Upcoming Events

November

19: 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Submission Day (Pecan, Sweet Potato, & Rice)
23: 4-H Bash on the Bayou LSU Football Game and Tailgate
28-29: LSU AgCenter Office closed

December

10: 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Submission Day (Egg & Sugar)
24-31: LSU AgCenter Office closed

January

1: LSU AgCenter Office closed
20: 4-H Day of Service
21: 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Submission Day (Poultry & Wild Game)

*Read newsletter for other important dates and 4-H opportunities. Check out our LSU AgCenter website (www.lsuagcenter.com/stcharles) and social media pages for additional opportunities.

For more information, contact your LSU AgCenter Extension Office

St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter
Physical Address:
453 Spruce Street, Norco, La.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 557, Norco, LA 70079
Phone: 985-785-4473
Office Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
4-H Agent: Dr. Kali Zammit
Email: kzammit@agcenter.lsu.edu
Website:
www.lsuagcenter.com/stcharles

November/December 2024 Edition

Message from your 4-H Agent

A major part of 4-H is learning how to use your hands for larger service to help your community. We want you to make a special effort to help those around you. Some ways that you can engage in your community is by participating in the 4-H Toy and Food Drive and/or our 4-H Day of Service. Don’t forget to take pictures throughout the month and enter the photography contest. Everyone is encouraged to do their part to give back with 4-H – one hand at a time!

-Dr. Kali Zammit
St. Charles Parish 4-H Agent
*Pictured with 4-H volunteers at United Way of St. Charles Battle for the Paddle event

Thrive with the 4-H Youth Development Program

Throughout this month, 4-H’ers who completed and submitted their 4-H enrollment form will receive a 4-H project book based on their selected interests. Cloverbuds, 4th, and 5th grade 4-H members will receive project books that have many project areas to help them find and ignite their spark. By participating in 4-H projects, contests, and more, members can thrive to become the best versions of themselves. 4-H’ers are encouraged to participate in their 4-H project books and do activities that they can add to their 4-H portfolios throughout the year to enhance their engagement in the 4-H program. All project books and portfolios are due to your club leader by March 31, 2025.

Visit us at: www.lsuagcenter.com/stcharles • www.facebook.com/scp4h • Instagram @scp4h

Stay Updated with St. Charles Parish 4-H News

This year St. Charles Parish 4-H is providing several venues for 4-H members and families to stay updated with 4-H News.

St. Charles Parish
LSU AgCenter Website
www.lsuagcenter.com/stcharles
Visit this page and click on the 4-H tab for articles and updates including 4-H newsletters, contests, and upcoming opportunities.

St. Charles 4-H Facebook Page
www.facebook.com/scp4h
Like or Follow this page for daily posts, updates, and resources.

St. Charles 4-H Instagram
@scp4h
Follow us on Instagram for highlights and announcements.

Google Classroom
Many school clubs will use Google Classroom to communicate with their 4-H’ers. See your 4-H club leader for information on how to access their communication tools.

St. Charles Parish 4-H News

It is not too late to join one of our St. Charles Parish 4-H Project Clubs. Many of our clubs will begin meeting in November. For more information or to join any of the project clubs listed below, please contact the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter Office at 985-785-4473 or kzammit@agcenter.lsu.edu. Additional fees may apply.

• 4-H Cloverbud Community Club - for all K-3rd grade students
• 4-H CHEF (Cooking, Healthy Eating, & Fitness) Club - for all 4th-6th grade students
• 4-H Jr. Leader Club – for all 7th–12th grade students
• 4-H Fashion Club - for all 4th-12th grade students
• 4-H Shooting Sports Club – for students 10 years old through 12th grade

4-H Project Books and Portfolios

All 4-H members registered in 4-H Online will receive a 4-H Project Book and/or 4-H Portfolio. Cloverbuds (K-3rd graders) are encouraged to complete their 4-H Cloverbud Project book and 4-H members (4th-12th grade members) are encouraged to complete their 4-H Project Books and 4-H Portfolios for prizes. Download a Digital Version of the 4-H Portfolio to begin working. Add your participation to your 4-H Portfolio in these sections:

4-H Leadership Section:
4-H Jr. Leader Club Meeting
4-H Officers
Leading pledges at club meetings
4-H Regional Challenge Camp

4-H Citizenship/Community Service Section:
4-H Day of Service
4-H Toy and Food Drive

4-H Awards and Recognition Section:
4-H Photography Contest
4-H Culinary Arts Contests
4-H Senior Honor Cord & Senior Jacket
4-H All-Around Style Contest
4-H Talent Show Contest
4-H Pet Show Contest

Congratulations on your retirement, Mrs. Cheryl!

After 20 years of serving the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter as our Administrative Coordinator, Mrs. Cheryl Mahler will be retiring as of January 2, 2025. As a Hahnville High School graduate and 4-H alumnus, Mrs. Cheryl can remember enjoying her summer at 4-H Camp when she was a 4-H member in St. Charles Parish. Her own children were involved in the 4-H program, and Mrs. Cheryl now enjoys volunteering at St. Charles Parish 4-H events with her grandchildren.

