Montgomery County 4 H Chief Sheet

Transcription

1 DECEMBER 2015 Like us on Facebook! 1 Facebook.com/4HMontgomeryCounty Montgomery County 4 H Chief Sheet Jingle Bell Classic Saturday, December 19 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds The Jingle Bell Classic Heifer Show is held every December. This event helps to supplement the Montgomery County 4 H Pecan Sale, since costs have increased. We will need a lot of help to pull this off. Areas where help is needed include sponsorship, setup, registration, and cleanup. Please discuss this opportunity with your club members to see how you can help. There are two opportunities to assist and neither takes very much time. Before December 15th, we need buckle and blanket sponsors. The letter and sponsor form were sent to managers and are available at the 4 H office. If each club will recruit just one buckle and blanket sponsor, the majority of the awards will be covered. We give buckles to each breed champion and blankets to each reserve champion in Ring B. Each of the winners must complete a thank you note before receiving their award, so you know your sponsor will get one. Next, we need help on December 18th and 19th. There are roughly three time frames: The first shift is Friday, December 18th to set up, beginning at 5pm. The second shift is Saturday, December 20th in the morning to help with the show. Registration, handing out awards, directing traffic, welcoming guests, and opening stalls are all items that require a handful of people. The exact time frame will depend on which responsibility you volunteer for. Registration opens at 6:30am and the show starts at 8:30am. Depending on numbers, rings A and B are finished around 1pm. The largest number of volunteers are needed for the third time frame, beginning at around 3pm to help with clean up. The more people we have, the faster the work will go. In the past, this group has been finished around 6 or 7pm. Please call the office or April Fagan at amfagan@ag.tamu.edu to let us know how you can help. PHONE ADDRESS 9020 Airport Rd Conroe, TX FAX: ON THE WEB County Extension Service County 4-H District State Office Hours 8:00am - 12:00pm 1:00pm - 5:00pm M. Michelle Mihalek County Extension Agent 4-H Youth Development Caroline M. Cruz Annual 4-H Pecan Sale Fundraiser Thank you to everybody who participated in the annual 4 H Pecan Sale Fundraiser. A special thanks to all who helped unload the truck on delivery day. Pre order sales were down a little bit, but we hope the Jingle Bell Classic will help cover the difference. We are working on figuring top sellers and getting club checks out this month. County Extension Agent Urban Youth Development Eligibility Forms (No Pass, No Play) are the member s responsibility to complete for any competitive 4 H event regardless of the day of competition. Even if you are not missing school, you still need to turn in an eligibility form. Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

2 Special Interest Projects Dog Project 2 In the dog project, participants learn about dog care and training. Beginners work on obedience and showmanship/conformation, while advanced members work on agility and drill or rally. Not all members take their dogs to shows, but they train and practice like they are going to. Dogs may be purebred or mixed and age is not a factor. All dogs must be up to date on vaccinations. A list of required vaccinations is available. After approval of shot records, new dogs / handlers will either take a beginner s obedience class offered in the fall with an evaluation at the end or schedule an evaluation before being integrated into the main group. To get on the beginner s class interest list, please call the 4 H Office at Robotics The 4 H Robotics curriculum uses robotics as means of engaging youth and developing interesting and challenging experiences with science, engineering, and technology. 4 H Robotics can give youth the opportunity to participate in many 4 H events and activities, as well as apply for scholarships, travel the country and meet new friends! The next Robotics meeting will be December 9th at 6pm at the Extension Office. Vet Science We are looking for a volunteer to lead the vet science project in Conroe or nearby area. This involves holding a monthly meeting, collecting homework assignments from members, and looking for occasional guest speakers. You do not need to be an expert to be the leader for this project. Please contact the 4 H office if you are interested in helping. We will help get you started. Photography Texas 4 H Photography Contest For seniors who are in grades The entry period is April 1, 2016 April 15, 2016, HOWEVER there can only be one entry per category from each county. This means that before members enter their photos on 4 H Connect, they need to them to the 4 H office first. If there are more than one entry per category in our county, we will have a local photographer judge them to determine which one will advance to state. Photos need to be ed to April at amfagan@ag.tamu.edu by March 28, District 9 4 H Photography Contest This contest is for all 4 H members in District 9. It does not qualify a member for the state contest they are two separate events. The entry fee is $5 per photo. Entries take place on 4 H Connect by March 27, For details, visit h.tamu.edu/eventsandcontests/ bigtime/photography/ 4 H Re Fashion Retreat January at the Texas 4 H Conference Center in Brownwood. The cost is $115 for youth and $85 for adults. To register, visit texas4hcenter.tamu.edu. Texas Youth Institute World Food Prize Essay Contest To participate in this contest, students research a global issue and write a two three page paper under the supervision of a teacher mentor. On March 3, 2016, participants will attend the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to participate in 3 5 minute interviews pertaining to their essays. Top students will be selected to represent the state of Texas as delegates at the Global Youth Institute, held in Des Moines, October 13 15, For more information on how to participate in the Texas Youth Institute, visit

