Join Saginaw 4-H! Enrollment is Open

Interested in joining Saginaw 4-H? Well, you've come to the right place! Joining as a 4-H member is FREE and there are several different membership options to choose from. 4-H members can enroll in as many Clubs and programs as they wish. You do not need to own an animal or live on a farm to join 4-H.  We have many 4-H experiences, programs, and clubs that focus on crafts, science, shooting sports, archery, outdoor education, sewing, baking, gardening, hiking, fishing, camping, and more!

JOIN A 4-H CLUB

1.Look through the club directory.

2.Contact the club leader(s) to inquire about club-specific information.

3.Choose a primary Club(s) to join.  Youth can enroll in more than one 4-H Club.

4.Enroll in 4-H Online once you have spoken to the club leader(s).

JOIN AS AN INDPENDENT 4-H MEMBER

Independent 4-H members participate in programs and events outside of a 4-H Club. 

1.Enroll in 4-H Online. 

2.Select the "Saginaw New Members Club" as your primary club. 

Stay connected to select the 4-H experience you want to join. Sign up when available.

JOIN A 4-H SPIN CLUB – CAMP- EVENT

1.Enroll in 4-H Online.

2.Select the SPIN Club or Event you want to join. Events very through the year.

3.Stay tuned for program details and meeting information from event organizers. 

Contact gathstac@msu.edu or call 989-907-6500 for more information on getting involved with 4-H!

Saginaw 4-H Awards Banquet

RSVP is now open!



Join us on April 24th at 1:00pm for the Saginaw 4-H Awards Banquet! The banquet will be held and the Golden Glow Ballroom located at 2950 S. Graham Rd. Saginaw MI 48609. The guest speaker will be Dr. Isaiah Scott from the Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development. Cost is $5.00 per person. Not to exceed $30 per immediate family. Please pay at the door the day of the event.

RSVP by April 14th to Jennifer Specht at lemonfish30@yahoo.com, 989-482-9771 or RSVP online at https://forms.gle/yGticGxgJXkT85oU8

Easter Egg Hunt!

Join the Westsiders 4-H Club on April 10th at 2:00pm for an Easter Egg Hunt!

The event will take place at the Richland Township Park in Hemlock.

Great for ages 9 and under. Hope to see you there!

Please do not arrive before 1:45pm.

Swine Show-Saginaw Spring Jackpot

May 7 at the Saginaw County Fairgrounds hosted by The Grain Shed Livestock Show Supply. This is an MSYC Sanctioned event.

There are classes for new showman and will be lots of help and support for kids who have never shown outside of the county fair, or want to learn how to really raise great pigs for their county fair.

Mr. RANDY SHIPLEY WILL BE JUDGING THE SAGINW SPRING KICKOFF SHOW in Chesaning, MI!!

Randy Shipley is from Newark, Ohio where he and his family own and operate Shipley Swine Genetics. Shipley Swine Genetics is a boar stud, breeding stock and show pig operation consisting of 150 sows and approximately 50 boars on stud. The firm specializes in Berkshires, Yorkshires, Hoosier Hampshires, Durocs and crossbreds and houses boars of nearly every breed. They sell nearly 1000 bred gilts every year to customers throughout the United States.

Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/groups/952714355426862 

Spring Clean Up Days

The Saginaw County Fair will be hosting 2-Clean Up Days. April 10, and April 23, 2022. By signing up below this allows us to know how many people we can plan on for lunch! This is a great opportunity for High Schoolers to get their last minute volunteer hours in.

https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0E4FACA62AABF4C16...

Certified Pullorum Tester Workshop

May 23, 2022

MSU Pavilion

4301 Farm Lane, Lansing, MI 48910

The Certified Pullorum Tester Workshop covers Federal and State poultry laws, the National Poultry Improvement Plan’s (NPIP) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean program, and training on how to properly conduct a plate test for Salmonella Pullorum.

Attendance for the workshop is $10 to participate or $35 to become a certified tester. The certification is good for three years. Certified testers must be at least 18 years old. Questions? Please contact Dr. Zac Williams, MSU Poultry Outreach Specialist, at will3343@msu.edu

Learn more at https://www.mipoultry.com/events/pullorum-blood-tester-training

4-H Youth Dairy Days

Save the date: Michigan Dairy Expo and Michigan 4-H Youth Dairy Days comes back to the MSU Pavilion July 18-22, 2022!  

https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/michigan-4-h-youth-dairy-days

Help Youth Find Their SPARK

From now until April 30, every dollar can make a difference in helping a young person find their SPARK. While visiting your local JOANN store or shopping online, you can support 4-H by adding a donation at checkout.

