Indivisible

  Becoming better citizens isn't all that this year's 4-H NC Citizenship Focus was about.  This year's theme of "Indivisible, Connecting Counties, Igniting 4-H Ideas" left youth with the responsibility of making our country and world a better place.  Taleek Harlee with the Spiritual Generations 4-H Club was the Robeson County representative to this year's conference which took place June 12-14 in Raleigh.  What a conference it was.
 Things got started on Monday with teambuilding and workshops.  Tables had to work together to wrap two folks together in a roll of toilet paper.  The goal, once wrapped was for the dynamic duo to go from one end of the ballroom to the other without breaking the paper.  It was a great way to start learning new communication styles, encourage each other, and work as a group.
After the opening luncheon Mike Wiley; an author, playwright, and actor, presented Tired Souls:  The Montgomery Bus Boycott.  The youth were transformed to Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 to relieve a turbulent time in our country's history.  After realizing the courage and impact of folks of all ages in changing laws and attitudes forever the youth took off for afternoon workshops.  Workshop topics included:  "I'm Right!  You're Wrong!  You Jerk!"; "How to Run 101"; "Conflict & Compromise:  The Challenges of Governing at the Local Level"; and "The Supreme Court:  Does it Really resolve Conflicts or Create Them?".  After a brief break the youth then met with Legislative Assistants from the NC Legislature to gain a behind the scenes insight into what goes on at the Capitol.
  Don't get us wrong the entire trip wasn't just work.  Our youth deserve some fun.  So after dinner and our incredible speakers who talked about Government opportunities and a need for youth, it was time for some socialization and fun.  We all enjoyed a dance, playing games, and getting to know the new friends we had made that day.

  Tuesday we were honored to have breakfast with Ms. Nelle Hotchkiss, Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives.  The electric Cooperatives help make this conference possible and it was an honor to say thank you for their support in person (in case you are wondering we also said it in writing with a thank you note at the end of the conference).  Dr. Mitizi Downing got things rolling after breakfast by asking our youth what they thought of one simple statement, :The United States is the greatest country in the world."  Our youth divided four ways, strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree.  Each side picked a spokesperson to illustrate their opinion.  The ultimate goal was to realize not everyone has the same opinion on any topic and learn how to respectfully be able to disagree.
  After that eye opener our youth headed back to the series of workshops, so they could take part in all of them.  Over lunch we had the chance to hear from Dr. Jim Clark, a NC 4-H Historian who talked about the importance of our youth to making a difference in our state and country.  Youth also got to hear from one of our most noted NC 4-H Alums, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall who talked about what she does, and how they can help her office make a difference.  After completing workshops the youth had the chance to take part in NC SPIN.  For those of you not familiar with this popular PBS show, a panel of experts provide a balanced debate on the issues that face our state.  
After a little down time and dinner we boarded the buses and headed to the NC Museum of History.  There are teens took part in a team scavenger hunt.  The clues were on SnapChat and their answers involved taking photos of themselves when they located the items and putting them on Instagram with a special hashtag.  Our youth had a ball a the museum and might have accidentally learned something along the way.  We couldn't stay at the museum all night, because we had an early morning the next day.
  Wednesday was the day our delegates had been waiting for.  We loaded up on the busses and headed to the legislature.  Imagine about 120 youth and adult walking through the doors representing 4-H.  We had the opportunity to meet with Senator Danny Britt, Jr., Representative Garland Pearce, and Representative Charles Graham.  We were able to visit the House and Senate Chambers and talk about issues that matter to our youth and folks in Robeson County.  While we were there we also ran into Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.  After such successful visits (and a whole lot of walking) we headed back tot he hotel for the final lunch and capnote speaker.  Jeff Sebo talked to our group about how to survive the political conversations with the people you care about, especially when you do not agree.  Important lessons in this time of strong opinion.  Lessons our delegate brought back to share with our 4-H program and folks in the county.

