Robeson County 4-H

Needless to say we are always excited about the year ahead so ringing in 2010 is very exciting for those of us here at 4-H. Of course we can't ring in the new without remembering some of the highlights of our year as it passes by. To start with we celebrated North Carolina 4-H's Centennial. There were special activities each month, a balloon release of 100 balloons at the fair, and lots of cake. Dr. Marshall Stewart, our state 4-H leader, joined us to help us honor our volunteers. Dr. Theron McKinney came all the way from Raleigh to help us open the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair, as they helped us celebrate the centennial in a big way. Clinton McRae, our new district director, also honored us with a visit to say thank you to our volunteers for their service. Our newest State Senator Michael Walters came by to honor our youth, as did Rod Jenkins, our assistant County Manager. It was a start studded year for Robeson County 4-H and that was just the icing on the top of the ca...

Have you seen the local paper lately? Robeson County 4-H is making headlines as part of a continuing series on United Way Agencies. The articles highlight the many opportunities available through United Way Agencies. This week's article focuses on 4-H and shows some of our programs and even gives some of the statistics of our program benefits. If you have not seen the paper for Tuesday, you can still catch the article on line at the Robesonian . Take a gander and feel free to offer your opinion of the program to the newspaper public or right here on our blog. You can also check on the thumbs up if you like the article. So take a quick read and see why we are so proud of this incredible program.

Giving back to the community, or creating citizen leaders as Dr. Marshall Stewart says, is a large aspect of 4-H work. Our Robeson County 4-H members are no different. On the night we honor them, our annual 4-H Youth Achievement Night, they were thinking of others. Each family brought a gift for a child in the foster care program. Many of these youth will not receive gifts if it were not for the thoughtfulness of others. When we got done collecting there were so many toys that we filled 5 large boxes with games, books, toys, coloring books and so much more. Sanora Stephens with the Department of Social Services Protective Agency came by to pick up the toys. She was just in awe of the thoughtfulness of our 4-H families giving to youth they have never met and all the love and well wishes that went into the choices they made. It is just another example of the difference 4-H makes in Robeson County.

Germ Busters! That is the name Aggie Rogers and Shea Ann DeJarnette are going by these days. At least in the schools as they come in to teach Glo-Germ. This week we hit Littlefield Elementary's six, fifth grade classrooms. The Hornet's as they are called were already feeling the sting from illnesses this year about 75% of the students reported that illness had kept them out of school for one day this year. The students were all very receptive to our Glo-Germ program and grossed out by the glowing germs on their hands. Some who thought their hands were clean left with horrified looks on their faces as they saw the germs glow under the black light. However after a quick lesson they headed straight to the bathroom where they washed their hands with soap and water for 20-30 seconds. When they got back and placed their hands under the light...the germs (for the most part) were gone. A few had to rewash, but their classmates told on them and said they did not wash their hand...

WOW! That is all I can say about Friday night. It was our annual Robeson County 4-H Youth Achievement Night and all I can say was what a celebration! What accomplishments! What incredible youth we have in Robeson County. We started our event in a beautifully decorated auditorium thanks to our Youth Achievement Volunteer Committee made up of Missy McLean, Libby Burney, Jane Hurst, and Lillian McNeill. they not only decorated but put together the program and planned the entire event. After the introduction of our Master of Ceremonies, 4-H Alumni Quincy Dinnerson introduced Renee Blue the Past President of the Robeson County Volunteer Leaders Association who welcomed all of our guests. Christopher Bullard and Yazmin Washington lead our pledges and County Extension Director, Everett Davis recognized special guests. We were very pleased to have Tanya Underwood and Jane Hurst who are members of the Robeson County 4-H Specialized Advisory Committee on hand to help us with the night, as...

As the members of the 4-H staff and your Robeson County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service are at home today celebrating this holiday with our traditional families, we just wanted to let you know that our 4-H family is not far from our thoughts. We want you to know that we are thankful for each and everyone of you and hope that you have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving. We would also like to share with you a new blog that one of our colleagues started that is very appropriate for today. Janice Fields, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent started a holiday food blog. On it you can find safety tips and recipes for this holiday. Just click on this link and it will take you right to it. Hope you have a wonderful holiday and we look forward to seeing you at our next big event...4-H Youth Achievement Night.

It is time to start our 4-H year again and the best way we know how to do it is to send an incredible delegation to 4-H State Council Conference . Our four delegates, Aljaquan Nixon, Ashley Sealey, Kristen Sealey and Yazmin Washington travelled to Raleigh for the two day conference. The 4-H members took part in workshops that ranged in topics from flag etiquette, to diversity, to experiential learning and recycling. In between workshops there were district and state meetings, the battle for the state spirit stick (South Central District came in second) and the unveiling of this year's state theme. This year's theme builds on our centennial theme of "We are 4-H". For 2010 our 4-H theme is "We Are 4-H...Then, Now, and Forever." During the lunch meeting our key note speaker, Edward Walker (of Trading Spaces Fame) talked about setting goals and finding ways to meet them. He showed that his life is a daily example of this philosophy and served as an example for ...

