Clover Connection COUNTY SPEAK-OFF

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1 Clover Connection Comanche County 4-H News November/December SW C Ave., Lawton, OK Phone: Fax: lexie.hayes@okstate.edu Website: CALENDAR November 3 West-side Communications Contest GPS Hike 6 Teen Ambassador Meeting 7 OYE Swine Nomination Kit Requests DUE 8 AFR Speech Contest 10 County Speak-Off State Horsemanship Clinic 12 Booster Club Meeting 26 Saddle & Sirloin Trophy Auction 29 Horse Judging Practice/Horse Club 30 OHCE Sloppy Joe Dinner Fundraiser December 1-2 Wichita Mountains Classic Steer & Heifer Show 3 OYE Scholarship Applications DUE 4 New Parent & Volunteer Orientation 5 Share the Fun & Food Showdown Registration DUE County 4-H T-shirt Orders DUE 7 OYE Swine Nominations DUE 15 Share the Fun Food Showdown Contest 20 Record Book Day January 2 Mini Wildlife Expo 3 Record Book Day 9 District Parent/Volunteer Conference, Speech, and Food Showdown Registration DUE 10 WHEP Orientation Wichita Mountains Classic Pig & Lamb Show 16 Oklahoma Bright Nights Registration DUE 26 District Parent/Volunteer Conference, Speech Contest, & Food Showdown COUNTY SPEAK-OFF Congratulations to all of the finalists who qualified at the east and west regional speech contests. The top presenters in each age division in the speech, illustration and demonstration, and power point categories will compete on Saturday, November 10 th for the top award. Registration will start at 8:30am at the First Baptist East Church in Lawton, with the first presentation to begin at 9:00am. The winners will be recognized at the achievement banquet in August. Good luck to the finalists! 4-H Age Policy Just a reminder - for all 4-H events & activities, a member s age is determined by how old they are on January 1 st of the current year. So, if a 4-H er turned 12 in April, they compete as an 11 year old in the beginner age group, because they were 11 on 1/1/12. When we celebrate the new year on 1/1/13, all members will participate by their age on this day for activities throughout the year. OYE SWINE NOMINATION KITS The deadline to request swine nomination kits for OYE through the Extension Office is Wednesday, November 7 th. Oklahoma State University U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments cooperating. Comanche County Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age,disability, or status as a veteran and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

2 BOOSTER CLUB MEETING MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The next Booster Club meeting will be Monday, November 12 th at 7:00pm in the Extension Office. We would love to have YOU join us! The Comanche County 4-H Booster Club is a group of adults that provides support and encouragement for the 4-H program and all the youth throughout the county. A few of the ways they provide support are providing funds for scholarships, awards on every level of the program, and educational opportunities. Each and every member of Comanche County 4-H benefits from the hard work and dedication of these adults. All parents, grandparents, family members, adult friends, volunteers, and alumni are welcome to be a part of the group. SADDLE & SIRLOIN TROPHY AUCTION The Comanche County Saddle & Sirloin Trophy Auction will be Monday, November 26 th at 6:00pm in the Prairie Building at the Fairgrounds. This is an opportunity to sponsor a specific award or trophy for the Comanche County Spring Livestock Expo, which will be February 25 th - March 1 st. OYE SCHOLARSHIP The deadline to submit OYE Scholarship applications is quickly approaching. Senior members who have been involved in livestock projects and participate in OYE are encouraged to apply. Scholarships must be used at an Oklahoma Higher Education Institution. Applications must be POSTMARKED by Monday, December 3 rd. HORSE JUDGING & HORSE CLUB There will be a horse judging practice and horse club meeting on Thursday, November 29 th at 6:00pm in the Extension Office. All youth interested in the horse project are invited to attend! We will be discussing some horse activities for the spring and deciding on a horse judging practice schedule. You do NOT need to have a horse to participate! WICHITA MOUNTAINS CLASSIC The Wichita Mountains Classic Steer & Heifer show will be held on December 1 st & 2 nd and the Pig & Lamb show is set for January 12 th & 13 th. These shows have become highly regarded traditions in the area and include youth and their livestock from across the region. Both shows are held at the Comanche County Fairgrounds in Lawton. NEW VOLUNTEER & PARENT ORIENTATION Are you new to the 4-H family and feeling a little overwhelmed? We want to make 4-H a fun and positive experience for kids and parents alike. Come find out what the 4-H program is all about and have a chance to ask questions. We will also be having a volunteer orientation, which is the first step in being a volunteer. So, if you have recently started helping with the 4-H program, have filled out paperwork, or just want to learn more, please join us! A New Parent & Volunteer Orientation will be held on Tuesday, December 4 th at 6:00pm in the Extension Office.

