4-H Day at the Breslin With the Lady Spartans

Join other 4-H youth, 4-H volunteers, 4-H families, and MSU Extension staff members and their families on Sunday, January 18, 2015, at the tenth annual MSU Extension 4-H Youth Development celebration at the Spartan women's basketball game. This year, the Lady Spartans will host the Iowa Hawkeyes. As usual, the game will be held at the Breslin Student Events Center on MSU's campus. Gate D will open for 4-H and MSU Extension guests at 12:30 pm, while the game begins at 2 pm.

This year's theme for the 4-H Day at the Breslin With the Lady Spartans is "Join the Club!"  

Tickets are free to 4-H youth and their families, 4-H volunteers, and MSU Extension staff and their families. Contact your county 4-H office to obtain your free tickets. Just let your 4-H leader or your county Extension office know you (and how many of your family members) want to attend.

Other extras at the game include:

- Joining fellow 4-H'ers in saying the 4-H pledge.

- Exploring the wide range of 4-H programming with games and activities on the concourse.These activities range from educational displays about science and robotics to a full-size, spin-the-wheel game about the life skills youth learn in 4-H.

- Getting your picture taken with Sparty.

Transportation may be coordinated through your county Extension office. Contact them for details. Parking is free for school buses; all other buses are $20, while the cost for cars is $5. Be sure to show your MSU Extension and 4-H pride by wearing your green and white 4-H or MSU Extension apparel.

At last year's 4-H Day at the Breslin, 4-H and Extension fans helped swell the crowd to more than 6,400. This proved to be one of the Lady Spartan's largest crowds of the season. One 4-H volunteer, whose club members eagerly anticipate this event, says, "This is a terrific, low-cost opportunity for my 4-H club to bond, while seeing a highly ranked team play in a first-class setting."

Gail Hebert, who helps coordinate 4-H Day at the Breslin, says the event ". . . is a great way to celebrate 4-H and offer fans an inside look at all the wonderful things it stands for. Watching a nationally recognized sports team is icing on the cake."

For more information or to request tickets, contact Dequindre Bell, 4-H Program Coordinator, at belldequ@anr.msu.edu or call 586-469-5979.

4-H Winterfest: A Special Event for 8- to-12-Year-Old Youth

4-H Winterfest, which will be held January 31 to February 1 at Kettunen Center, is a hands-on educational program at which younger 4-H'ers spend two days in hands-on learning about many different project areas (ranging from crafts to shooting sports) while meeting youth from around the state. This event offers youth an opportunity to experience Kettunen Center in an overnight camp setting, learn new skills, make new friends and spend time outdoors! More information about this event will be available soon on the Michigan 4-H web site.

Check Out the Green & White Swine Youth Education Fair & Open Hog Show 

This event will be held January 30-31 at the MSU Pavilion. All Michigan youth who have reached their 9th birthday (but are not yet 21) by January 1, 2015 may enter. The entry deadline is January 13. New for 2015: Hogs will show by breed. Original registration certificates are required. No hogs will be marketed by MSU/MPPA. The following information is available online at http://www.ans.msu.edu/youth_extension_programs/livestock_youth_programs: entry information and entry forms, Quiz Bowl rules and a PowerPoint rubric.

4-H State Youth Leadership Council Seeks Youth Applicants

The Michigan 4-H State Youth Leadership Council (4-H SLYC) is looking for members to serve on the Council. The purpose of the Michigan 4-H SYLC to provide a platform for Michigan 4-H's young leaders to have a voice in statewide programming. The SYLC members will be active ambassadors of 4-H, sharing their experiences and providing input for statewide outreach and events/programming planning. They will serve as an additional resource in their regions for 4-H staff, as well as general community members who might be interested in participating or volunteering with 4-H.

The Michigan 4-H State Youth Leadership Council is made up of 12-15 youth and 2-5 adults. Youth are selected for the council by application and interview with a state committee of MSU Extension staff and youth and adult volunteers. Council members are representatives of the Michigan 4-H Program promoting 4-H at various events; planning, conducting and evaluating national, state, regional, county leadership programs and serving as role models to other youth. Council terms are two years. 

Qualifications: Any 4-H participant, age 15-19 by January 1 of the election year can apply for a council position. The 4-H'er must meet the age requirements listed above, must be currently enrolled in a 4-H program, in good standing in their local 4-H club or unit, and have completed the previous year of 4-H work. Applicants should have an interest in leadership and able to commit time to the completion of SLYC activities. Candidates should be selected by a state committee on the following basis: 40% 4-H experience; 50% personal interview; 10% recommendation by MSU Extension Staff and volunteers.

The Council meets 4-7 times per year primarily through Zoom conferencing and face to face meetings along with overnight events.

Council Activities include:
- Youth Voice for overall MSU 4-H Programming, 
- Promoting 4-H through county and state activities 
- Serving on 4-H Capitol Experience held in Lansing, March 
- Youth Leadership Spectacular at Kettunen Center, January
- National Conference, April 11-16
- Exploration Days, June
Some scholarships for lodging, travel and some meals are provided by MSU. 

How to apply: Interested youth should complete an electronic survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2015SYLC) which will serve as their application. Applicants must also select two adults, one being their 4-H Program Coordinator, to complete a reference. It will be the applicant's responsibility to distribute reference form information to their selected individuals. References will also be submitted electronically, with links being provided at the conclusion of this survey.

The SYLC application window will close on December 15, 2014. Selected applicants will be contacted by the state office to arrange a time for a phone interview on December 22, 2014. Please direct any questions to LCE educators Makena Schultz (schul430@anr.msu.edu) or Jackie Martin (marti623@anr.msu.edu).

Become a 4-H Volunteer!

 Michigan 4-H has a goal of recruiting 8,000 new volunteers in the 2014-2015 program year. Would you or someone you know make a great 4-H volunteer? There are many ways to get involved: help at camp, teach a workshop, lead a club, chaperone an event, lend your professional skills, help at the fair and more!

Contact the county MSU Extension office to learn more about becoming a 4-H volunteer today. By giving your time, you'll help youth achieve big dreams and prepare for the future. After all, life's little questions aren't meant to be answered alone.

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Margaret A. Bethel, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. The name "4-H" and the emblem consisting of a four-leaf clover with stem and the "H" on each leaflet are protected under Title 18 U.S.C. 707.