An end with new beginnings

The end is approaching for my council term. People that I have met through this opportunity will be greatly missed. No matter how much I will miss the people and the events that I will no longer be helping with, I know new 4H members will have their opportunity to experience the thrill of being a State council member. State Days will be exciting week, with the Kentucky state officers coming to hang out with.
This was an awesome 4H year I will miss it.

Farewell and good luck!

This is it. The end of my long journey of a 4-H member is coming to a close shortly. Next week will be the last event I will do as a state council member. This weekend is my last 4-H horse show, unless I make it to my districts. It has been an amazing experience and I cannot imagine how my life could have been without the program. It has given me so many opportunities and I have learned so much from being a part of this wonderful program. It took me a while to think about what I was going to put as my last blog, I had some trouble getting it started because I knew this would be the very last one…

Right now what I am focusing on is my Horse show this Saturday. I am hoping to fulfill my goal that I set out in the beginning of the year. I have been working very hard with my mare throughout the year and cannot wait to see how all that hard work pays off. It is my last year as a 4-H member and I cannot believe that it has gone by so fast. It has been one of the best years of my life and I am so grateful that I made the choice of applying for State Council.

I have met so many people through this great opportunity and created yet another family. It will be hard for me to adjust back to not traveling around the state as much and not having a 4-H event to go to almost every weekend. I will miss my council family dearly, because now that our term is almost over we won’t be going to as many events together so we won’t be seeing each other as much. I will miss all of you, but I will try to keep in touch! Olive you all!

To the new council, remember that everyone counts. No one person is better than the other because they got a higher position. You all have to work together and become the best team you can be. Also remember that communication is key! There is nothing wrong with asking a question to be sure, so that no one is confused or is left without knowing something. There will be times that you won’t want to continue with State Council, but make sure you talk it out with your advisors and council because you may just be really stressed and not thinking clearly. There will be times where you cannot get along well with another member, but it passes when you have things you need to get done and you get over it.

You will create many memories you’ll take with you after, several inside jokes, and will have many late night conversations at events. You will lose sleep, but it will be worth it in the end, trust me! You might even be able to sleep in when you get back home after an event, depending on how busy the next day is for you. Just remember to be there for one another, and be the best you can be! The 4-H program needs you at your best when you are representing it, and together you can help each other out to be just that.

I wish the new council good luck on their year and if you ever need anything don’t be afraid to ask one of us for help.

Danielle Knapp

Pennsylvania State Council 2011/2012 Reporter

Change is good

This year for Clearfield County's 4-H Horse roundup, our county decided to do something different. Instead of having our show at our traditional spot in Clearfield County, we decided to partner up with Centre County and have both of our shows together, at one location, in the same rings, and on the same day. This was definitely a first for both counties but had one awesome spot to have the show, at the Grange Fairgrounds.

For me, this was a unique opportunity because this was the year I decided to show my hunter/jumper horse Mac. Luck-fully my horse had been there before but this would be my first time jumping him at a 4-H horse show! I was definitely excited but a little nervous. It made me feel a lot better that we were at the Grange Fairgrounds though because their ring had a lot of space and great footing so I knew that he wouldn't slip or not be able to make his turns. The time came for my class and my excitement and nerves just went straight to all nervous. Thank goodness my trainer was there to straighten me out and calm my nerves. I went in the class as confident as I could and performed at my very best! I came out and was happy with my jumping and hopeful that I had scored high enough to move onto the district level. Not only did I score high enough but I also received first place! I was so proud of not only my horse, but also myself for going in and forgetting about my nerves.

Looking back, I now realize this was my first and last year to show on that fairground for my 4-H County roundup because next year I will be too old to be in 4-H. It's amazing that I've been in 4-H since I was 8 and have shown every single year but it's sad knowing that this is my last year. I am going to miss being in 4-H and showing my horse but I will never forget what it has done for me. It has made me a better leader by being an officer, a better person by learning to give to others and help the needy, and a better rider because I learned to never give up and to always try my best. Sometimes change needs to happen in order to realize how far you have came in something and to be proud of it.