3 GET YOUR NEW COMANCHE COUNTY T-SHIRT! Congratulations to Chloe Phillips from Elgin 4-H for creating the winning county T-shirt design! After being selected as a finalist in the contest, her design received the most votes as the favorite. This will be our new Comanche County 4-H t-shirt. We are going to be taking pre-orders, and only a few extra t-shirts will be purchased. Please fill out the t-shirt order form included at the end of this newsletter and submit it, along with payment, to the Extension Office by Wednesday, December 5 th. The t-shirts will cost $10 each. An order form can also be found on the website under 4-H, 4-H Forms, County T- shirt. Get yours today! SHARE-THE-FUN Lights, Camera, Action! The county Sharethe-Fun contest will be Saturday, December 15 th at the Cache Primary School, starting at 9:30am. Check-in will be at 9:00am. This event is a chance for large and small groups to use everyone s talents and creativity. The categories for acts include musical, dramatic, and novelty. So, if you sing, dance, play an instrument, or enjoy acting, come share those talents with the rest of us! Each person can participate in one group act and one individual act. Age divisions include Cloverbud, Beginner, Intermediate, and Senior for individual acts and Cloverbud, Junior and Senior for group acts. Guidelines for Share-the-Fun can be found on the county website under 4-H, County Events & Activities, or by contacting the Extension Office. Please pre-register your act with the Extension Office by Wednesday, December 5 th. 4-H FOOD SHOWDOWN CONTEST Do you enjoy cooking, while at the same time getting to be creative? Here is a new activity that might interest you! The 4-H Food Showdown includes teams of 3 members creating a dish based on a clue and provided food items. After whipping up their dish in the given time limit, teams will give an oral presentation about their creation, including nutritional and cost information. The information will be provided to you to answer all of these questions. We will be having a county Food Showdown on Saturday, December 15 th. The contest will start at 1:00pm at the Cache Primary School (this activity will be in the afternoon following Share the Fun). The age divisions will be junior (6 th grade & under) and senior (7 th grade & older). THIS WILL BE THE COUNTY QUALIFYER FOR THE DISTRICT FOOD SHOWDOWN. The top two senior teams will be eligible to represent our county at the district food showdown in January. The cost will be $5-10/team to cover the cost of food supplies. You MUST register your team with the Extension Office by Wednesday, December 5 th. For more information, please visit the county website under 4-H, County Events & Activities. OSU GAME/EVENT DAYS This year 4-H families will have the opportunity to attend OSU and other sporting events around Oklahoma at reduced ticket prices. Tickets must be ordered online, using the promo code, which will be available on the Oklahoma 4-H website. The activities and corresponding dates are listed below. OSU vs. Wyoming Wrestling December 8 th OSU vs. Tennessee Tech Men s Basketball December 22 nd 4-H & FFA Night at the Barons Hockey Game January 19 th OSU vs. K-State Women s Basketball February 16 th Ram Circuit Rodeo Finals April 4 th