I know, I know. Thanksgiving isn't even here yet and we are already talking turkey about Christmas. We can't help it though because Saturday was the annual Lumberton Christmas Parade and this year our 4-H volunteers and members got into the Centennial Holiday spirit in a big way. With a last minute vehicle replacement courtesy of Archie McLean's plumbing...our incredible volunteer committee headed by Mrs. Libby Burney set out to decorate a pickup truck and trailer. It was an incredible site with metallic silver and green streamers hanging down and centennial banners and members of several 4-H clubs along for the ride. The volunteers and youth spent a couple of hours decorating our entry and those who helped got to ride while others walked along side. We want to give a special mention to our volunteers who helped out with this grand effort; Mrs. Libby Burney, Missy McLean, Marilyn Merritt and Jane Hurst. Not to mention the clubs which had members and volunteers participate, ...

One of the best times of the 4-H year is when we have the opportunity to do something sincerely special for our 4-H volunteers to say thank you for all their work during the year. Our annual 4-H Volunteer Appreciation Banquet is that night we do all of this and this year's celebration was something extra special. Which seems appropriate for a group of extra special people. We kicked off the event with Robeson County Extension Director Everett Davis bringing everyone together and getting the pledges underway with the help of our 4-H volunteer Deborah Mitchell and Tanya Underwood a 4-H volunteer and Chairperson of our 4-H specialized Committee. Then we cut straight to the sweet stuff. Our three tiered centennial 4-H birthday cake greeted our volunteers and guests when they entered the room. Our special guests from Raleigh and here at home did the ceremonial lighting and cutting of the cake to kick off our celebration. Our District Director Clinton McRae, Sharon Rowland with the Devel...

Did we have jealous youth on Tuesday night? You bet we did as it was the volunteers turn to come in and do the ever incredible make and take projects as part of their volunteer leaders training . Our idea was to set up tables around the auditorium and introduce our volunteers to enough activities that they could go back and use one for each of their club meetings in 2010. All in all we had 6 people set up offering more than a dozen projects that could be done with their club. Bobby Rogers set up a table and showed the different woodworking projects he could do with youth. There was everything from recycled soda can bird houses to magazine racks, shelving units and a gumball machine (that was really cool). All of his projects are a very small cost and he is wonderful about making them youth friendly and will come work with the youth in putting them together. For many of our youth it is the first time they have ever held a hammer or nailed something into place, which is always ver...

We're Back! That's right, we made it back it back to Rowland Norment School and had a blast working with the second and third graders this time. Kim Long invited us back to work with the second graders on hand washing in the mix of all the media attention paid to H1N1 and other flu strains. In talking with the youth we found about 80 percent of the youth had missed at least one day due to illness since the beginning of the year less than two months ago. We worked with the youth on proper hand washing techniques and showed them the germs on their hands with our special glo-germ lotion. By the end of our time with them we were able to certify each student as an official hand washing expert and charged them with the task of helping others to properly wash their hands and help stop the spread of germs that cause illness. After working with the second graders the third grade teachers (actually Mrs. Browning) asked for a refresher course for their students. As we went in we were g...

November is traditionally the month for elections. Our 4-H members and volunteers had the opportunity to practice their voting skills while electing our 4-H County Council and 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association members. The 4-H County Council are 4-H members between the ages of 14 and 19. We prefer youth who have shown leadership skills within their clubs serving as club officers and feel they are ready to handle the responsibility of being an officer on the county level. Officer positions available are President Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, Reporter, and Sergeant at Arms. The officers on the volunteer side who are elected represent the volunteers and conduct quarterly meeting for our volunteers on the county level. the officers elected on the volunteer side include; President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, and Reporter. Each organization also has a President. The President is rotated into office and serves and the President-Elect the year before their Presidential term. We started with t...

You can't help but be aware of the flu epidemic and how everyone is lining up for H1N1 vaccines and doing all sorts of things to try to stay healthy. The first grade students at Rowland Norment Elementary School in Lumberton are no different. Today the EC and first grade youth took charge by learning how to properly wash their hands. Hand washing you might think is a little preventative. However as the students learned today it is probably one of the best ways to fight illnesses and stay healthy. Shea Ann DeJarnette and Aggie Rogers, with Robeson County 4-H Youth Development were invited to do their Glo-Germ program with the students. Glo-Germ is a neat science type program that allows youth to see the germs on their hands and then, using the proper hand washing techniques, kill the germs. You might ask what are proper hand washing techniques? We're glad you asked. As the youth learned today using warm water and soap are the best tools in the war on germs. The studen...

It is sad, no more cotton candy, funnel cakes, or collard sandwiches. As we finish winding down the fair, cleaning up at the fairgrounds, cleaning out our vehicles from hauling everything around for 10 days, it is time to reflect, smile, and say thank you. First we need to say thank you to the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair , Coble D. Wilson, Jr. the Fair Board President, and all the members of the fair board, and friends of the fair. The fair board members not only allowed us to celebrate our centennial but really backed us and supported us in our efforts this year. It started before the fair ever opened. This year the 4-H educational booths were placed in a special area in the commercial exhibits building and we had more than 3 times the booths that we normally have. Then the fair kicked up a few notches with our opening ceremonies and Dr. Thearon McKinney, from our state 4-H office, helping kick off this year's fair. Our Junior Fair Board members handed out centennial pins ...