The funds donated will support the 4-H program with 50% going back to local 4-H programming and 20% supporting Michigan

4-H.

To find out more information about this partnership, visit joann.com/4h

Upcoming Council Meetings

• April 12: Saginaw 4-H Council Meeting at 7:00pm (Hybrid Meeting)
• April 18: Saginaw 4-H Horse Council Meeting at 7:00pm (Zoom)

Saginaw 4-H Council:

All Saginaw County volunteers are welcome and 4-H youth are encouraged to attend!  

Meeting will take place at the Saginaw 4-H office located at 723 Emerson St. Saginaw MI 48607 AND over zoom. Zoom meeting information will be sent out through 4-H online or contact gathstac@msu.edu/

Saginaw 4-H Horse Council:

Meeting information will be sent out to Club Admin leaders and through 4-H Online.  All are welcome and youth are encouraged to attend.  If you are interested in becoming an officer contact gathstac@msu.edu for more information or come to any meeting.  

4-H International Exchange Program

Interested in hosting a Japanese student for three weeks this summer? Learn about another culture, make a new international friend, and share about everyday American life! Become a host family with States’ 4-H International Exchange Programs! Contact Michigan 4-H International Exchange Programs Coordinator Jan Brinn brinn@msu.edu, your local MSU Extension office , visit their web page or email them directly for more information. http://www.states4hexchange.org/ exchange@states4h.org

#4H #States4H #exchangeyear #summerexchange #ExchangeOurWorld

Adulting 101

Ready to be out on your own? Learn some important skills to be successful as an adult. Our Adulting 101-Spring Series includes: Paying for Post-Secondary, Communication, Credit, and Resume. Bring questions and gain practical skills you can use in your everyday life. Webinars will be held on April 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 5:00-6:00 PM. EST.  

Register at: https://events.anr.msu.edu/adulting101spring22/

Youth Fishing Academy

Do you enjoy being outdoors? Do you like to fish? Do you want to learn about fishing in Michigan? Join the Youth Fishing Academy for this exciting opportunity to increase your fishing knowledge! Free fishing gear, guest speakers, and more!



The Saginaw 4-H Youth Fishing Academy will provide FREE monthly workshops where youth from across the region will have opportunities to learn a variety of angling skills, and cultivate conservation knowledge and fishing ethics. Activities will include rod making, tackle crafting, fly tying, casting, rod rigging, fishing games, and

more. 

Each session will include a presentation from local fishing experts and will be followed by a hands-on fishing project! Pre-registration IS required. The program is open to all youth ages 8-19. 4-H membership is NOT required. Participants may choose to attend any or all of the sessions. Space is limited so register early for this opportunity!



Learn more and register for the Youth Fishing Academy at https://events.anr.msu.edu/youthfishingacademy/

Wild Spartans

Join 4-H staff as we take a look into life working with fisheries and wildlife! This month’s 4-H Wild Spartans Series will head out onto the Great Lakes to learn about fish of all sizes- from tiny venomous catfish to massive lake sturgeon. Join us on Tuesday, April 12th, 2022 at 6:30pm EST for ”Great Lakes Fisheries Investigations.” You will meet Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Technician, Brad Utrup, learn about his field work, and the education and career path he followed to get there.

This scientist will take us above and below the water is a presentation full of photos and media detailing the work the Lake St. Clair Fisheries Research Station performs. Youth will be encouraged to ask questions to learn more through a live Q&A.

This free series is open to 4-H and non-4-H youth ages 12-19 years. Monthly sessions will be held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm EST. Pre-registration is required: https://events.anr.msu.edu/wildspartans2022/

Line Dancing Lessons

Join us for an evening of fun on your feet! Lia of Lia’s Line Dance will teach you the basic steps of line dance at the Ash Building on the Montcalm County Fairgrounds (8784 Peck Rd, Greenville, MI 48838).

