences, and people who can help them in the future. Who knows, maybe one of these youth will create the next medical robot that won't require an incision for surgery. Maybe one of them will be flying a cargo plane full of relief supplies to a foreign county, or maybe they will be the next great science teacher making science, technology, engineering and mathematics fun for new generations. Imagine what they could be and hopefully they are encouraged to purse the possibilities now.

Medical Robotics

Did you ever want to be a doctor when you grew up? Well our day campers in Biotech III the threequeal found out not only what it takes to be a doctor, but a glimpse of medicine in the future. Day four found us travelling to Greenville, North Carolina to East Carolina University. There we visited the medical school and medical center to see something, that it is probably safe to say none of us had seen before.
Our youth went to a classroom and about ten at a time had the chance to go place their hands on a state of the art two million dollar piece of equipment. The Da Vinci robot allows doctors to do heart surgery through a small slit, repairing segments of the heart. The overall experience means less time for the patient in the hospital, reduced chance of infection, and since the rib cage does not have to be cracked it means an easier recovery time for the patients with less medication. Our youth had the chance to practice "surgery" by using the robot on a model where they moved rubber bands within a realistic representation of a human chest. Some had difficulty maneuvering the robotic hands to pick up rubber bands and move them to different sections of the heart. Others not only were able to move but grab and place objects with one or both of the robotic arms. You might think this would be easy with all the practice our youth have on video games but this was very different. The Da Vinci works with the person at a remote station using two fingers (thumb and index) to control the motion and the pinching at the other end to grab objects. The controls are quite sensitive and our youth are used to making bigger gestures to get the job done on video games then are required for this medical technology. One youth after finishing his turn on the controls said he had never thought of medicine as something he could do, but that this was a path he might like to pursue.
While our youth were taking turns with the Da Vinci, the rest were watching a video of an actual heart surgery. they got to see how the Da Vinci works, that there is a camera that reflects what is in the chest cavity on a screen so the surgeon can see what he or she is doing with the robot serving as their arms, hands, and fingers. There were lots of questions and our youth were very inquisitive concerning the procedure and how things were done (including why it look like they were using a fishing hook to sew things together). Our host was most congenial as he explained the role of the robot and the Doctors and nurses. We talked about technology in medicine, how that could change the face of surgery and how we treat diseases in the future.
After a wonderful lunch we piled into our vehicles and headed to Wilson, North Carolina where we visited the Imagination Station. There are youth had a hands on science adventure with everything from state history, to reptiles, and even dental health. They had the opportunity to find out how fast they are compared to animals, make their body disappear, pump fluids just like our heart pumps blood and much more. It was bitter sweet as we loaded up and headed home but tomorrow we will get to do something they really love, talk. Then it will be a hands on lesson in centrifugal force, and chances are it will bowl them over.

Building a Knowledge of Life Sciences

Day number three of Bio-tech the threequeal found us travelling to Durham, NC. There we visited the North Carolina Museum of Life and Sciences. This hands on museum is fun for everyone involved. On the way to our big adventure we stopped at the small farm that has pigs, cows, sheep, and more. We visited with the animals and learned their likes and dislikes. Then we ran around the corner to the butterfly pavilion. There we saw unique plants and insects. Of course there were butterflies everywhere. Red, orange, blue and yellow winged creatures as well as plants for them to hide in, feed off of, and just educate our young. Outside of the butterflies we had the chance to see creatures such as hissing cockroaches, tarantulas and ants. The hands on exhibits allowed for x-ray views, microscopic learning, and lots of noise.

Since we had a few minutes before lunch we headed to the experiential playground to work up our appetites. There we climbed in, up, and around a train caboose. Played hanging steel drums, climbed forts, and just had a good time running and playing like we never had before.

After a hike to the picnic pavilion (which I must admit, the campers were right, it did look like an inverse version of the death star in Star Wars) we enjoyed a lunch of hamburgers or chicken tenders. Bladen county caught up to us at this point and due to the extreme heat of the day we decided it would be best to stay indoors and enjoy the air conditioned part of the museum.

After we trekked back we let everyone explore. There was a room with living reptiles and night creatures. An entire space center, hands on experiments, lessons in momentum, and even the crash test dummies showing what happens when you don't wear a seat belt. We had an afternoon of science, technology, communication and plain old fashioned fun. It didn't seem to take long to get to that time where we had to pack up and head home. We recounted all the fun of the day and talked about tomorrow. All I can say is I hope everyone feels well for tomorrow's trip.

Military Technology

Tuesday was a world wind of activity as we took off for Cumberland County with a brief touchdown at the Extension office. We went from there to what was known as Pope Air Force Base which is now part of Fort Bragg and known as Pope Air Field. The Air Force and planes are still there it is just not a separate base any more. As we got through security check points we stopped at the air park and met with Lisa Moore who is with Public Affairs and Major Deanna Franks who is an airman with the 440th Airlift Wing. We learned about all the different planes at the air park their purpose, many of which is to transport equipment and supplies. Did you know that they can drop a piece of heavy machinery, like a bulldozer, from mid air and it will land safely (with the help of technology and a parachute) so it can be used by soldiers on the ground? We learned about the different technology and sciences that are involved in the planes that the Air Force uses and we learned how much Major Franks enjoys her job as well. When she was done showing us around our youth had a chance to climb under the planes, play with the wheels, read about the history behind each of these aviation marvels.

From the air park we travelled to the 440th OG-Aircrew Flight Equipment center and met with Staff Sergent Mandy Smith and Airmen First Class Marco Pascua. They were kind enough to show us all the survival equipment airmen use. As a matter of fact they demonstrated most of it and wore it for us. Did you know that their survival gear alone adds more than 50 pounds to someone flying? Can you imagine hours in a cockpit wearing an extra 50 pounds? That does not even include a helmet or a helmet with night vision goggles that are so heavy they have to add a weight to the back of the helmet so the pilot can keep their head up. While we learned what all the equipment that the carry is for we got the chance to see some really top notch technology that could help save their lives. We also got the opportunity to try on the survival vest, parachute, helmet and test out the night vision goggles. Talk about flying high!

After trying on all that equipment we had worked up an appetite. So we headed to a playground overlooking a set of runways where we enjoyed a picnic lunch from Subway and watched planes take off an land. It was just a hop skip and a jump from our location to our next exciting stop. We walked through the doors of a building that houses the 342nd Combat School. There we met Master Sergeant Marcus Millard. He gave us a tour through time showing us different uniforms and technology as it was changed through the years. We saw doors from vehicles with bullet holes and radio equipment that has definitely gotten smaller over the years. The highlight of the trip was out back of the building. There we a gigantic tower where the soldiers train. The brave ones, under the strict supervision of the Master Sergeant climbed to the top of the tower and had quite a view. Just in case you are wondering they did not repel down, they climbed down the way they went up. After making it down from the tower we checked out the swimming pool obstacle course and the weight room where they train and strengthen.
After saying goodbye and thank you to Master Sergeant Millard we hit the road again for one last stop. This stop was off post at the Airborne Special Operations Museum. There our youth got the chance to see a move on aerospace, ride a simulator which made them feel like they were riding a variety of military vehicle, and see interactive displays about various military operations. Our day campers saw how technology has progressed and how everyone has a part in that design and development. They also got a chance to see how important technology is to our everyday lives and comfort at home and in the field.
After an exhausting day we headed back to our respective counties. We processed all of the days events and fun and then thought about what is ahead for tomorrow. Without giving it away all I can say is it science doesn't just fly...sometimes science comes in the form of 4 legs.