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| Spotlight on Youth - Nov. 17, 2010 |
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Ohio State offers Science Saturdays for Ohio youth
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ever wondered what goes into your favorite chocolate bar, why tree leaves change color in the fall, or what puts the “creepy” in creepy crawlers? Youth curious about the science behind the everyday have the opportunity to attend a new Ohio State University 4-H Youth Development program beginning in November.
“Science Saturdays” is a monthly program that connects third-to sixth-grade students with Ohio State University students, faculty and researchers for several hours of hands-on, interactive learning on a wide variety of topics, ranging from nature to food to animals to health.
“There are so many applications of science in our everyday lives that we don’t even think about or that go unnoticed,” said Sally McClaskey, a 4-H Youth Development program coordinator with Ohio State University Extension. “Science Saturdays is intended to expose youth to the science in the everyday in a fun, hands-on, experiential learning atmosphere.”
Each Science Saturdays session runs from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and begins at the university’s Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center on Fred Taylor Drive. The cost for each session is $5 per child. Pre-registration is required and group size is limited.
The first Science Saturday program will be held on Nov. 20 with a session on trees called “Where am I? GPS Adventures.” School of Environment and Natural Resources student Michael Pedley will lead youth on a tour of the Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens Arboretum North tree collection. There, students will learn how trees benefit the environment and participate in a treasure hunt using GPS technology.
The second Science Saturdays program, “The Science of Chocolate,” will take place on Dec. 4 with Parker Food Science and Technology researcher Mary Kay Pohlschneider and a session on the science of chocolate. Youth will have the opportunity to see how chocolate is made and sample a few treats along the way.
For more information on Science Saturdays or to register contact Sally McClaskey at 614-247-8141 or e-mail mcclaskey.12@osu.edu, or log on to www.ohio4h.org/sciencesaturday/
U of I students unlock potential at FFA Greenhand Conference
URBANA, Ill. — The University of Illinois Collegiate FFA (CFFA) chapter led more than 300 freshman high school students in a series of exciting workshops designed to unlock their leadership potential at the Urbana-Champaign campus Thursday night.
“We hope students left with a greater understanding of what it means to be a leader,” said Ellen Reeder, CFFA member and freshman in agricultural communications at the U of I. “We also wanted to expose them to the many opportunities available to them in this organization.”
Reeder and Ryan Umina, a U of I senior in sociology, led a “We” workshop where students discussed the value of teamwork and how more knowledge of teamwork will help them succeed as a leader. Reeder is a former Illinois State FFA Reporter, and Umina is taking a leadership course in the agricultural leadership and science education curriculum at the U of I.
“We want to set youth up to be stronger leaders now so they’ll have a huge advance through high school and as they go off to college,” Umina said.
In addition, students attended “You” and “Me” workshops designed to help them learn the characteristics of leadership on a personal level and what it means to be a leader in the context of their school and community.
Illinois State FFA President John Edgar of Ava, Ill., presented a keynote address on becoming a leader in the FFA to the freshman students.
“As a leader, you’ll be faced with many challenges,” Edgar said. “In order to stand your ground, you need to know what ground you are standing on. Good leaders figure themselves out first.”
For many freshman attending the conference, this event provided them with an opportunity to meet new people and become more involved in their FFA chapter.
Bailey Wiesbrook of Somonauk, Ill., said, “I wanted to see what makes FFA so successful and learn more about why people get involved in this organization.”
While the freshman students learned more about leadership in FFA, the older members of their FFA chapters went to the Student Leader Conference devoted to recruiting and retaining members in their local chapters.
Participants learned specific strategies to develop recruiting events that would engage their local communities and encourage more students to get involved in the FFA.
Jessica Collins, a senior in agricultural sciences education, said students were able to put these concepts in action by participating in the Agricultural Leadership and Sciences Education Program Open House. Participants witnessed fun and engaging ways to interact with peers and get them interested in FFA activities. |
| 11/17/2010 |
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