Happy New Year!!

Hello again everyone! Hope that all of your holidays were just as fun and exciting as mine were. The month started out as just another month, went to school, and all the other stuff. But as the month went one things got busier and busier. I got the chance to do many community service activites, as well as become recertified as a soccer referee. There were also more matches and tournaments to go to, shopping to do, and all my homework, but it got done. On Christmas Eve my family went to the family "party" that we go to every year, and the coolest thing happened, my uncle, who owns a dairy farm, offered me a job. Of course I accepted his offer because I have always wanted to work there. Christmas day some family came over and we had dinner and spent the day together. The day after we went to my Grandma's for dinner.
Well beings that January has begun Farm show is coming even faster and with that I have had to spend more time with my lambs, goats, and pigs. I am so excited to get to show them because thats my thing, showing. I always get so excitd for any show. And after I come home from farm show i should have my first 2 litters of baby piglets this year!!!!
Welp Happy New Year, hope everyone has a good one.
Bridget

Favorite Parts of December

December is one of my favorite months. Not only because of all the Christmas spirit, but because of how everyone cares for one another. There are so many charity cases at their peak due to the holiday season. There are many soup kitchens where one can volunteer and help those less fortunate. Also there are many charities like The Christmas Tree where one can donate clothes, food, and toys for presents for families in tough situations. With the holidays approaching everyone feels more inclined to donate to others. I think it is great how everyone helps out. However, I wish that people would help more then just the holidays. Another great thing about December is the breaks that we get. It allows for more family time. I see more family in the month of December then any other month.
This year there was one more thing that added to the excitement of December. I knew that shortly after December was over that the council was heading off to the Farm Show. I spent a bit of the month preparing for Farm Show and State Leadership Conference. There has been quite a bit of scripts to read, schedules to figure out, and numerous other things. However, even with all the work, I am still excited for the next couple of weeks to come.
Hope everyone stays safe until next time,
Sarah Bassett. President.

Where is all the snow?!

Hey everyone! December didn't give us much snow so hopefully January will! I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year. Although it wasn't the white Christmas that everyone hopes for, it was still a great time to be able to be with family. It was great to go see my Grandma, cousins, aunts, and uncles and it was also great to be able to Skype my sister while we all opened presents. One of the best presents that I received, was a kitten that my dad got me because I had been wanting her ever since she was born and of course when i opened the bag she was in, I cried my eyes out because I was so happy! But by far the best present was being there as a family on Christmas.

Earlier in the month, I started my new job at a pet store! I never knew how much work went into taking care of all the animals and keeping the store looking spotless. It has definitely been one of the best jobs I have ever worked at because hopefully someday, I will become a Vet!

Another great experience was when my mom and I took over the donations that my local 4-H club had collected for Centre Wildlife Care near State College. It was incredible to see some of the animals that they had and all the work they put into helping them recover so that someday they can be released back into the wild.

As for January and the many months of 2012 to come, the State Council has many exciting events to come! Farm Show is quickly approaching and we can't wait to be there. Also this month is the State Leadership Conference! It is going to so much fun this year and will definitely be one to remember!

Have a Happy New Year!!

Truly,
Liz McAndrew
State 4-H Council Vice President of Operations and Events

The new year

Another year over, a new one just begins. So this year I took the leap of jumping into the biggest role I have ever had in my life. By becoming an officer on State Council. This has been challenging at times so far, but I have enjoyed it thus far and am hoping that won't change when we really start getting into our events. We have Farm Show fast approaching and if any of you that are reading this you should come see us at the opening ceremonies! The whole team will be helping out in different booths throughout the complex, or be showing their market animals. Those of you that show animals or projects at the fair I wish you good luck! I hope everyone enjoys the Farm show. Farm show won't be the same for me this year because I will not be competing down at the Farm show for Square dancing. The last few year's my county has gone down to compete in the competition, but this year my county was unable to find enough people that were interested in competing so we aren't going down. This year I will be attending Farm show with my State Council team instead, which will be just as fun I'm sure.

State Leadership Conference is Wild for Leadership and it is on its way here! I hope that those of you that will be attending the event is just as excited for it as I am. The team has been working hard preparing for this event the passed few months. Everyone will create so many memorable moments throughout the weekend by making new friends and gaining leadership skills. There will also be great inspirational speakers there to get you thinking and maybe get you inspired to do something different. Throughout the weekend hopefully you will learn something that you will want to bring back to your county and show to your own clubs. There is so much that you can do with what you will get from the weekend. This weekend adventure is around the corner, and soon will be here. It will be a blast and I hope to see you all there!

For now it is time to celebrate the coming year. I hope that some of you when you are planning your new year's resolution that you will try to include something for 4-H as well, even if it is something very simple. For example trying a new project, or going to one of the state events(which I encourage you to do!) or going for an officer position for your club. Whatever you may decide to do it will be worth your efforts, you will learn something new from the experience. Just try to stick with it, even when it seems a little rough, it will get better and I hope that when you look back at it in the future that you will be glad you tried it. Enjoy the holiday!