3 Livestock Projects MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR: The Montgomery County Fair (MCF) will be held April 8 April 17. If you plan to exhibit livestock or non livestock items at the fair, be sure to read the rules at (There have been some major rule changes.) To show at the fair, members must attend at least 50% of regular monthly club meetings, from September through February. You will do entries online this year watch for details. Jingle Bell Classic Heifer Show Saturday, December 19th at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. See the enclosed flyer for more information. This show supplements the Montgomery County 4 H pecan sale. Volunteers are needed. Please contact the 4 H office to see where you and your club can help out. Willis 4 H Prospect Show January 2, 2016 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Pigs, lambs, and goats. Enter early through December 26th for $20. Afterwards entries are $25. For more information, contact Melannie Hooks at or Brianne Payne at or willis4h@gmail.com. Porter FFA Progress Show January 9, 2016 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Steers, heifers, lambs, goats, and swine. Fee is $20 per animal. 50/50 jackpot showmanship at the gate for $5. For details, contact Erin Walker at or lwalker@newcaneyisd.org. New Caney FFA Progress Show January 10, 2016 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Steers, heifers, lambs, goats and swine. Fee is $20 per animal. 50/50 jackpot showmanship for $5 at the gate. For details, contact Dennis Bridges at or dbridges@newcaneyisd.org. College Park FFA Progress Show January 16 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Entry fee is $20, add $5 if not postmarked by January 11. For information, contact Nina at or ninaforehand@sbcglobal.net Splendora FFA Progress Show Saturday, January 23 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Lambs, Heifers, Goats, Steers and swine. $20 per animal. For details, contact Robert Hill at or friendsofsplendoraag@gmail.com Montgomery Dobbin 4 H Progress Show January 30, 2016 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Lambs, goats, barrows, heifers and steer entries are $20. Homemaking, showmanship and Clover Kid entries are $5. For more information, frannie.sanders@consolidated.com HORSE To qualify for the County 4 H Horse Show, you must participate in at least 2 county 4 H practice shows and one other event, either another Montgomery County 4 H Practice Show, or a Montgomery County 4 H Horsemanship Clinic. Negative Coggins is required. Upcoming Shows & Clinics: Practice Shows: 1:30pm February 28, 2016 Texas Christian Horse Camp in Richards Speed first and reining class offered March 19, 2016 Magnolia Arena Performance first, reining class offered Clinics: February 28, :30pm Texas Christian Horse Camp in Richards Reining March 19, :30pm Magnolia Arena Poles County 4 H Horse Show May 7, 2016 Lone Star Expo 8:30am.

