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We are delighted to share we have a new face in the Charles County Extension Office, Kelly Bryant, who serves as the Charles County 4-H Educator. Kelly's journey with 4-H is truly special, as she not only grew up within the 4-H community but is also dedicating herself to its growth and success in the county and state.
Kelly has deep roots in the community, and her passion for 4-H has been a constant throughout her life. Having experienced the transformative impact of 4-H firsthand, Kelly understands the importance of fostering leadership, personal growth, and community engagement among youth. Her own three children are active in Charles County 4-H.
Kelly's commitment to agricultural education is particularly noteworthy. She played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) program for Charles County Public Schools. This program has not only enriched the educational experience for local students but has also strengthened the connection between the local community and the broader educational landscape.
As our 4-H Educator, Kelly brings a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and a genuine love for empowering young minds. Her ability to connect with participants and families will be a testament to her dedication to the values of 4-H (head, hands, heart, health).
Please join us in welcoming Kelly Bryant to the Charles County 4-H and UMD Extension community!
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Hearts Abound!
February is National Heart Month, and rightfully so!
Valentine's Day had us covered in hearts from head to toe.
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Your heart is the hardest working muscle in your body, so we better treat it well.
Move It, Move It
Movement and exercise is great for your heart (and digestion, and joints, and mood, and...)! Try out some of these fun activities with your family and friends, or just solo.
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Dance the night away - Turn up the tunes and dance around the house!
- Choose a challenge - Challenge yourself and others to reach a physical activity goal for the day, week, or month. It could be push ups, squats, walking, steps....whatever you decide!
- Walk it out - One of the simplest activities of all, but incredibly effective. Add in a short walk any time of the day. This is especially beneficial after meal time. It's also a great time to catch up with friends and family.
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Scavenger Hunt - Search for specific items, colors, creatures, or whatever you decide, inside or out. Here's an example that may work well for younger folks.
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Jessica Conjour, MPH
Project Leader and Nutrition Educator
Maryland SNAP-Ed
jconjour@umd.edu
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4-H'ers Speak Out!
Bonnie Boyden
Program Management Specialist, 4-H
bboyden@umd.edu
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The 2024 Charles County 4-H Public Speaking Contest was held on Friday, February 9, at the First Baptist Church of La Plata. At the annual contest, the youth are judged on how well they prepare and present their speech or demonstration in front of the judges.
There are several categories youth can enter. Charlie Schaecher received Champion in the Prepared Speech Category.
In the Radio Spots, youth create a 30-second spot about 4-H and present it over a microphone to the judges. The Champions were Skylan Brassell, Robbie Abell and Reserve Champions were Delana Bryant and Olive Swann.
There is also a category for 4-H youth to do a project demonstration to share their knowledge and skills with the audience. Champions in this category were Haleigh Durst, Samuel Swann, Abigail Zarychta, Paige Warring and Claire Bright.
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In the Extemporaneous category, the 4-H’er chooses a topic that evening and has 30 minutes to prepare a speech and present it to the judges. The Champion for Extemporaneous was Jacob Schauer-Smith. | Clover 4-H’ers (5-7 years old) participating in the Show and Tell area were Maddie Mohler, Katherine Galligan and Maddie Bynum. Other 4-H’ers who attended the contest and received a Blue Award were: Layla Hayden, Joe Bolgona, Luke Barrett, Ethan Abell, Tanner Bowling, Blaine Boyden, Cole Barrett, Leigh Warring, Piper Hayden and Colleen Galligan. | |
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All the champions are now qualified to attend the Maryland 4-H State Contest held in April. If for some reason the Champion cannot attend, then the Reserve has the option. We are so proud of our 2024 participants and look forward to seeing how they do at the state contest.
