Author: clary.42@osu.edu

Brown County Fairbook Cover Contest

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The Brown County Fairboard is seeking amateur artists to design the cover of the 2021 Fairbook with the theme “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams.”

The competition is open to any amateur artist in Brown County, and winners will be selected for a junior category for participants under 18, and the winning adult competitor will represent the cover of this year’s fair book. A Junior contestant’s work may also be chosen for the cover if the judges decide it tops the adult competitors.

Any Brown County resident interested in participating in the competition must follow these guidelines:

  1. Artwork is preferred to be in color
  2. Must be on 8 1./2 x 11 white paper
  3. Must be in portrait form. not landscape.
  4. Must include the theme of the 2021 Fair:  “Blue Jeans and Country Dreams”
  5. All entries are due in the fair office by May 15, 2021.
  6. Name, address, and phone number, and age if entering the junior competition, must be written on the back of the drawing.
  7. Any amateur artist in Brown County is eligible to enter (No professional artists, please).
  8. All entries become the property of the Brown County Agricultural Society.

A $50 award will be given to the winner of each category, and the directors of the Brown County Agricultural Society will select the winning entries. For questions or additional information about the competition, contact Christy Lucas at brcofair@hotmail.com.

 

Mental Health First Aid Training Classes Available

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OSUE Brown County will be offering four virtual Mental Health First Aid Trainings (MHFA) over the next several months. Two of these will be Adult MHFA and two will be Youth MHFA. These classes are free thanks to the PROSPER grant that OSUE is a part of. Each course requires a pre-registration, is limited in size, and will be filled on a first-come-first-serve basis. Each class also requires a 2-hour, self-paced online class prior to the instructor-led training.

Please see the flier for each date for specific details and the registration link.

Why Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. This training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

Why Youth Mental Health First Aid?

Youth Mental Health First Aid has been adapted to be taught virtually. The training teaches adults how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This 6.5-hour training gives adults who work with youth the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents (ages 6-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

What each course covers:

Each course is designed to cover details and topics for the age group. Both will cover common signs and symptoms of mental illness, common signs and symptoms of substance use, how to interact with someone in crisis, how to connect the person with help. The course will teach you how to apply the ALGEE action plan. See the fliers for additional details.

Dates and How to Register:

Click on the date to open a flyer with details and the registration link.

March 23: YOUTH Mental Health First Aid

April 20: ADULT Mental Health First Aid

May 12: YOUTH Mental Health First Aid

July 12: ADULT Mental Health First Aid

Virtual Lunch and Learn: Vaping and Our Youth – Feb. 23 @ 11:30

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Join us on February 23rd from 11:30am-12:30pm for our virtual lunch and learn. Mackenzie Browning, MSW, LSW, serves as a Prevention Coordinator with the Ohio Youth Resilience Collaborative. She will be discussing a variety of topics surrounding vaping; specifically the risks it poses for our youth. This event is open to any who would like to joing. Please share with those who might be interested.

This event will be held via Zoom. Use this link to join us the day of the event: https://osu.zoom.us/j/94470746858?pwd=akV0TUt4citsbE1ZKzBidlVMTjkwdz09

Snow Days = Time for 4-H! – Deadlines Approaching

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It appears most of our schools have decided today was perfect for a snow day! We hope everyone stays safe, warm, and our members are able to have some fun. That being said, this snow day makes it the perfect day to work on 4-H items! Especially those that have a February 1st deadline.

Promotional Commercial Contest – Due Feb. 1st

Now is the perfect time to create and finish your entry for the promo video contest! This is your chance to share about your 4-H experience. Videos are just 30-90 seconds long. Plus, just by entering you have a chance of winning one of five sweatshirt blankets (perfect for snowy days!) AND one junior and one senior will win a custom 4-H softshell jacket. Full details and how to submit can be found at http://go.osu.edu/videocontest 

Camp Counselor Applications – Due Feb. 1st 

Teens who are 14+ as of January 1st are encouraged to apply to be a 2021 camp counselor! Counselors go through training throughout the spring to then counsel at one of our residential summer camps held at Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp. This is a great leadership experience and also a lot of fun.

Counselor applications can be found at http://go.osu.edu/ablmpcounselor 

2021 Camp dates can be found at http://brown.osu.edu/4hcamp

Achievement Records – Due Feb. 1st

If you are a teen who is 14+ as of January 1st, you are eligible to apply for an Ohio 4-H Achievement Award. Details and the application can be found here: https://ohio4h.org/awardsandscholarships

Applications are due to me by February 1st. Younger members – this is a great time to check this out and start your record, adding to it annually.

