The End of My Year

I can't believe it was a year go, that first blogged as as State Council Representative and then BAM!!! -  The year is gone!!!   I had a awesome time being on the State Council team and with our advisers !!!  4-H State council is my most favorite thing I ever DONE !!!!!. I would recommend the experience to everyone involved in 4-H!

People ask me why I'm in 4-H . . . after this year I think I finally he the answer.  Friendships, experiences and learning.  Each person's experience in 4-H is different because 4-H is what you make of it.  4-H provides the opportunities to learn, make new friends and have AMAZING experiences - you just have to be willing to take the steps to make it happen!

I've made LOTS of friends of all ages from all over PA and other states too.  I participated in activities at my county, regional, state and national level.  I've learned so much in 4-H in general and over the last year, that I'm starting to feel ready for the world. . 

I had a blast talking and see all my friends over PA at state days. also getting to see the NEW STATE COUNCIL MEMBER and Good lucky guys make the MOST of it 

4-H makes you a Superhero !!!!!!!!!



H. Wyett Johnson
2013-2014 PA State Council Representative

4-H and State Council

Well I guess my 4-H and State Council is almost coming to an end. About nine years ago I joined the Pioneer Valley 4-H Club where my sister was in before I joined. When I first joined 4-H I know that for my projects I wanted to do cooking to start and each year I would do a new project. The project I did when I was in Pioneer Valley was cooking, basketry, leathering, babysitting, market lambs, market goats, market swine, and toastmaster. I was also in other club that was County Council where it was open to the County and we would meet once a year at the Extension Office, Hoopla's, and Bowling. I was really sad when my last year showing animals at the Lycoming County fair came to an end. At the Livestock auction I got a 4-H Scholarship for $1200. I will miss all my friends that I have showed with and that I been hanging out every year at the fair. I did cry at the livestock auction after selling my last animal because I knew it was over for me. Through out my 4-H life I have made a lot of friends with other 4-H teens and also adults and they have all been supported towards me when they knew I wanted to either go in the Military or when I wanted to get on the State Council. 4-H did change my life because without 4-H I wouldn't get all this great opportunity or experience that I am or did get. About a year ago I attend State Achievement Days. The first night I was up on the stage doing a one minute about my self and answering a fish bowl question and my question "If I could add a 5th H into the 4-H program what would it be"? and I said Happy! Then the next day I had to do a 10 minute power point presentation about How has 4-H changed my life? That night I got a called saying the I got on the State Council and I was so happy that I got on. My advisor Mya told me that I would be the reporter and I was glad to become that because I knew that I was good at doing that. In August our State Council year began to State Council Training, Farm Show, State Leadership Conference, Capitol Days, and now State Achievement Days. I will miss being on the State Council and friends that I have made from being on the State Council. I will miss all the good times we have from being on State Council even though we had some ups and downs but we all knew that we can do it and we did do it! I will miss every one the State Council Team including Mya and Jared! Thanks for all the love and support I had throughout my 4-H life and State Council year!:)

It's Fair Time!

Well it's that time of year again can't beleive it has been one whole year. It's fair time once again for most people its a chance to get outta the house and have a little fun but for everyone in 4-H and FFA its that time of year to show off our hard work and see how it pays off in the end. They say farming is a gamble and that is very true. Pa fairs are part of two of the biggest industries in Pennsylvania agriculture and tourism. Pa fairs help people get connected to the agriculture industry since most people have been removed from farms by three generations and help educate the puplic on the industry. Fairs to me means a lot I have been apart of our county fair since birth it has been a major part of my 4-H career it made me want to push for more with in 4-H and since my school did not offer FFA I have only till I am 18 tk make the most of it and that is what I am doing. This year is our fairs 30th year at our current location in summit station Pennsylvania. I always get excited about fair each year for many reasons I get to show my animals and tractors off to the oublic for everyone to see. Another reason is because of the many friendships that have came out of being apart of our big fair family. Also it means truck and tractor pulls through out the week. The Schuylkill County Fair Association has been a major influence on this love of our fair from the time I was little going to fair meetings and now sitting on the fair board as a junior fair board member we are one big family. as I said be for about showing our 4-H and FFA project to the community to show what agriculture is all about.
Brendin Freeman

What's Next?

Where do I begin with an experience like this. Council has been everything I hoped it would be and more. From training, to SLC, and my very first every Capital Days it was surreal. I learned more about myself, parliamentary procedure, and the 4-H program than I could have ever dreamed of.  But the real question is what's next.

