It has certainly been a very different spring and summer for our 4-H program! We appreciate the advisors, parents and members who have held virtual club meetings, appropriate community service events, and helped our members complete their projects! While our project judging in July looked very different, We believe our youth still had the opportunity to complete what they started, learn life skills, and practice their interview skills. That is what’s important! As we move into finalizing this 4-H year and preparing for next year, most of our restrictions remain, as they are set by the Ohio State University and Ohio 4-H. We appreciate your continued diligence in following the rules we have all been given. Please read on for updates both from our office and from the state office.
ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE PICKAWAY COUNTY 4-H PROGRAM
JUNIOR FAIR BOARD APPLICATIONS
This is the last call for Junior Fair Board applications. Members must be at least a freshman in high school. The applications can be found at: https://pickaway.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/pickaway-county-fair. Completed applications can be emailed to sharp.5@osu.edu
4-H HORSE ADVISOR MEETING
4-H horse advisors meet 4 times per year to evaluate and plan educational events for 4-H members taking horse projects. They also provide suggestions for Senior Fair Board in planning and running the junior fair horse events. All horse advisors and parents are always welcome to attend. The next meeting will take place via zoom on Tuesday, September 8 at 7:30 pm. This will be an evaluation meeting. Contact Joy Sharp sharp.5@osu.edu for log in informaiton.
YOUTH AWARDS EVENT – September 13
We have received permission to hold a drive-through Youth Awards Event. This will be a fun way to distribute rosettes, medals, certificates and awards to youth who placed in non-livestock project judging, the Communications Contest, club officer books, or realized a Junior Achievement award level. Only families that receive an invitation should attend. Masks must be worn as at least one car window will be open, and no one may exit their vehicle. The event will take place on Sunday, September 13 in the lower parking lot of the Extension office at 110 Island Road, Circleville. Drive through anytime between 6:00-7:30pm. We are really looking forward to holding this event!
VOLUNTEER BANQUET – September 28
While we are unable to hold our traditional 4-H Leadership Banquet this year, we have received permission to hold a drive-through Advisor Recognition Event. Advisors, we appreciate all you have done to assist members this year! We hope you will attend on Monday, September 28 in the lower parking lot of the Extension Office at 110 Island Road, Circleville. Drive through anytime between 6:00-7:30pm. Masks must be worn as at least one car window will be open, and no one may exit their vehicle. Advisors in attendance will receive a thank you gift, their certificates and awards. Organizational advisors will receive your club’s end-of-year packet and any member awards not picked up at the Youth Awards Event. Chris Clover will be making a special appearance to thank you for your dedication, so please be sure to attend!
4-H OPEN HOUSE EVENT
Our annual 4-H Open House is currently scheduled for November 10. Even though that is a couple months out, we are doubtful that we will be able to hold the event in person. Alternative plans are being developed to potentially hold two virtual Open House events. A decision on in person or virtual will be made by October 1. If you placed with your project this year, and are interested in presenting at our Open House event either in person or virtually, please email sharp.5@osu.edu with your name and project and questions you may have. We recommend just one project per member this year.
OSU EXTENSION OFFICE HOURS OF OPERATION
The Pickaway County Extension Office is currently open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s from 8:00am-4:30pm. We will be closed for Labor Day and are not holding any evening office hours at this time. If our door is locked, simply knock, and we will let you in. Masks are required! Just to be sure you don’t miss us, we encourage you to call before coming to the office. We continue to work remotely from home on Thursday and Friday’s and can be reached by office phone or email Monday through Friday.
UPDATES FROM OHIO 4-H
As we head into fall, we want to take a moment to thank you for remaining flexible as we work together to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. By following recommended guidance, we’re helping to keep our families and friends safer, our kids learning, and our economy going. We also want to take a moment to share updated in-person 4-H meeting requirements and a reminder to continue to follow our 4-H guidelines.
Updated information, effective as of September 1, 2020 includes:
- Hosting virtual meetings and events is preferred.
- If activities are critical/essential and are in-person, they must be education-focused.
- Group cannot be larger than 50 people, including adults, youth, presenters, etc.
- This directive is dependent on local health department guidelines.
- The group size may need to be reduced to 10 (or other amount), based on the directives of your local health department.
- Face masks are required.
- This includes inside AND outside at all times.
- Program participants and parent/guardians ages five and older must wear a mask.
- The exception is shooting sports where safety is a concern when on the line. Refer to the full guidance document online for additional shooting sports guidance (link below).
- Medical conditions or disability exceptions are also permitted.
- Potlucks and buffets are not permitted
Any time our county is designated a Level 4 Public Health Emergency (color-coded purple) by the Ohio Department of Health, all in-person 4-H club meetings and events must be held virtually or postponed until the designation changes to Level 3 or below.
Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System updates are at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/publichealth-advisory-system/
All other guidance provided July 22 is still in effect. That information, along with these new updates, is at https://ohio4h.org/families/stay-connected.
Statement on 4-H Membership Eligibility
Ohio 4-H membership begins with Cloverbuds when a child is five and ends on December 31 of the year they turn 19. Due to cancellation of activities in 2020, there have been requests to extend a year of eligibility for 4-H members. This was given strong consideration at the national and regional levels. The decision was made that national 4-H programs will follow existing age requirements and another year of eligibility will not be granted. Following conversation with our 4-H professionals, Ohio will follow that policy. Changing the policy would set an unsustainable precedent for youth participation for years to come. It would create increased unfairness when considering competitive events with the cascading impact on those who would have aged out taking spots of current youth down the line. COVID-19 has created a loss of experiences for everyone however, I am confident in the resiliency of our youth. Over the past few months, their ability to adapt and willingness to persevere has been evidenced by their participation in virtual camps, meetings and other 4-H activities. Ohio 4-H is proud of how our volunteers and young people have adapted in this unprecedented time.
Visit the 4-H STEM Tent During this Year’s Virtual Farm Science Review
We’re excited to offer virtual STEM-focused programming during this year’s online Farm Science Review. Plan to join us on September 22, 23, and 24 to take virtual tours and field trips, learn about watershed and stream health, explore careers in agriculture, and more. The schedule for our virtual 4-H STEM Tent is below. More information, including how to register to participate in these free sessions, will be coming soon.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020
9 AM-10 AM – Virtual Video Tour of Myers Hatchery and Dialog
10:15 AM – Explore Agriculture in Hawaii Using Google Expedition
11 AM-Noon – Egg Catcher STEM Challenge
12:15 PM – Virtual Video Tours of Young’s Jersey Dairy and/or Guiggsberg Cheese
1:15 PM-2:15 PM – From Moo to You Dairy Science Lab at GISA
2:30 PM – Career Explorer
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020
9 AM-10 AM – Soil Health Challenge
10:15 AM – Soil Broken Down
11:00 AM – Clean Water STEM Pathways Challenge
Noon – 1 PM – Water Quality Challenge
1:15 PM-2:15 PM – Watershed and Stream Health
2:30 PM – Finding the Right Career Path, Assessing Your Employable Skills
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020
9 AM-10 AM – Virtual Video Tour of Robotics Dairy Systems
10:15 AM – Cookie Prospecting STEM Pathways Challenge
11:00 AM – A Boost Against Arthritis STEM Pathways Challenge
Noon to 1 PM – Agriculture Mechanization STEM Challenge
1:15 PM-2:15 PM – From Pasture to Plate Virtual Video Tour and Meat Science Lab
2:30 PM – Virtual Video Tour of John Deere Tractor Simulator and Ag STEM Career Discussion