Montgomery County 4 H Focus

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1 FEBRUARY MARCH 2016 Montgomery County 4 H Focus 1 Like us on Facebook! Facebook.com/4HMontgomeryCounty PHONE All right, 4 H fans! We have a busy spring ahead of us. Many of you are preparing for contests at major shows and the Montgomery County Fair. Good luck with all of your projects. Make sure that you have read through the rules at least once for any contest or show that you are participating in. Remember, that eligibility forms are required for any competitive 4 H event, regardless of the day of the competition. In addition to major shows, 4 H Roundup is fast approaching. Roundup sounds like some sort of cattle drive, but it is really just a name for the HUGE variety of contests that members can compete in. There are three levels of Roundup: County, District, and State. County 4 H Roundup will take place on March 29th, but you will need to call the office to sign up by March 22nd. This year, County Roundup will be more like a big social event, with lots of refreshments, mingling, and fun. If you haven t decided to do a contest, or are just curious about whether or not you would like to try one, make sure and attend. You will get to meet lots of kids just like you who either have experience with the contest, or are also trying it for the first time. ADDRESS 9020 Airport Rd Conroe, TX FAX: ON THE WEB County Extension Service District State Office Hours 8:00am - 12:00pm 1:00pm - 5:00pm District 9 4 H Roundup, or Big Time in D 9, is for the 18 counties in District 9 and will take place at Lone Star College this year on April 29th and 30th. That s right! You can compete in a district event, right in our own backyard. In addition to contests, District Roundup includes a ton of games and activities for the entire family. Be sure and check it out! M. Michelle Mihalek County Extension Agent 4-H Youth Development State 4 H Roundup is mostly for senior 4 H ers who are in 9th 12th grade, but there are some invitational contests for members who are in 6th 8th grade. It takes place in College Station the second week in June and boasts a variety of events, including the annual scholarship banquet. In this newsletter, you can read on about just some of the contests available for you to try. If you are interested in participating at any of these contests, please contact the 4 H Office. The Extension office will be closed the following days: February 15 President s Day March 25 Good Friday Caroline M. Cruz County Extension Agent Urban Youth Development Eligibility Forms (No Pass, No Play) are the member s responsibility to complete for any competitive 4 H event regardless of the day of competition. Even if you are not missing school, you still need to turn in an eligibility form. Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

2 Special Interest Projects 4 H Clothing & Textiles Contests at County, District, and State 4 H Roundup 2 Do you think of yourself as being a trendsetter or creative? Do you like to think outside the box or solve a problem? If fashion is your passion, check out these cool contests! Duds to Dazzle Teams come to the contest with a basic sewing kit and receive assorted materials. They have one hour to construct or refurbish an item, plan a presentation, and clean up. Fashion Show Members can either buy or sew an outfit from their choice of 4 different categories. Members will get to model their outfit on a runway of sorts and will interview with judges. Trashion Show Let your imagination run wild in this fun contest! You get to create and exhibit a garment that is made of at least 75% recycled materials. Ideas for materials include paper, aluminum foil, plastic, cardboard, or anything else that you could recycle. Storyboard A storyboard tells the story of the designer s idea, using illustrations, flats, magazine pictures, or fabric swatches. Each year there is a different design brief or theme for the storyboard contest. This year s theme is #4HFashionStoryboard2016. FASHION WORKSHOP: There will be a fashion workshop on Saturday, February 13th at the Extension Office, beginning at 10:00am. This workshop will allow 4 H ers to learn to sew, while completing a community service project. Bring a pillow for the project! See the insert for details. Please call the 4 H Office or Rachel Cooper at Rachel.cooper@ag.tamu.edu to sign up by February 10th. 4 H Science and Technology Contests at County, District, and State 4 H Roundup Robotics The 4 H Robotics curriculum uses robots as means of engaging youth and developing interesting and challenging experiences with science, engineering, and technology. 4 H Robotics can give youth the opportunity to participate in many 4 H events and activities, as well as apply for scholarships, travel the country and meet new friends! The next Robotics meeting will be on Thursday, February 25th at 6pm at the Extension Office. Discover the Scientific Method: S.E.T. Poster Contest Use the scientific method to research and solve a problem. Record your findings in a lab notebook and prepare a display board to present at the contest. You will have a chance to interview with judges to really show off your research! 4 H Photography Contests at County, District, and State 4 H Roundup Texas 4 H Photography Contest For seniors who are in grades The entry period is April 1, 2016 April 15, 2016, HOWEVER there can only be one entry per category from each county. This means that before members enter their photos on 4 H Connect, they need to them to the 4 H office first. If there are more than one entry per category in our county, we will have a local photographer judge them to determine which one will advance to state. Photos need to be ed to April at amfagan@ag.tamu.edu by March 28, 2016.

