Clinton County 4-H Returning Member Deadline

Attention returning 4-H Members:

Please note that there is only one day left for returning members to register for the Clinton County 4-H Program.  The deadline is Tuesday, January 31^st.  Please use the checklist below to make sure you have everything you need completed.  Any information placed in the drop box prior to 8 am on Wednesday, February 1^st will be accepted and anything postmarked on or before January 31^st will be accepted. 

·        E-data Enrollment

-        Enrolled

-        Photo Release & Member Conduct Form Signed

-        Medical Form Complete

·        Parental Permission Form in Hard Copy- http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/parental-permissions-form/view

·        $15 Education Materials Fee (Checks payable to:  Clinton County 4-H)

If you are participating in horse activities:

·        $25 Horse Fee (Checks payable to Clinton County 4-H)

·        Acknowledgement of Risk Form in Hard Copy- http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/horses/forms/pa-4-h-horse-program-acknowledgement-of-risk/view

·        Other horse enrollment info will be required by June 1^st.

Summer Assistant Position

To assist Penn State University Cooperative Extension staff in providing non-formal education for youth and adults.  Responsibilities will include:  organizing and conducting educational programs, 4-H camp, assisting at the Clinton County Fair and 4-H Round-up, and other duties as requested. Candidate must be at least 19 years old as of January 1, 2011.  The position will start around mid- May and run until mid- August with some flexibility on dates.  The rate of pay is $10 an hour with 454 hours available. To apply before February 27, 2012, contact the office at 570-726-0022 ext 126 for an application.  Penn State is an equal opportunity employer.

Spring Judging Contests

Information is now available for the Spring Judging Contests hosted by Block and Bridle and Dairy Science Club on Saturday, March 17.  The links are below.  Please inform Becky Sellers if you plan to attend these contests so that your activity can be recorded for the year. 

Livestock-http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/livestock

Horse-  http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/horses

4-H Centennial Year Follows a Year of Achievements

             As Pennsylvania 4-H moves into its Centennial year, Clinton County 4-H is also moving forward as strong as ever.  Current 4-H members are getting their final registrations done for the new year and looking ahead to the projects and activities of the busy months to come.  New members are also welcome to join 4-H by calling the Extension Office at (570) 726-0022.   With such a big year in front of us, it seems like the perfect time to remember some of the accomplishments of the past year.

One life skill that every 4-H member has the opportunity to gain is goal setting.  They learn at a very early age that the best accomplishments in life stem from the goals they have set for themselves along the way.  Each 4-H member set some type of goal for themselves in 2011.  Some may have been as large as winning Grand Champion at the Fair.  Some may have been to complete a quality project for Round Up or to participate in the County Public Speaking Contest.  Some may have even set out to learn a new skill or make a few new friends.  No matter what their goals were, Clinton County 4-H members had many accomplishments throughout the year. 

In November, a few very prestigious awards were given to 4-H members, volunteers and friends of 4-H.  Through an application and interview process, Kayla Kimble was chosen as Clinton County’s 2011 Outstanding Junior 4-H Member and McCartney Register earned an Honorable Mention for her excellent interview as well. Charles Walizer was nominated and named Clinton County 4-H Leader of the Year.  Hoofbeats 4-H Club earned the title of 2011 4-H Club of the Year and Friends of 4-H Awards were given to the Clinton County Community Foundation and the Clinton County Fair Association.   Hunter Andrus and Vanessa Barner also received 4-H Scholarships to aid them in their college endeavors.

4-H members should also be commended for the variety and quality of 4-H programs they participated in throughout the year.  Members wishing to improve their leadership skills participated in activities such as the 4-H State Leadership Conference, 4-H Regional Teen Retreat, 4-H Camp Counselor Training, 4-H Capital Days and several served on the 4-H Teen Leader Council.  39 members went to Regional 4-H Camp.  Nine 4-H members participated in the County Public Speaking Contest in June and three members even gave presentations at the 6^th Grade Field Days in September.  One member went to the State Livestock Judging day at Penn State and represented Clinton County very well.  One member also represented Clinton County on State 4-H Team Horse Power.  A majority of the 183 4-H members raised and showed livestock or horses at the Clinton County Fair and many of those went onto District and State Shows.  To top it off, 4-H members are constantly participating in community service and events within their club, all year long. 

For some 4-H members, 2010-2011 was either their first or last year as a 4-H member.  Clinton County had 40 new 4-H members and 11 who had put in their final year of 4-H.  Each of these places in one’s 4-H career brings very different goals and challenges.  The new members are learning all about 4-H and the projects they take on while the outgoing members have put in 10 or 11 years with the program and have spent many of those years helping younger members.  These 4-H alumni are now pursuing their futures using everything 4-H and the volunteers working within it have taught them.  Welcome to all new 4-H members and good luck to our alumni.  Finally, thank you to all Volunteers and supporters who make it possible for the youth involved in 4-H to achieve their goals and master the life skills this program has to offer. 

Horse Skillathon

Information on the Horse Skillathon Feb 11, 2012 is now available at http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/horses.

Penn State Extension Board Elections for Clinton County

Dear Friend,

The local Penn State Extension Board for Clinton County is seeking your input during the annual election for the Clinton County Extension Board. Since 1917, the strongest attribute of the local Extension Office has been the ability to meet local needs through the involvement of volunteers interested in making a positive difference in their community. In these difficult financial times, the local Extension Office relies heavily on Extension Board volunteers for programmatic ideas, avenues to greater efficiency, and strategies to increase educational opportunities for local residents.