Complete Your 4-H Enrollment – Due April 1st   http://oh.4honline.com 

Now is also the time to be submitting your enrollment through our online system. This is both for members and volunteers. To enroll for 2021 go to http://oh.4honline.com and submit your enrollment. If you had this page bookmarked, you will need to delete the bookmark and type in the link to make sure you are on the new version of the site. That being said, the site did get a facelift. Your log-in remains the same. If you need assistance visit our help page on the website here: https://brown.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/4honline-enrollment-help

**Note if you can’t find your school listed, try looking under private schools. Still not finding it, let us know!

Ohio 4-H Scholarships – Due February 15th 

Don’t miss out on applying for the Ohio 4-H Scholarships. These are due through online applications and details can be found on the state website here: https://www.ohio4h.org/families/just-teens/awards-scholarships/ohio-4-h-scholarships

Some scholarships are for any university, some specific to Ohio State, and some specific to certain programs at Ohio State. There are also some scholarships available to those who are already in college.

I hope you take the time to enjoy this snow day, but it also makes the perfect day to get some of these items checked off your 4-H to-do list! I’m especially excited to see all of your video entries and camp counselor applications. 

Yours in 4-H!

Christy

Christy D. Clary

Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
OSU Extension, Brown County
Clary.42@osu.edu    http://brown.osu.edu

***Information was sent via email to your email address in 4-H Online earlier today.

4-H Promotional Commercial Contest

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Calling all 4-H’ers! We want YOU to help us promote 4-H. The 4-H Committee is sponsoring a 4-H promotional commercial contest. We invite you to submit a 30-90 second video clip of yourself talking about 4-H. You can shoot the video on your phone, computer, or with a video camera. Submissions might be used on our website, social media, etc. to promote 4-H. Just a couple tips:

  1. If you are using your phone, make sure you shoot horizontal and not vertical.
  2. You will be addressing the camera, please find a quiet place to do your recording.
  3. Wear a 4-H shirt and/or have a previous 4-H project in the background.
  4. Make sure that there is not a window or bright source of light behind you that would make your face look dark (backlit).
  5. Make sure you introduce yourself.
  6. If you use any of our sample questions, rephrase them as statements. For example, “My favorite thing about 4-H is meeting new friends.”  rather than “new friends.”
  7. As you start the recording, pause a couple of seconds, then deliver your lines.  Likewise, when you have finished delivering your lines, look into the camera and wait a couple seconds before stopping the recording or moving to another take.
  8. Review your video after you film it.
  9. Make sure you save your final video as an MP4 file.

Here are a few sample questions/topics that you might include:

  • What is your favorite part of 4-H?
  • Why should someone else join 4-H?
  • What 4-H projects have you taken?
  • How has 4-H helped you?
  • What is something you have learned in 4-H?
  • Skills you have gained or honed?

Entries are due online at http://go.osu.edu/videocontest

All submissions must be received by 11:59pm on February 1st.

Prizes

All submissions will be entered into a random drawing for one of five 4-H sweatshirt blankets.

Videos submitted by project age members (8 and in the 3rd grade as of Jan 1) will be reviewed by our judges and one Junior (8-13) and Senior (14-18) will win a custom 4-H soft-shell jacket.

jacket

Rubric Judges will be using:

5 points Introduction Introduction of yourself, including name
5 points 4-H Enthusiasm Overall enthusiasm for 4-H
10 points 4-H Story Explanation of the topics covered; clear, concise while detailed
5 points Design & Creativity Production quality; good design concept; creativity; copyright free
10 points Public Speaking Appropriate dress; voice; script preparation

Release: By submitting an entry, all applicants are agreeing to the following terms and conditions: the video is devoid of any copyrighted material (including music) or non-permissive youth images; the video may be used for 4-H marketing purposes in both in its entirety or edited format; applicant plans to enroll in Brown County 4-H for 2021.

Best of luck and we can’t wait to see your entries!

Join us for countywide 4-H meetings via Zoom!

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The fourth Sunday of the month January – March at 4:00 pm we will be hosting a Brown County 4-H meeting which will include pledges, county program updates, and a guest speaker. We have lined up a great group of guest speakers and cannot wait to hear what all they have to share with you about their topic, careers, and more!

