Join HYPE!

Come and join Acadia Healthy Young People Empowerment also known as HYPE! HYPE helps to guide youth in advocating for a healthier community. As a member of HYPE, you will have the chance to gain advocacy skills, form partnerships within the community, participate in your local government and play a part in helping address the needs of your community. To apply, visit https://tinyurl.com/AcadiaHYPE by June 10, 2022.

Leadership Boards

The Louisiana 4-H State Leadership Boards offer an opportunity for board members to assist with the development of educational programs that provide opportunities for advocacy, leadership, and youth voice on a statewide level. To be eligible you must be a 4-H member in the 9^th-12^th grade the year they serve on the leadership board. The Louisiana 4-H leadership boards are Executive Board, Citizenship Board, Fashion Board, Food and Fitness Board, STEM Board, Shooting Sports Board, Wetland Ambassador, and (New this year!) Livestock Ambassador. Members may not serve on more than one board at a time (except Livestock Ambassadors can also be on one of the other boards); however, you may apply for more than one board. You will be required to rank which board you would prefer to serve on should you be accepted to more than one board. Tenure is one year for all board members, except for Shooting Sports Ambassador, which are selected for a two-year term.Current board members must re-apply, with the exception of second year Shooting Sports Ambassadors. The application process is a completed application submitted and attending a virtual orientation and an interview. All Louisiana Board interviews will be held at 4-H University this year, except for Executive Board who is elected at 4-H University. You are interested in applying, please email Mrs. Kayla Segura at khaydel@agcenter.lsu.edu by April 7^th for more information.

About the Livestock Ambassadors:

The Louisiana 4-H Livestock Ambassador Team is a statewide leadership opportunity for 4-H members that provides the prospect to build and apply leadership and professional skills while exploring animal science and the livestock industry. Livestock Ambassadors will not only lead livestock outreach activities in their parish, region, and state, but also learn valuable professional skills.

About the Wetlands Ambassadors Team:

The Wetland Ambassadors Team (WAT) is not a leadership board. While it does offer leadership opportunities, WAT focuses on providing higher-level educational experiences for 4-H members that prepares them to be ambassadors for the wetlands in their community and state.

Through the Wetland Ambassadors Team, 4-H members can:

• Explore the ecology and importance of Louisiana’s wetlands.

• Build and apply leadership skills by developing and leading wetlands activities, presentations, and demonstrations.

•Build and apply professional skills related to natural resources that can be used throughout their life and across careers.

• Learn from natural resources-related professionals and explore various career opportunities.

Fashion Board Textile and Apparel Program Objectives: To assist with the development of educational programs that provide opportunities to explore careers in fashion: textile science, apparel design, merchandising and related industries; develop leadership abilities and character; build self-confidence and poise by improving ability to make wise consumer purchases and financial decisions regarding apparel; recognize quality and predict performance of textile and apparel products; expand and share textile and apparel knowledge, including technical and creative skills; and improve public-speaking and presentation skills. Both youth and adult members serve as the advisory committee.

Food and Fitness Board Objectives

Members will:

Work with board advisors and/or Nutrition and Fitness Specialist to plan and implement healthy living-related programs that provide for life skill development related to food, nutrition, fitness, and overall health (including food prep, food safety, basic nutrition, healthy choices, physical activity, etc.).

Develop decision-making, communication, planning and organization, problem-solving, leadership and service skills.

Gain skills necessary to make and teach healthy food choices in a variety of settings.

Gain knowledge about the sciences of food/nutrition, exercise/fitness, and understand the scientific methods used in research.

Explore careers in dietetics and nutrition, food science, fitness/kinesiology, and other health related fields.

Be prepared to lead Food & Fitness demos at the parish, regional, and state level.

STEM Board Objectives

To empower members with the tools and opportunities needed to explore, create, and gain valuable experience in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Shooting Sports Board Objectives:

The 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador program will provide a venue for 4-H Teens to:

Represent 4-H and specifically 4-H Shooting Sports for public relations purposes at special events; at donor/supporter functions and with the general public, peer groups, 4-H groups, community service groups, schools and media contacts.

Serve as spokespersons for the 4-H Shooting Sports program at their respective levels of participation – national, regional, state, parish - helping to make 4-H Shooting Sports programs more visible.

Further develop their skills in leadership, public presentation, citizenship, community service, public relations and team building.

Assist in maintaining relations with 4-H Faculty and Cooperative Extension Administrators as well as past, present and future program donors and supporters.

Continue and expand their involvement in 4-H Shooting Sports beyond the shooting skills and competitive levels.

Stay actively connected with the 4-H Shooting Sports program as they enter their collegiate years and further into adulthood.

Lego Camp

We are hosting a Lego camp on July 8, 2022, from 9 am to 3 pm at the 4-H office. This camp is open to 3^rd-5^th graders. This camp will have new and innovative activities similar to our minicamp held in March. Participants will explore and create LEGO items with an emphasis on engineering and construction. They will think critically as they use their imagination while building solutions to challenges. Most of all, we will have FUN while building Legos! The cost to attend this camp is $10. Lunch will be included. Spots are limited, so don’t wait to register. You can register to attend here https://acadia-4-h-foundation.square.site/.

