One of the best ways families can learn more about 4-H is from their friends and neighbors – people like you!

Use this photo as your Facebook profile photo so people know you are a resource to learn about 4-H. You will need to save the photo to your phone and upload to Facebook.

ODNR is looking to showcase student work at Ohio State Parks.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is looking for passionate 4-H students to use their skills and talents to spread a message of education, service, and stewardship this Earth Day.  ODNR is seeking proposals for student-led programs to take place at participating Ohio State Parks. Programs will be open to the public.

“We are impressed by the passion for conservation we see in Ohio’s 4-H students,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “We would love for these students to take that passion and find out-of-the-box ways to engage their community, to improve our natural world, and have a little fun while doing it.”

The chosen programs will be offered to the public, free of charge, at Ohio State Parks between Friday, April 22 and Sunday, April 24.  Examples of desirable programming include, but are not limited to invasive species removal, Earth Day art projects, sustainable fashion, and campfire cooking.

For a list of participating parks and to apply click here. The deadline to apply is March 14, 2022. Contact Alyssa Yaple with any questions about project proposals. Winning proposals will receive recognition at ODNR’s Natural Resources Park at the 2022 Ohio State Fair.

Domino’s Pizza of Zanesville is sponsoring a New 4-H Member Recruitment contest for clubs! Two pizza parties (pizzas only) will be awarded – 1st and 2nd place clubs with the most new members enrolling in 2022! The number of pizzas a club receives will be coordinated with our office and Domino’s based on the size of the club. Depending on the location of the club, you may need to make arrangements at the North, South or East stores to pick up pizzas if they do not deliver to you.

Invite new members to join your club!

Reports from USDA indicate that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been confirmed in several midwestern states (not Ohio to date). Families may remember that an avian flu outbreak in 2015 resulted in the Ohio Department of Agriculture prohibiting live poultry exhibitions. If this would happen again, there is already a plan in place to handle fair exhibition. Per the Muskingum County Fair Book: If the Ohio Department of Agriculture or United State Department of Agriculture would place a ban on live animal exhibition; in which case, youth are permitted to sell one approved educational display entered in place of the live animal as long as they have no opportunity to participate in a Junior Fair Livestock Sale (Bossy’s Jug, Large Animal Sale or Small Animal Sale).

• Families should keep this possibility in mind during the project enrollment process and enroll in projects accordingly. This may include enrolling in a second non-poultry livestock project or a still project if the child does not want to exhibit a poster at the fair. Projects cannot be added or changed after the April 1 deadline. We will share updates as they are available.

Visit USDA’s Defend the Flock Resource Center for information on protecting your project animals.

• 4-H Enrollment is now open! Enrollment deadline is April 1. Help is available on our website: go.osu.edu/musk4honline
• IMPORTANT: If you have a new family enrolling in 4-H, please do not instruct them to create a family profile on their own in 4-H Online! This process needs to be completed through our office, as Debbie can double check we have all of the correct information. Please have families complete this short form: go.osu.edu/newfamily. Once the family profile is set up, Debbie will contact them with instructions to enroll

The 4-H Kick-Off Event WILL NOT be held on March 9 at Rolling Plains United Methodist Church. Please let families know as you are starting to meet since it is on the 4-H Calendar. We continue to converse with the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department and consider their guidance for larger indoor events at the county level, as well as exposure protocol and programming guidance from OSU. Our office priority at this time is for OSUE not to contribute to significant community spread and ensure that club meetings and required county level events can take place over the next few months.

While the 4-H Kick-Off is an enjoyable event and a celebration of the new year, smaller club gatherings can accomplish the goal of kicking off a new 4-H year. While attendance at the Kick-Off event is usually large, past events have not been heavily attended by new families. We are hoping to put our time and resources toward some different promotional strategies in 2022.

I am working with the 4-H Committee to produce volunteer and youth virtual recognition programs for our Facebook page. 2021 tenured volunteers and older youth opportunities winners will hear directly from me in the next couple of weeks about submitting photos. Last year’s recognition video had 3000+ views. We are also working on additional promotional efforts that will take place during Muskingum County 4-H Week, March 6-12.  Volunteers will receive a token of appreciation sponsored by the 4-H Committee when clubs pick up book orders.

Thanks to a grant from the Ohio 4-H Foundation, Ohio 4-H will be hosting “Take the Leap: Career Readiness Day” on Saturday, April 2, 2022 (12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center! This event is open to any 4-H member – ages 13 to 18 – and is completely FREE! Several Teen Leadership Council members have been planning this event and are excited to facilitate this opportunity for their peers.

This day is jam-packed full of opportunities for participants with some highlights listed here:

• Learn about 4-H opportunities at the state level
• Rotate through career preparation workshops covering topics such as resume writing, interview skills, entrepreneurship, goal setting, and more
• Network with peers who are also interested in preparing for their future

Participants can register at go.osu.edu/taketheleap. Registration is due by March 19.

The Winning 4-H Plan enables youth to tailor the 4-H experience to their needs and helps maintain a positive relationship between the youth’s family, 4-H volunteers, and the county 4-H professionals.  Members who have previously submitted a request form do not need to submit again. Please contact the Extension Office directly to request changes for the current year. If no changes are requested, accommodations will be listed as they were the previous year.

Access the form: go.osu.edu/muskw4hplan.

Reminder the Cross County Lines Membership Request Deadline is March 1!

4-H Membership Across County Lines Request – The request form must be completed by any youth requesting 4-H membership in Muskingum County when their primary residence is located in another county. Be sure to review the policy: 4-H Membership Across County Lines Policy. Find the request form online: go.osu.edu/muskacl.