Passport to the World!

Sixty-eight

4-H youth and certified volunteers presented their passports at 4-H Clover Customs this summer at Camp Rotary near Monarch.  The 

4-H camp, which offered a global perspective and three-day whirlwind tour of the world, was planned by sixteen 4-H teen camp counselors who were supervised by two camp directors, Marla Holmquist and Lynda Allen, and by the two MSU Extension agents in Teton County, Brent Roeder and Jane Wolery.  The teens developed the camp theme, planned the activities, taught the classes, and supervised younger 4-H members throughout camp.  The sixteen counselors this year included Hanna Antonsen, Katelyn Antonsen, Daniel Asselstine, Delaynie Beadle, Cassidy DeBruycker, Michaela Gunderson, Honoré Holmquist, Nicholas Konen, Hannah Konen, Rebekah Major, Brigid Miller, Caroline Roeder, Watson Snyder, Zane Somerfeld and Annie Townsend. The Teton County 4-H Camp is open to    4-H members in Teton County, as well as non-members. 

Honoré Holmquist and Caroline Roeder taught about the refugee situation around the world from a child’s perspective and led the campers in creating emergency relief hygiene kits that included a thin towel (easier to dry), soap, toothbrushes, combs and nail clippers.  The kits will be donated through a world relief program.  Michaela Gunderson taught an African plant art class featuring the cassava plant and African symbols.  Nicholas Konen led a longitude and latitude string art workshop, and Cassidy DeBruycker told the legend of the Japanese lantern and guided youth in making their own lanterns.  Kirtland Briscoe taught a very fun four-person German dance, followed by Daniel Asselstine and Delaynie Beadle teaching Western two-step and jitterbug classes.  Brigid Miller taught youth how to finger knit and discussed where in the world knitting might have originated and why.  Caroline Roeder gave some earthly etiquette lessons to help 4-H members learn proper customs around the world.  Campers enjoyed an opportunity to use a bow and arrow in an archery session led by Watson Snyder.  4-H members donned gumball leis that Rebekah Major taught them how to make, along with learning the Polynesian art of hula dancing.  Hannah Konen helped youth learn recycling and paper making skills, along with some global communications games.  Youth were able to sample an important world protein source, crickets, during Hanna Antonsen’s class on planet proteins.  Youth also learned about pulse crops and that this is the Year of the Pulse.  Katelyn Antonsen taught youth to make dream catchers, a Native American tradition.  To provide fun, active breaks, Kirtland Briscoe taught some games from around the world, and Annie Townsend coordinated a version of 4-H Olympic Games.  Kirtland Briscoe also taught a class on packing for a variety of adventures.  Zane Somerfeld showed campers how to make pizza planets, which campers enjoyed as they departed camp.

Photo courtesy Daniel Asselstine

Photo courtesy Daniel Asselstine

This whirlwind tour also included stops at flag ceremonies to develop citizenship skills, campfires, singing, vespers and cabin activities.  Each cabin was based on a country, from England to Australia to India and Russia, and counselors planned activities for their cabin based on the country.  Of course, a large portion of the world is made of water, so camp included a water fight.  The camp also included a few 

international flavors and foods.  Camp would not be possible without the adult volunteers, including Lynda Allen, Brad Asselstine, Cathy Campbell, Marla Holmquist, Carolyn Major, Leona Somerfeld, Katie Townsend and Tammy Townsend.  Each adult plays a vital role from camp cook to nurse and everything in between to support the camp counselors as they develop their leadership skills. 

How Solid Are Your Finances?