Please and Thank You

 
  How often have you been in a situation where you have felt uncomfortable?  How did you deal with it?  Did you have the skills in your wheelhouse to get over that feeling, or maybe help someone else get over that same feeling in a social situation?  What it all boils down to is etiquette, the skill of putting people at ease, and being able to follow simple basic guidelines of social behavior.  Now that sounds like a lot, but in reality it is an introduction into the world, and that is what we want for our youth.  After all the world is at their feet and we want to make sure they have the skills they need to claim it and make it even better.  This is why we started our 4-H Etiquette Day Camp.  Of course our youth reasons for being there ranged from learning something new to "because my parents forced me to be here."  No matter what the reason by the end of the day they had all learned something new, and had new experiences, made new friends, and had to admit they had a pretty good time.
  Our day started with introductions.  A good first impression is important, and a firm handshake, talking in a clear voice, and looking someone in the eye can make all the difference.  Learning to avoid the dead fish handshake and muttering was tough for a few, but by the end of the day, they had it down.  After getting through introductions we moved on to table settings.  Setting a table, knowing what the purpose of each utensil is, and how to use it was our crash course before leaving for lunch.  We split up into groups and each group had the opportunity to practice setting the table.  We wont say they had it down pat at the end of the lesson, but they had a pretty good grasp on it.
  By then it was time to get in the vans and head to Pinehurst to visit The Carolina Hotel.  The grandeur of the four star hotel was evident from the moment we arrived.  Our 4-Her's were well behaved as they went through the lobby and the main dinning room to one of the private side dining rooms.  The oriental rugs, and chandlers putting many of them in awe.  As they were seated they impressed the staff with having their feet on the floor and sitting up straight in their chairs.  The entire experience had them in such awe that most of them did not speak until the main course of our lunch.  the staff at the Carolina did a wonderful job of walking us through our meal and the proper way to handle utensils, courses, and our behavior.  Daniel Collier led our etiquette lesson and started with introductions and handshakes to each person in the dining room as we started on our salad.  After our salad we had an intermezzo of raspberry sorbet, which served as a palette cleanser.  That was followed up with our main course, boneless chicken breast with mashed potatoes (that were piped onto the plate) and a lemon pan jous.  That wowed our group but dessert was the bomb.  It was a deconstructed strawberry shortcake, that would make the pickiest of taste buds jump up and dance.

  Chef Kevin introduced our meals to us, and after our wonderful mean, introduced our group to the behind the scenes where our lunch was made.  Our 4-H members aw everything from storage areas, supply chains, to prep areas, the bakery, and most importantly the wash area.  As they learned the folks who wash are the most important folks in the kitchen because without them the kitchen could not function.  It wasn't long before we said our thank yous and goodbyes and headed back to Robeson County to finish our lessons.
When we got back we split up into groups and rotated between five tables of activities.  There we played an etiquette game, leaned cell phone dos and don'ts, worked on conversation starters, figured out fashion dos and don'ts, and wrote thank you notes to the folks at the Carolina Hotel.  Before we knew it it was time to get ready for our mixer.  Now you might not know this but there are some skills we learned that we never thought of such as balancing a plate of food and cup of punch so that we can eat and shake hands, when there is no place to set things down.  We learned our guests should go first, and we go second.  Even better we could go back for seconds after everyone gets firsts so we don't have to pile our plates with food.  As our adults came in we greeted them, allowed them to get food first, and we did not say anything looked nasty, we just found things we liked and enjoyed good conversations with new people.  All in all it was a successful day, and who knows maybe some folks had some help getting the dinner table set that night.

If you would like more information about this or other summer programs please contact our office at (910) 671-3276.        

Camp Update

Just wanted to share this newsletter from our Camping Specialist in Raleigh.  If you would like to read and download your own version click on this link for more.

4-H Horse Update

Below is a note from Lori Stroud referencing updates with the Horse program.

The May 2017 issue of the NC 4-H Horse Program Newsletter is now available.  Please be sure to share this will all 4-H horse club leaders, members and parents. This issue contains a lot of information that pertains to the State 4-H Horse Show and other summer events.

Thank you to all the agents that have responded to our request to assist with the State 4-H Horse Show.  I am in the process of finalizing the schedule and details to email out to everyone that agreed to help.  