Sincerely,

Liz McAndrew

PA State 4-H Council Vice President of Operations and Events

The end is near

“Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts. You have to remember this when you find yourself at the beginning.” Starting the council journey just under a year ago I would have never thought of all the wonderful opportunities I would encounter, the contacts I would make or the family I would create as a member. All of these things came true as my experiences were gained. I can honestly say this year has been the best year of my entire life.

Standing on the stage of the Eisenhower auditorium being inducted was where my mind was made up that I would do anything I had to do as a member of the council team to make it a great year. The first task as a council member was Ag Progress Days. Here I had a blast creating seedling necklaces with the youth that attended. The event was a highlight on my council path since it was the first chance I could wear that green polo.

Meeting Governor Corbett and the first lady, Secretary Greig, and all of the amazing 4-Hers in our state have also been highlights. Life’s not the breath you take but the moments that take your breath away. My breath was taken away as I slipped on the green jacket and headed to the Governor’s mansion for breakfast. Having the opportunity to even shake hands with him let alone sit at the same breakfast table was a  chance of a lifetime. 

Being on council is a big task for an entire year. There are requirements that must be filled but as those are filled you have more opportunities to go places with that green jacket. As a council member you learn a ton about yourself, the 4-H program, and leadership qualities. This is a shout out to all 4-H members that think they would be a good candidate to be on council to apply. It is a chance you do not want to miss!

Its not going to get easier, no time can be stopped, and I definitely can’t look back. All the miles I traveled was for one purpose, promote Pennsylvania 4-H. I thank everyone that invited me to attend their promotion, the energetic 4-Hers that I could interact with and of course my council team. It has been a fantastic year that I will never forget. There comes a time and a place to say goodbye and this would be it.

As a final blog post I will put on my seatbelt and head off to the next chapter of my life. With something to think about,

Ashley Mohn

PA 4-H State Council Secretary

“Line by line, page by page, you write the chapters of your life... Tomorrow is the beginning of a new chapter--a new scene in your life--with the hope of a good ending. Make every keystroke count.”

Title: Forget rain, sleet, and snow, It's off to Camp Brule we go!

Blog:

Last week on Sunday June 24th the councilors arrived at Camp Brule to do the final preparations for the Central Susquehanna Region 4-H Camp. I was so excited for another year of camp. This year was my 3rd year as a counselor and I had the honor of being Key Councilor. Most regions also know this role as Junior Camp Director. There was a total of 3 Key Councilors and I enjoyed working with them.

Enough about me, I'm glad to say that the campers had a lot of fun this year. Our theme was Natural Disasters, so the teams were based off of that. We had a total of six teams; Twisted Winds, Avalanche, Sinkholes, Tsunami, Mudslide, and Wild Fires. The councilors made team flags, and I have to say they turned out pretty awesome. At our camp fire every team had to do a song and a skit. I was excited that every team incorporated their team name into the song.

In the afternoons we had each team do a make and take craft with the campers. There were wind chimes, rain sticks, glow in the dark insects, and other awesome crafts! The campers enjoyed making these crafts that they could take home. After their make and take session the kids had 2 hours of free time to do activities like boating, swimming, fishing, and leather craft.

I could write on and on about what the campers did and how they had so much fun. However, I can't express just how much fun they had. You'll just have to take my word for it.

Until next time,

Sarah Bassett, President

Unique tastes at Fair

Everyone has a favorite food that they love to get when they attend a fair. My favorite is the chocolate milkshake. There is one activity that if someone participates in at the Troy Fair they need to have some unique tastes, or maybe just the stomach to hold the.... interesting foods the Bradford County Council provide. During 4-H day which is the Friday of the fair we hold several fun activities throughout the day to promote 4-H and get kids involved in the fun. Some of the other activities we hold are bale tossing, obstacle course, relay races, and scavenger hunts. The one I want to tell you a little more about is our Food Fear Factor activity.  