Practice Details: Thursday, April 28 and Monday, May 9th from 6:30pm to 8pm

This event is free and open to all. Contact Rachel Sheff, Montcalm County 4-H Program Coordinator for more information. Register here: https://forms.gle/arzffQGyyjum2s7T9 or call Rachel (989)831-7514 to sign up!

4-H Embryology

Spring is the time when nature “comes back to life” which is the perfect time to teach embryology or the study of the development and hatching of eggs! Bring an embryology program to your classroom, afterschool program, or 4-H Club!

Saginaw 4-H is here to help! We have incubators available to lend out to classrooms and clubs and can provide in-person or virtual instruction and all supplies for FREE!

Want to teach on your own? The online Michigan 4-H Embryology program has all the information you need to get started. No experience is necessary! You may choose to incubate your own eggs or simply use the videos provided to demonstrate all things embryology without using an incubator. Register at https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/michigan-4-h-embryology-course

Fill out the Embryology Program interest form at https://forms.gle/6cjii3p3ByBKiyff9 or contact gathstac@msu.edu or will1975@msu.edu for more information.

Month of the Military Child 4-H GooseChase Challenge

Join Michigan 4-H as we celebrate military families and children during the Month of the Military Child 4-H GooseChase Challenge during the month of April! Whether you come from a military family or not, this online scavenger hunt will be a fun and exciting way to honor military kids across Michigan. New missions will be released weekly in April, for a chance to win prizes! The first 50 registrations will receive a FREE National 4-H STEM Kit (must register by March 30).

Any youth 13-19 can download the GooseChase app to their phone or tablet; younger youth or youth without a phone or tablet can partner with an older sibling or parent/guardian to play as a Team. For more information, and to register, please visit https://tinyurl.com/32dpdv5b

4-H in the Kitchen

So just how radioactive IS that meal you’ve got there? Did you mix in the radscorpion meat? Slice up some mutfruit? Are all of your ingredients Vault-Tec approved? Well let’s find out in 4-H in the Kitchen: Vault Dweller Edition. In this special 4-H in the Kitchen Workshop, participants are going to get to emerge from the Vault and brave the Wastelands of the popular Fallout video game franchise. Participants will learn how to make two tasty dishes…completely free of radiation…and will also get to hear from a special guest, Nuclear Physicist Dr. Curtis Hunt of the Michigan State University National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory.

Join us for a rad-free meal on April 16 and 23, 2022 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm.

Register today!

https://events.anr.msu.edu/VaultDweller/

Cash Composition Contest

Money, money, money! In honor of Financial Awareness Month held each April, Michigan State University Extension 4-H is sponsoring the 2022 Cash Composition Contest. Youth residing in Michigan, age 9-12, have a chance to win $100 by writing a 300 word (or less) essay on the importance of saving. Contest registration and essay submission must be completed by April 11.

Contest details can be found: https://www.canr.msu.edu/4-h-money-smarts/money-smart-kids-contest

4-H Exploration Days MSU Extension

June 23 - 24

SAVE THE DATE! Full and partials scholarships are available for Saginaw 4-H members!

This MSU precollege program welcomes youth ages 12-19 to explore their future, try new things and experience college life! During this three-day event, youth will gain confidence and independence through hands-on learning and make friends for a lifetime. About 2,000 youth (ages 12-19) and chaperones from across Michigan attend annually.

This fun MSU pre-college program could be the highlight of your summer - it could even change your life!

Are you a military kid with the Department of Air Force? Then YOU may be eligible for a 4-H Exploration Days scholarship thanks to DAF 4-H Military Partnership Program funding! For more details, and to apply today, visit https://forms.gle/iJGJ2A7KSX2FETmZ6

Question? Contact Michigan 4-H Military Liaison, Katelyn Golembiewski, at burnska9@msu.edu

Learn more at https://www.canr.msu.edu/4_h_exploration_days/

4-H Financial Fitness and Fun

Learn about setting financial goals, saving, budgeting, banking basics, credit and much more through lessons, activities, and game. Attend one session or attend them all. 

Be one of the first 100 youth to attend all 10 sessions either live on Zoom or complete the Nearpod lesson on the website and be eligible for a $50 savings incentive! All sessions will be on Zoom and using Nearpod. Access to a tablet or computer with internet access will be needed. Zoom links will be sent out after registration.