Special thanks to all those who helped make this a big success: Claire Bright, Emcee; Judges Katherine Nutter, Didi Schenck, Wendy Dingus, Cecilia Chandler, Ginger Jones, Molly Gillingham, Maria Barga, Susan Knower, Sydney Garner and Caitlin Olejnik; and Room Monitors Lauren Mohler, Robbie Abell, Blaine Boyden, Zach Bryant, Claire Bright and Mike Mohler. Registration was handled by Olive Swann and Blaine Boyden.
For more information about 4-H visit, our website.
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Staying Sew Warm!
Jeanne Williams
4-H Program Assistant
jeanneh@umd.edu
January kicked off the beginning of the 2024 sewing workshops. These workshops run through April for 3 weeks at a time. The schedule rotates to allow all kids the opportunity to participate in the classes.
In January, 4-H members made a fleece hat and scarf to prepare for the snow. In the next round of classes, members will make placemats to enter in the County Fair.
We are so grateful for the volunteers who spearhead these classes! The 4-H members are always filling up each workshop.
Check out all the projects they made while visiting the County Fair in September!!
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Family and Consumer Sciences
Deon Littles
Financial Wellness Extension Agent Associate
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When is the best time to sow seeds?
Beth Grem, MG Volunteer
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The Charles County Master Gardeners Grow it Eat it (GIEI) Education Committee held a February 3 workshop on "Starting Seeds Indoors and Out" at the Waldorf West Library. We had 27 attendees with 11 people on the waiting list due to room size limitations. We intend to repeat this workshop next year in a larger room to accommodate all those interested.
Topics included the basics of starting seeds indoors, materials required, how to read a seed packet, lighting requirements, watering seedlings and starting seeds outside via winter sowing. Feedback was very positive. Everyone particularly enjoyed the demonstration of building a simple, inexpensive PVC grow lamp stand and the demonstration of winter sowing kale seeds.
You can watch the presentation at Grow It Eat It | University of Maryland Extension (umd.edu)
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MG Beth Grem demonstrates how to make an economical grow light
Photo by MG Teri White
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MG Meg McDonald's grow light system
Photo by MG Kathy Davis
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Coming up. . .
GIEI Vegetable Garden Planning Workshop
April 6, 2024
College of Southern Maryland, La Plata Campus
This workshop will focus on planning the garden (whether in ground or in containers), preparing the garden site, and the importance of taking a soil sample. We’ll also discuss how and when to plant seeds and transplants as well as how to maintain the garden.
MGs will be on hand to answer all vegetable garden-related questions. Gardeners of all skill levels are welcome to attend. Additional information and registration details will be posted on our website in early March.
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Visit the Home & Garden Information Center’s (HGIC) webpage for more gardening information and to submit your questions. You can find more tips and tricks for taking photos here at Ask Extension. You can also follow HGIC on social media- Facebook page, YouTube channel, or Instagram (@umdhgic)HC).
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Digital resources available in Charles County!
Maria Barga
Technology Educator
mbarga@umd.edu
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We are delighted to share a photo from the recent Charles County Device Distribution held at the Charles County Senior and Recreation Center in Waldorf. Our team from UME had the pleasure of attending these events to assist individuals in signing up for ACP and providing valuable information to help them stay connected. Additionally, we were able to offer support to the Charles County Department of Community Services and the Charles County Public Library as they aided attendees in setting up their new Chromebooks.
Throughout these events, Charles County successfully distributed 230 HP Chromebooks to families within the community. The Charles County Public Library also played a crucial role by offering educational classes to help individuals navigate and utilize their new devices effectively. If you would like to receive a Chromebook, please contact your library.
We are proud to have been a part of this initiative and look forward to continuing to support the community in their digital endeavors. Thank you to everyone involved in making these events successful and connecting Charles County residents.
For information on Charles County Digital Skills Classes, please visit:
https://marylandersonline.umd.edu/calendar/.
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Feel free to contact our staff with any questions
or ideas you have to help make our community better.
Please send an email to jcrawfo4@umd.edu or visit our website.
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University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity, please contact us at least two weeks in advance at (301) 226-7500. | | | | |
