New Tools to Help Youth with Preparedness

Introducing the New Ready Kids Webpages

The theme for Week 3 of National Preparedness Month (September 15-21) is "Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters." This week, FEMA's Ready Campaign launched newly updated Ready.gov/kids web pages.  Ready.gov/kids is the youth preparedness platform for the Ready Campaign. The site now has an updated look and new, interactive search features. Site visitors can find games, activities, tools to prepare, disaster information, and curricula for kids and teens of all ages, their families, and those who work with youth. Visit the new Ready.gov/kids today and see below for more youth-focused National Preparedness Month events!

Webinar: Youth Can Help With Preparedness This webinar will feature FEMA experts and a member of the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC). They will discuss the needs of children and families before, during, and after disasters. They will also talk about how YPCs can improve community resilience. Finally, they will share new programs and tools for kids launched this year. The webinar will be Tuesday, September 24, 12:00-1:00 PM EDT. Learn more and register here.   Podcast: Teaching Children What to do in an Emergency This episode of the FEMA Podcast featured a round table discussion with a few members of the FEMA team. They discussed the important roles children can play in building a culture of preparedness. Listen here or on Apple iTunes and Google Play.

Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events, entities, organizations, services, or products. Please let us know about other events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be included in future newsletters by contacting  FEMA-prepare@fema.dhs.gov.

4-H Horse Program Rules Update Opportunity

NC 4-H Horse Program / NCSU Animal Science Department NC 4-H Horse Program Rule Change Proposals Due October 1 Rule Change Proposals for 2020 The North Carolina 4-H Horse Program Advisory Council encourages any suggestions to make the North Carolina 4-H Horse Program reach its fullest potential in meeting the 4-H Horse Project Goals. The opportunity to propose new rules or changes to existing rules allows 4-H Horse Program members and supporters to voice their ideas about how to improve our program. The following people are eligible to submit a rule change proposal to the North Carolina 4-H Horse Program Rules and Regulations Manual: 4-H members Parents/guardians of 4-H members 4-H volunteers 4-H agents All proposals are due by October 1 of each year. Submitted rule changes and suggestions will be reviewed for the following year. The proposal form must be completed in its entirety to be considered. To submit a rule-change or proposal: Download the rule change proposal form. Define the problem & develop as many solutions as possible by asking others for input. Choose one possible solution that appears to be the most appropriate and that fits the mission and goals of the NC 4-H Horse Program. Determine if any other rules would be affected if your proposal is adopted, and specify the rule along with its citation number. Submit proper wording for a proposed rule change by typing or neatly printing the exact wording being proposed. If you propose changes to existing language, strike through the words you propose to delete. Type in bold and italics the words you propose to add. All proposals must be received by October 1 for consideration in the following year’s rulebook. Email rule-change proposal form to Alaina Cross at Alaina_Cross@ncsu.edu or send to Extension Horse Husbandry, NCSU Box 7621, Raleigh NC 27695. Link to page with forms

October Growing together News Letter

In this months newsletter you will find information on:
-Writing thank you notes
-The importance of make believe
-Making the transition from work to home
and much more.
You can find the full newsletter at:  https://growingchild.com/uploads/growingtogether/5753ka/Oct19.pdf
Thank you to Kim Allen for sharing these stories and tips with us to enhance our program and lives.

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.