3 3 District 9 4 H Photography Contest This contest is for all 4 H members in District 9. It does not qualify a member for the state contest they are two separate events. The entry fee is $5 per photo. Entries take place on 4 H Connect by March 27, For details, visit h.tamu.edu/ eventsandcontests/bigtime/photography/ 4 H Food & Nutrition Contests at County, District, and State 4 H Roundup Food Show Using MyPlate as a guide, participants prepare a dish, present it at the contest, and have a quick interview with judges. This year s theme is Picnic Perfect, so choose a dish that would work well when you enjoy a meal outside at the park, beach, or just hanging out with friends or family. Categories to choose from include protein, fruit and vegetable, grains, or dairy. Food Challenge In this exciting contest, a team of H ers are given 40 minutes and a list of ingredients to create a dish. Members present the dish to the judge and are scored on preparation, serving size, food safety concerns, nutritional value, and cost. FOOD WORKSHOP: There will be a food workshop on Saturday, February 20th at the Extension Office, beginning at 10:00am. Learn to prepare food, while also completing a community service project. Bring some fresh fruit for the project. See the insert for details. Please call the 4 H Office or Rachel Cooper at Rachel.cooper@ag.tamu.edu to sign up by February 17th. Public Speaking Contests at County, District, and State 4 H Roundup Public Speaking Contest Research a topic on current events and prepare a 5 7 minute speech that you will give in front of an audience. Visual aides are not used in this contest, but be prepared to answer questions from the audience. Educational Presentations This is a great way to share information with others, either by yourself or with up to 4 of your friends. A few of the categories to choose from include Beef, Clothing & Textiles, and Shooting Sports. There is also an Open category, among many others. Visual aides are used in Educational Presentations. County Roundup March 29 Extension Office, Conroe Call to sign up by March District Contests h.tamu.edu/ eventsandcontests/bigtime/ State Contests h.tamu.edu/ events/roundup/ April Lone Star College Reg. on 4 H Connect by April 10 June 6 10 Texas A&M University, College Station Reg. on 4 H Connect by May 20.

4 Livestock Projects MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR: The Montgomery County Fair (MCF) will be held April 8 April 17. If you plan to exhibit livestock or non livestock items at the fair, be sure to read the rules at (There have been some major rule changes.) To show at the fair, members must attend at least 50% of regular monthly club meetings, from September through February. You will do entries online this year. If your animal loses a tag, please call the fair office and plan to be at one of the following re tag dates at 9am in front of the fair office: February 27, and April 2. BEEF MCF Calf Scramble Applications are available on our website at 10/ and are due back to the 4 H Office by February 8, HORSE To qualify for the County 4 H Horse Show, you must participate in at least 2 county 4 H practice shows and one other event, either another Montgomery County 4 H Practice Show, or a Montgomery County 4 H Horsemanship Clinic. Negative Coggins is required. Upcoming Shows & Clinics: Practice Shows: 1:30pm February 28, 2016 Texas Christian Horse Camp in Richards Speed first and reining class offered March 19, 2016 Magnolia Arena Performance first, reining class offered Clinics: February 28, :30pm Texas Christian Horse Camp in Richards Reining March 19, :30pm Magnolia Arena Poles County 4 H Horse Show May 7, 2016 Lone Star Expo 8:30am. Horse Judging: The ability to select the best quality horses comes through many hours of study, training, and practice. You don t have to own a horse to participate in horse judging. The following practices will be held at 6:30pm at the County Extension Office: February 1, February 15, February 29, and March 21. POULTRY NEW DATE! MCF Chicks Delivered Thursday, February 23 from 1pm 3pm at the MCF Horseshoe Club. Houston and Rodeo Austin chicks will be delivered on January 27th. Contact the 4 H office on that day to see when they are estimated to arrive. RABBIT MCF Rabbit Tag In Thursday, March 10 from 5pm 7pm at the Horseshoe Club at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Exhibitor should be present; parent/guardian must be present. Russ Upton has volunteered to lead rabbit project meetings at the Extension Office at 7:00pm for anybody who is interested in the project. January 26 Health & Sanitation February 23 Marketing & Record Keeping March 22 Breeds, Varieties, & Showing April 8 Market Pen Picking for MCF

