2009 4-H Volunteer Training Schedule

Mecklenburg County 4-H has partnered with five surrounding counties in order to offer a wide variety of training opportunities for all 4-H volunteers. This year we will offer trainings each month excluding June, July, August, and December. Each training will start at 6:30 pm with a light dinner provided. All trainings are free to attend but volunteers MUST RSVP. If you have any questions or concerns about upcoming trainings please contact your County Extension Office. The first Cluster training of 2009 will focus on Marketing your club and Centennial Celebration on January 13 at 6:30 pm. Since this year is 4-H’s 100th Anniversary we would like to give you some ideas on how we all can celebrate the occasion to its fullest.

4-H Teen Lock-In

Mecklenburg County teens and surrounding county teen 4-Hers will come together for a lock-in on January 23 at First Ward Recreation Center. Teens will meet at First Ward and proceed to the Bobcats arena were they will watch the Charlotte Bobcats take on the Phoenix Suns. The game will be followed by fun, dancing, and games at First Ward Recreation Center. The event will last from 6 pm on January 23 until 7 am on January 24. The cost is only $15. If you are between the ages 13-18 and would like to attend or know more about this event please contact your county 4-H office. You must register to attend. Mecklenburg County office number: 704-336-2082. This is going to be a fun filled evening that you wont want to miss.

Double-Dutch Clinics

Two double-dutch clinics were held on Tuesday, November 11 at Amay James and First Ward Recreation Centers.  At the clinics, youth from the recreation centers received double-dutch instruction and practiced jumping and turning skills.  Several 4-H double-dutch teams are being formed and will compete in a double-dutch competition in 2009.

New 4-H Clubs

Mecklenburg County 4-H is eager to introduce the new additions to our 4-H Club family. The first club is the Breakaway Riders. The Breakaway Riders are going to be a force to recon with at any 4-H horse competition. The club’s leaders Erin and Miranda have complied an outstanding bunch of horse enthusiast.

The second new addition is Socrates Academy. This club meets within the Socrates After school program. The club leaders Renee, LaTisha, and Nicole have a wonderful group of 4-Hers that will be using their hands to create dazzling arts and crafts.

The third addition is the GIS/GPS Teen Group. At their 1st meeting members were informed, what Geospatial technology is, how it relates to them, and what career fields can be entered with gained knowledge and skills of GIS/GPS. The group is still open for enrollment, if you are a teen age 13 to 18 and would like to attend a meeting contact the 4-H offices at 704-336-4016. Next meeting is Dec. 8th. Remember THIS IS A FREE PROGRAM.

Mecklenburg Sends 40 to Summer Camp

Mecklenburg County 4-H sent a delegation of 40 eight to thirteen year old youth to a week long experience of 4-H summer camp at Millstone 4-H Center the week of August 3-8. While at camp, the youth participated in horse back riding, archery, riflery, high ropes, swimming, canoeing, crafts, and much more.

Mecklenburg County 4-H Delegation to NC 4-H Congress

Mecklenburg County 4-H took a delegation of eight teens to the annual NC 4-H Congress held on the campus of North Carolina State University the week of July 21 through 25. While at Congress, the teens participated in a variety of activities including district and state officer elections, state-level competitions, leadership workshops, and service learning projects.

4-H Military Kid Camp

Did you know that 4-H is sponsoring a 4-H, Operation Military Kids Camp from June 8 - 13 at Millstone 4-H Camp in Ellerbe?

North Carolina’s Operation: Military Kids (OMK) program, an initiative carried out by 4-H, is now accepting applications for Camp OMK. This camp is open exclusively for children 8 to 13 years of age of any uniformed service member, active duty or reserve component. Operation: Military Kids (OMK) understands our military youth are experiencing difficult times and situations with the deployment of a parent or parents. Camp OMK is free to all participants thanks to a generous donor.

Camp OMK, will focus on building coping skills and creating positive outlets for the intense emotions these children now live with daily. Critical to this experience is the camaraderie built among the campers as they meet other youth from across the state who are going through similar situations, but equally important is the opportunity to enjoy a carefree camping experiences with their peers. While at camp, these children will have fun, laugh, learn and just enjoy being kids.

North Carolina's 4-H Centers are fully accredited through the American Camp Association (ACA) and employ extensively trained summer staff members to insure a quality camping experience.

Information about Camp OMK and the registration form is available at www.nc4h.org under the heading Military Programs, or you may contact the Randolph County 4-H program for an application form.
North Carolina’s Operation: Military Kids (OMK) program, an initiative carried out by 4-H, is now accepting applications for Camp OMK. This camp is open exclusively for children 8 to 13 years of age of any uniformed service member, active duty or reserve component.


Completed registration forms must be received to the North Carolina 4-H Youth Development Office by 5 PM on May, 30 2008. Notification will be announced on June 5, 2008 for those selected to attend Camp OMK. Priority is given to military children with a parent deployed or deploying anytime between May 2007 and November 2008. Once selected, a packet of information will be mailed to each camper with additional forms to complete, times of arrival and departure, items to pack, directions, and etc.

For more information and to print off the registration forms, visit our website at: http://www.nc4h.org/military/index.html.

4-H Photography Contest

We are accepting entries for the 2008 North Carolina 4-H Photography Contest from not until June 10. The contest is sponsored by the North Carolina Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association and is coordinated by the Department of Communication Services in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University. Winning entries will be displayed at 4-H Congress in July. Entries for the 2008 contest must be postmarked NO LATER THAN June 10, 2008 and should be original images created from June 2007 to June 2008. Contest categories this year include “4-H in Action” , “Nature’s Beauty”, and “Humor”. Each category is divided into a Junior (ages 9-12) and Senior (Ages 13-19) division.

For more information, including rules, entry forms and winning entries from previous years, please visit the following:

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/4-HPhoto/index.html.

4-H History

"We Are 4-H" Premier Performance

The Centennial 4-H Singers performed the original "We Are 4-H... Tomorrow's Song" at the 2008 NC 4-H Lifetime Achievement Awards Gala in Raleigh, NC on Tuesday, April 22, 2008.