Picture the show Fear Factor, where they get the contestants to do all sorts of different things to see if they are able to get through it. Well our Fear Factor is a little less extreme. What we do with our contestants is make them eat gross sounding, smelling, or looking foods. County Council compiles a list of foods that we don't like. Then our 4-H educator and one County Council member makes a run for the food store to pick out the food. I went last year and we located things on the list such as horse radish, sardines, onions, which are foods that some people love to eat but my County Council found gross. The worst two items we got for this activity was Limburger Cheese and Pigs feet. YUCK! I give props to the ones that are able to stomach those two, I know I about loose mine when I just think about them. We get a few easier things too, such as spinach. So that the contestants can have a little bit of a break in between the rounds. I know I would probably loose on the very first round!

We set up a table and separate the foods by rounds, so however many people there are we set out plates for them.  We give them about 4 minutes to eat everything set on the plate. Whoever cannot finish looses the round and the rest move on. We keep going until there is only one person left that was able to eat whatever was put on the plate. We give them a prize at the end, which consists of a awesome 4-H item and a free milkshake so they get something worth their efforts. It is amazing to see the determination of the kids that participate in the different activities.

We will probably do the same again this year during our 4-H day, but we might decide to do something else completely. I am looking forward to see what other activities my county council will plan for the kids. 

Hope everyone has a great fair and good luck on anything you do during your fair!

Sincerely, 

Danielle Knapp

Reporter

Life is good :)

Summer is finally here a full capacity. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I am outside studying for the national forestry competition. My life consists of nothing but studying trees, insects, and diseases. All is swell though, I enjoy doing what I do. I can't wait until July 22-26.
The National Forestry competition held in Jackson's mill, WV is a five day competition filled with grueling obstacles, foreign information, and kids from all across the US. I will have to compete with my team from Pa to: pace an area of land, identify trees, identify insects, identify diseases, and to evaluate someone's property. Wish me luck as I take this trek.

Sincerely your council Sentinel and VP of internal affairs
Garrett Richardson

The first step of a long road...

Becoming a Veterinarian is my dream job. When I first thought this would be a good match for me, I didn't realize how much work it really is. I realized that I would have to go to school for a really long time and that I would need really good grades, but I didn't realize I would need a lot of job shadowing hours! Around  500 I heard was a good amount! That means I have to have around 125 hours a year for the next four years. That's a lot when you think about all the other things going on in my life..riding horses, school, work, 4-H, family, friends, farm work, etc!

This month I started my job shadowing! Every Tuesday, I go to our small and large animal vet and shadow his every move! I have already learned and saw so much! I've seen plenty of dogs and cats spayed and neutered, cats declawed (which I believe is awful), tons of check-ups, a bloated fawn, checking cows to see if they were pregnant ( which was awesome!), and so much more! Unfortunately with job comes some tragedy.  The vet had to euthanize a miniature horse that had fallen and hit her head and an elderly dog that had cancer. Many people believe it's hard to watch an animal be euthanized and wouldn't be able to do it and believe me, so did I until I actually watched it. When you know it's that animals time to go and they have no quality of life, you know you are doing the right thing when you put the animal down. In no way does it make it easier, but at least you get some comfort knowing that they won't be in any pain and will be in a great place!

Job shadowing this vet has really helped to solidify in my mind that becoming a veterinarian is the best career for me and I can't wait to continue perusing it. I know that if I wasn't in 4-H there is no way that I would have chosen this path because 4-H gave me the opportunity to show with my horses and come to love animals in a way that I want to help them.

Truly,

Liz McAndrew

PA State 4-H Vice President of Operations and Events

Traveling to Kentucky

Ale-8-One, Darla, Build- a- Bear, Jumping photos, Call Me Maybe and Boyfriend are some of the words that describe our council exchange with Kentucky's 4-H. Our council made to drive to Kentucky starting June 9th. During the car ride we discorded our council likes to jam out to Boyfriend by Justin Bieber and Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen. As Mya told us before we left, our council would become closer then ever during our drive. We took a seven passenger seat van with seven people. The seats were all full and where ever there was room to fit luggage, it was stowed.  

As soon as we got to the university, we presented their state council with a presentation of Pennsylvania's 4-H program. Their state council was surprised with a treat from the Penn State Creamery. As part of our exchange, it was our goal to find differences in each of our programs and come up with new ideas that Kentucky uses. The biggest difference we discovered was their state Council was much bigger then ours. They hold 52 members on the council with 4 officers. It was a big shot to find out that the entire delegation the first two nights was their state council team. 

