Cuting Up with 4-H Arts and Crafts Day Camp

Have to say, we are most impressed with our 4-H Arts and Crafts Day Camp participants.  We have had a great time over the last four days doing a variety of crafts.

   On Monday Christy Strickland taught our youth to cross stitch.  To do this there were a lot of things we needed to learn.  We had to learn to thread a needle, read a pattern, follow directions, just to learn to cross stitch.  Once we had that down and figured out how to use the squares on the gingham it was easy to make our christmas trees.  Then we had to learn to sew on a button to put our star on the top of the tree.  What happened next was pretty cool.  We turned it into an ornament.  By using a lid ring from a jar, rope, a felt backing, and some tacky glue we finished it off and made a really neat gift.  The one thing we didn't get to start or finish on Monday was our plastic canvas needlepoint project.  However Ms. Shea Ann posted a video to walk us through that.  Because we can read the pattern from cross stitch it will make this project even easier.

  Tuesday we were ready and willing to jump into the deep end after Monday went so swimmingly well.  Today 4-H Member Maggie Underwood introduced everyone into the world of Perler beads.  They used the pattern reading skills they learned on Monday and translated them into making incredible designs with colored plastic beads that were then ironed to allow the beads to fuse and make a design.  They campers did an incredible job and were really focused on this.  At the end we had a little time to play with Shrinky Dinks.  Shrinky Dinks are plastic pages that you color a design on and cut out.  Then you place them in the oven for a few minutes and they shrink to one third the original size and are nine times as thick.  The colors you use also become more concentrated.  This is great for decorations, key chains, bobles, to make jewelry with, etc.  The sky is the limit.

   Wednesday was very cool.  Mrs. Patty Speights joined us and walked us through making a painting.  We made a really cute crab and everyone's was a little different and all of them were perfect in their own way.  It was really neat.  We also had little ceramic pieces that we could paint and give as gifts or use for ornaments or decorations.  We had lots of fun with our paints.

   The last day of camp was on Thursday.  This was probably the hardest project of them all.  Mrs. Shae (Shae 2) taught us how to finger knit using an emoji loop yarn.  Trying to figure out how to pull the loops through was tough but once we figured it out it was pretty neat.  Mrs. Shea has added a video to our google drive of Mrs. Shae ending the project so we can see how to do it on our own.  Not that any of this is confusing at all.

  We are so excited about how our youth finished up 4-H Arts and Crafts Day Camp and we hope they will enter their crafts in our 4-H Artastic Contest.  Details of that will come out soon.  Happy crafting to all our youth and thank you moms for all your help with our projects.

Summer Fun!

Yes, it is February.  Yes, Summer Programs are three months away.  At doesn’t mean procrastinate...you need to sign up now.   Click on this link and you will be taken to a downloadable 4-H brochure with our summer offerings.  Registration is open for 4-H members now and in April it will open to the public.  If you have questions please call us at (910) 671-3276.  To register please come by our office at 455 Caton Road, Lumberton, NC 28360.  Gentle reminder we accept checks and money orders.

Marching and Rolling Along

  It is hard to believe this is our last day of 4-H Biotech Day Camp.  What in the world could we have left to cover?  That's what our campers were wondering as we jumped in the van and headed North today.  When we stopped we were at the home of Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, NC.  More importantly we stopped at the Airbourne and Special Operations Museum.  Our plan of attack is to meet up with Bladen and Hoke counties and spread out to experience military technology advancements, technology training through the simulator, and a little more about the Special Operations and Airbourne groups by hearing about their history in the movie.

  Since the simulator can't hold all of us at once we split into two groups; one went into the simulator to experience computer generated military modes of travel (especially in battle) and then we got to experience real life military vehicles in different terrains.  Including an amphbius vehicle for which we we skimmed the water and then engaged hostile forces using night vision before sliding into the belly of another vehicle.  In the real life military simulation we skimmed tree tops as we moved through a forrest, we experienced driving through the dessert in humvees, and we came off the back of of transport plane in a vehicle.  Sooooo much fun!

   The movies were great insights into how Airbourne was started and the early training they did.  Did you know that you could not be married and had to volunteer to be one of the first Airbourne members?  We also learned about various assaults and reasons for the way they train the way that they do.  It is so cool to know that they jump out of perfectly good airplanes and what they can do when they hit the ground.

  Then we went into the museum to check out the history of this elite fighting group and got to see firearms, planes, and even a wedding dress made from a parachute (now that is a cool story).  Our youth visited WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and more recent effort such as Dessert Storm.  For all of them these conflicts were before their time, and in some cases this is the first time they have heard of these military battles.  

  After touring the museum we headed back to Lumberton for lunch.  Golden Corral was gracious enough to allow us to use their group meeting space for lunch.  Our campers got to pick whatever they wanted and it turns out that they were very hungry.

  From there we headed to Lumberton Bowling Alley where everyone had the opportunity to bowl.  They learned the science of spinning balls, momentum, and power as they knocked down pins.  Each of them worked hard and played three games with some pretty impressive moves.  If you check out some of the scores we had youth with as many as six strikes in a game...not bad for beginners.

