- Author: Sandra Derby
- Explore current issues
- Investigate as a forester
- Engage in field studies
These sessions will inspire you to create your own version of Project Learning Tree that will enhance the unique adventures of 4-H summer camp.
Building on the support of the American Forest Foundation, UC Cooperative Extension, and CA Project Learning Tree, we are working together to introduce and integrate PLT ideas and activities into 4-H Programs. Our goal is to integrate forest ecology and field skills into the amazing experience of summer camps all over California.
Sign up for one, two, or all three sessions
Participants in each session will receive an activity folder with ideas and resource materials.
If you attend all three sessions, you will receive a free K-8 Project Learning Tree Guide with over 90 activities.
PLT Session I: California Naturalist
Participants will explore the amazing forest environment through Project Learning Tree activities and learn strategies to integrate naturalist explorations into the 4-H Camp experience. Some favorite activities we will engage in…Looking at Leaves, The Fallen Log, Every Tree for Itself….and make a clay leaf print to take home!
Being a Naturalist/ nature journaling/ leaf prints:
- Looking at Leaves
- Fallen Log
- Every Tree for Itself
PLT Session II: Forest Steward
Participants will learn how to take action as citizen stewards. Hike into the forest and observe what makes this environment so uniquely essential for a healthy California. Learn how to map a field study area using basic tools and design a field investigation through inquiry study. And learn what opportunities are out there to connect with community efforts, engage in studies with researchers, and initiate action in your own 4-H Camps and local communities.
Working the tools/ actions for Citizen Science and Stewardship:
- Trees As Habitats
- Soil Stories
- How Big is Your Tree
PLT Session III: Forestry Challenge!
Participants will be engaged in several forestry investigations to understand how foresters manage and ensure healthy forests. Each investigation will lead to team work, exploration, and ultimately the Forestry Challenge! We will show you how to design an exciting and fun challenge for your camp program!
Challenge your skills and knowledge:
- How Big is Your Tree II
- Trees in Trouble
- Living with Fire
Developed by the PLT Camp Program Development Committee
The PLT Camp Program Development Committee is responsible for the design, development and delivery of enhanced Project Learning Tree training and materials in 4-H Camp programming. Their goal is the integration of selected PLT field based activities, focused on the ecology of CA forests, into existing camp programs resulting in strengthened environmental based learning for camp participants.
Learn more about Project Learning Tree in California! Contact Sandra Derby at stderby@ucanr.edu with any questions.
Sign up for the California 4-H Camping Conference!
2018 California 4-H Camping Conference
April 6 - 8, 2018
Redwood Glen Camp
100 Wright Drive, Loma Mar, CA 94021
The 2018 California 4-H Camping Conference brings together the adults and teen leaders who help plan and administer camping programs across California in a weekend of hands-on training, networking, and learning experiences.
The California 4-H Camping Conference is held every other year. Don't miss this great learning opportunity to make the best camps better!
*You do not have to be part of a 4-H Camp to participate. Please contact Marianne Bird at mbird@ucanr.edu if you are not a current 4-H member or volunteer.
- Author: Marianne Bird
Every two years, volunteers, youth and staff gather to learn, explore, and connect at the California 4-H Camping Conference. This year it will be held April 6-8 at Camp Redwood Glen in San Mateo County.
The gathering has become an anticipated high-point for those involved in the 4-H camp scene. If you're involved in camp, it's a weekend you won't want to miss!
An exciting line-up of workshops (22 in all!) offer something for everyone
Need fresh ideas for all-camp programming or time-fillers if dinner is late?
We've got that.
Want to know how to improve your program, or what difference you're making for the kids who come?
We've got that, too.
- Compliance Made Easy delivers resources and help to observe laws and policies pertaining to camp.
- Explore Inclusive Camps and LGBTQ Youth
- How to have your program accredited by the American Camp Association.
- Take a session on Mindfulness at Camp.
- Take one or more sessions in the Project Learning Tree track to add forestry and environmental education components to your program.
All these workshops, and others, too!
Best of all, connect with other camp enthusiasts
The conference offers a chance to connect with other youth and adults who share your passion for camp. There will be networking time to discuss issues and share ideas.
You'll leave energized and with new tools to make this year's camp the best ever.
Register today!
Learn more about the conference and register online soon. Save $25 with Early Bird registration until February 15. After February 15, registration is $185 through March 23.
- Author: Claudia Diaz Carrasco
The California 4-H Youth Summits are three day weekend leadership conferences hosted in multiple locations throughout the state.
Be a leader, be a hero
The theme of the Southern Youth Summit event was "Be a leader, Be a hero". Keynote speaker Dan Shomo, a former Navy seal, shared how skills he learned in 4-H helped him complete his military training.
Budgeting Basics
The weekend agenda also included a workshop led by Derrick Robinson, UC ANR academic coordinator for the Money Talks project. During the Money Talks workshop, 4-H'ers learned budgeting basics using real-life scenarios and hands-on activities.
Favorite activities
Exploring and connecting with nature through hiking, meeting new friends, and the workshops were some of the activities youth reported as their favorite part of the Southern Youth Summit.