What door will open next? The most logical opportunity is college. As an incoming high school senior, where I'm going to go to college has to be a priority.  Thanks to SLC my college path is clear to me now. Agricultural communications at either Penn State or Ohio State (please save your comments for the birds). After many times of answering “I don’t know” or “It’s agricultural related”, I can finally say where I want to go to college.

That's not the only thing council has helped me with.  I now say what I want when I want whether it be good or bad.  Mostly it’s good! I'm open to talk to anyone about anything.  I never realized how small the world was until I traveled and explored it a little.  The saying never burn a bridge is SO SO true. With my council experience I can now say I'm ready to tackle anything life throws at me.  

This wouldn't be complete without saying thank you to a few people.  Thank you to Mom and Dad for supporting me through this year and putting up with me crazy schedule. Thanks to my brother for picking up my slack at home.  Gram, always being there for the last minute things I needed. Pap, for feeding so many times when I wasn't around.  Judy, Wayne and the boys thanks for always putting me in a good mood when I was stressed.  Thank you family!

Thanks to an amazing advisor for believing in me even when I didn't at times.  Thanks Jared for always giving that extra guidance to the team. Dwayne for helping me anytime I needed during the year.   Council alums, thanks for inspiring me to be part of the family. The most important my council team! Thank you for everything! I don’t know what I would do without each and everyone of you. We made this year rock.

If you're reading this and you have any doubt about running for council, JUST DO IT!

See ya down the road,

Megan Anderson

Play It Again

Hey PA 4-H!!!!
So apparently at the end of this month we have to take off our jackets and hand over our offices!?!?! No one told me this!!! So I have a question; can we just repeat this year? This year was truly one of the best years of my life and I just want it to keep going!!! And because of this, I decided to make a list of the top 5 reasons why I love state council.
1. The bonds you make with your fellow council members.
2. Our amazing adviser :)
3. Being able to meet members from all around the state, is such an amazing experience.
4. Planning the conferences was AWESOME!!!
AND
5. Meeting people from all around the state that are involved in Agriculture in so many ways, and hearing their stories.

I hope you all have enjoyed reading all of our blogs this year, and are thinking about running for state council!!

Signing off,
Lydia Lion
PA 4-H State Council Secretary

It's July? I thought it was still June!

June was so busy - I didn't even realize it was OVER!
My eleventh grade year finished on the 6th - I even passed Spanish!  Hard to believe I'll be a senior in the fall - and in a year I'll be graduated!
The first week of June was filled with club meetings and volunteering at the truck show with Perry County County Council.  Then it was off to State College for a State Council meeting.  From there I was part of the group to travel to Kentucky, to be part of the Kentucky 4-H State Teen Conference.  It was amazing! I met so many new people and made some wonderful new friends.  It was an experience I won't forget!
Once I got home, it was time try to squeeze everything into my schedule.  Working, meetings, and making hay had to fit in with chores, errands and getting ready for 4-H resident camp at Camp Shehaqua.
I have a feeling the July is going to fly by too - but I wish it were longer or would go slower.
Gotta get back to the campers!

Until next month,
H Wyett Johnson
State Council Representative

It's just goodnight and not goodbye

Well Pennsylvania 4-H the 2013-2014 council is down to its last month :(. Let me just say this has been the best year of my life and it is all because of every single PA 4-H member and my council team. During this year I have met tons of new people, tried many new things, and even traveled to new places. There are too many memories to list however the one I will never forget is state achievement days last year getting up on stage in front of all of you and giving my one minute speech to introduce myself! That was one of the most challenging but rewarding things of my life. Before I am relieved of my duties on council I want you all to know that no matter what you want to do in you life and no matter what you are currently doing in your life just stick with 4-H it will lead you in the right direction. Don't be afraid to try new things, go to a state event, join a new club, maybe even run run for council! Be for I end my last blog on council I just want to thank you all so much again for making this THE GREATEST year of my life. Until I see you all again remember "it's just goodnight and not goodbye."

I got that summertime, summertime excitedness!

Hello Pennsylvania 4-H!

So the first thing I did the day after school was out (June 7) was that I had a State Council meeting! We all met in State College and had our meeting. Then several of us stayed the night so that we could get an early start to an amazing trip, our trip to Kentucky! We left EARLY in the morning and had roughly an 8 hour van ride to get there. From the moment I got out of the van in Kentucky and was greeted by the Kentucky State Council Officers I knew that I was going to have a great time in Kentucky!

When we got there, there was much to do to prepare for the 690 Kentucky 4-Hers that would be coming the next day. The PA State Council was also able to sit in on one of the Kentucky meetings. The next day was a blur of the many happy, excited faces of the people that I had to opportunity to meet.