4 Horse Judging: The ability to select the best quality horses comes through many hours of study, training, and practice. You don t have to own a horse to participate in horse judging. The following practices will be held at 6:30pm at the County Extension Office: December 7, December 17. Watch for more dates to be scheduled. POULTRY MCF Chicks Delivered Thursday, February 25 from 1pm 3pm at the MCF Horseshoe Club. Houston and Rodeo Austin chicks will be delivered on January 27th. Contact the 4 H office on that day to see when they are estimated to arrive. RABBIT MCF Rabbit intent to show forms are due to the Fair Office by Thursday, November 19th. MCF Rabbit Tag In Thursday, March 10 from 5pm 7pm at the Horseshoe Club at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Exhibitor should be present; parent/guardian must be present. Russ Upton has volunteered to lead rabbit project meetings at the Extension Office at 7:00pm for anybody who is interested in the project. 4 January 26 Health & Sanitation February 23 Marketing & Record Keeping March 22 Breeds, Varieties, & Showing April 8 Market Pen Picking for MCF SWINE MCF Market Barrow Tag In Tuesday, January 5 from 2pm 7pm at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Must bring pictures of the exhibitor with the animal, as well as ear notch and tag in cards. Exhibitor should be present; parent/guardian must be present. Houston Livestock show & Rodeo Horticulture Competition A variety of competition categories for youth to participate in. Cash prizes are awarded to the top 10 in each category. The top 3 in each category will also receive a buckle. For details, visit If you wish to participate, please contact the 4 H Office by January 13 th to complete entries. San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo School Tours Tour guides are needed for the San Antonio Livestock Show. Tour guides should be in grades 9 12 and be able to help educate school children about agriculture and its importance in our daily lives. If you are interested in helping, please call the 4 H office by December 5 th. The Montgomery County Food Bank is holding a virtual food drive. Visit and scroll over the How To Help tab. Every $1 donated will provide 3.5 meals. Another option is to collect food during the ABC 13 Share Your Holidays event on December 4 th. The five drop off locations include Market Street the Woodlands, Conroe Courthouse, Kroger at Northpark in Kingwood, Kroger in Willis, and Brookshire Brothers in Magnolia.

5 When you went to your first 4 H club meeting, did you feel overwhelmed by what appeared to be controlled chaos? Some adult and a bunch of kids at the front of the room were talking about projects, deadlines, tag ins, 4 H Connect and a dozen other words that had no meaning to you. Did you wonder if they were speaking another language? Join us for the insider information, in a class designed to decipher the 4 H jargon and help you get the most out of your 4 H career. Whether it is your 1 st year or 3 rd you will get something to help make your transition into 4 H easier. Call by the Thursday before the meeting to reserve your spot. If there are less than 10 registered the class will be canceled. We will start at 6:30 p.m. and end by 8:00 p.m. GET THE 4-H SCOOP! Part II January 5, 2016 Take advantage of the buffet activities, events, community service, fundraising Part III April 5, 2016 Reflection, planning and recording 5 4-H Roundup 4-H Connect RECORD BOOK Major Show TAG-IN Scholarship Training - December 8 at 6:30pm at the County Extension Office Call to sign up by December 4th It s never too soon to begin thinking about how to pay for college, so we have a training planned for Tuesday, December 8th, which is open to all 4 H families. It is especially beneficial for high school seniors. Michelle will outline the steps for putting together a more competitive scholarship application, so that participants walk away with a more clear understanding of what scholarship committees and interviewers are looking for. We will also pass out the Texas 4 H Foundation scholarship application packet, as well as the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Montgomery County scholarship application packet. If you would like to attend, please sign up by December 4th by calling If you are interested in completing the Foundation scholarship application, go ahead and complete your FAFSA based on your 2014 taxes. The application can be updated once your 2015 taxes are done. You also need to take your SAT and ACT early so you have the time to increase your score and get your results back in time for application deadlines.