Youth-Adult Partnership in planning the event
Tiffany Marino was the youth chair for the event and was supported by Kelly Dowlan, the Adult Chair. Tiffany, who started 4-H when she was 5 and has participated in the program for 14 years, attributes her leadership skills to 4-H.
"When I was younger, I was kind of quiet and reserved, and 4-H has definitely just brought me out of my shell and brought me a whole other level of confidence -- confidence in what I do and what I say. It's really changed me as a person and brought me to an understanding of who I am and what I want to do."
"4-H is such a great program because there's so many things you can do within it. It's not just an agriculture thing, it goes into youth development, leadership, community service. Really, it's what you make of it!"
- Tiffany, Southern Youth Summit Chair
The Youth Summits were planned and organized by the California 4-H Management Board.
- Author: Lorin Hofmann-Lurz
Thanks to the guidance and support of committed adult 4-H volunteers, the California 4-H teams have placed first in the National Avian Bowl 19 times, and second 7 times since 1989. See the full list of results.
This year, besides California, there were 12 other state teams vying for the title of National Avian Bowl Champions. Other states that were represented were Alaska, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
2017 National Avian Bowl Champions
Our 4-H Avian Bowl team took first place in the National Avian Bowl competition, held November 15-16, 2017 at the 2017 National 4-H Egg and Poultry Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
About our team
What's unique about our Avian Bowl team is that they have to coordinate with each other remotely, since they are from different clubs and counties. Congratulations to Abby Milanesa of Buena Vista 4-H club, Kayla Hurt from Paso Robles and Siana Barrett from Dos Palos for their great accomplishment!
What was it like to compete?
”The Avian Bowl was three hours of extreme stress” said Abby. “We competed head to head against the Georgia, Minnesota, New York and Ohio teams. We lost to Ohio, but beat New York so then we faced Ohio again and then we had to beat them twice in a row for the win,” the 15 year old continued, “There were approximately 150 people watching the contest in a room. I studied the guide a lot and practiced in person and via Skype with my teammates for nearly a year. Our coach was my dad (Dan Milanesa) and he designed the custom shirts that we wore. They have the words California Avian Bowl and a quail embroidered on them.”
Big thank you to Dr. Francine Bradley
About the Avian Bowl
An Avian Bowl is a double-elimination knowledge bowl based on poultry-related subject matter. 4-H members from any state who want to compete must use the Clemson University study guide to prepare and have at least 2 team members. This year's topics included embryology, biosecurity, understanding food poisoners and several other avian subjects. Each state hosts a qualifier event in which senior teams (14-18 year olds) compete against each other. Questions vary and team contestants must use a buzzer to answer the questions to earn points.
More than a competition
In addition to competing in a national competition, the participants also have the opportunity to meet people from many other parts of the country, hear from experts in the poultry industry, and tour many well-known sites such as Churchill Downs and the Louisville Slugger factory. These activities are sponsored by the poultry and egg industry as part of the conference.
The conference also features Poultry Judging contests, an Egg Preparation contest and Chicken and Turkey BBQ contests for hundreds of qualified teenagers from across the United States.
For more information
See our past blog post, "California 4-H team goes to Nationals" to read more about competing at the National Avian Bowl.
If you would like more information about 4-H avian projects, please contact DeAnn Tenhunfeld at dtenhunfeld@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Fiona Reyes
- Author: Santiago Piva
- Author: Nikitha Fernandes
From November 1 to November 5, Nikitha Fernandes, Santiago Piva, Fiona Reyes, and Curtis Ullerich attended the National Youth Maker Summit in Maryland.
We attended this conference to reconnect with 4-H'ers who we met at the Computer Science Pathway Training this summer in Utah, and to share our progress with the Computer Science project in California.
We led a workshop on Cryptography, which was developed with the Computer Science Unplugged curriculum.
Since we arrived to the National 4-H Conference Center a day early, we were able to explore a little bit of Washington D.C. We visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and walked around the National Mall. Once the conference began, we dove straight into learning about the importance of the Maker movement.
Everyone can be a maker, and this is a culture that 4-H has had ever since it was founded.
A maker is someone who makes things. Makers are people who are producers, that create things for themselves and others. They can make anything, from creating a vegan pork rind company, to having a fashion design company or to working as an engineer at Google. In fact, these are all makers that we were able to meet at the National Youth Maker Summit.
How we can share what we learned
We are going to use what we learned at the Youth Summit to educate our youth in California about the Maker Movement. Some ideas for reaching out to various counties and clubs in our area in a hands-on way include:
- Creating portable kits that contain soldering irons and mini circuit boards to make light-up 4-H pins.
- Uploading instructional videos about how to use 3D printers. These videos would encourage members to make 3D printable objects and to use Scratch or Python to create things which they can enter at fair and in competitions.
- Uploading videos on wearable art using LEDs.
This would encourage other members to also realize their potential as makers, which would spread awareness about the Maker Movement. Also, we would like to bring the Computer Science Unplugged activities (which were a success) to areas of 4-H camp. We could do this by leading a recreation session, having a booth in the arts and crafts area, or having an activity for the clovers.
If you would like to know how you can use these ideas in your county, please contact the California Computer Science Pathway Team at 4hcs@googlegroups.com.