If I had to compare the Kentucky 4-H State Teen Conference to an of our Pennsylvania State Events, I would compare it to State Leadership Conference. Throughout the Conference we had many workshops about anything from cooking to tying a tie to making leather belts! But it was also like State Days in that state awards were presented and the state council officer selections took place. I really liked getting to see how their officer selection and awards program differed from Pennsylvania's. All in all the entire conference was an amazing experience with lots of new faces and experiences that I will truly miss!

The next awesome thing that I did was the Southwest Regional 4-H camp. For those of you who know me, you would know that 4-H camp is one of my favorite 4-H events! Even since I was a camper, I always loved going to all the activities that they have at camp, such as recreation, nature, and crafts. But my favorite part is singing camp songs at the top of my lungs! That was always my favorite part as a camper too because for once, I didn't have to be quiet (not being quiet might or might not have gotten me in trouble a time or two in school)! As a counselor it is a great experience being able to meet and get to know all the campers. Camp as a whole is an amazing 4-H opportunity! So if you're 7-12 you can be a camper and if you're 14-18 you can apply to be a counselor! You have to go at least once, in my opinion.

So from Kentucky to good old 4-H camp in Pennsylvania, 4-H kicked my summer off with a bang! I can't wait to see all of you at the end of July at State Achievement Days!

See you then!

Jesse Isenberg 
2013/2014 Pennsylvania State 4-H CouncilVice President of Operations

I Promise I Didn't Sit At Home ALL Month...

Hey 4-Hers, HOW DO YOU FEEL!
We feel good, oh we feel so good uh! We feel fine, all of the time uh ahhhhh....

I guess I'm kind of still in camp mode.  After two 4-H camps in a row with only 3 days in between, you can imagine how much fun I had, not to mention how badly I lost my voice. I guess screaming camp songs for 3 hours in a bus isn't the best thing you can do for your vocal cords. Who knew?

Proof that I wasn't making the whole thing up

I attended 4-H Dairy and Livestock Camp as an adult volunteer rather than a counselor, but that doesn't mean I really acted like an adult.  And yes, you read that right, I went to a camp for those crazy animal people!  I just told those kids that the only thing I knew about livestock is that it's tasty, which in my eyes basically made me an expert.  I learned a lot of interesting things, and some misguided farmer actually let me clip his steer and walk one around.  Props to the people who show those animals, it's a lot harder than it looks to move those stubborn animals around and keep yourself from accidentally beating it with the stick thingy.  We also took a tour of a butcher's shop, where I learned in full detail exactly how an animal is prepared from beginning to end. (Now I'm imagining what my college friends were doing during this time, probably working or hanging out with friends at the mall or getting food.  I'm not sure if some of them could've handled it, much less volunteered for it.  Hi friends!)  But they gave us free beef sticks, and I'm all about that free food so I was sold.  Hopefully I'll be able to help out as an adult again next year.

Some of us counselors after the obstacle course and epic Jell-O fight

But my favorite camp will always be traditional 4-H camp where I was a Jr. camp Senior Counselor for my final year.  The theme was "Mystery Machine", so all of the activities were mystery themed in some way. Unfortunately, I had to miss the Council exchange trip to Kentucky in order to go to camp, but I think I made the right choice.  I mean, I got to scare people in the woods wearing a werewolf mask, sing the bluebirdy song at 6 a.m., and take part in an obstacle course that included pools filled with ooblek, oatmeal, and Jell-O, crawling through mud, and going through an enormous slip n slide that I completely wiped out on. I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Preparing for some devious plan including a clump of oatmeal

As you can imagine, I'm the type of counselor who likes to bring a lot of stuff to camp.  And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT.  (Surprisingly though, I really don't bring that many outfits.  Don't worry, I try not to be that girl.)  The stuff I like to bring is things to decorate my cabin and make my girls feel more at home, and since this was my last year, I decided I would go all out.  From rubber band bracelet crafts to obnoxious amounts of candy, streamers to stuffed unicorns, a Swiffer to glow bracelets, and balloons, posters, Christmas lights, coloring books, and bedtime stories in between, you could say I had a ton of fun packing.

Keeping the cabin clean every year is almost impossible.  Let's just say it was so bad one year, the staff members who go around camp taking photos for the memory CD actually took pictures of my messy cabin and put it on the CD because nobody would think it was real.  And of course, things get lost.  I end up with half packs of markers, random suspicious socks that I throw away, and one year, one of my campers mailed me one of my shirts home that she somehow found in her bag.

Senior Counselors 2014

But despite the mess and craziness and lost things, I always end up leaving with more than I bring.  I leave with more friends, more more memories, and more excitement for 4-H than I did when I showed up on the first day.  That is truly the most rewarding part of attending any 4-H camp, and I'll never forget the amazing things I've gained in the past 7 years.