Happy New Year everyone!
Reporter
Danielle Knapp

New Year, New beginnings

“You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.” Just like the quote suggests, the past is the past and it can’t be changed. It does not suggest, which it should, that the past is something to be learned from. The past is simply a tool that helps you improve, even if you didn’t have any mistakes.

December is a busy month for all of us: wrapping presents, sending cards and even listening to holiday music. For the State Council it is even a busier month with preparations for the PA Farm Show and State Leadership Conference. I hope everyone that is reading has sent in their application to attend SLC. It will be a roaring good time filled with many experiences that are not worth missing. Get ready to be picture perfect in a photo booth that will join us all weekend.

In the upcoming months our team will busy attending Farm Show, planning and attending SLC, while creating a memorable State Achievement Days. If you are visiting the Farm Show Saturday be sure to tune in at the opening ceremonies where you can spot us. If you are not up there for Saturday’s events you can stop by the 4-H booths in the Family Living building. This year there will also be a 4-H food stand selling pork BBQ.

Hope you all have a wonderful new year celebrating 4-H’s 100th anniversary!! A thought to ponder: “Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.”

Happy New Year!

Ashley Mohn

State Council Secretary

Looking back

The year is 2012 and six youth are headed for the farm show opening ceremony. This is possibly one of the largest nerve racking moments of the new year. I can't wait till the farm show.

2011 was definitely one of my best year while in 4h. I look back and see many opportunities, and achievements that I have completed. I have met over 100 new friends and gone on the greatest opportunity a 4Her could have. My latest trip to Atlanta, Georgia for the national 4H Congress, was definitely the biggest highlight of 2011. There has also been many other opportunities that i have had, not only on state level ,but in my county to. I enjoyed 2011 ,but its time to look forward to 2012 and all of its twists, turns, and obstacles it might hurl at me.

I am looking forward to 2012, are you? This is your VPI and Council Sentinel. Garrett Richardson

Turkey Time

I must say this month has been my favorite of my time on council, but yet there are still more to come. At the begining of the month my county held our Annual Leader's Banquet where we recongize the 4-H leaders in my county. This I was givin the chance to speak as a State Council members and also tell about my experience so far. I have also had the chance to speak with a few people from Range Resources.

Thanksgiving was a good time for my family and I, but my vacation where I can sleep in everyday was cut short. I was chosen back in July to be a representative from my county to attend The National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia. I left home at 3:00am on Friday and returned at 5;30pm on Tuesday. This experience was one that i wish i could have again. The first day we were there was our pin exchange which was really cool because everyone brought pins representing their state or the area in whih they came from. The second day we got to do icebreakers whhich I can honestly say helped me to meet so many new people. I meant a guy from Ohio, some girls from Hawaii and even a guy from Puerto Rico, there were tons more people that i meant that week. I even meant people from my own state that I didnt know before. Also i got to spend time with two fellow council members and enjoy that great experience.

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving, and if anyone went hunting, or is going hunting that they are safe and have fun.

Bridget
2011-2012 Historian

End of the year activities

The last of the autumn leaves have left the trees and cold weather is ready to settle in. November was one of the fastest months this year. It started of with a face to face meeting to start planning the fast approaching State teen Leader Conference in January. It is now the ending of November and I just got back from Atlanta, Georgia from the National 4H congress. I had a Mind-Blowing time. If I was allowed to attend next year I would.

Thanksgiving this was a extra special, because on November 21, 2011 the Lord gave my aunt a little package. This package was named Aiden. Unfortunatelly I was recovering from a cold so I wasn't allowed to hold him

As the snow begins to fly and the cold winds begin to blow only two things come to mind
,Christmas and Farm Show, both are very enjoyable and interesting. I can't wait for either of them. I want to wish everyone a merry christmas and a good luck to all the hunters out there.


,Your council sentinnel and VPI
Garrett Richardson

Gobble Gobble!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving because I know I sure did! Even though I worked everyday on our break away from school, I still am so thankful that my family was able to come celebrate with us! My sister now lives in North Carolina, my other sister goes to college, my grandma lives an hour away, and my other Grandma lives in Virginia! So, it's always hard to get together when all of have such busy schedules. Thankfully, the busy schedules died down and we were able to all come together for a great Thanksgiving and one that I will always remember!

This month I also got to represent the 4-H program by giving an interview on WTAJ news channel. It was a blast! I went with one of the local 4-H Horse Clubs and their miniature horses to talk about the State 4-H Horse Show and what the 4-H Program is. Not only did I get interviewed by a news station, but also by public relation majors that go to Penn State. They wanted to understand what 4-H is, what goes on, and how it affected my life. They couldn't believe how much 4-H impacts just one person and the opportunities it gives to it's members. It was a pleasure to talk to them about 4-H.