State Show stall assignments will be sent to agents on June 15 (via Google Doc) and need to be completed by June 22.  If you are going to be away from your office and unable to submit the assignments for your county, please designate another staff member or horse club leader to submit on your behalf.  

Only Our Logo is Changing

Below is an article written by Christy Strickland for the Robesonian, Robeson Journal, and other publications that serve Robeson County.  This article can also be found on the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Robeson County Center web site.

You may have noticed we have a new look. NC State Extension and the Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T State University have launched a rebranding effort across the state for N.C. Cooperative Extension. The new logo is being rolled out in all 101 local Extension centers across the state. Essentially, we are adopting a new marketing strategy to grow awareness and engagement for N.C. Cooperative Extension.

You may be asking yourself, what does that mean? Don’t worry, we will continue to work together to provide research-based information and technology in everyday applications, providing educational programs specializing in agriculture, food and nutrition, and 4-H youth development.  That means local agents, program assistants, and staff are providing meaningful programming in a variety of areas.

In the program area of agriculture, Master Gardeners are meeting and volunteering throughout the county using their knowledge to assist residents and enhance many Extension programs. The Robeson County Beekeepers Association members are dedicated to the cultivation, proliferation, and survival of the honeybee and work to educate others on the importance of bees.  The Robeson County Farmers Market Association works to provide fresh produce to patrons at the market on the corner of 8th and Elm Streets, as well as those participating in the local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program throughout the summer. Extension agents coordinate and participate in local research with university specialists and local farmers to ensure the best research-based information is available to make farming decisions.

In the program area of foods and nutrition, programs that emphasize healthy eating and physical activity include Eating Smart and Moving More as well as our Faithful Families Program, which is based in churches. You might come by our office for some classes on food preservation, or canning as Grandma referred to it, or maybe a bread-making class. We also work closely with restaurants to ensure managers get certified in ServSafe, which is a food safety certification we offer in both English and Spanish. We would be remiss to leave out our Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Our program assistants are well known in the schools and communities working with low-income audiences to help them eat healthy on a budget.

In the program area of 4-H youth development, our building will be bursting at the seams with young people participating in a variety of activities throughout the summer. Learning everything from how to cook safely and eating healthy to proper behavior in a formal dining situation. Junior Master Gardeners are learning the how-tos of gardening in the raised beds just outside my office. It also means I can sit in my office at this moment and hear the baby  chicks that have hatched in our incubators  as an example of the  4-H Embryology Program taking place across the county in a variety of second and third grade classrooms.

And I haven’t even mentioned the many opportunities to experience Extension at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair, on farm tours, as part of community or specialty 4-H clubs, at goat shows and field days, etc. So as you can see, it’s just our look that’s changing – not the many hands-on opportunities available or the research-based information we can tap into on a daily basis.

For more information on any of the areas mentioned or others, please contact Christy Strickland, County  Extension Director  with  North Carolina  Cooperative Extension, Robeson  County Center,  at 671-3276, by E-mail at Christy_Strickland@ncsu.edu, or visit our website at http://robeson.ces.ncsu.edu/.

North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

News From Millstone

Wanted to share this update from Millstone 4-H Camp in Elerbee, NC.

4-H Camp is Going Viral

So excited to share with you that thanks to Tabitha Barnes, the 4-H camps promotional videos for the Eastern 4-H Center and Millstone 4-H Camp are now finished and ready for sharing.

The following are links to each of our three 4-H Camps' promotional videos for your convenience:

Betsy-Jeff Penn: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B15dKVVIFui4NHBzRks2YklCOFU/view?usp=sharing

Eastern 4-H Center: https://drive.google.com/a/ncsu.edu/file/d/0B0ROvPPdy1-jUk92U3dMU1hUWlE/view?usp=sharing

Millstone 4-H Camp: https://drive.google.com/a/ncsu.edu/file/d/0B0ROvPPdy1-jWlR3bXoxY2ZiVzQ/view?usp=sharing

Also, we now have a North Carolina 4-H Camps & Centers YouTube channel with these videos, so please subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh5t5bD4CyKxL19r9fsfu3w

Please check out the videos and give us a call at the 4-H office if you are interested in attending.