4 OKLAHOMA 4-H HIGH ADVENTURE PROGRAM Do you like the great outdoors and hiking expeditions? Consider the 4-H High Adventure Program! This program is a wilderness/ backpacking experience providing 4-H members 14 years and older outdoor challenges to build skills in backpacking, camping, compass/map reading, outdoor cookery, safety, and teamwork. This challenge requires the physical conditioning to hike 4-5 miles per day, carrying a pound pack. A backpack crew made up of 4-H members and adults will go on their adventure June 24 th - July 1 st, There will be an informational meeting for interested members and parents on Saturday, December 15 th at 9:00am in Oklahoma City. Please contact the Extension Office for more information. RECORD BOOK DAYS Get a jump start on your record book this winter, then it will be smooth sailin next spring! All 4-H ers are invited to record book days on Thursday, December 20 th and Thursday, January 3 rd. Lexie will be available all day on these dates to meet with groups and/or individuals to work on their record books. Feel free to stop by the Extension Office at your convenience, or stay for the day. You do NOT need to stay the entire time; it will be come and go as you please...or when you can catch a ride to town. Taking the first step in the record book process is always difficult. This is a chance to take that leap with fellow members in a relaxed atmosphere. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, work on your book, and bounce ideas off one another. This will not be a workshop for you to sit and listen; you re going to actually be getting some work accomplished on that book. You can be working on a state book, or your county report form; no matter your age or level, all are invited! MINI WILDLIFE EXPO The Wildlife Club will be hosting a Mini Wildlife Expo on Wednesday, January 2 nd at the Cache School Multipurpose Building. A variety of wildlife-related guest speakers and activities will make for a fun day! Registration will start at 8:30am, with the Expo being from 9:00am-3:00pm. All 4-H ers and area youth are invited! The cost will be $10/ person, and you will need a sack lunch, as well as a completed RAM form. Please register with the Extension Office by Wednesday, December 26 th. WILDLIFE CLUB ACTIVITIES The Wildlife Club has planned several activities for Below are some wild dates to mark on your calendar. For more information on any of these activities, please visit the county website under 4-H, County Project Clubs, Wildlife Club, or contact Sabrina Adams. Mini Wildlife Expo January 2 nd WHEP Orientation January 10 th Spring Encampment March 15 th County WHEP Contest April 13 th Save your jeans! Through the Teens for Jeans campaign, gently used jeans are collected and donated to homeless teens. If you have jeans you would like to donate, or want to set up your own club or school drive, contact the Extension Office or Nicole Ashton for more information.

5 SW DISTRICT PARENT/VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE Attention all parents, volunteers, and leaders! The SW District Parent Volunteer Conference will be held Saturday, January 26 th. This conference is a great venue to learn about an array of 4-H related topics and see the diverse opportunities 4-H has to offer. There is usually an outstanding showing from Comanche County. There will be hands on funshops in the morning, followed by the conference starting at lunchtime. The event will be held in Lawton at the Great Plains Technology Center. Preregistration will be due in the Extension Office by Wednesday, January 9 th. More information will be available soon on the county website under 4-H, District Events. DISTRICT SPEECH CONTEST The SW District Speech Contest will be held in conjunction with the Parent/Volunteer Conference on Saturday, January 26 th at the Great Plains Technology Center. The contest will begin at 9:00am. Participants must have given the presentation previously, and there is a $5 registration fee. The deadline to register is Wednesday, January 9 th. Additional guidelines will be available soon on the website under 4-H, District Events. DISTRICT FOOD SHOWDOWN The top two teams from our county Food Showdown on Saturday, December 15 th will be eligible to participate in the district Food Showdown on Saturday, January 26 th. Teams will be competing for one of the top two spots in the SW district, which will earn them the opportunity to be in the state Food Showdown during State 4-H Roundup. OKLAHOMA BRIGHT NIGHTS AT THE OMNIPLEX Do you want to experience science, while camping out in the science museum? Mark your calendars to attend Oklahoma 4-H Bright Nights (formally known as the Omniplex Science Museum Camp-in)! This year, the theme is An Evening with Einstein and participants will explore the world of physics, from dodging frostbite and electricity, to mastering simple machines, robots, rockets, and bubbles. The IMAX movie will be Tornado Alley. Registration is filled at the state level on a first come, first serve basis, so get signed-up early to save your spot! They are providing two dates to choose from again this year. The event will be held on February 8 th & 9 th and February 22 nd & 23 rd. Both dates start on a Friday evening and go through Saturday morning. The cost is $32.50 per person. To register, payment and forms are due in the Extension Office by Wednesday, January 16 th. RABBIT EXTRAVAGANZA The Kingfisher Youth Rabbit/Cavy Extravaganza will be held January 25 th & 26 th at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds. There will be a showmanship seminar and contest, bunny brain knowledge contest, rabbit educational displays, rabbit photography, arts and crafts, and a jackpot show. All Oklahoma youth are invited. For more information, please visit the county website under 4-H, fairs and shows. Check out our website for the most up-to to-date Comanche County 4-H 4 H information!