Mark your calendars for 4 p.m. on

  • Sunday, January 24th for Food and Bakery Science with Sherrill Cropper. 
    • Sherrill Cropper is a Brown County 4-H alumnae and the New Product Development Lab Manager for Lesaffre Corporation and Red Star Yeast Co. based in Milwaukee, WI. Sherrill has been working in the Research and Technical Services group for 5 years where she develops ingredients and provides technical support to her team and customers. Sherrill received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Food Science from The Ohio State University and her Ph.D. in Grain Science from Kansas State University.
  • Sunday, February 28th for Geology and Paleontology with Molly Hunt
    • Molly Hunt is a geologist, paleontologist, and science communicator at The Ohio State University. She is a proud 12 year 4-H alumni from Darke County, Ohio, and was the 2018 Ohio 4-H Teen of the Year, and Hall of Fame inductee.
  • Sunday, March 28th for Marine Biology with Noelle Guay
    • Noelle Guay has been with Palm Beach County 4-H since 2015 and has a background in marine science. Noelle received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in biological sciences with a specialization in marine science from Florida Atlantic University. Noelle has spent time as a student and guest researcher with Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute prior to her involvement with 4-H and her graduate research focused on the biodiversity and abundance of zooplankton in the Gulf of Mexico. Since joining 4-H, Noelle has created a 4-H marine science club and camp where youth are immersed into marine science through shark tagging, coral reef restoration, shorebird scavenger hunts, and much more. Noelle has also developed a virtual marine science program for youth who do not live near an ocean or are restricted due to COVID-19. In her spare time, Noelle is an avid scuba diver and birdwatcher.

Individuals/families can join or some clubs have elected to turn this into a true club meeting by holding a virtual club business meeting in a Zoom Breakout room (the office is setting up) immediately following the guest speaker. Advisors will receive more information about this opportunity via email. Only those clubs who use the breakout room will be able to count this as a club meeting. Advisors can also request for me to “pop in” to their meeting for additional activity, clarification, etc.

Register your 4-H Member/Family for one or all of the sessions by visiting: http://go.osu.edu/browncomeeting. You will only need to register once per household. 

All are encouraged to participate – we hope to see you there!

***New or not yet in 4-H? You are still able to join these to hear from our guest speaker and ask questions! ***

Volunteers, need to sign up for a breakout room to host your club meeting after the guest speaker? Visit here: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6hvcbPHpKSIEhox

Apply to be a 4-H Volunteer

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The application to apply to be a new 4-H volunteer is now available! Applications are the first step in becoming a volunteer. Once an application is submitted, further guidance will be sent to interested applicants on training, interviews, and background checks. All materials including the background check are due by April 1st. Don’t delay.

You can apply online at http://go.osu.edu/brownvolunteerapp

If you are a returning volunteer, you do not need to fill out this application if you were active in 2020. Returning volunteers will just need to submit their enrollment through our 4-H Online site as they did last year. If you are due to be rescreened with a background check, you will receive notification in the system and will be receiving a letter in the mail after the first of the year.

If you have any questions on any aspect of the volunteer process please reach out! Call our office at 937-378-6716 and Christy or Cindy will be able to help. You can also email Christy at clary.42@osu.edu.

Brown County 4-H Family Scavenger Hunt – Happening Now!

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If you missed the emails or social media announcements last week — don’t worry! We have the information for you today. The Brown County 4-H Family Scavenger Hunt is now live and families can start participating immediately.

The scavenger hunt is a list of tasks to complete and document with either a photo or video of how you completed and interpreted the task. The current list has 101 items and may just grow over the month of December. Families have until Dec. 31st to submit entries and are encouraged to submit entries as soon as they are completed.

Ex. Complete task seven, take the photo. Go to the site, upload. Done. Rinse and Repeat for as many of the tasks as you can/want to complete!

For every entry, your family team is entered into a drawing for a family fun pack sponsored by the Brown County 4-H Committee!

All the details, the list etc. are actually housed as a sub-page on the blog and can be found here:

http://go.osu.edu/4hhunt

Happy Hunting!

Connecting with Seniors During the Holiday Season

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For clubs or individuals looking for a service project, here are some ideas of how you can connect with senior citizens living in nursing or assisted living homes! Please note – before you begin your project, reach out to the facility to see what their current policies are and what they are in need of; every facility is different. #handstolargerservice #brownco4h

Happy Thanksgiving

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We are thankful for you! Our clientele, family and friends. We hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
The OSU Extension office in Brown County will be closed on Thursday the 26th and Friday the 27th in observance of the holiday.