 Exploration Days Recap
Oakland County 4-H Staff would like to say “Thank you!” to
our wonderful volunteers who chaperoned during this year’s Exploration Days! We
had 94 youth and adults attend this event from Oakland County, and were the
second largest delegation. Over 2500 youth from 83 counties attend this event.
We also had 14 youth pedal their way from Springfield Oaks County Park to
Holmes Hall on campus. Participants, ages 11-19, slept in the dorms, ate at the
dining halls, attended workshops, toured campus, danced, ice skated, and more
during their 3 days and 2 nights on campus.
Programs, especially of the overnight variety, cannot happen
without dedicated volunteers. This year, we had a stellar group that made it
possible for our office to not send a paid staff member for the second year in
a row! If you see these folks around, please take the time to thank them!
If you’re interested in finding out how to chaperone this trip next year,
contact Mary Blumka in January.
Expo Days Chaperones: Joseph Blumka, Ron Bieri, Denise
Brainard, Anne Glad, Deanna Goralczyk, DeAnne Holmes, Julia Khanuk, Theresa
Klassa, Trish Oliver, Paul Potts, Joel Visnyak, Pramila Visnyak, and Merie
Zettner.
Bike Trip Volunteers: Ken Meeks, Brad Baxter, Theresa
Klassa, Trish Oliver, and Paul Potts
If you’re interested in attending or volunteering for next
year’s Exploration Days, keep a look out in February or March for registration
information!
Celebrate the 4-H New Year with us early!
Oakland County Leader Update
2018-2019 Program Year Kickoff
August 23rd
Location: Oakland County Executive Office Building is located at 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Township, MI 48328
Register Here
An opportunity to meet with other 4-H Leaders across the county to share ideas, discover upcoming 4-H events and learn new tips and tricks to be a more successful 4-H leader.
This meeting will focus on the new
- 4-H New Year starts on September 1st
- 4-H Office FREE Yard Sale (Materials, Curriculum, and Goodies)
- The 4-H Calendar for 2018-2019
- Michigan State Fair (Labor Day Weekend)
- National 4-H Week (Window Display Contest)
- Pumpkinfest at Tollgate Farm & Education Center
- 4-H Awards (and Awards Committee)
- 4-H Fashion Show
- Discovery Day 2019
- 4-H Culinary Exchange (Committee)
For information contact Jason Scott at jscott@msu.edu, 248-858-0892 or 248-858-0889.
August 30th -- September 3rd (Labor Day Weekend)
The Michigan State Fair at the
Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi starts Thursday, 8/30 and runs through
Labor Day, Monday, 9/3! The fair includes rides, Shrine Circus, exhibits
(livestock, horses, agriculture and home arts), live music & entertainment,
shopping, competitions, contests and lots of fair food!
Please stop by the Michigan
State University/MSU Extension and 4-H youth activities area at the Michigan
State Fair! If you are interested (youth
or adult) in volunteering at the booth, helping out with hands on activities
(crafts, hoverball archery, Commodity Carnival) anytime during the fair with
free admission for all volunteers, please contact Debbie Morgan at morga194@anr.msu.edu or 248.347.3860, ext. 279.
If interested in exhibiting and
scholarships, the deadlines are coming up in August. Departments include livestock, equine, urban,
and home arts/agriculture .Complete fair info, including fair book, rules and
applications can be found at: www.michiganstatefairllc.com
Michigan 4-H Teen Spokesperson Training
Build your public speaking skills, learn dining etiquette and practice interviewing at the Michigan 4-H Teen Spokesperson Training on July 31.
This communications workshop is designed for 4-H members, teen leaders, ambassadors and community issue advocates that want to better themselves.
The training will be at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan. Registration is required by July 20 and available at https://events.anr.msu.edu/TeenSpokesperson18/.
 Test your shooting sports skills and earn recognition with other 4-H members from across the state at the 2018 4-H State Shooting Sports Tournament on August 4.
4-H members can participate in BB gun, air rifle, skeet, target archery and more. New to 2018, members can also compete in the hunting and wildlife division.
The tournament takes place at Blue Water Sportsman’s Association of St. Clair County.
Registration is available until July 15 at https://www.canr.msu.edu/4_h_state_shooting_sports_tournament/.
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 Michigan Youth Institute: Building Young Food Leaders (Author: Alex Tekip)
There’s no minimum age for making a difference. The Michigan Youth Institute, a yearly event held at Michigan State University (MSU), encourages students in grades 8–12 to research and share solutions to global food security issues, giving them the skills and confidence so that they can influence resolutions for such problems.