6 COMANCHE COUNTY 4-H DEFENDS SPIRIT STICK AWARD AT YAC!!! Congrats Comanche County 4-H for bringing home the coveted SW District Spirit Stick for the third year straight. This award belongs to all Comanche County 4-H ers, not just those who attended YAC. Awesome job, let s keep it up in the coming year! We are continuing to collect aluminum tabs for the RMH. There are several families from Comanche County that have benefited from the services of RMH. Last year, we collected almost 300 pounds as a county. Let s see if we can beat that number this year! There is an award given away at the banquet each year for the top individual and club collectors. 4-H HAS TALENT We have a group of teens that are planning to submit an audition video for the 4-H Has Talent competition at State 4-H Roundup. Roundup delegates are eligible to participate in this event (13 years old or will complete the 7 th grade this year). If you would like to participate in or help with the Comanche County submission, please contact Marissa Adams, Katie Ashton, or the Extension Office. IT PAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS Congrats to Gina Hawkey for winning a 4-H t- shirt and $20 Tractor Supply gift card for correctly answering a question on Twitter during the National Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign! PUMPKIN SHOW COMMITTEE REPORT We held the Pumpkin Show in conjunction with the Farmer s Market Fall Festival at the fairgrounds this year and I think it was a big success. Entries were up in all classes. Cloverbud entries went from 17 last year to 54 for this year, Beginners from 26 to 59, Intermediate from 20 to 38 and Seniors 12 to 13. We were missing a lot of seniors due to conflict with FFA. I am very proud of all the hard work exhibited by all the exhibitors; I am always impressed with the creativity shown. I also appreciate all the hard work from the officers that worked that day. In order to continue to improve the Pumpkin Show if anyone has any suggestions or comments, please me at 4hvolunteer@gmail.com.

7 GPS ACTIVITIES We plan to continue having a variety of GPS activities and map making opportunities in the spring. Please contact the Extension Office if you would like to get involved in these activities. STAY IN THE KNOW! Contact Lexie on how you can sign up to receive reminders via text message on Comanche County 4-H events, activities, and deadlines. ENROLLMENT CARDS It s that time of year again.time to fill out a new ENROLLMENT CARD! In order to be an official 4-H member, you must fill out a green enrollment card every year; membership does NOT continue from year to year. Being a bona fide member also makes you eligible for all of the activities, programs, and trips, and livestock shows 4-H has to offer. If you have not recently filled out a new card, please contact your local club leader or Lexie in the Extension Office.

8 HAVE A HAPPY & SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON! 4-H CLOVER CONNECTION is published by the Comanche County OSU Cooperative Extension 4-H Program, 611 SW C Ave., Lawton, OK 73501, This letter is one way of communicating educational information to the 4-H community. The information herein is of educational purposes only. References made to commercial products or trade names are with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied. This letter is issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, act of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of Ag., Robert Whitson, Director of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, OSU, Stillwater, OK. This publication is printed and issued by OSU as authorized by the Vice President, Dean, and Director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at a cost of $160 for 1575 copies. Lexie Hayes 4-H & Youth Development Extension Educator Comanche County lexie.hayes@okstate.edu Brenda Brantley Program Assistant Comanche County brenda.brantley@okstate.edu Laura Spanhanks Secretary Comanche County Laura.spanhanks@okstate.edu