  It wasn't long before we said goodbye to our friends from Bladen and Hoke Counties.  We got in our vans and headed back to our offices.  Everyone smiling and thinking about what a grand time they had this week for biotech.

  If you think this is the end of our summer, stay tuned...because next week we will be changing it all up and grinding it down.

Tech Gone Wild

Day 4 of 4-H Biotech Day Camp and we headed out early this morning and back to NCSU.  This time to Centennial Campus and the home of more than a million and a half books, Hunt Library.  Our campers were broken into two group and had the chance to learn some really neat secrets into the thought behind this state of the art library.
  We started at the book bot.  The book bot actually finds and delivers books from the drawers of the climate controlled book room to students.  They can actually request the books from an app and have them waiting at the library for pick up.  The book room is actually several stories, lined with book shelves and drawers that hold many books.  The bot pulls the drawer with the book and takes it to the librarian at the end of the room.  It really is a neat process.
  We headed upstairs and once again learned something new and interesting.  The steps are in yellow so that you can be easily seen by others walking up and down the steps.  It is sort of a safety thing and makes you stand out going up or down.  Our campers tested the theory, and it works.
  From there we learned about the 70 different types of chairs in the library.  When they built it they designed it to be conducive for studying and part of that is being comfortable in the space.  It is also artistic.  Our campers got to sit on a piece of furniture that is made from steamed wood, making the piece both artistic and functional.
  From there we went to the new technology section where there are smart boards, 3-D printers, keyboards and much more.  After learning about the equipment our campers got a chance to test it out.  It was all sorts of fun as they tried their hands in and under the holographic machine, music machines and other neat technology.
  From there we checked out the video wall.  The video wall is where student research projects are shown and you can see the incredible work of NCSU around the world.   Our campers got a chance to check out some more seating options when they saw video from projects around the world (and saw what it looks like to run down a sand dune).
  After our tour of the library we had lunch and then headed to Pittsboro to Carolina Tiger Rescue.  It was a little drive but really neat to hear the stories and see the animals that will live here for the rest of their lives.  There are Lions, Tigers, Bobcats, Cougars, Caracals and more.  Most of the animals living here were in situations that were not healthy for them or any wild animal to be in.  Now they have safe habitats with plenty of room, veterinary care, and if they feel like it interaction.  Our campers did a great job asking questions, learning about each of the animals and where they come from and all of us learned new facts.  For example did you know a cougar can leap 40 feet without taking a running start?  Pretty impressive stuff.
  When our tour was over we loaded up in the van and headed back to our respective counties.  Just one last day, and we promise the science behind tomorrow will be off the chain, the chain of command.

   

Moosic to Our Ears

  Day 3 of 4-H Biotech Day Camp, was utterly incredible.  We started mooving our herd earl this morning to get to the Randleigh Dairy at NCSU.  We split our group in half and toured the facility, inside and out.  Our campers learned everything from what goes in the cows mouth to how it is digested and yes, they now even know how the chips fall as they may.

  Even more importantly they got the inside scoop on how the milk goes from the cow, through the milker and finally makes it to Schaub Hall where Howling Cow Ice Cream is made.  So it might not be quite that fast, but it is faster than you probably realize and not a drop is touched by human hands.   Every two days the fresh milk is trucked out from storage vats and taken to be utilized on the NCSU Campus, used for Howling Cow Ice Cream and is donated to the state prison system.
   Our campers met the dairy cows up close and personal and saw what their day to day life is like.  The cows get milked every 12 hours and outside of their trips to the milking parlor they get to hang out, eat, drink, and have beds of sand to lay in.  Most of our campers were surprised by the size and smell of these large bovine.
  After the tour (and a quick hand wash) our campers got to experience Howling Cow Ice Cream and enjoy the hands on learning center.  There they learn how butter was once made, the digestive system of a cow, and actually meet the cows of NCSU based on their ear tag numbers.  It was a lot of fun for everyone.
  After lunch we headed to one of our favorite lunch spots, Fountain Dining Hall on NCSU's campus.  Our youth got to eat with real college students and enjoy milk from the farm we had just left.  They also got a chance to sample soft serve ice cream too.
  So if you are thinking that's a lot of sugar...not to worry our next stop took care of that.  We headed to Prairie Ridge Eco research Station.  This is a unique research center that is part of the NC Natural Science Museum.  The goal is to show an appreciation for the natural environment while exploring renewable and sustainable energy sources.  We had the chance to explore some really neat ecosystems before we heard and saw lightening which ran us back to our vans and encouraged us to head back to our counties.
  All in all it was a fun day, and we burned a little energy along the way.  Speaking of energy, we are going to get wild with research tomorrow.  Stay tuned for all the hairy details.