On behalf of the St. Charles Parish 4-H Program, we would like to thank Mrs. Cheryl for her years of service and wish her congratulations on her retirement. We will miss you!

4-H FAQ

What do I do with my 4-H Project Book and/or Portfolio?

Your 4-H Project Book provides you with an opportunity to enhance your 4-H experience. We encourage all 4-H’ers to try participating in their project book. The 4-H Portfolios are a great way to keep up with your 4-H experience and beyond. As you get older, this book mimics the 4-H scholarship application. We encourage all members to keep up with their 4-H Portfolios from year to year. All 4-H project books and portfolios are due to your club leader by March 31 of each year. Prizes will be awarded to those who complete certain sections in their books. More details will be outlined in upcoming monthly 4-H newsletters.

Is it too late to sign up for a 4-H Project Club?

The deadline for our 4-H Shooting Sports program has passed. However, if you are interested in any other project club, please send an email to kzammit@agcenter.lsu.edu stating the project club(s) you are interested in to begin receiving emails with club information.

4-H Service Section: 4-H Toy & Food Drive

Celebrate this holiday season by using your hands for larger service. One way to help your community is by participating in the annual 4-H Toy and Food Drive. During the months of November and December, your 4-H club is encouraged to conduct a Toy and/or Food Drive to help those in our community.

Please feel free to donate items within your school or contact the 4-H Agent prior to December 1, 2024, for collection and donation options.

Upcoming St. Charles Parish 4-H Events

*Note: To receive an award or recognition for any parish 4-H contest, the 4-H member must be registered and approved through 4-H Online. Also, results for all 4-H Contests will be posted on our 4-H Facebook Page and school club Google Classrooms.

4-H Culinary Arts Contest (for 4th-12th graders)

All 4-H members are encouraged to participate in the culinary arts contest. These contests help our 4-H members grow in their cooking experience and skill level while enjoying quality time with families who assist them with the safety rules and sharing of traditional family recipes. The 4-H Culinary Arts contest will be split into different submission dates. Members will need to complete the 4-H Culinary Arts Registration Form by the submission date to be considered for judging. All rules are posted on the online registration form.

Next 4-H Culinary Arts Contest Submission Dates:
Tuesday, November 19, 2024: Louisiana Commodities (Pecan, Sweet Potato, and Rice)
Tuesday, December 10, 2024: Egg and Sugar
Tuesday, January 21, 2025: Poultry and Wild Game
Tuesday, February 11, 2025: Beef
Tuesday, March 11, 2025: Seafood

4-H members are asked to bring 2 servings of their dish in a sealed, non-returnable container on the submission date for each contest between 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter Office, which is located at 453 Spruce Street in Norco, La.

4-H Photography Contest

Do you enjoy taking pictures? Consider entering the 4-H Photography Contest! Throughout the upcoming months, take pictures of thetopic listed below. Official rules are listed in the online form. Complete the 4-H Photography Contest Online Form by the last day of the month listed below for each category. Contest submissions may be submitted early. No late submissions will be accepted.

4-H Photography Contest Categories:
November - Landscape (Horizontal photo that captures nature or man-made feature)
December - People (Photo of person or group of people that captures their personality)
January - Animals (Photo of animal or group of animals that captures natural habitat)
February - Still Life (Photo of inanimate object or group of objects)

4-H All-Around Style Contest

Learning how to use your resources is a great skill to learn through 4-H. For this contest, we do not want you to buy anything! Wewant you to use 1 piece of clothing in your closet to be the feature article of clothing that you style for three different occasions: (1) casual, (2) dressy, and (3) job interview. Official rules are listed in the online form. Complete the 4-H All-Around Style Contest Form by January 31, 2025. Contest submissions may be submitted early. No late submissions will be accepted.

4-H Virtual Talent Show Contest

Do you have a talent that you would like to share with our 4-H family? Consider participating in our Virtual Talent Show by submitting a video (60-90 seconds) of you performing your talent. Complete the 4-H Talent Show Contest Form by January 31, 2025. Contest submissions may be submitted early. No late submissions will be accepted.

4-H Virtual Pet Show Contest

Do you have a pet that you take care of at home? We would like to hear all about it! Consider participating in our 4-H Pet Show Contest by submitting a video of you and your pet while answering questions. Complete the 4-H Pet Show Contest Form by January 31, 2025. Contest submissions may be submitted early. No late submissions will be accepted.

4-H Book Guide

Based on the Parish 4-H Timeline, registered 4-H members will submit enrollment forms by October club meetings and receive project books and portfolios in November. This section is to guide members in completing books throughout the year.

