On behalf of the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council, we would like to introduce you to the 2021 Take the Leap Year Program. Thanks to the Ohio 4-H Foundation Board, Take the Leap Year is a teen-led, five-month free program available to Ohio 4-H Teens ages 13-18. Our goal is to help teens from Ohio gain leadership skills, career development skills, and learn how to establish and maintain goals. They will learn these skills through programming, journaling, and working with their peers.

Registration is now open at go.osu.edu/taketheleap and due January 24, 2021.

More information about the program:

We will be meeting virtually on the third Wednesday of each month February-May. There will be two meetings in June, with one on the second Wednesday of the month and on the fourth Wednesday. These workshops will be held in the evening. Each session will have different themes taught by teen leaders. Prior to beginning in February, registered participants will receive a package in the mail with supplies for the program.

Below are the following plans with the corresponding months:

• February: This meeting will be an introduction to the program. Throughout the program, we are challenging teens to pick one word to apply to all aspects of their life. This word can help them reach their goals.
• March: Working with teens to develop a 5-year plan to help them determine what they would like to accomplish in the near future.
• April: Teens will learn professionalism skills that will benefit them in their later careers. They will learn about resume building, elevator pitches, business cards, and much more!
• May: Participants will learn about state opportunities within the Ohio 4-H program.
• June (2nd Wednesday): Q& A with 4-H alumni and the opportunity to learn about several career paths.
• June (4th Wednesday): Closing Ceremony

The Ohio 4-H Foundation is looking for the next teen representative to serve on the board of trustees for a two-year term. We are looking for strong leaders between the age of 14-18 as of January 1. The application can be found here by clicking here.  The deadline for submissions is December 14th.

We would love to see some Greene County applications!

Hello 4-H teens!

Ohio 4-H is seeking input from you to help us design virtual programming that would be specific to ages 13-19. We know that during a time of distance learning and modified 4-H programs, that there are many new opportunities to explore! With your feedback to a short survey, Ohio 4-H intends to use your thoughts and ideas in offering more teen-specific programs that can be accessed virtually!

Please visit www.go.osu.edu/ohio4hteeninterest and respond to the survey questions by October 16 to have your feedback shared! If you received this survey from another source, you are only asked to complete it once. Thank you in advance for taking a few moments to complete this survey!

Our 2020-2021 Exploring Agriculture Program is set to kick-off on Tuesday, September 29th with Hord’s Family Farms at 6:00 p.m. virtually via Zoom.

For more information and how to register, please see Exploring Agriculture Flyer

2019 was this post’s inaugural year, which focused on introducing students to agricultural careers that are ‘In Demand Jobs’ by visiting area agricultural businesses. This is in hope of sparking student’s interest in working in great jobs in their community.

The 2020-2021 season will continue with that exact same mission with meetings being conducted virtually to ensure safety during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Exploring program offers students aged 14-20 the chance to learn life and career skills through immersive career experiences and mentorship, facilitated through Ohio State University Extension. The Exploring Agriculture Post, based in Seneca County, but accepting all interested students, is designed to introduce youth to careers in agriculture throughout our region. Students can expect to “explore” agricultural careers via a series of monthly virtual meetings from September 2020- April 2021. Each meeting will include visiting an area business or representative that serves the agricultural community and allows students to learn not only about what they do, but also about the jobs needed for that business to thrive.

This year students can expect to explore businesses like Hord’s Family Farm, Heritage Cooperative and Mennel Milling, as well as presentations about career paths in agriculture.

Hallie Williams, OSU Extension Agriculture Educator says, “Northwest Ohio is a very strong agricultural community and as our ag businesses grow, we need to make sure we have individuals ready to fill those positions. Our hope is that Exploring Agriculture will not only encourage our local youth to identify a career path that allows them to work in agriculture, but more importantly to keep them in the community.”

The Seneca County 4-H Program within Ohio State University Extension is strong with nearly 1,000 youth participating. Katie Cole, 4-H Educator states, “We see the passion and commitment to the agriculture industry with many of these youth. With that being said, career development within the agriculture industry is definitely a topic that our youth have been inquiring about. This is our chance to make that happen right here in Seneca County.”

Today’s Teen Tip video was created by Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Katie Schlagheck.  It is called “How to Measure Ingredients” and it can be found here.  Measuring liquid ingredients is much different than measuring dry ingredients, Katie will demonstrate the correct technique for both including the best way to measure flour and brown sugar.

Applications and more information to be an Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council (TLC) member are now available online at: go.osu.edu/TLC. Please note applications (and other materials, including letters of recommendation) are due (not postmarked; received!) by Friday, August 14, 2020.

• Age: Individuals must be 14-18 as of January 1 the year of application to apply for council member, committee member, committee chair, and officer.
• Number of Meetings/Events: See the program structure outline on the application for specific numbers of meetings and events. Members are required to attend at least 75% of meetings and events.
  • Working Events: Members are required to work a number of statewide events at the Ohio State Fair, and elsewhere throughout the state (Farm Science Review, Legislative Luncheon, etc.).  Each level of membership differs in the number of events that are required.  See the program structure for more information.
• Location of meetings: Meetings are typically held at the Ohio 4-H Center in Columbus, Ohio, but there are occasionally instances when they are held elsewhere due to events on Ohio State’s Campus.  In these instances, meetings may be held at locations close to campus.  Refer to the application for the locations for the 2020-2021 year.  Members will be notified prior to the location change.
• Additional Opportunities: Depending on the level of involvement, council members have the option to apply for additional opportunities including the National 4-H Conference, Ohio 4-H Foundation Board, and other opportunities that may arise.

Today’s Teen Tip video is called “Basic Banking”.  It can be found by clicking on this link.  The video offers teens tips on basic banking including savings accounts, checking accounts, and debit/credit cards.

Today’s Teen Tip video is called “How to Make a Healthy Fruit Smoothie”.  It can be found by clicking on this link.  The video offers teens tips on how to make a healthy fruit smoothie including ingredient options and health benefits

Today’s Teen Tip video is called “Go Out There and Fail!” and can be found on YouTube using this link.  Sometimes our irrational thoughts about awful outcomes or needs for perfection may keep us from trying new activities. As we can tell ourselves rational statements—of our possible failures as we get better at new activities—those might help free us up simply to do our best.

https://youtu.be/MeODeaDcbMo