Show Your Money Smarts

Youth 13-19 years olds, do you want to learn how to harness the power of time to make your money grow AND have an opportunity to win $100 in cash? In this fourth annual Show Your Money Smarts Contest, Michigan youth age 13-19 will compete in an on-line quiz challenge taking place the entire month of April. Contest registration must be completed by April 28, 2022 with the online quiz completed by April 30th. Contest details can be found: https://www.canr.msu.edu/4-h-money-smarts/show-your-money-smarts-contest

To help prepare youth for this contest, we are holding two webinars and have a self-guided learning experience.

April 13 at 4:30pm: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/youth-money-4-13

Self-guided learning: https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/grow-your-money

Spring Break Goosechase

Staycation or Vacation? Join Shiawassee County 4-H in some Spring Break fun by collecting snapshots of how you spend your Spring Break. There will be prizes for the winners of the challenge! Youth of any age and their families are welcome to join, by downloading the GooseChase app to their phone or tablet. You do not need to be in 4-H to participate in this FREE event!



Challenge starts March 20th and runs through April 10th.

You must pre-register for the event at: https://events.anr.msu.edu/Shiawassee4HSpringBreakGoosechase/

Instructor Certification Workshop

Excited for the upcoming Instructor Certification Workshops? So are we! We can't wait to see over 200 of you at the DNR Ralph MacMullen Center in Roscommon for training in Rifle, Shotgun, Archery, Hunting & Wildlife and First Aid/CPR! Training dates will be held on either April 9 or April 10. We've doubled the training capacity to reach as many instructors as possible.

Become a Certified Instructor at this one-day, hybrid workshop! Registration now open for this one-day volunteer training event: https://events.anr.msu.edu/ShootingSportsCertification/ Questions? Contact Laura Quist, quistla1@msu.edu

4-H Great Lakes & Natural Resource Camp

Camp Counselor Application

Now accepting applications for the 2022 Counselor Team! If you like leadership, the great outdoors, and building great friendships, consider being a camp counselor!

Camp is July 31-August 6, with mandatory counselor training starting at 12:00pm on Friday, July 29. For questions, or to request an application, please reach out to Laura at potterla@msu.edu. It's going to be a great summer!

Learn more at 4-H Great Lakes & Natural Resources Camp

4-H Alumni & Supporters Walking Challenge

4-H alumni and supporters, we challenge you to get out and get moving this May! Compete for prizes for yourself and your county program just by walking.

Make sure to pre-register now and tracking will begin on May 1! 

Register at https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/michigan-4-h-alumni-and-supporters-walking-challenge

Goat Show

Exhibit your goats during the 4-H Goat Educational and Fun Show at the Montcalm County Fairgrounds on April 16^th. This show offers showmanship classes for ages 5 and up, dairy breed classes, a trail class, and more! Stay after the show for a market and fiber educational class and a goat cart demonstration.

For more information visit https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/montcalm-county-4-h-goat-show This show is open to the public, and the entry fee is $5.

Contact Rachel Sheff with questions: ochylski@msu.edu (989) 831-7514

4-H Animal and Vet Science Camp

The Michigan 4-H Animal and Veterinary Science Camp is a five-day pre-college program held at Michigan State University (MSU) from June 27- July 1^st. in partnership with MI 4-H Youth Development, MSU Department of Animal Science and MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. Youth explore fields relating to animal and veterinary medicine as well as participate in numerous hands-on learning activities.

Participants have the opportunity to visit and explore MSU farms and facilities. Throughout the week, youth will work their way through a veterinary science case study as a team and create a presentation for critique by veterinarians. This fun and interactive camp allows youth to examine situations, ask questions and problem-solve. It will help youth explore various animal related career fields while also reflecting on their experiences and communities. Open to youth (13 to 17 years of age as of January 1, 2022) who are interested in exploring animal and veterinary science related activities. 

Application and more information coming soon! https://www.canr.msu.edu/4_h_animal_veterinary_science_camp/

State 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Committee

Applications are being accepted from youth ages 14-19 and adults to join the State 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Committee. 

The Michigan 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Steering Committee is open to new members. The committee welcomes 4-H adult volunteers and youth ages 14-19 to apply to become a member of this committee.

