MILITARY PARTNERSHIPS

4-H MARYLAND

2012 Report

From the 4-H Military Liaison: In Maryland we are fortunate to have a mili-

tary population from various branches – Army

at Fort Meade, Fort Detrick, Fort Detrick Silver

Spring, and Aberdeen Proving Grounds; Navy

– Naval Air Station – Patuxent River, Naval

Surface Warfare Center – Indian River and

the USNA – Annapolis; Air Force – Andrews Air

Force Base. With the support of our County

4-H Educators collaborating with our Program

Coordinator Alisha Targonski there are 4-H

Youth Development Programs at Youth

Centers on each military installation. We are

proud to share an overview of 2012.

Sandy Corridon Maryland 4-H

Military Liaison

Meade SAC youth make pizza as a part of the 4-H

Cooking: Microwave Magic curriculum.

Spotlight On: Healthy Living and Cooking

In Maryland 4-H, we strive to

strengthen the military clubs and

Further integrate them into our

county, state, and national programs.

With five installations sending projects

to county fairs (Pax River had 107

youth submit entries to the St. Mary’s

County Fair!) we are working toward

having a larger military presence at all

4-H events! We are also bringing high

fun, high learning experiences to the

military clubs including robotics and

engineering clubs, gardening and

cooking clubs, and environmental

science projects like the Maryland 4-H

based AGsploration program! We

have 4-H clubs at every installation in

Maryland, and welcome youth from

all military backgrounds into our

county club programs throughout the

state! We hope to bring military youth

fun learning experiences and a world-

wide community.

Healthy living and cooking were key to all 4-H

programs on installations this past year. Both NSA

Annapolis and Detrick 4-Hers incorporated physical

fitness programs into their clubs to compliment the

Health Rocks curriculum. Fort Detrick Silver Spring en-

joyed the great outdoors by planting a vegetable gar-

den and hosting a full camping-hiking club. Pax River

grew a garden as well, incorporating science, math,

building, and landscape design into their gardening and

healthy living curriculum. Cooking and nutrition was a

focus for Indian Head, Andrews ‘Kids in the Kitchen’

Club, and Aberdeen whose cooking club participated in

the Harford County Meal Appeal and even had entries

in the Maryland State Fair for the first time!

Edgewood 4-Her

picking zucchinis from

the garden with local

baker, Jason, from

Flavor Cupcakery!

Spotlight On: Science and Arts

Spotlight On: Generosity in Action

2012 was a big year for 4-H Science and Arts

Programs. 4-Hers across the state participated in

activities ranging from Robotics to Agricultural Sci-

ence. Embryology was a favorite at NSWC Indian

Head and Fort Detrick while Andrews Air Force youth

got busy with wind energy and even made their own

windmills. NSA Annapolis 4-Hers had fun building

marshmallow catapults as a part of Junk Drawer Ro-

botics. Edgewood 4-Hers sent 5 teams to the Junior

First Lego League Challenge! It was

also a big year for the visual arts.

Fort Meade youth participated in

photography, drawing, music

and sound technology, and

digital arts! Pax River learned

sewing and knitting skills!

Maryland 4-Hers are known for their willingness to

give back to the community. Andrew’s Air Force Base

youth made gift bags with planted flowers to the

Children's Hospital Earth Day event while Fort Detrick

Silver Spring youth participated in the Montgomery

County Wide Community Service Day by breaking

down bikes for youth in Africa with Bikes for the World.

Edgewood 4-Hers gave back to the military

community by preparing boxes of toiletries for soldiers

deployed overseas, made “snowman soup” for gate

guards, and donated fleece scarves to local military

youth in need. 13 Pax River 4-Hers attended the

regional OMK Teen Council Summit and returned to

their communities to start Student2Student groups

with the goal of helping other military youth adjust to

deployment transitions. Maryland military 4-Hers truly

excel at helping others!

Number of baby chicks

hatched through 4-H

Embryology projects at

NSA Indian Head , Fort

Detrick, and Fort Detrick

Silver Spring!

Pax River lends a helping hand

28

4-Hers show of their skills in the Meade SAC Future Builders Club

“The curriculum is so easy to understand and

really provides children with an opportunity to

learn while they are having fun.”

-Fort Detrick staff

Military 4-H Partnerships are supported by 4-H National Headquarters/NIFA/USDA; Army Child, Youth and School Services; Air Force Airman and Family Services; Navy Child and Youth Programs; and the University of Maryland Extension 4-H Program through grant funding at Kansas

State University.

Alisha Targonski, 4-H Military Club Coordinator Maryland 4-H Center 8020 Greenmead Drive College Park, MD 20740 301-314-7319, alishat@umd.edu

Spotlight On: Leadership

http://www.4-hmilitarypartnerships.org

http://www.maryland4h.org/4-HMilitary

Supporting 3037 Military Youth In Maryland

Military Club Leaders

Talk

Maryland 4-Hers are true leaders in their communi-

ties. Edgewood youth worked on building independ-

ence skills by planning and carrying out an annual

fall carnival for children at the nearby day care

center. Aberdeen put on a 4-H community fair as

well, drawing over 200 people! At Pax River teens

demonstrated leadership skills by meeting to

determine program needs, provided suggestions ,

and acted as liaisons to base command to bring

teen issues to the forefront. Fort Detrick Silver Spring

youth completed Kids Taking Charge and

the 4-H ‘I’m Alone’ programs to get

practice with real world skills

and greater

independence.

“These [STEM] activities are a wonderful

opportunity for our kids to get hands on

training and experience with technology

...doing these activities is a no brainer.”

-Francisco Jamison, CYSS Administrator

Ms. Dawn, Staff at Andrews

Air Force Base, says, “My enrollment has increased

over 200%. It makes me feel awesome that the

children express their passion for cooking with me.

I hope I'm inspiring a future chef.”

1086 Air Force Youth

1294 Navy Youth

657 Army Youth

4697 OCONUS Youth

$4,500 in Maryland 4-H

Health Rocks Grants

$2,000 in Maryland 4-H Reading Makes Cents Grants

Don’t Take Our

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