Saturday at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is time for our 4-H Lamb and Heifer Shows , and did we ever have a show. The day starts early, around 7 a.m. with the first lambs making their way in around 7:30. We have weigh in and by 10:30 everyone is ready and waiting to go. After a quick calculation of weight classes we were ready to get into the ring. We started with showmanship. The cloverbuds, our 5-8 years olds took the center stage. This division is non competitive so the youth have the opportunity to show their lambs in the ring and receive trophies for the work they have done. April Baldwin, Hannah Naylor and Tate Naylor kicked things off for us in this division and did a spectacular job showing their lambs. Next up is the 9-10 year old junior division . Once again their were only three competitors in this division but unlike the cloverbuds these were placed on their showing ability. After a bit of time in the ring our judge placed Ashley Wilson first, Amber Fout second ...

Friday at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair is a day of rest for our animals as they prepare for our last big show on Saturday, the 4-H Lamb and Heifer show. This show will involve youth from all over North Carolina and is second biggest to the goat show each year. As we prepare for that show we are just kicking back and enjoying the sights and sounds of the fair this night . One of the neat things we were able to do today with a little down time was say thank you to some folks. We presented Star Family Circus and J&J Amusements with official 4-H Certificates of Appreciation for their support of our 4-H Centennial Activities at the fair. Star Family Circus allowed us to put an answer for our 4-H Scavenger Hunt on their fence in front of the stage and J&J amusements let us put two answers up, one on the ferris wheel and fun slide. They were particularly supportive of our efforts and happy to help out in our celebration and we really appreciate their efforts. The 4-H Scave...

What would a county fair be without animals? I don't mean pony or camel rides but cows, goats and the ever popular chicken. Although the chickens may not be the cutest or cuddliest chicken in the building it is a big draw especially on Thursday nights at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair when we have our annual 4-H poultry shows . This year we had youth showing both laying hens and broilers. Three cloverbuds, Adelmo Wyrtko, Regina Koch and Caleb Jacobs learned how to hold their laying hens as the entered the show ring and got ready for our judge to check out their birds. When they left they all had trophies in hand and big smiles on their faces. Up next was the Junior division. Long time competitor Benjamin Herndon took first in this division with his hen while Mikayla Hecker took first place in the senior division. The broiler competition was a little more competitive this year. Although we did not have any cloverbuds we had two Benjamin's registered for our Junior divisi...

What would make teens from across the county flock to the Robeson County Fair ? Deep fried goodies? Rides that turn you and churn you? Youth social events? How about the ever popular 4-H Poultry Judging Competition ? These FFA and 4-H members flew to the fairgrounds Wednesday afternoon for an incredible competition that included eggs in and out of the shell, live and dead chickens, and chicken parts. More than 65 youth took part in this years competition. It was a humdinger as they had to judge live past production hens and place them, provide oral reasons on why they placed the chickens in the order they did, name the various parts of a chicken from a grocery store hen that had been cut up, grade eggs that had been broken out of the shell, grade grocery store chickens that had been tied up so they could properly examine them, and judge eggs by their interior qualities by candling them. Each youth travelled with 9 others from station to station and had 10 minutes at each station. The y...

They were a lot cuter six months ago when they went home with our 4-H members however now these hogs that have tripled in size are becoming contenders for the ring. In case you missed the squeal Tuesday night is traditionally the 4-H pig show at the Robeson County Fair and we unveiled our new adult hog show too. This year three 4-H members took on the challenge of raising and showing a pig. Kashawn Cooper with Voices in Praise, Triton and Sebastian Bullard of Footprints 4-H Club all took center stage in the ring as they showed off their hard work. Kashawn Cooper placed first in the Junior Showmanship division while Triton Bullard placed first in the Senior division and his brother Sebastian placed second. In the weight division the hogs ranged from 108-190 pounds. Triton Bullard placed first while his brother Sebastian placed second and Kashawn rounded out the weight division in third. This year instead of having two youth divisions we had one 4-H show and an adult hog show. This year ...

Mother Nature might not have been kind as an all day rain dampened the spirits of possible fair goers. With puddles and mud the fair decided close shortly after opening however the rain, mud, and muck did not dampen the spirit of our 4-Her's as they competed in our annual rabbit show. About 15 youth were registered for this fun and fuzzy show and we had a crowd of more than 50 people cheering them on. As always our cloverbuds (5-8 year olds) took the ring first. Some got a little help getting their rabbits to the table under the watchful eye of our judge. They held their rabbits and answered as many questions as they could about their rabbit projects. When it was all said and done they walked away with trophies and $10 for their efforts. The incredible cloverbud participants included: Jaheim Purdie, Christian Smith, Tierra Locklear, Dakota Strickland and Brionna Locklear. Next our 9-10 year old Juniors took the ring. After checking the rabbits, talking with the youth and getting ...