OMK Spotlights – Elizabeth Holland

Elizabeth is a military daughter and has been going to OMK camp for several years. Elizabeth was an OMK camp counselor last year.

When asked about Ohio Military Kids’ impact, Elizabeth says:
“OMK has impacted me greatly. Just the people, the kids, and the counselors make me feel like I can be me and not be insecure about anything. I feel wanted and loved. Honestly, OMK has made me feel better.”

Thank you Elizabeth for participating in our OMK Spotlight! If you would like to participate, please fill out this form: go.osu.edu/OMKspotlight

Ohio Military Kids Spotlights

April is the Month of the Military Kids, and OMK wants shine a spotlight on our outstanding military kids! If you are involved with Ohio Military Kids, please fill out this survey: go.osu.edu/OMKspotlight

We will be taking submissions throughout April. If you have any questions about the survey or spotlights, please contact Elizabeth Fannin (fannin.125@osu.edu).

 

Free Activity Books for Military Families – Order by 4/1

We are excited to announce that once again, Ohio Military Kids is offering free projects books for you and your family! Continue reading to learn more about how you can get your hands on a free project activity book.

 

Our partners at Ohio 4-H are proud to present a collection of project books to military families – at no cost to you! Ohio Military Kids is an organization that benefits from the youth development education offered from Ohio 4-H and the organization resources contributed from Ohio National Guard Family Readiness and Warrior Support. Together, we hope that your families may benefit from the education opportunities found in the collection of project book titles listed in this survey.

Here are the books we are offering:

 

Ohio Birds – “Observe and identify birds with bird feeders in your yard and on field trips to see the many benefits our feathered friends provide. This project book is intended to be used for two years.”

Geology: Can You Dig It? – “Discover our planet’s past with clues in rocks, minerals, and fossils that you collect. Learn where to find these items, how to identify them, and how they formed. Showcase all your findings in a display of your design.”

Let’s Start Cooking – “This project takes a fresh look at basic cooking and baking skills. You’ll learn about kitchen equipment and food prep, and how to read recipes and measure ingredients. Then you’ll tackle how to slice and dice food, and how to cook in a microwave oven, on the stove and in a conventional oven all while keeping safety in mind. Appropriate for members of all ages with little or no cooking or baking experience.”

Everyday Food and Fitness – “Learn how to prepare healthy and hearty snacks using MyPlate as a guide, and discover how powerful healthy food can be for your body and mind. Fun and easy recipes help build your skills in the kitchen. See how well your current diet fits into the MyPlate food groups. Find out what makes grains great, and why vitamins and nutrients are so beneficial. This project shows you how to add exercise to a healthy diet and find the path to a better quality of life.”

Sports Nutrition – “Eating well and exercising daily are two keys to a healthy life. This project shows why these habits are worth forming. Learn how to balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn, why to hydrate, and how carbs, protein, and fats work to support your body and mind. Use what you learn as you compete in sports or just want to increase your fitness level.”

 

Please note that we have a very limited supply of each book. You may only select one of each book per order. If a book has “sold out” it will not be displayed as an option.

Requests must be placed by April 2 at 11:59 PM. Orders will then be processed and sent to families approximately 3-5 weeks after the order deadline.

For additional information about this program or enrollment in Ohio 4-H, please contact State 4-H Healthy Living and Ohio Military Kids Student Assistant, Matthew Swearingen (swearingen.96s@osu.edu)

go.osu.edu/omk4hbookorder

Safety Tips for Families This Halloween

The ghouls and goblins out and about on Halloween are all in good fun, but no one wants to be spooked when it comes to their kids on the upcoming holiday. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your family safe this trick-or-treating season.

For kids 12 and under

  • Dress your kids in clothing that is easily visible at night time or add features to make them visible. Light-colored costumes will make it easy to keep an eye on your kiddos. Furthermore, you can give them glow-in-the-dark bracelets or add reflective tape to their trick-or-treat bags to make sure they’re visible.
  • Masks, wigs, and beards can make it hard for kids to breathe and see. Consider alternatives like face paint and makeup!
  • Make sure your kids’ costumes fit well in order to prevent falls. Oversize shoes and long costumes can be a tripping hazard.
  • In the case that you and your kids do get separated, make sure they are equipped with a name tag that includes your contact information. 