Solid Finances:  2016-2017 Series Please join the Solid Finances webinar series this year.  We have made a few changes to improve the series. This year North Dakota State University Extension Service joins South Dakota State University Extension, University of Idaho Extension and Montana State University Extension in sponsoring the series. This new multi-state format will bring new expertise to the series to better serve you. The 2016-2017 Solid Finances schedule will consist of 18 sessions, with the first session on October 5th.  The first 14 sessions will focus on issues important to residents of all states. The final four sessions will focus on issues specific to participants from Montana and Idaho.  Solid Finances will feature 7 different presenters sharing their expertise and answering your questions. Lyle Hansen (UI Extension) will open the series on October 5th by addressing Credit Scores. Joel Schumacher (MSU Extension) will lead the next two sessions on Car Loans and Creating a Debt Repayment Plan.  Luke Erickson (UI Extension) and Carrie Johnson (NDSU Extension) will address Kids and Money in November.  Health and Finances will be the focus of three sessions in late November and early December. Retirement and Financial Awareness will be the focus of sessions in January and February.  For a complete schedule please visit:www.msuextension.org/solidfinances/schedule.html If you would like to participate in the 2016-2017 series, you will need to register: If you are using the same email address with which you registered last year; please register here   If you are registering with a different email address; please register here There is no cost to participate in the Solid Finances program, howeverregistration is required. We record all of the sessions in the webinar series.  Recordings of past sessions are available for viewing at: www.msuextension.org/solidfinances/pastrecordings.html. Here are few participants’ comments about last year’s program: The presenters were very knowledgeable on the topic and quick to answer questions typed it during the webinar. I know what I am supposed to do but actually doing it….well that is where the webinars help keep me inline and on track to follow through. Really appreciate the course instructors' wealth of knowledge & experience on the subject matter being presented. I love the resources that are shared each session. The webinars got me motivated to quit procrastinating. I hope you will participate in this year’s Solid Finances series. Please contact me if you have any questions about Solid Finances. Joel Schumacher 406-994-6637 This program is made possible by a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

2016 Montana 4-H Congress

The 2016 Montana 4-H Congress started and ended well for Teton County.  The event began with a Montana 4-H Ambassador meeting where the new slate of State 4-H Officers was announced.  After announcing four officer positions that fourteen youth from across the state were vying for, it was announced that Watson Snyder, of Teton County, was selected as president.  4-H members applying for state officers complete a two-day interview process. 

The second day of Congress, all of the Teton County 4-H delegates competed in contests.  Maria Murnane, Caroline Roeder, Kylee Ruckman, Claire Ruckman and Watson Snyder made up the livestock evaluation team for Teton County, judging several classes of livestock and giving reasons.  Hanna Antonsen competed in the Stir-Ups contest, a “top chef” style cooking event.  Antonsen made zucchini boats using green pulses.  The theme for the event focused on pulse crops, as it is the International Year of the Pulse.  In addition to being judged on her food safety, cooking and plating skills, Antonsen also gave an oral presentation for judges.  Daniel Asselstine competed in the new video contest with his video on the importance of character and what builds character.  The video contest entailed showing a video, giving a presentation on the video and an interview with judges.  An additional benefit to this contest was that one of the judges, Aaron Pruitt with Montana PBS, was very instructional and offered an impromptu tour of the PBS facilities for all video contestants.  Annie Townsend and Hannah Konen both competed in the fashion revue with wool lined ensembles. The fashion revue contestants are judges on sewing, poise, modeling and an interview with judges.

After competitions were completed, Teton County 4-H members enjoyed guest speakers and a range of workshops including robotics, natural resources, agriculture, career exploration and self-defense.  The state contest winners were announced with Teton County Livestock Judging Team placing sixth, Hanna Antonsen placing sixth in Stir-Ups and Daniel Asselstine placing second in video.  During the closing banquet, Kyra Bouma was recognized as a Barbara Edens Memorial 4-H Scholarship winner.  Townsend and Konen modeled their wool outfits in front of a crowd of 400 people.  Konen was announced as the first place winner in the fashion revue, earning trip to National 4-H Congress in Atlanta.  Townsend, who had submitted a state award application, story and creative project, was announces as a 4-H State Award winner in textiles.  She will also attend National 4-H Congress to represent Montana. 

The delegation was chaperoned by Brent Roeder and Jane Wolery, MSU Extension Agents in Teton County.  The group was also joined by Janae Ruckman who assisted with the livestock judging contest, Tammy and Katie Townsend, Jason Asselstine and RT and Susan Snyder.  Jayelyn Ruckman, Teton County 4-H Alum, was in attendance as an MSU Extension intern serving in Gallatin County.