“The idea of it is to engage Michigan youth as active global citizens in understanding and solving critical global challenges, especially as they relate to food security, and to provide opportunities for young people to explore academic and career pathways to end global hunger, poverty and other interrelated challenges,” said Brian Wibby, MSU Extension educator and co-director of the Michigan Youth Institute.
This year’s Michigan Youth Institute took place on May 10. A total of 54 students from around the state participated in the event, which, for the first time, was split between two sites: MSU’s main campus in East Lansing and the MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center in Chatham. Students, MSU experts and facilitators at the two sites communicated via video conference. The MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, MSU International Studies and Programs, MSU Extension, Michigan 4-H and Michigan FFA sponsored the event.
Participants in the Michigan Youth Institute are asked to select a food security issue and developing country from a predetermined list. The students write an essay about how their chosen issue affects citizens in that country. They discuss their essays in roundtable format, where they engage in conversation designed to help them think deeper about their topic.
The Michigan Youth Institute is part of the World Food Prize’s Global Youth Institute, a three-day summit that occurs every October in Des Moines, Iowa. Selected students from the Michigan Youth Institute are chosen as delegates for the Global Youth Institute based on essay scores given by the World Food Prize board of reviewers, feedback from MSU experts during the event and their level of interest.
Although it’s an honor and achievement to represent Michigan at the Global Youth Institute, the goal isn’t to foster competition — it’s to teach the value of meaningful, purpose-driven conversation.
“What we hope that they get out of the experience is some communication, critical thinking, and learning from other people, but in the end, being able to have a conversation with other people around topics that are important, and really delving into how can they make a difference in this whole picture of global food,” said Betty Jo Krosnicki, an MSU Extension educator who co-directed the 2018 event along with Wibby. Wibby.hunger.”
In addition to roundtables where the students discussed their essays, the Michigan Youth Institute also featured immersion experiences at MSU’s Beal Botanical Garden, the Student Organic Farm, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Hall of World Cultures at the MSU Museum.
Eric Dobbrastine, MSU Extension Ingham County 4-H program coordinator, chaperoned the Student Organic Farm immersion experience and served as a facilitator for the roundtable discussions. He said the Michigan Youth Institute helps further 4-H’s mission to invest in young people and help them grow to be true leaders.
“Not a lot of high schoolers are thinking about this,” said Dobbrastine. “Just the fact that they are thinking about and actively brainstorming solutions to food issues makes them leaders.”
Wibby shared a similar sentiment.
“We can see from the youth that we have participating in the program that they really have the ability to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas to solve the problems,” he said. “When they combine that ability with the passion that a lot of young people have for making the world a better place, they’re really ideal candidates as global leaders to step into that role today and to start solving these issues.”
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July 12: Michigan 4-H and FFA Livestock Judging Contest
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing
Enhance your livestock evaluation and selection skills along with improving your communication skills as you judge eight classes at this judging contest. Register by July 2.
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/resources/michigan_4_h_ffa_livestock_judging_contest
July 18: The Great Dairy Adventure
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing
Learn about the dairy industry in Michigan while enjoying free ice cream! Registration is not required for this family-friendly event.
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/events/the_great_dairy_adventure
July 31: 4-H Teen Spokesperson Training
Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi
Spend a day learning dining etiquette and improving your public speaking, interviewing skills and social media voice. Register by July 20.
https://events.anr.msu.edu/TeenSpokesperson18/
August 4: 4-H State Shooting Sports Tournament
Blue Water Sportsman’s Association of St. Clair County, Kimball
This tournament gives youth the opportunity to test their skills and earn recognition with 4-H members across the state. Registration closes July 15.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/4_h_state_shooting_sports_tournament/
August 1: Michigan 4-H Health and Food Science Camp
Michigan State University Morrill Hall of Agriculture, East Lansing
This statewide event is now a one-day experience that will teach youth about food science, nursing, mental health and physical health. Register by July 13.
https://events.anr.msu.edu/healthcamp2018/
August 11: 2018 Michigan State 4-H Dog Show
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing
Compete in agility, obedience, rally, brace, team and showmanship classes at this annual dog show. Cloverbud classes are also available. Register by July 25.
https://events.anr.msu.edu/4HDogShow18/
August 17-19: 4-H State Horse Show
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing
For youth over the age of 13, the 4-H State Horse Show lets 4-H members compete in gymkhana, dressage, trail, showmanship and more. Register by July 12.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/state-4-h-horse-show
August 25: State 4-H Miniature Horse Show
MSU Pavilion, East Lansing
Participate in driving, showmanship, pleasure, in-hand poles and more at the State 4-H Miniature Horse Show. Registration must be postmarked by July 12.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/state-4-h-miniature-horse-show
For the most up-to-date events listing, go to http://4h.msue.msu.edu/events.
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