For kids 12 and up

  • Check with your older kids who are trick-or-treating alone and ensure they know their planned route. Familiarize yourself with the route in the case of an emergency.
  • Make sure older kids who plan on going trick-or-treating without adult supervision go with a group and stay with that group for the duration of the evening.
  • Let them know that they should never enter a stranger’s house or car while trick-or-treating. Additionally, encourage them to only go to houses with porch lights on.
  • Consider letting your older kids carry cell phones or other communication devices. This way, they can get in contact with you at any point while they’re trick-or-treating.

For all kids

  • On Halloween, kids are more likely to get hit by cars than any other day of the year. With this in mind, make sure your kids know to stay on sidewalks, only cross streets at crosswalks, and walk facing traffic if they absolutely have to walk on roads.
  • Supply your kids with flashlights or glow bracelets/necklaces.
  • Stay local and trick-or-treat in neighborhoods/communities that you are familiar with.
  • Check to make sure all the treats they receive are sealed, and throw out anything that looks to be tampered with or damaged. Pay attention to candy that may be a choking hazard for younger kids.

Adapted from:

“Halloween Safety Tips (for Parents) – Nemours Kidshealth.” Edited by Melanie L. Pitone, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, Oct. 2022, kidshealth.org/en/parents/halloween.html.

College Application Resources for High School Seniors

Students are less than a month away from the Early Admission deadline for most colleges and universities, November 1. This time period can be stressful and can leave most high school seniors feeling helpless. As the deadline continues to approach, here are some resources that can aid you in your application process.

There are so many moving pieces that go into the application process. From finding the right college to applying for scholarships, the following list breaks down some of the most important aspects of the application process.

 

Finding Your Fit

Are you still unsure of where you want to end up after high school? Are you thinking about just applying to a bunch of schools to see what sticks? Trying to figure out where you want to apply can be the most stressful part of applying to college because it is the first step. It may seem like everyone around you has it all figured out, but it’s important to remember not everyone knows exactly what they want to do. Keep in mind that your goals are entirely different from your peers, so your selection process will also be entirely different.

If you want to find a school or program that suits you, it’s important to remember three key aspects to college life. According to College Data, those factors that play a key role in your college experience are: academics, extracurricular activities, and social life.

When considering academics, think about the programs you want to pursue. What colleges have the best programs for your interests? What opportunities do colleges provide that fulfill your interests? Do they have undergraduate research? What do their study abroad programs look like? At this point it’s very important to consider what you want out of your undergraduate experience, and match that with colleges/programs.

Of course, you have to supplement your academic experiences with extracurriculars and your social life. Your standards for extracurriculars and social life are just like academics in the sense that everyone is looking for something different. Do your research to learn about the overall “vibe” you get from the colleges you’re looking at. Find out if there is a club that you’re super interested in that only exists at a single college. What kind of initiatives do colleges put out to enhance the social lives of students? 

At this point, ask as many questions as you can! College Data breaks down all these sections on their website, making it easy for you to compare colleges. https://www.collegedata.com/resources/the-facts-on-fit/what-makes-colleges-different 

Remember to use colleges’ websites as resources in this process. You can find a lot of information on their sites, that’s what they’re there for,

 

Essay Writing/Common App Resources

So, you know where you want to apply but now you have to tackle the Common Application and the essay writing process. What is the Common Application (popularly known as the Common App)? The Common App connects thousands of institutions of higher education. As its name suggests, it is the common application that allows you to apply to most colleges and universities. You can start the application process here: https://www.commonapp.org/ 

The Common App can be daunting to navigate, but thankfully there are plenty of resources out there for students to utilize when starting the application process. You might be wondering what colleges are expecting for your application. Here is the Common App’s collection of application resources to answer some of those “unknowns”: 

https://www.commonapp.org/counselors-and-recommenders/common-app-ready 

The bulk of the application process is the Personal Statement. Although it might seem impossible, don’t let the Personal Statement cast a shadow over your application process. There is a vast collection of essay resources on the internet. Here are just three sites that can help you tell your story in a compelling, unique way:

  1. https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/your-college-application/write-your-essay
  2. https://www.collegeessayguy.com/college-essay-resources
  3. https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-essay 

 

Scholarship Resources

Once you’ve completed your application and hit “submit,” you might start questioning how you’re going to pay for college. The answer is in scholarships! There are millions of dollars of scholarships generated each year (many of which will go unused). College Data’s Scholarship Finder is designed to help students find scholarships based on their demographics:

https://www.collegedata.com/scholarship-finder 

Of course, there are programs similar to this across the internet. Don’t forget to check our college/major-specific scholarships offered by your preferred university. 

