Thirteen short articles of interest to 4-H and family living extension agents!

Fall 2000, Volume 54 Written by: Jan Scholl (jscholl@psu.edu)

2001 FASHION REVUE: CRITICAL DATES

The deadline, that coincides with the State Days registration deadline, is July 3 in 2001. This will require that regional revue contests be July 1 or earlier next year. Please inform and start working with your leaders and members early. (Note: Jan doesn't have anything to do with the setting of the date--the date is set to coincide with the county registration for Achievement Days so that counties with fairs can rotate from one year so that some years they can participate more fully.) The date of the state revue is July 25, 2001.

The state fashion revue planning meetings will be April 4, 2001 in 323 Ag Admin (from 10 AM to 3 PM). Please make sure your regional chair knows about this meeting.

The participant forms and letters have all been revised on Jan's home page. Please let us know if there are any errors in these documents. We have several people proof them, but there are over 500 changes and we seem to miss one or two each year.

POLISH FAMILY LIVING AGENTS VISIT

Polish family living agents will be visiting the state, mid-September to early October 2000. If you are in the State College area, September 27, at 3:00 PM, attend the seminar that they will be holding in 301A Ag Admin Building. The topics of the seminar include: Rural policy and extension system in Poland, General characteristics of rural areas in Poland, Local authorities role in changes in rural areas (in the context of EU accession), and Tourism as an element of multi-functional rural development. This would be an excellent seminar to attend if you have been or would like to be involved in the travel exchanges to Poland. The seminar will be translated and refreshments provided.

4-H FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE CHALLENGE

Under the Awards section of Jan's home page is a new 4-H Family and Consumer Sciences Challenge! This is like the challenge offered by NEAFCS for community involvement, but in this case it focuses on 4-H family living aspects. There are two levels of challenge. Complete the form by December 1, 2000 and send it into Jan. All agents, EFNEP professionals, 4-H interns may participate.

CONTEST EVALUATIONS

Check Jan's web-page for evaluations of the state contests in foods and nutrition contest, textile science and fashion revue. We still have some 4-H members not receiving materials before the contests. I send out several messages before the contests, but unfortunately some of you tend to request them at the last minute or not at all. Perhaps we should relegate our contests just to the information in the project booklets. If you have thoughts on this, please let Jan know. Thanks!

CONTEST OPPORTUNITY

Mary Alice Gettings would like to know if there is another foods and nutrition related agent who would like to chair the State 4-H Foods and Nutrition Contest.
The date of the contest for 2001 is July 25. Please let Mary Alice or Jan know by October 1, 2000.

JAN'S WEB PAGE

For those of you who have not bookmarked Jan's home page, the following is the correct URL: http://AgExtEd.cas.psu.edu/FCS/4hfl/jsmenu.html.

4-H OPPORTUNITIES FARM SHOW ENTRIES

Now is the time to encourage 4-H members and leaders to gather entries for the 2001 farm show. Each year our allotment of space is based on the number of entries we send in. Please try to participate in a big way this year. The premium list will be coming out soon, but the family living/4-H opportunities guide is on Jan's home page. There is no requirement that entrants be blue ribbon winners at this state event. Of course, we would like as many quality exhibits as possible.

4-H FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCES COMMITTEES

The state 4-H foods and nutrition committee will meet September 13. After this meeting, minutes will be placed on Jan's home page (see above). We've tried to get the other family and consumer science committees together (Marilyn Furry and Cathy Bowen will be contacting their committee separately) but haven't been successful with dates. Jan will be contacting everyone by e-mail and try to keep a running roster of input on the home page. Even if you are not on a committee, we value your input greatly!!! A curriculum proposal will be developed for each area in January.

4-H FAMILY LIVING PROJECT UPDATE

Thanks to all of you who sent in suggestions and comments on the 4-H fashion revue and baby sitting project books. The fashion revue project is now being graphically designed and the baby sitting project is entering the professional editing stage. We are "banking" on a release just before the spring agent inservices. Jan is working on the microwave project. Be sure to check the foods and nutrition committee minutes for more information on the future goals and progress of the foods and nutrition area.

The textile science, Rent Event, and Generation Celebration projects were all re-reviewed by national juries in the spring and summer months and each passed were selected for the National 4-H Curriculum which will be featured at National 4-H Congress in Denver in November.

JUDY HEALD RESIGNS

Judy Heald has announced her resignation as September 22, 2000. I know many of you have worked with Judy and would like to send a farewell message and to keep in touch. Until September 22, you can reach her at her office address, phone and e-mail. After this date, the following is her home address and phone: Judy Heald, 406 Upper George's Valley, Spring Mills, PA 16875 (814-422-8657).

TEAM NUTRITION

Katherine Cason and I have been working closely with Kathi Novak from the Department of Education to present an in-service on Team Nutrition. Check the in-service schedule for time and place which will be held during the fall inservice week in October. The in-service will be taped for those not able to attend. Katherine and I will be developing a proposal in the spring to purchase materials for this program, so it is important that you contact one of us as to your desire to participate. If there are agents who have conducted successful programs, please let Jan or Katherine know even if you have informed them previously. Thanks for your help!

4-H LOCKER CADDY

We have had some requests for alternate instructions for the 4-H locker caddy that is printed on fabric, please let Jan know and she will send the directions. These directions have been sent to Ed Gershon at the National 4-H Council so if you have any alternate suggestions, please let Jan know as soon as you can.
The project is not a beginner project as it currently reads.

RESOURCES

Some agents indicated interest in the food safety food cubes last November. There are three cubes that can be used for demonstration and evaluation purposes. EFNEP agents will be receiving a set, but I would like to know of other agents who would like to have a set of these cubes. Please let Jan know no later than October 1. The cubes will likely be available in the spring as they are quite labor intensive to produce.

The National Dairy Council is offering free book covers for students with "Crash Course on Calcium" covers. If you are interested in ordering up to 100 free, call 1-800-WHY-MILK. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Most of the family living agents in the state have received a McCalls educational packet with a poster of patterns made from the 4-H fabric. These patterns are 95 cents each when ordered in quantity. If you missed this mailing for some reason, you can request another pack by writing to Education Department, McCall Pattern Company, 11 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10001. To order (5 pattern minimum on all orders), call: 1-800-622-2557. Offer expires December 15, 2000.

4-H Family Living agents received a note from Dana McElroy about the "Cooking for Groups: "A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety", but I am not sure that the 4-H agents did. These may be helpful to you or to others you know that provide group meals on a volunteer basis:

PDF-http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/educator/educator5-2.pdf

HTML: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/educator/educators5-2.htm

State College Magazine, September issue, published an article featuring 5 of the top 10 honors group (page 28). Information about the state fashion revue was also featured. The 4-H members featured each received a complimentary copy of the magazine as did the counties (they will be coming in the county boxes). Article about the State 4-H Fashion Revue will be printed soon in Lancaster Farming.

Contact for questions

to Jan Scholl's home page

Updated 8/20/05