Inside This Issue: Winners Announced at 2018 Congress 2019 Congress Officers Elected 2018 Congress Service Project Press Release for 2018 Congress Perfect Program for your Honor Club 2-4 Feature Friday 9 5 6 7 8 Tennessee 4-H Ideas Upcoming Events 10 Volume 18, Issue 12 March 23, 2018 2018 Tennessee 4-H Congress Dr. Richard Clark Another 4-H Congress is in the books. This year, the 71st annual Tennessee 4-H Congress, was most certainly one of the best. Highlights of Tennessee 4-H Congress included the opening pageant, state winners announced in Leadership and Citizenship, Public Speaking contest, Know Your Government mock legislative session, legislative visits, 4-H History Bowl with Lelan Statom, Operation Patriotism, the General Jackson showboat, and the closing banquet, among others. Our 4-H Congress officers did an exceptional job leading this year s event. Special thanks also to our 4-H volunteers and extension staff this event could not happen without the dedication of these individuals. Many thanks to all of our donors, volunteers and staff who make this outstanding event a lifelong memory for our members. You are truly helping to Make the Best Better.
Page 2 Citizenship, Leadership, Public Speaking, Essay Contest and History Bowl Winners Announced at 71 st Annual Tennessee 4-H Congress Lori Gallimore, Extension Specialist Justin Crowe, Extension Specialist Carmen Burgos, Extension Specialist Dwight Loveday, Associate Professor Congratulations to the winners of the Citizenship, Leadership, Public Speaking, History Bowl and Essay contests who competed and were selected at the 71 st annual Tennessee 4-H Congress earlier this week! We would also like to recognize and send a big thank you to all of the agents and volunteers who motivated, coached and assisted with speeches, portfolios and interview and extemporaneous speech preparation for all of the finalists! The competition was tough and tight throughout all of the contests! It is our pleasure to announce the winners: Citizenship: Level I Jordan Bowling, Anderson County Level II Olivia Browning, Sevier County Leadership: Level I Sorrell Martin, Lincoln County Level II Aaron Lay, Monroe County Public Speaking: 9 th Grade Jacinta Fritz, Tipton County 10 th Grade Katherine Ann Thierfelder, Madison County 11 th Grade Hannah Freeland, Knox County 12 th Grade Kendall Martin, Lincoln County Essay Contest: Ella McLerran, Clay County History Bowl: Central Region team: Lydia McTheny, Robertson County Dylan Simmons, VanBuren County
Page 3 4-H Congress 2018 Tennessee 4-H was pleased to have many special guests attend the 71st annual Tennessee 4- H Congress! This year it included Lt. Governor Randy McNally who spoke at the Citizenship Banquet. We appreciate the support of our state government and its leadership. Citizenship Winners Level - Jordan Bowling, Anderson County (Center) Level II Olivia Browning, Sevier County (Right) Leadership Winners Level I Sorrell Martin, Lincoln County (Right) Level II Aaron Lay, Monroe County (Center)
Page 4 4-H Congress 2018 Public Speaking Winners 9 th Grade Jacinta Fritz, Tipton County 10 th Grade Katherine Ann Thierfelder, Madison County 11 th Grade Hannah Freeland, Knox County 12 th Grade Kendall Martin, Lincoln County History Bowl Winners Central Region Team Lydia McTheny, Robertson County Dylan Simmons, VanBuren County Essay Contest Winner Ella McLerran, Clay County
Page 5 4-H Congress 2018 2019 Congress Officers Chloe Ragland Speaker of the House Van Buren County Katherine Ann Thierfelder Governor Madison County Claire Brooks Speaker of the Senate Warren County Performing Arts Troupe Operation Patriotism
Page 6 4-H Congress 2018 Service Project Delegates to the 71st annual Tennessee 4-H Congress collected more than 3,000 items to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Nashville. These household items, which included paper towels, cleaning wipes, snack crackers, etc., will be used to benefit families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Kirra Menees, volunteer coordinator for RMH Charities in Nashville, joined us on Tuesday morning to accept the donated items from 4-H Congress Governor Sorrell Martin. There were a few lost & found items that came back to the State 4-H office. Please email Christie or Trudi to see if your missing item is there.