6 6 Texas 4 H Roundup 2015 will be held at Texas A&M University June Texas 4 H Roundup is an event with both qualifying and invitational contests for youth between 6 12th grade. County and District Roundups are open to all ages of 4 H members. Texas 4 H Roundup includes approximately 50 different contests that test 4 H members on life skills in such attributes as decision making, public speaking, organization, and working with others. These contests include Fashion Show, Food Show, Share The Fun, various Quiz Bowls, Discover Scientific Method Poster Contest, an assortment of judging contests, and educational presentations. Visit the state 4 H web site often for State Roundup information and a full listing of contests and other opportunities. Here is a sampling of just a few of the contests included in Roundup: Educational presentations are planned by individuals or teams of up to 4 4 H members that teach information related to a project or activity through illustrated talk, method demonstration or speech, using props and visual aides. These may last up to 12 minutes. Share the Fun is a performance, similar to a talent show. The categories include Poetry/prose, Vocal, Musical, Solo/ Band, Choreographed Routine and Celebrate 4 H for individuals or teams of up to 9 members. Your imagination is the limit. Public Speaking is a 5 7 minute talk suitable as a platform speech or radio broadcast. Props and visual aides are not permitted. Topics are open to anything such as the meaning of the 4 H pledge, Gun Control and Prayer in Schools. Topics should be age appropriate. Beef Bowl, Horse Bowl, Swine Bowl and Food & Nutrition are quiz bowl contests at the district and state levels, covering information within the subject area. Teams of 4 compete against each other in a two round contest with buzzers. First round is individual questions for each member. Second round is toss up questions and any of the eight contestants can try to be the quickest on the buzzer with the correct answer. Discover Scientific Method, S.E.T. Poster Competition The Discover Scientific Method Research Poster Contest is an avenue for 4 H members to learn about the scientific method and exhibit their work on the research of a question. The daily 4 H project work can be used to inspire independent discovery on a topic of interest to the member. Invitational Contests These non qualifying contests for intermediate and senior aged 4 H ers take place at State 4 H Round Up. Contests include Healthy Lifestyles, Poultry, Vet Science Skillathon and Livestock Judging. Important contest information for State 4 H Roundup can be found here: h.tamu.edu/events/roundup/ This year, District 9 4 H Roundup, otherwise known as Big Time in D 9 will be held in Montgomery County, at Lone Star College on 242. If you have always wondered what Roundup was about, but didn t want to drive very far, this is your chance to get involved. Check out the District 9 4 H website at h.tamu.edu/ periodically to see the updates on contests and activities. County Roundup March 29 Extension Office, Conroe Call to sign up by March District Roundup April Lone Star College Reg. on 4 H Connect by April 10 State Roundup June 6 10 Texas A&M University, College Station Reg. on 4 H Connect by May 20.

7 7 County Council Corner Twas the Night before Christmas and all through the county, our members are dressed as Santa s Elves, coming to our Christmas party. Come dressed as your favorite Elf on December 14th at 7pm at the Extension Office. For our community service project, we will collect cards for firefighters. Please bring any cards that you have collected or pictures of you distributing cards to your local fire stations. Our highlight clubs for the month of December are Montgomery County 4 H Horsemanship Club and Lone Star Tradition 4 H. Happy New Year is our theme for the month of January. Our meeting will be held January 25 at the Extension Office at 7pm. Wear your favorite 2016 or new year accessories. This month, we will focus on our senior citizens by making and collecting Valentine s cards for them. The highlight clubs for the month of January are Morning Star s 4 H and Outback 4 H club. DECEMBER December 1 MCF Lamb & Goat Tag In December 5 Horse Judging Contest December 8 Scholarship Training December 9 Robotics Meeting December 14 County Council Christmas Party December 18 Jingle Bell Classic Set Up December 19 Jingle Bell Classic December 24 Office Closed December 25 Office Closed JANUARY January 1 Office Closed January 2 Willis 4 H Progress Show January 3 CCHS Progress Show January 5 MCF Barrow Tag In January 5 4 H Info Mtg. January 6 District 4 H Archery Contest Summary due to 4 H office January 8 Shooting Sports Safety Training January 9 Porter FFA Progress Show January 10 New Caney FFA Progress Show January 13 San Antonio Chick Pick Up January 16 College Park FFA Progress Show January 16 Dist. 4 H Council Mtg. January 17 Dist. 4 H Archery Contest Reg. Due January 17 Oak Ridge FFA Progress Show January 18 Office Closed MLK January 19 MCF Replacement Heifer Mtg January 19 MCF Entry Training January 23 Splendora FFA Progress Show January 25 County Council Mtg. January 26 Rabbit Project Mtg. January 27 HLSR Chick Pick Up January Dist. 4 H Archery Contest January 30 Montgomery Dobbin Progress Show