Check out our list of scholarships exclusive for military kids/dependents:

https://u.osu.edu/ohiomilitarykids/2023/09/07/10-scholarships-for-military-kids/ 

 

College Confidential

It’s completely normal for students to be left with questions unanswered. The hub for all-things college is College Confidential. 

https://www.collegeconfidential.com/ 

Here you’ll find parent forums, statistics, and all the things mentioned in this article. College Confidential is a great resource to help you narrow down your search and can aid in all the steps that follow!

 

References:

“Applying to College 2023.” College Confidential, www.collegeconfidential.com/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

“Find Scholarships for College Students.” CollegeData, www.collegedata.com/scholarship-finder. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.

Musico, Matt. “5 Free College Admission Resources Every High Schooler Needs.” CollegeData, 1fb.net inc., 14 Sept. 2022, www.collegedata.com/resources/explore-your-options/5-free-college-admission-resources-every-high-schooler-needs.

Military Youth Magazine – Submission Guidelines and Overview

OMK is proud to announce our plans to publish a magazine written entirely by military-connected youth of Ohio and edited by members of our Ohio Military Teen Council.

Submissions will open on Friday, June 16th at 12:00am and will close on Wednesday, July 5th at 11:59pm.

Qualtrics submission link.

We encourage our military youth to brainstorm ideas for submissions and potential names for the magazine.

🟢 Themes & Content:

Written submissions:

  • In Relation to Military Life
    • Personal stories
    • Experiences
    • Reflections
    • Insights
    • Challenges
    • Resilience
    • Personal Growth
    • Overcoming Obstacles
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    • Physical Health
    • Self Help
  • Advice & Resources
  • The Impact of Camp

Illustrations, photos, comics, and other artwork:

  • Reflect the life or experiences of military-connected youth & families.
  • Demonstrate resilience
  • Show healthy habits
  • Bring joy

🔵 Submission Guidelines:

General Guidelines:

  • Age Eligibility: Submissions are open to military-connected youth and young adults.
  • Original Work: All submissions must be original.
  • Proofreading: Double-check your work for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors before submitting.
  • Multiple Submissions: You may submit multiple pieces across different categories (articles, photography, illustrations, and poetry). Please complete the submission survey once for each piece.
  • Submission Format: Submit all entries electronically in the appropriate file format (Word document, JPEG/PNG for images, and PNG/vector for illustrations).

📝 Articles, Personal Essays, Reflections, and Short Stories:

  • Length: Approximately 200 – 2,500 words.
  • Formatting: Break up text with headings as needed.
  • Accompanying Photos: Original photos may be submitted to accompany your writing. Follow Photos guidelines below.
  • Submission: Upload as a Microsoft Word document.

🎤 Poetry:

  • Length: Poem length can vary, but we recommend between 10 and 30 lines.
  • Submission: Upload as a Microsoft Word document.

🎨 Illustrations/Artwork:

  • Consent: If the artwork(s) contain recognizable individuals, make sure you obtain written consent for that photo to be published and shared publicly.
  • Submission: Submit digital files as PNG or in vector formats (.AI, .SVG).

🖌️ Comics / Graphic Novels:

  • Submission: Submit digital files as .JPEG, .PNG, or .PDF.

📸 Photos:

  • Consent: If the photo(s) contain recognizable individuals, make sure you obtain written consent for that photo to be published and shared publicly.
  • Submission: Submit photos as .JPEG or .PNG files.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and showcasing the talent, stories, and perspectives of military youth!

Last Day to Register for Winter Wonderland

Military families may join the Ohio Military Kids program for a FREE Winter Wonderland as we offer crafts, snacks, family activities, and a special visit from Santa in the North Pole! It is Saturday, December 10th, 2022, 1:00pm to 4:00pm in Central Ohio (specific location will be shared once registered).

Please register by November 30th for the event at https://go.osu.edu/OMKEvents

This flyer is to advertise for Winter Wonderland

Welcome to the New Ohio Military Kids Blog!

The Ohio Military Kids Team is always looking for ways to better communicate with our intended audiences!

We wanted a space where people could subscribe or unsubscribe to receive our updates. When you subscribe to this blog you will get a confirmation email you will need to respond to. You will receive a weekly digest of all the posts posted within the week each Friday. If we have no posts, that week, you won’t receive a digest email.

Please follow along as we will be transitioning to primarily posting our updates, events, tips, and announcements here!

-The OMK Team