Our council has been working long and hard on the State Leadership Conference! We had a face to face meeting this month and were able to cover a lot of business. We can't wait for people to see what we have in store for SLC! (:

Truly,
Liz McAndrew
State 4-H Council Vice President of Operations and Events

Climbing the 4-H ladder

"The ladder of success is never crowded at the top, except in 4-H." The first part of the quote was stated by Napoleon Hill, but I added the line after the comma because I believe 4-H gives every member opportunities to be successful in whatever their task is. In different projects, skills learned or even placing in events there will always be other 4-H members climbing the ladder too. You must remember that you have something special to offer and you need to shine through your fellow members. It may be crowded but each member has their strengths and weaknesses but with support from your peers, everyone will have a opportunity to be at the top of the ladder.

November was full of exciting 4-H events. The highlight of this month was being able to attend National 4-H Congress. While on the visit to Atlanta, Georgia I participated in different workshops and tours in the Atlanta area. There were 49 Pennsylvania delegates that traveled with me. Not only did I meet 4-H members from around the nation but I also got even closer to 4-H members from Pennsylvania. This chance is once in a life time opportunity, that I had the pleasure to participate in. Next year, I encourage all members to apply for a spot in the 2012 delegation.

I also went into a local school's classroom and taught the class about this year's National Science Day. The students participated in the activities tied in with the day. They loved the hands on experience to create their own wind turbine.

As December comes, holiday cheer fills the air. This season enjoy the holiday with your family. Family helps to make your 4-H career so much better. On that note, here is something to think about: "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind."

Ashley Mohn

PA State council secretary

An end to the month, brings a beginning to a new one.

This month has been a preperation for hard times ahead. I have had to do so many things, and yet I was still able to spend time with my family. State council has been busy preparing for State Leadership Conference. We had our very first face to face meeting together at the beginnig of this month. I would say that it was successful. It was great to see everyone again after the few months that we hadn't seen everyone together since our training weekend. We spent all day together deciding on great things to come for State Leadership Conference. I am excited for the event, and I with all our planning and hard work will be enjoyed by the attendents.



In November I have been busy with a lot of things. One of them includes a yearly program that I have participated in since '07 it is called NaNoWriMo. It is where the participant writes 50,0000 words in the month of November. It could be anything you want, just to get you to write and get your creativity flowing. It is great fun and a way I spend time with my siblings, two of them participate in it as well and we have a good time with it. I have won every year since I started, but this year I am having trouble with it. I am uncertain whether I will be able to complete it or not, but at least I have tried. I still have a bit to do, but I think I am determined to try to complete it before 12 AM today. If I don't, then there is always next year! I can start working on my novel that has come from it, and maybe get it published within a few years. I enjoy the ideas I have gotten throughout the process and sometimes wonder where they come from.


Some ideas that seem to appear out of no where become great ones, and I would have to say the same for my story. Now it needs some major editing but that is something that I can always do later, when i have it all written, because I cannot always remember an idea that comes to me, I don't have a tendacy to write every one of them down and instead store them in my memory, which I will say isn't the greatest idea.



At the end of the month on top of writing in my NaNoWriMo story I, like everyone else; was preparing for Thanksgiving. I had a great time spending time with my family, and enjoy this time of year. To those of you that went Black Friday shopping, more power to you. I stayed home on the farm, not interested in going down the hill into town. I was instead preparing for Opening Day. I was putting up tree stands all day. Then got excited for the big day. When that day arrived, I awoke before the sun so that I could get into my stand. I was grateful for the beautiful day, because it was said to rain the week before but nope, it was nice and clear. There was an occasional breeze but it was a pleasent day. I even ended up getting a buck at the end of the day. I hope that everyone enjoyed the day as well, whether hunting, or spending their time doing something outside, or however else you spent your day!



Enjoy the nice weather while it lasts, because winter is just around the corner. Now for some of you that is good news, but for those of you that are similar to me and like the warm weather over the cold, its time you start hybernating! Just kidding, just make sure you bundle up. Some of the greatest moments are ahead of you, like sledding, skiing, snowboarding, making snow angels, having snowball fights, or building forts and snowpeople, or what have you. I enjoy doing a bunch of them on a nice winter day, but one of my favorite thing to do is cuddle up by a warm fire, with some hot cocoa in hand.

It may get nasty outside in winter time, but there is still good times to be had with it, there is always going to be some bad with the good. That's life. You just need to learn how to enjoy yourself along the way!



I hope everyone is doing well.

Sincerely,

Your Reporter,

Danielle Knapp

A Successful Year In the Backwoodsmen 4-H Club

Just the other night the Backwoodsmen 4-H club held its annual award ceremony. Even though not many of the members showed up, we still had a good turn up. In the beginning I was honored with the opportunity of giving a speech on "What 4-H Means to Me". I hope that I was able to convey just how much I appreciate what 4-H has done for me. 4-H has a huge part in developing the person I am today. After I gave my speech members recieved their awards for attending at least half of the business meeting, community services, county activites, and club activities. Some members also recieved awards from the horse project leader. There were many who got these awards. Near the end of the ceramony the leaders announced the high point 4-Her of the year. For the senior there was a tie between my sisters Kate and Lizzy. I am very proud of them. They both represent the 4-H program with enthusiasism and love for the program. I hope this year will be another successful year in the Backwoodsmen 4-H club, as every year the club becomes stronger.

I hope everyone is safe and doing well,

until next time,

Sarah Bassett, President