5 5 COUNTY COUNCIL County Council meets the 4th Monday of every month at 7pm at the Extension Office, unless noted otherwise. The February meeting will be held on February 22nd. The theme is My 4 H Valentine, so wear red, white or pink. The Community Service Project is Bags of Love bring basic toiletry items, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc. Highlight clubs are Evening Star 4 H, Cut N Shoot 4 H, and New Caney 4 H. The March meeting will be held on March 28th. The theme is Luck of the Clover, so wear green and white. The highlight clubs are Conroe 4 H and Shining Star 4 H The community service project will benefit Leap of Faith, the YMCA s equine assisted therapy program. On March 6th, from 1pm 4pm, 4 H ers are encouraged to help clean tack, wash and feed horses, and perform other tasks that benefit the program. 4-H Record Books 4 H elves made cards for firefighters at the December County Council meeting. It s important to keep records of your 4 H activities. Doing this will help you remember all the fun you have had, and help you set goals for your future. You can also use them to earn money for scholarships. 4 H record books are books you make using the forms from the State 4 H website that help you keep track of your annual 4 H project activities. Check out the following important dates: April5 6:30pm at the Extension Office Get the 4 H Scoop Part 3 Reflection, planning and recording Call to sign up by March 30th April 21st 6:30pm at the Extension Office Beginner Record Book Training Call to sign up by April 19th May 3rd 6:30pm at the Extension Office Advanced Record Book Training Call to sign up by April 28th June 11th Time is TBD at the Extension Office Bring what you have completed in your record book so far for a volunteer or Extension agent to look over and provide feedback before you turn it in. Refreshments are provided. June 13th Record Books and Awards Applications are due for the county contest Texas A&M AgriLife - Montgomery Co. Scholarship The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Montgomery County scholarship application packet is now available. This application is for several different scholarships, ranging from $500 to $1000 each. Applications and all corresponding items are due to the 4 H Office by March 11, Application can be obtained by visiting montgomery4h/files/2010/07/montcoextscholarship2.pdf

6 A MESSAGE FROM YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN 6 Texas 4 H Congress is a three day mock legislative experience, taking place July for 4 H members who are in 9 th 12 th grade. During this time, the members assume the roles of senators, representatives, lobbyists, press corps, and special interest groups to gain an understanding of how the legislative process works. Bills that are written and sponsored by 4 H members focus on issues concerning Texas and Texas youth. House or Senate Member: These roles are primarily for 4 H members who have never participated at Congress. They should be prepared to speak passionately about issues affecting Texas and Texas youth. Lobbyist This group is designed for 4 H members who attended the last Congress. They identify certain bills and then lobby members of the House and Senate to either pass or defeat the bill. Registration takes place on 4 H Connect from February 15 March 31. Press Corps: These members play an important part in the success of the event. Press Corps members can either be first time or returning 4 H members to Congress. Individuals applying for Press Corps should have strong skills in writing, word processing, interviewing, photography, and be focused on making deadlines. They are responsible for the publishing of a daily newspaper and helping maintain a web page / electronic TEXAS 4-H CONGRESS Going to Washington D.C. again this year for the Texas Leadership Conference was an incredible honor and blessing for me. From watching the Nutcracker at Kennedy Center to being chosen to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemeterythis trip was unforgettable. How did I get there you might ask? Through 4 H and years of hard work, but truthfully I got there through Record Books. I won 1 st Place at State in my Record Book category, Companion Animals. This trip to Washington D.C. is what you have the opportunity to do when you win 1 st at State in your record book category. You get the chance to tour all throughout Washington D.C. This year I went to the National Zoo, several Smithsonian Museums, the Pentagon Memorial, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, WWI and WWII Monuments, the Holocaust Museum, Arlington Cemetery, and the Capitol to name a few places. This trip will forever be one of the most memorable things of my 4 H career. I encourage everyone to do a Record Book this year; it provides some amazing opportunities to you! Record books help you in many ways they help you express the fun and work you have done in your projects as well as keep your documentation for college scholarships. I want to thank everyone at the 4 H Office for helping me grow into who I am today, as well as awarding the grant that helped me to go on this trip. In May, my mom and I will be giving individual help on record books. Please watch the Focus for more information and I look forward to seeing you in May! Thank you! Savannah Martin, Montgomery County 4 H Council Chairman communication. Submission of Legislative Bills: Anyone who wants to submit a bill can do so, regardless of their age, or whether they attend Congress. To learn how to submit a bill, or to get more details on Congress, please visit h.tamu.edu/events/congress. Bills may be submitted between January 1 and May 20 th at the site listed in this paragraph. The number of delegates that are sent from each county is limited, so there will be an application process before the actual registration takes place. If you would like an application, please contact the 4 H office by April 5 th.

7 7 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Horse Judging Practice 7 8 MCF Scramble App Due Montgomery Dog Show Fashion Workshop Closed - President s Day; Horse Judging Practice Food Workshop Council 23Rabbit Project MCF Broiler Pick up Robotics Mtg. 26 MCF Entries Due 27 MCF Re-Tag 28 Practice Horse Show 29 Horse Judging Practice San Angelo Stock Show - Feb 5-21 San Antonio Livestock Exposition - Feb. 11- Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Houston Livestock Show March Rodeo Austin MCF Rabbit Tag -in 11 County Scholarship App Due 12 State Indoor Archery Match Madisonville/ Bay City TSRA Match Practice Horse Show Horse Judging Practice 22 Sign up deadline for Co. Roundup; Rabbit Project Office Closed - Good Friday EASTER Dist. 4-H Horse Judging Entries due Dist. 4-H Photography entries due 28 Council State Photo Entries due to 4-H Office 29 Roundup 30 31