Livestock Sale Thank You Letters

If you exhibited a market animal this year and were in the parish livestock sale, we will begin distributing checks on April 1^st pending payment from the buyer and receipt of your thank you letter(s). You must come by the 4-H office to pick up your check, they will NOT be mailed. Checks will only be issued between April 1^st until June 15^th.

LOST on the Bayou Camp

The Southwest Region is hosting a day camp for 7th & 8th grade youth on August 2, 2022, from 9:45 AM to 6PM at Acadian Village 200 Greenleaf Dr. Lafayette, LA 70506.This camp will provide the opportunity to have fun with science by attending the annual 4-H LOST (Louisiana Outdoor Science and Technology) Camp. While at LOST on the Bayou, participants will enjoy STEM based interactive learning and recreational activities. Educational lessons include – Environmental/Wetlands, Animal Science, Food Science and Videography. Recreation will include – Water Wonders, Fishing, Art/Recycle Gardening, and a service effort. Cost to attend is $40 per participant and includes a t-shirt and materials needed throughout the day. Registration and payment are due June 1^st to the 4-H Office. Spots are limited, so don’t wait to register.https://tinyurl.com/LOSTontheBayou

Outstanding Member Banquet

Mark your calendars! This year the Outstanding Member Banquet will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at the Rayne Civic Center.The ceremony includes a meal and presentation of awards. Each school’s 4-H club leader(s) select the outstanding members that will be invited to attend.A formal invitation will be sent via mail to selected 4-H members. Being selected is a great honor and is no cost to you. Your school pays for you and two parents/ guardians to attend. If you are interested in knowing if you qualify to attend, please see your 4-H school club leader(s). All seniors that are receiving a 4-H parish honor cord are invited and should receive an invitation in the mail as well.

Sewing Camp

Once again, we will be hosting two summer sewing camps open to all 4-H members in Acadia and Jeff Davis Parish at the Acadia Parish Extension Office (157 Cherokee Drive, Crowley, LA 70526).The first camp will be June 27-28 for beginners and June 29-30 for experienced sewers. Experienced sewer should be able to thread machine and load a bobbin without assistance. Youth attending the beginner camp will be prepared to participate in the second camp if they wish. Due to limited space, 4-H’ers will be accepted on a first come, first served basis with paid registration fee and all completed forms. Registration and fees are due May 5, 2022. A waiting list will be maintained for alternates. Registration forms are included in the registration link: https://tinyurl.com/4HSewCamp. Pick up and drop off times will be 1 P.M. and 5 P.M. each day respectively. The registration fee is $40 per camp and covers snacks, drinks, and some supplies. Youth should bring a sewing machine if they have one. If not, a limited number of sewing machines can be checked out from the 4-H Office. Once registration closes a supply list will be sent to all participants.

Sewing Club Quilt Show

Local 4-H quilters in the Acadia Parish area and members of the 4-H Sewing Club are hosting their first annual Quilt Show and Gala, a modern quilt show, on April 25 at the LSU Ag Center located at 157 Cherokee Dr. Approximately 20 quilts made by students will be on display for public viewing during the hours of 5:00-7:00 pm.

Attendees will see on display twenty amazing quilts that the youth have spent months piecing together. They will be able to participate in quilting demonstrations, have a chance to lay a couple of stitches on an in-progress quilt, learn about the quilters of Gee’s Bend and more. It is free to attend, but feel free to support our club by visiting the bazaar where you will find small sewn or quilted items to purchase and larger items to bid on in our silent auction.

Attendees can learn more about the 4-H Sewing Club and the 4-H Summer Sewing Camp onsite at the show. The club will have registration forms for any student who would like to join, as well as information about club meetings, activities and events.

Shooting Sports

4-H State Match is April 25- May 1, 2022 in Ascension and West Baton Rouge parishes. Just a few reminders: in order to attend you must have qualified for the State Match at Southern Regionals and turn in the registration form and payment by the April 5^th deadline. Each participant is required to furnish their own ammunition. Parish equipment must be signed out from the office during business hours. Please continue to check your email, text messages and/ or the Facebook page for important information.

Summer Day Camp

Are you a 4-H member in 4^th-6^th grade? Are you wanting to attend a summer camp experience? If you answered yes, then this summer camp is for you!!The one-day camp will be packed with FUN! Join us for a variety of hands-on activities, swimming and even a visit from the Kona Ice truck.We are so excited to be able to offer a day camp for youth in grades 4^th-6^th.This day camp is being offered to youth who completed a project book and turned it in by the March 5^th deadline.However, we have a limited number of spots open to all youth in grades 4^th through 6^th.This camp will be held on July 7^th from 8:30 AM to 4PM at Acadia Parish Rice Arena. Cost to attend is $30 non-refundable registration fee per participant and includes all materials, lunch, snacks, and water throughout the day. Registration form and fees are due May 31, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/224HSummerCamp