Well, maybe my body can forget to gain the weight from the amazing amounts of food I always seem to eat at camp.  I live for those camp taco salads, but someday it'll catch up with me...

Wipeout!

Have a jazzy July, and I hope to see you at State Days!
Sophie Hutchinson, Council Representative

Summertime is Finally Here!

Well obviously summer is greatly upon us now.  Which I may add is my favorite time of year.  Why wouldn't it be? Summertime for me means early mornings and late nights, campfires, livestock shows, and just being outdoors.

Some might wonder why on earth would a teenage girl be up really early during the summer? Summer is for sleeping in right? Wrong!  Not for me I'm up at the crank of dawn in the morning and ready to tackle whatever barn work needs done.  Show livestock just can't feed themselves. Even though I'm up so early doesn't mean I'm a morning person.  BEWARE: I look like a zombie for a good hour when I first wake up. With all these early morning I have seen some of the most beautiful sunrises ever. What do you think?

You can keep your city lights

My favorite color purple

My one of my favorite parts of summer is sitting around the campfire. Some of the best stories I have heard have been a told sitting around a fire. Our council campfire was a blast. I never knew a s'more with a Reese's Cup would be so good! Campfire food is absolutely the bomb! Perfectly golden mountain pies, chewy s'mores, and roasted corn on the cob are just some of my favorites. Mmmmm good!

Most people that know me know how much I love showing livestock.  The PCLA circuit just wrapped up this past weekend. For me it was a very successful circuit. Some class winners, showmanship titles, and I even did good on the skill-a-thon! It felt like just yesterday I was unpacking from the first jackpot show and now here I am getting ready to pack for fair. Time sure flies!

Rango and I at Spring Fling Jackpot Show

For the record I live surrounded by a rectangle of trees. So to say I have spent many days outside enjoying the fresh air is an understatement! Swimming, going for walks, picking berries, riding four wheelers the list could go on and on. For me if you can do something outside it is automatically better.

Have a fantastic summer and remember the sunscreen and bug spray!

Enjoy the hot weather,

Megan Anderson

It's June Already??

Hello Pennsylvania 4-H!

Where has all the time gone?! It's hard to believe that I am officially a high school graduate about to begin the next phase in my life. I feels like yesterday I just started Kindergarten. In the coming days, I am going to be attending my New Student Orientation at Penn State and cannot stress how nervous I am!

Summer has been flying by for me, and while it is flying by it means that my term on council is coming to a close! I can't believe it is almost state days! I wish there was a way to pause time so I could be with my council family just a bit longer! Even though I don't want to give up my spot on council, I can't wait to see what the next council has in store! State Days should be so much fun.

As June is coming to a close and July is about to begin, I hope to see tons of familiar faces at State Days! Have a safe and fun holiday, but be working on fair projects!!

Kaitlin Rogers
Pennsylvania State Council Vice President of Events

An Ode to 4-H Camp!

“I’m a super 4-Her! Betcha don’t know what I can do. Got 4 leaves and a motto too, got green pride runnin through and through”-the Best Camp Song Ever



Camp 2012

 

Hey Pennsylvania 4-H!

Bitter-sweet moments are, well, bitter-sweet. I am faced with one of these moments as we speak. On one hand, I am hours away from 4-H Camp! On the other, I know that it will be my last camp as a 4-H member. To someone who loves 4-H Camp as much as I do, the thought of the end can be tough to swallow. I know for a fact that I would not be where I am today if I never went to camp.

Being a first-time camp counselor so closely to attending my first state days is what caused me to fall in love with 4-H. I can clearly recall several pinnacle moments in my 4-H career, and one of those is me standing in the extension office as my county agent and my mom both talked me into being a CIT. Camp is where I first made that connection with my fellow 4-Hers, a connection that would send me down the 4-H path full steam ahead.

Camp 2013

Why do I love camp so much? Camp is a place where every kid can truly be themselves. All of the reputations and peer-influences from school are gone, and you can be yourself in the most wild and pure way. It never gets old watching a camper completely transform from the beginning to the end of camp. I love being a counselor because I get to play a part in making that transition happen.

So now I have a choice. I can let the thought of my last camp linger with me and let it bring me down… or I can hand over the reins proudly, step back, and watch the magic of camp happen one last time. I choose the second one. Now without further ado, its time to go sing songs about Reese’s peanut butter cups, gopher guts, and everything in between.

 


Till State Days,
 

Nate Repetz
2013/2014 PA 4-H State Council
President