The purpose of the committee is to coordinate and host, in cooperation with MSU Extension staff, activities in the rabbit and cavy project area. In the past few years, these activities have included the State 4-H Rabbit and Cavy Show, Virtual Rabbit Showmanship Workshop, Rabbit and Cavy Leader and Teen Workshop, and selecting and awarding the State Rabbit and Cavy Scholarships.

The committee meets a minimum of four time

Three references will be needed (one of them from your county 4-H staff member, references are submitted at https://forms.gle/CdrDZYkVoGdyVLon8. Application and references are due April 16, 2022. 

4-H Youth Fishing Academy

A very special thank you to all the youth and families that attended the March sessions of the Saginaw 4-H Youth Fishing Academy! This month MI DNR biologist April Simmons and Brandon Schroeder from Michigan Sea Grant joined us to teach us how to measure and handle fish, the parts of a fish, and we learned about fish anatomy and senses. We continued this session with tackle crafting and learned to make spinner baits and tied flies with help from Mark Stephens from Project F.I.S.H and DNR staff.

Each youth left the last March session with a rod and reel to take home after learning how to properly rig the rod! The session ended with a casting game to practiced what we learned. We even learned how to fly cast with help from fly fishing experts from the Mershon-Neumann Heritage Chapter of Trout Unlimited! Thank you to all our partners and we hope to see you at the next session!

Beyond Brainstorming!

Michigan 4-H Youth Development programs clubs provide a safe setting for youth to practice decision-making supported by caring adults. When youth are empowered to make decisions for themselves, youth develop skills in leadership, planning, teamwork, facilitation, conflict resolution, problem solving and much more.

It may be difficult for adults to resist the temptation to decide what’s best for youth and do all of the planning for them. However, in order to fully engage youth with adults in a decision-making partnership, youth and adults must share an equal voice in the planning and an equal share of the responsibilities in implementing programs. Consider these tips on facilitating discussions with youth in ways that will maximize youth voice.

Ground rules

Taking time to establish group-generated ground rules for participation in group discussions can help provide an environment in which youth feel comfortable speaking their mind. Ground rules work best when they are created and agreed upon by the group members and displayed prominently throughout the meeting. Things youth might want to include in ground rules include, “be acknowledged before speaking; give everyone a chance to voice their opinion; everyone’s ideas are important” and many other ideas as generated by youth.

Ten-second rule

Ten seconds of silence can seem like an eternity in a group discussion. Occasionally, when a question or new idea is presented to youth, adults are tempted to jump in and offer their ideas in order to break the awkward silence. Implement a rule in mixed groups of youth and adults that adults must wait ten seconds before sharing their ideas, providing youth with an opportunity to share their ideas first.

Sticky wall

This is a brainstorming technique that provides participants with sticky notes to capture their ideas in writing. This facilitation technique allows youth (and adults) an opportunity to collect their thoughts and express them in writing, rather than thinking quickly on the spot and sharing their ideas aloud. Once participants have written each idea on a separate sticky note, they bring them to a designated space on the wall. Ask an older youth or two to categorize similar ideas together, and then vote to narrow down the suggestions.

Sticky dot voting

This is a fun way of narrowing down a list of options and making a decision. This method might be used to narrow down a list created by brainstorming using a method such as a sticky wall. After a list of ideas has been generated, record the ideas on newsprint. Then, provide youth with stickers to indicate their vote. If there are lots of ideas, provide youth with multiple stickers to indicate the number of times they are able to vote. Have youth affix their sticker(s) close to the ideas that they like the best and have an older youth tally the results. A simple variation allows youth to affix more than one sticker on their favorite ideas, for example, if they are given three stickers, they can put all three on one idea that they really like, one on three separate ideas that they like equally, two on one idea and one on another, etc. This method of voting can increase the energy level of the group by getting youth out of their seats and empowers youth to vote for the ideas that mean the most to them.

Although empowering youth to make their own decisions might extend the time it takes to accomplish goals, the benefits to youth are remarkable and far out-weigh the added time involved. Youth that make decisions for their clubs are much more engaged in club activities, feel personally responsible for the success of the program and develop important life skills in the process.

Adapted from "Beyond Brainstorming!" by Jackie Martin. For more information and additional resources, visit: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/beyond_brainstorming.