Today the E is for Electricity

Electrons, circuits, soldering, knowledge is power on Day 2 of 4-H Biotech Day Camp.  Campers arrived at the Robeson County Office today to spend the day playing and accidentally learning.  We started with a little knowledge about atoms, electrons, protons, and what it takes to make them all work.  From there we became a human circuit.  Not just figuratively but literally.  Mrs. Stacie had a human electric detector.  Did you know humans can conduct electricity?  We tested the equipment by holding hands to make a complete circuit and set it off.  A few people dropped hands just to see if it worked and then they did the lights would go off.  The testers were really neat.
  After a quick snack we broke apart into groups and worked on circuits for cars, helicopters, sirens, and so much more.  One of the systems they worked with allowed the campers to create their own playdough design and use it to conduct electricity (who knew?).  Our campers rotated through 5 stations having to work together to make the final goal a reality.
  It wasn't long before it was time for lunch.  Thanks to one of our dedicated volunteers our campers enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs from the grill along with chips, a rice krispie treat for dessert and of course something to drink.  The youth seemed to enjoy time together to socialize, fellowship, and talk with their new friends.
  From lunch we jumped into Lego Leadership.  Each group was given two bags with legos.  Each color of Lego represented a different leadership quality.  It was up to the group to determine which qualities were most important and why.  They also had a black Lego which was classified as "a wild Card", so it could represent any quality they wanted.  Each group had a representative stand up and explain to the group why they had placed the Legos the way they had.  It was exceedingly interesting to hear their views on leadership and the qualities of leadership.
  After that the group split in half.  Half went to the kitchen to work with another of our great volunteers, Mr. Mike Bower on electric projects and the other half works with Mrs Stacie and Miss Shea Ann on activities.  In the kitchen the youth learned about capacitors, resistors, and used soldering irons to make electric kits.  In the auditorium our youth used Legos, robotic arms, and programmed dance moves without a computer.  We also broke out the VR goggles to get a preview of tomorrow...shhhh!  That's top secret!  Overall they seemed to have a good time.
  Of course we can't help but learn from everything we do.  Snack time involved popping popcorn for our youth so we showed them the science of popcorn and what it looks like popping thanks to the Slo-Mo Guys on YouTube.  It was incredibly fun and drove us down the path to other really cool science experiments that these guys have done.
  Before long our Bladen and Hoke County counterparts had to head home.  We are looking forward to seeing them tomorrow for a mooving experience.

It's All in The E

  Today is our first day of 4-H Biotech Day Camp.  This is a unique camp that has been going strong for more than a dozen years.  What makes it unique is that Bladen, Hoke, and Robeson Counties join together to get the most out of this traveling day camp.  Essentially we take our youth to wonderful and unique experiences that they wouldn't otherwise get to experience.
  On of the big questions of the day was what is Biotech?  So when we asked our youth we got answers ranging from building computers, to gaming, and even babysitting.  The actual definition actually relates to a broader definition of biology and all living organisms, systems of living organisms, and any technological applications.  For us we expand the definition to all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics and relate what many youth may be intimidated by in school to real life and try to make these topics as user friendly and fun as possible.

  Today we tackled Engineering in a really big way.  We travelled to NC State University and dissected the iconic Bell Tower.  With a special tour from Dr. Thomas Stafford, retired Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, we learned the history of Holiday Hall, and the Bell Tower.  We learned the stages of building that took place to make this tower, some secrets of the Tower, and experienced first hand the World War I memorial inside (yes, inside), the Bell Tower.  Besides the marvels of engineering that our 4-H members learned about, they also walked away with some pretty neat stories that not everyone knows.

  After a tour of the Bell Tower our youth ate, with college students, at the Talley Student Center.  They got to order their own food and sit to get to know each other.  This is the first time campers from each county had a chance to mix and mingle and figure out who is who.  When they got done they all seemed happy with their choices and were full ready to head to the next adventure.
  It turns out the next adventure was two floors up in a conference room overlooking new construction on NCSU's main campus.  What we saw on the screen was the history of Reynolds Coliseum which is right next door.  When they started construction it was a farm field.  However what no one could predict was WWII broke out as construction got underway and it had to halt because steel could not be procured due to the war.  It took more than five years before construction could be started and due to the increasingly popular basketball program the plans for the facility were changed to increase seating from 10,000 seats to 12,400 which made it the largest venue of its kind for years.  Needless to say our campers needed to see this engineering marvel up close and in person.
  However over the years needs change so the building actually looks different on the inside while maintaining its iconic outside look we saw in photos.  In 2015 the facility was closed for a year to undertake a 35-million dollar renovation which moved the basketball floor to the south end of the building and decreased seating to 5,500 seats.  Some of these seats are still the original seats from when the building was constructed.  Our campers couldn't help but try out sitting in history.  They got to enjoy the sound stick which measured the level of noise during the games.  The north end of the structure is the Walk of fame housing the history and awards of NC State Athletic Hall of Fame.  Campers found everything from different NCSU sports highlighted, To the history of the Wolves, and the history of the logos.  Kind of amazing all the information held under one roof, that took so much to build and maintain.
  After all this marveling we had to marvel at one more thing...Howling Cow ice cream which we had a scoop of before traveling home.  Tomorrow we will start putting some other processes together and out youth will be shocked at all that they learn.