Page 7 Press Release for 2018 Tennessee 4-H Congress For Immediate Release March, 2018 Contact: (agent name) (county) County 4-H Agent Phone: Local Youth to Attend Annual Tennessee 4-H Congress For the 71 st year, 4-H members from across Tennessee will gather to participate in Tennessee 4-H Congress. The annual event, which will take place March 18-21, gives 4-H'ers the opportunity to learn about the day -to-day functioning of state government by assuming the roles of state representatives and senators. Since its beginning in 1948, 4-H Congress has given some 37,000 4-H'ers and volunteer leaders firsthand experience in state government. Approximately 400 high-school-age 4-H ers from all over the state will meet to become legislators and form a junior state Congress. They will have an opportunity to debate and vote on youth-oriented bills in the House and Senate Chambers. In addition to learning about government and their state capitol, delegates will compete in public speaking, poster and essay contests. 4-H ers will also be competing in the leadership and citizenship projects for college scholarship money and trips to the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta. The theme for this meeting and for all 4-H programs in 2018 is Tennessee 4-H: Branching from Our Roots. Tennessee 4-H Congress is one of the highlights for our 4-H program, said (insert agent name), (name of county) County 4-H Agent. The event helps youth better understand government and the legislative process and how they can be a part of this citizenship experience in order to make a difference. In addition to project competition and learning about state government, delegates will participate in a number of other activities including the Tennessee 4-H Congress Pageant, a luncheon on the General Jackson Showboat, the election of the 2019 Tennessee 4-H Congress officers, the inaugural ball and a service-learning project. The theme for the 2018 Tennessee 4-H Congress service project is "Our Hands to Larger Service." Delegates are being challenged to collect items to benefit families who are being served by the Ronald McDonald House in Nashville. Tennessee 4-H Congress delegates are asked to bring items which will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House to benefit children and families. Service opportunities are a very important component of the 4-H program, said Dr. Richard Clark, Assistant Dean and Department Head for 4-H Youth Development/ALEC. Last year, 4-H ers statewide performed 627,396 hours of volunteer service at an estimated value of 12.6 million dollars. Through the service-learning projects, our 4-H ers learn that they can really make a difference in their communities. Representing County at the 2018 Tennessee 4-H Congress will be (insert delegate, agent, and adult volunteer names). 4-H is the Youth Development program for University of Tennessee Extension. 4-H teaches leadership, citizenship and service learning to more than 179,000 youth in grades 4-12. 4-H also has more than 5,000 adult volunteers. UT Extension is one of four units in the UT Institute of Agriculture.
Page 8 The Perfect Program for Your 4-H Honor Club Anger Management In-Service Training Offered for 2018 Lori Gallimore, Extension Specialist No doubt! We are constantly looking for valuable and worthwhile programs to share at our senior high Honor Club meetings. Have I got the PERFECT one for you! In a world of anger, hurt, harsh judgment, bullying and where gun violence is almost a daily occurrence in schools around the county, UT Family and Consumer Sciences, in conjunction with Tennessee 4-H Youth Development, is pleased to offer an upcoming in-service training that will be very helpful for your teen audiences and for you in your work with various youth audiences. RELAX: Alternatives to Anger series actively engages learners in a group setting to increase knowledge and skills around anger managements and give them constructive ways to deal with anger. Aspects of promoting social emotional health are woven throughout the training and include expressing emotions, navigating stress, resolving interpersonal conflict, taking another s perspective, feeling capable and whole and building skills for forming and maintaining satisfying, healthy and supportive relationships. Short-term goals: To increase participants knowledge about anger management. To assist participants in improving their attitudes around anger management. To assist participants in making positive behavioral changes. Long-term goals: To increase participants anger control levels. To decrease participants family conflict levels. To decrease participants anger level. To decrease participants violence levels. These trainings will be offered across the state in 2018. Resources for teaching this to youth audiences will be provided. Each session will be taught by Drs. Heather Wallace, Matt Devereaux and Katie Conrad, along with Joel Clark and members of the FCS Human Development Leadership team. These trainings are coming up soon! There is still time to register! If you would like to register, please click on the appropriate link below: ER April 13, 2018 -- RELAX anger management (EASTERN REGION) CR April 11, 2018 -- RELAX anger management (CENTRAL REGION) WR April 10, 2018 -- RELAX anger management (WESTERN REGION) If you have any questions about the in-service training topic, please contact Heather Wallace at heather.wallace@utk.edu.
Page 9 Feature Friday Shelby Brawner, Extension Assistant/Grant Manager
4-H Motto: To Make the Best Better ALEC Graduate Program Masters of Science in Agriculture Leadership, Education and Communications (ALEC) Online degree available!! For more information, please visit ag.tennessee.edu/alec Or Call 865-974-7371 Carrie Ann Stephens Professor, 4-H/ALEC State 4-H Office 2621 Morgan Circle Room 205 Knoxville, TN 37996 Phone: 865-974-2128 Fax: 865-974-1628 4-H PLEDGE I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking; My HEART to greater loyalty My HANDS to larger service; and My HEALTH to better living, For my club, my community, my country and my world. 2018 State 4-H Calendar Upcoming Events March 24 April 7-12 April 13 April 13 State 4-H Archery Jamboree National 4-H Conference, Washington, DC Performing Arts Troupe Audition Tapes Due June Dairy Month Posters Due Want to see your story in Ideas? Email it to state.4h.office@utk.edu 4h.tennessee.edu TN4hfoundation.org ALEC.utk.edu