4-H Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

4-H ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES May 26, 2011

The Tangipahoa Parish 4-H Advisory Committee met at 10:00 a.m. on May 26, 2011 at the Extension office in Amite. Committee members present included: Andy Anderson, Tangipahoa Parish School Board member and Committee Chairperson; Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Tangipahoa Parish School Board member; Jessie Dominique, parent/volunteer leader/Tangipahoa Community Club leader; Monette Scott, parent/volunteer leader, shooting sports program; Fran Castille, Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Representative/Tangipahoa 4-H volunteer/trainer/Jr Leader program leader; JoAnna T. Pesson, 4-H Agent and Megan Roberts, Assistant Extension Agent. JoAnna welcomed the group and handed the program over to Andy Anderson, Committee Chairperson and had everyone introduce themselves. Andy opened the meeting with a prayer. JoAnna read over the minutes from the last meeting and the minutes were accepted as read. JoAnna also went into detail what 4-H U entailed for the benefit of Ms Sandra Bailey- Simmons of the school board. Megan went over a brief summary of the parish programs for 2010-2011. Brief Summary of Parish Programs: The 4-H Youth Development Program in Tangipahoa Parish focuses on empowering our youth & giving them the skills to become productive members in our communities during the 2010-2011 school year, our 30 4-H clubs (including 1 community club) meetings focused on leadership, responsibility, wetlands, and citizenship in order for our youth to develop crucial life skills. Our youth also participate in a diversity of educational opportunities such as: wetland restoration activities, cookeries, livestock shows, outdoor skill events, science & technology activities, talent shows, fashion/sewing events, and multiple community outreach programs. This program reaches over 1500 youth across Tangipahoa Parish. Service Learning – ‘Josh & Friends’; donation of Christmas gifts to the mentally handicapped residents of the Hammond Developmental Center; contributions to local nursing homes, homeless shelters, food banks, animal shelters, military troops overseas & local military families. Wetlands – 100% to the 4-H clubs were given the Youth Wetlands Program Packets. School & Home Gardens – opportunity to work with TP Master Gardeners on building & maintaining square foot gardens at their schools or homes. Special Accomplishments – One 4-H member received state honors during the records competition & another member was the recipient of the Livestock Governor’s Award. Outdoor Skills – Two 4-H members qualified to attend the National Shooting Sports Competition during the summer of 2010. Tangipahoa Parish Fair – 304 youth 4-H members & approximately 150 youth in the parish exhibited handicrafts, posters, their talents, pets, poultry, rabbits & livestock during the fair. Parish Officer/Leader Training – 125 officers & 40 leaders were trained in their particular office/leader job. Outstanding Club Contest – all 30 4-H clubs received outstanding club meeting awards. Sewing Workshop – 10 youth members & 8 adult volunteers participated in this workshop. Bike Hike/Duck Box Day – over 60 4-H’ers, leaders & adult volunteers joined with Tickfaw State Park to build, mount & maintain duck boxes. Cookeries, Fashion Show & Talent Show – Over 600 entries were entered in our Dairy, Seafood, Egg, Poultry & Beef Cookeries, Fashion & Talent Shows. 14- 4-H members were overall winners & attended the Regional Cookery. Livestock Shows – 41 enrolled 4-H’ers exhibited 125 Market & breeding animals at the parish, district, & state livestock shows. Our parish won 1st for Holstein parish group & 1st for Jersey parish group at the 2011 State Livestock Show. One 4-H member won Supreme Dairy Champion. Multiple Grand Champion & Reserve Champion winners at the district & state shows. One exhibitor placed 2nd in beef Premier Exhibitor contest. Horse Project Club – approximately 50 youth members are enrolled in the Tangipahoa Parish Horse Project Club. 17 youth members will compete in the Parish, District, & State Horse Shows in 2011.

Group Discussion: a. Jr Leader Club – to get the club to meet once a month; high school participants; have more service learning projects, fund raisers and community awareness. After the meeting have some type of fun event to make this a positive club run by the youth.

b. Achievement Day – April 18, 2012 (tentative) – change format – make it a fun day with carnival like activities for the elementary participants (4th – 6th), keep the demonstrations, judging & public speaking for the participants. Monette and Jessie said they thought it was a good plan to think about for next year.

c. Shooting Sports – Volunteer project; Monette discussed program to the group. She reported that they were getting Grants from NRA to buy more equipment & build a facility for their shooting practices and trainings.

d. Pet Parade – February 20, 2012, JoAnna is looking for volunteers to help get booth for the pet parade and help out with some of the gathering of sponsors, door prizes, etc. Booth fees will stay at $40 & Andy said perhaps he could get the Key Club, Beta Club & Kiwanis Club in the area to do some of this volunteer work.

Andy Anderson thanked everyone for attending this meeting. The meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m. and lunch was provided by the Tangipahoa Parish 4-H Foundation.

Prepared by: Jennifer Bordelon, Administrative Coordinator, Tangipahoa Extension Office