The local Extension Board works with Extension educators based in Clinton County to bring important programs to the County. In 2011, the local Extension Office was home to programs, staff, and volunteers providing leadership for 4-H and youth development, commercial horticulture, Master Gardeners and home gardening, equine and livestock, agronomic crops, dairy, forestry, water quality and home water testing, parenting, childcare, shale gas economics and workforce development, volunteer development, Clinton County Dental Clinic, and much more. Educational programs coordinated by the local Extension Office reached thousands of Clinton County residents at hundreds of public meetings. The local Extension Office also provided educational information via YouTube, webcasting, Twitter, Facebook, specialized blogs, and nine regular newspaper columns on everything from home gardening to positive youth development and Marcellus Shale to improved agricultural practices.

The local Extension Board is a critical connection between the needs of Clinton County, local Extension staff, and Penn State University. Each year an annual election is held to nominate three Clinton County residents to serve on the Clinton County Extension Board. Any resident of Clinton County (including 4-H members), who is interested in Extension programs and using Extension services, is a member of the Clinton County Extension Association and eligible to vote in the Board election.

You can participate in the election by clicking the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Clinton_Extension. Should you have any trouble accessing the ballot, simply copy the link to your web browser. Anyone not wishing to vote electronically can pick-up a ballot during regular business hours at the local Extension Office, 47 Cooperation Lane, Mill Hall, PA. All voting will conclude on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 5:00 pm.

Your ballot will be kept absolutely confidential.  Your voting participation is voluntary and will help us make local Extension programs even better! The results will be compiled in a summary form to protect confidentiality.

Thank you in advance for your help and participation in the Clinton County Extension Board election process.

Sincerely

Rich Wykoff

Extension Board President, Clinton County

Jim Ladlee                    

County Extension Director, Clinton County

  

PS   If you need technical assistance, please call 726-0022x126.

Horse Enrollments

Currently the carry over for horse enrollments on e-data is not available.  Members many enter new horse project information.  A notice will be sent out through the blog when carry over horse enrollment is available.  A reminder that any horse member using a new project horse and/or a different horse in 4-H events must submit a current negative coggins test result and certificate of proof of rabies vaccination before they can participate in a 4-H event that is utilizing horses.  If you have any questions contact 570-726-0022.  A Tack Swap & Clothing Sale flyer hosted by Miller's Gun Shop has been posted on the horse web site: http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/horses.  Information is available on e-data for the Feb 11, 2012 Skillathon that will be held in the Learning Center as part of Cassidy Myer's Senior Project.  The flyer will be placed on the website when available.

HPDC Meeting- Feb. 1, 2012

The next meeting for the Horse Program Development Committee (HPDC) will be Feb 1, 2012 at 7 pm in the Extension Office meeting room #2.  There will not be a HPDC meeting in March.  Please remember to register on e-data.

Discount Card Fundraiser

The Clinton County 4-H Discount Card Fundraiser has officially begun.  The kids will be receiving the cards to sell shortly.  So, be sure to see a Clinton County 4-H member to purchase your card for only $10.  It is full of all kinds of discounts all over Clinton County!

Regional 4-H Teen Retreat

Good afternoon 4-H Families,

The brochure for the 2012 Regional 4-H Teen Retreat can be found at http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/2012-regional-4-h-teen-retreat/view.  This is a wonderful opportunity for teens to meet other members from their region, learn new skills and have a blast!  This year, the retreat is being held in Clinton County, so, I’m hoping we can get a nice turn out to represent our county.  Please also note that I have applied for a Clinton County Community Foundation grant to cover $40 of the fee for up to 10 participants.  We have gotten this grant in the past, but there is no guarantee for this year.  We should know whether we received the grant in early February.    The Early Bird registration deadline is March 1^st, 2012.

4-H Enrollment Completion Information

Hello 4-H Families,

It’s hard to believe we are in a new calendar year already!  This also means that the 4-H Enrollment Deadline is drawing near.  Returning members must have completed their 4-H Enrollment by January 31, 2011.  This means they should turn in a hard copy of the Parental Permission Form (found at the link below), pay a $15 materials fee (plus $25 if a horse member), carry over their e-data registration and complete any information requested by e-data.  This is a hard deadline this year and MUST be honored.

Parental Permission Form- http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/parental-permissions-form/view

We do ask all volunteers to please carry over their registration as soon as possible.  New 4-H members must be enrolled by May 1, 2011, but the earlier the better. 

We do understand that everyone does not have convenient access to internet or even a computer, so we have opened a 4-H Center at the Clinton County Extension Office where these resources are available along with a printer/scanner/copier for your convenience.  We do ask that these tools only be used for 4-H purposes and that an appointment is made with me in order to ensure its availability. 

If you have any questions regarding the above items, please do not hesitate to contact me via my contact information below.

Rebecca A. Sellers

4-H & Youth Development Educator
Clinton County Resource & Education Center
47 Cooperation Lane
Mill Hall, PA 17751
Phone: (570)726-0022
Fax: (570)726-2237

January 2012 Newsletter

The January 2012 Clover Patch is now available at http://extension.psu.edu/clinton/programs/4-h/members/newsletters/june-2011-newsletter/view.