Besides presenting our presentation, we helped their state council run their week where ever they needed assistance. We also joined in their workshops that included, jewelry making, science building, environmental protection, and much more. We were surprised to join in on two dances while we were down there. They had an opening dance and a closing dance. 

Kentucky opened their arms to us and welcomed us in like we were one of them. Some of the fun events we went to were bowling, laser tag, miniature golfing, and roller skating. Our time spent in Kentucky was fulfilled with lasting memories and many new friends. I can say for my entire team that this trip will be in our top ten adventures for a long time. 

With something to think about,

Ashley Mohn, State 4-H council secretary

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Highschool to college

I never thought I would see the day that I was staring at family and friends, as my principal hands me my diploma. I graduated on May 29 2012, and it was the happiest day of my life. It's hard to believe my high school years are over ,but I have an awesome thing to look forward to, Penn State Dubois!! High school may be over ,but here is where my life begins. I have several people to thank for my accomplishments one is my mom. Mom thank you for everything that you did for me in my younger years. I want to also thank 4H for teaching me almost all I know. I will miss high school ,but college, bring it on.

What is your story?

“The Dash” by Linda Ellis was recently read to my class. This poem is about how we live our dash on our tombstones. Living our life to the fullest is almost writing a chapter book. Each year of our life a new chapter is added to our book. Once the poem was read, I began to think about my book so far. I have been fortunate enough to write many amazing events. As I looked back on the last 18 years I realized one thing. Most of those years were filled with dairy animals and 4-H projects. 4-H has been in my life for almost 11 years. 

Writing the chapters of your life, what stands out to you? I know for me, my projects in 4-H are the highlights that are bolded in my book. Not everything is a happy moment but those moments that are not happy mold us to who we are today. I also took the moment to think of people that have influenced me. Two people popped in to my head, my parents, but the next few people were 4-H volunteers, advisors and extension educators. I just want to take a quick moment and say thank you to those that influenced my career goal. 

Reading a book of someone else, is also part of your own book writing. As senior is coming to a close my school recognizes the seniors at an awards ceremony before graduating. As I sat watching my fellow classmates and I get called up for awards I realized that neither I or any of them did what they did alone. There was peers, teachers and other influences that changed our path and our story. Some students changed it for the better but others changed because people told them too. 

Influences come in and out of our lives that we might not see all of them at once, but when we do see some, it is those that change us the most. May it be 4-H influences, school, friends, or even parents, it changes our story. Taking those influences and molding them to fight our lives is how our story is created. What is your story telling others?

Ashley Mohn, Secretary

“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”

May 25, 2012

...the day I will never forget! I finally graduated high school! I ended the first step of a very long road and I can't wait to start the journey to college. This has been a very exciting month! Not only did I graduate with honors but I also was ranked 8th out of the 94 other students in my class! I was also honored with several scholarships and an amazing graduation present from my mother.

What was this graduation present?? Well....we took a four day trip to CANADA! This was only my fourth time going but we did some pretty spectacular things! Of course our first stop was in Niagara, where we had an amazing view of the horseshoe falls right outside our hotel window! We also had some fun at the Bird Kingdom where we walked around three levels of a huge building filled with different types of birds! It was amazing seeing all the different colors and species of birds all in one area! After Niagara, we traveled even more north into the beautiful city of Toronto. I haven't been to many large cities but this was definitely one that I will always remember! It was bursting with different cultures and liveliness. I really hope I get a chance to go back there sometime and just browse around. While in Toronto, we went to a Medieval Times dinner and tournament. It was so cool to watch knights on horses joust and do events that they used to do along time ago. We also had a four course meal that we had to eat with our hands. It was a little messy but totally worth it! That night was my big surprise! My mom got us tickets to the play War Horse! It was so exciting because it was my first play and I was in a different country! The play was so amazing! I don't even have good enough words to explain how amazed I was at it! This was the best graduation present I could have asked for. Thank you so much mom!

Coming up, the State Council is heading to KENTUCKY and I can't wait to start the bonding time!

Truly, 

Liz McAndrew

PA State 4-H Vice President of Operations and Events