Month: January 2025

President’s Environmental Youth Award

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Encourage youth with an existing environmental stewardship project or an idea for a project to apply so that their achievements can be further recognized. The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects developed by K-12 youth. The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement.

Youth must have completed their project while they were in kindergarten through the 12th grade and the project must be sponsored by an adult who is 21 or older. Applicants from all 50 states as well as U.S. territories are eligible to compete for a national Presidential award.

Visit the President’s Environmental Youth Aware webpage for more information about eligibility requirements, judging criteria, and how to apply.

Explore Maine’s Aquaculture Industry with Virtual Field Trips from Maine 4-H

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Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) are an innovative way for youth to explore and learn about places and people that would otherwise be infeasible! These immersive, online experiences bring Maine’s thriving aquaculture industry to life—no travel required.

Accessible at no cost, the Virtual Field Trips are designed to break down geographical and financial barriers, making high-quality, hands-on learning available to all. Register online to receive a link to the VFTs. Each field trip also comes with complimentary 4-H activity guides and lesson plans to help facilitate meaningful engagement with youth.

The first VFT currently available features the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), a large-scale, land-based aquaculture facility in Franklin, Maine. Additional virtual field trips are in development and will be rolled out throughout 2025 and 2026. These experiences offer insight into seafood production, workforce development, career exploration, and STEM concepts related to aquaculture technologies.

To register for a virtual field trip, visit extension.umaine.edu/hancock/aquaculture/vft.

For more information: contact Carla Scocchi, 4-H Youth Development Professional at carla.scocchi@maine.edu.

America’s Field Trip

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America’s Field Trip is designed to engage America’s youth in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The contest invites ​​3rd–12th grade students to reflect on what America means to them through artwork, poems, and essays for a chance to explore the historic places that have shaped our nation’s rich history. The 2024-2025 contest is now live and will accept submissions through April 16, 2025.

Student awardees will be able to:

  • Participate in a three-day, two-night field trip this summer with airfare and lodging expenses covered for the student awardee and their chaperone
  • Take part in specially curated educational experiences and behind-the-scenes tours at some of the nation’s most iconic historical and cultural sites from the Mount Rushmore National Memorial and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo to the National Archives, Yellowstone National Park, and Fort Point at the Golden Gate Bridge

America250 has also worked with Discovery Education to develop lesson plans and other resources to help educators bring the America’s Field Trip contest to their classrooms.

Ohio State 4-H Leadership Camp

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Leadership Camp Campers

Are you interested in growing as a leader alongside your peers? Consider attending Ohio 4-H State Leadership Camp (held June 1-5 at 4-H Camp Ohio)! This camp is a premiere leadership development opportunity that offers participants engaging sessions in topics such as motivation, communication, teamwork, and more! While at camp, participants are actively learning AND teaching their peers! This opportunity is open to Ohio 4-H members ages 14-18 – contact your county 4-H professional for more information on cost, scholarships, and registration or visit go.osu.edu/leadershipcamp for additional information! County commitment forms are due March 15 and must be submitted by county 4-H staff.

Leadership Camp Counselors

Applications for 2025 Leadership Camp counselors are now available and due March 24! This opportunity is open to individuals ages 18+ by June 1, 2025, who have an interest, confidence, and ability in teaching and facilitating leadership skill development to teen campers AND are excited about doing so in a camp setting. Applicants are required to fully attend staff training dates (May 9-11 and May 31) and camp (June 1-5), all held at 4-H Camp Ohio. Learn more and find links to apply at go.osu.edu/leadershipcamp!

REMINDER: 2025 Ohio 4-H Conference

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The 2025 Ohio 4-H Conference will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. The conference is a great opportunity to gather new ideas, get updates about 4-H, meet/connect with new people, and celebrate our volunteers and teens. The conference includes break out sessions for both teens and adult volunteers, as well as a luncheon, trade show, and silent auction. You can find a list of sessions, registration form, vendor application, and silent auction donation form HERE. Cost to attend is $40 per person.

Please return the registration form along with payment to the Licking County Extension Office by February 6, 2025 so that we can get you registered before the deadline. Check should be made payable to: Licking County 4-H Committee.

2025 Hartford Fair Youth Scholarship Application

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The 2025 Hartford Fair Scholarship is available and due to the Hartford Fair Office by March 31, 2025. Applicant must be a graduating senior, live within the Hartford Fair District and be a member of one of the following: 4-H, FFA, FCCLA or Steer Pool. Applicant must be pursuing an education in a 2 or 4-year program at an accredited and degree granting institution.

Hartford Fair Logo

 

OSU Arts & Sciences Summer Exploration Program

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The Arts and Sciences Summer Exploration Program is now accepting applications for summer 2025! The Arts and Sciences Summer Exploration Program is a one-week non-residential academic enrichment program for rising 7th – 12th grade students. The program is offered in three, one-week sessions in June 2025. Space is limited and applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. For complete details on the 2025 program, please visit https://artsandsciences.osu.edu/future-students/arts-and-sciences-summer-exploration-program

2025 Project Guide (formerly called the Family Guide)

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The 2025 Project Guides (formerly called the Family Guide) are on their way to 4-H families through mail. Thank to support from Kroger, every family that had either a youth or adult volunteer enrolled in 4-H in 2024 should receive a Project Guide, along with a sheet of stickers in the mail within the next week or so. Families that were not enrolled last year (skipped a year or are new to the program) can pick up a Project Guide at the Extension Office or can access the online version at https://ohio4h.org/familyguide.

2025 Turkey Pool Order Forms Available

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The order form for the 2025 Hartford Fair Junior Market Turkey Pool is now available HERE. Forms with payment must be mailed or delivered to the Licking County Extension Office by 4:00pm on Friday, March 7, 2025. ALL meat turkey projects will come from the Hartford Fair meat turkey pool. If you intend to show meat turkeys at the fair in 2025, you must submit an order by the deadline to be eligible. Please read through all the details on the order form.