Robeson County 4-H

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...

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 A...

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...

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 cookin...

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 b...

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 balloo...

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 Nu...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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 enj...