Author: Rhonda Williams. Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Darke County

The Ohio 4-H Conference

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The Ohio 4-H Conference is the largest gathering of 4-H volunteers in the State of Ohio.  As a Cloverbud volunteer, you have the opportunity to attend the conference and participate in numerous educational sessions that will enhance your skills as you work with 4-H Cloverbud youth.  The conference will be held Saturday, March 11, beginning at 9:00am, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.  More than 1,000 Ohio 4-H volunteers, teens and adults, will come together to celebrate Ohio 4-H and gather new ideas to take back to their clubs and their counties.

The Ohio 4-H Preadolescent Cloverbud Design team will present two sessions during the conference.  The first session is “Cloverbud Fundamentals”.  In this session the team will share what 4-H volunteers need to know in order to have a successful Cloverbud program.  You will learn about program guidelines, expectations, and resources that are easy to access and use.  There will be hands-on opportunities to learn how to engage our youngest 4-H members during their club meetings.  This presentation will be offered twice, during Sessions 1 and 2 of the conference.

The second presentation is “2023 Cloverbud Engineering Adventures”.  Cloverbud Engineering Adventures, formerly called the Cloverbot Challenge, gives 4-H Cloverbuds the opportunity to work cooperatively in teams to problem-solve using STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills and interlocking bricks.  Learn how Cloverbuds can participate in the engineering adventure and share their experience, model, and poster with an interview in a regional showcase event.  Complete details about the subject matter for this year’s Cloverbud Engineering Adventure, as well as tips on how to organize and prepare your Cloverbuds will be shared.  This presentation will be offered in Sessions 3 and 5 of the conference.

These are just two of the Cloverbud related sessions that will be offered during the day.  To learn about additional presentations, visit the Ohio 4-H Conference webpage.  There you will find the registration booklet, as well as the registration form.  The cost of the conference is $40.00 which includes lunch. Registration and payment is due to your local Extension Office by February 10.  Check with your local Extension Office to see if financial support is available for 4-H volunteers who attend.

We look forward to seeing you at the Ohio 4-H Conference on March 11.  Plan to attend and enhance your skills as a 4-H volunteer and learn ways that you can work ‘To Make the Best Better”.  Come and join the fun!

 

Happy New Year!

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2022 is winding down and we are on the threshold of 2023 – a brand new year!  Time to begin outlining your plans for your Cloverbud program in 2023.

As you begin to outline your goals for your Cloverbud program, think about your Cloverbud members.  What topics spark their imagination?  What gets them excited about learning?  When planning your meeting topics, consider giving your Cloverbuds a short list of possibilities and ask them to vote on which topic they choose.  This introduces them to the democracy process – learning to vote with the understanding that the topic with the most votes will be the lesson.  Be sure that the list of topics you give your Cloverbuds to select from are topics that you are comfortable leading.  Select your topics from the Big Book of Cloverbud Activities.  Check with your Extension Office to obtain a copy or you can order directly from OSU Extension Publications.  Ohio residents receive the best price when they order from their Extension Office.

Once you have identified your topic, begin planning your meeting.  If you are not sure how to plan your meeting, try using this Cloverbud Meeting Planning Template.  Remember to keep your activities short to allow for the attention span of your club members.  The activities in the Big Book are designed with the ages and stages of Cloverbud members in mind.  Activities are short, leader-directed, and move fluidly through the subject matter.  You will not be able to complete all activities included with each lesson.  Choose the activities which will inspire your Cloverbuds.

Are you using “My 4-H Cloverbud Year”?  This is a great tool to introduce your Cloverbuds to the concept of completing a book.  While “My 4-H Cloverbud Year” is not a project book (like our older 4-H members complete), it is an activity book which has information that your Cloverbuds can complete at each meeting – what they did at the meeting; what they learned.  It also has general sections to complete about your 4-H Club, the pledge, and more!  Check with your Extension Office or you can order directly from OSU Extension Publications.  Ohio residents receive the best price when they order from their Extension Office.

Now that you have your topic, gather your supplies.  What supplies do you have on hand?  What supplies do you need to purchase?  What supplies can you ask your Cloverbud members to bring to the meeting?  Check with your 4-H club’s organizational volunteer to see if there is money available in the club budget to purchase supplies for Cloverbud activities.  Each club handles this differently so be sure to check before you purchase needed supplies.

Have fun at your meeting!  Let the Cloverbuds explore the topic and be sure to take advantage of teachable moments.  Things may not always go as planned and that’s okay!  Cloverbuds love to learn and will ask all sorts of questions; some of which may not be related to the topic at hand.  Be sure to gently redirect questions you may not be ready to answer!

If you aren’t sure how or where to begin planning your Cloverbud meetings, check with your county 4-H Educator.  They are ready and willing to help you plan and conduct a successful year for your Cloverbuds.  Be sure to check out other resources you will find on this blog, such as Cloverbud Reading Adventures and Click It! Print It! Do It!.

Best wishes for a successful Cloverbud year in 2023!