4-H Cloverbuds (K-3rd grade)
Cloverbud Activity Guides

Activity: Barred Owls & Forest Fun

Here are activities from the guide listed above that you can do at club meetings and later transfer to your project book:

• Exercise: Bird Beak Relay & Parts of a Tree (Page 3)
• Science Section: Owls are Carnivores & Parts of a Tree (Page 4)
• Recipe: Owl Pizza & Trail Mix (Page 3)

4th grade 4-H members
Discovering the World of 4-H

Here are activities that you can do at club meetings and transfer to your project book:

• Photography (Pages 35-37)
• ATV Safety (Page 21)
• Shooting Sports (Pages 22-23)
• Fishing Sports (Pages 24-25)

5th grade 4-H members
Exploring the World of 4-H

Here are activities that you can do at club meetings and transfer to your project book:

• Bullying (Pages 14-15)
• Technology Etiquette (Pages 16-17)
• Government (Pages 18-19)
• Responsibility (Page 20)
• Stewardship (Page 22)

6th – 12th grade 4-H members
4-H Portfolios

All 4th – 12th grade members will receive an older version of the 4-H Portfolio. You may access and use the newer version here:

4-H Portfolio (New Online Version)

Activity: Awards
Now that you are participating in contests and activities, you may have received awards or recognition for your participation. There are 2 sections in your book where you highlight the awards and recognition that you have received this year: (4-H Awards & Recognition & Non-4-H Awards & Recognition). Any award or recognition that you received in 4-H should be listed in the 4-H Awards/Recognition section and awards/recognition outside of 4-H should be listed in the Non-4-H Awards and Recognition section. If you don’t have anything to put in these sections, consider participating in one of our parish 4-H contests. There are several contests each month, so consider trying one that sparks your interest.

4-H Club Meetings

Monthly Parish 4-H Lesson:
Mediums of Art - Color Pencils

This year 4-H members will be exploring mediums of art. This month will focus on Color Pencils. Zentangle is a relaxing and meditative form of drawing that involves creating structured patterns. It is a great way to enhance creativity and mindfulness. Choose one or more activities to practice with crayons.

Activity 1: Hand Zentangle

1. Trace – Trace your hand on a sheet of paper with a black sharpie marker or similar supply.
2. Divide – Divide the inside of your hand with lines (using color pencils).
3. Create – Imagine, plan, and create Zentagle patterns inside the hand. This will be a one-of-a-kind activity. Here are a few ideas for common Zentangle patterns:

Activity 2: Colorful Zentangle Box Activity

1. Draw a Border – Use a pencil to draw a simple border around the edge of your paper. It can be a square or any shape you like. This border will be where your design stays inside.
2. Draw a String – Inside the border, lightly draw a random line or shape with your pencils. This line is called a “string.” It will divide your paper into different sections.
3. Start Drawing Patterns – Pick one section of your string to start. Use your black marker or pen to fill the section with a fun, repeating pattern. Keep filling each section with different patterns until the whole paper is covered.

November 4-H Club Meeting Reminders

Here are a few reminders for this month:

• 4-H Enrollment Forms – All 4-H Enrollment Forms should have been received by our 4-H Agent by November 1. If you would still like to enroll in the 4-H program or have not already submitted your enrollment form for this year, please contact our LSU AgCenter Office. Note: 4-H members must submit a new enrollment form each year.
• Parish 4-H Programs – Try to participate in the parish contests this month. 4-H members who complete these activities will receive points toward our 4-H Achievement Program.
• 4-H Newsletters – Show your parents/guardians the monthly 4-H newsletters.

December and January 4-H Club Meeting Ideas
Note: This is a reminder that the 4-H Agent will not meet with school clubs in December.

4-H Toy and Food Drive
4-H hosts an annual Toy and Food Drive during November and December. Schools are encouraged to host their own 4-H Toy and/or Food Drive at school to address food insecurity in our community. 4-H Leaders may contact the 4-H Agent for guidance.

4-H Contests
Take some time at club meetings for members to participate in parish 4-H contests. There are several online contests listed in the newsletter this month.

4-H Culinary Arts Contests
4-H will have several 4-H Culinary Arts contests throughout the year. To encourage participation, clubs can incorporate a contest, workshop, or nutrition lesson at club meetings.

4-H Above and Beyond

Each month 4-H’ers will be provided with a list of upcoming opportunities on a parish, regional, state, and/or national level. We also recommend 4-H’ers and parents to visit our 4-H Facebook page for more opportunities that may be advertised between published editions of our monthly 4-H newsletter. Contact the 4-H Agent or visit the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter Website for all rules, applications, and more information.

State 4-H Fashion and Beyond on Tour Day Camp
1-day adventure for current 5th – 12th grade members - $20.00 fee

This trip is held on January 15, 2025, (in Winnsboro, La.) or February 17, 2025 (in Crowley, La.) Selected campers will learn basic sewing skills and enjoy creating various fashion projects. Space is limited. Complete the 4-H Fashion Camp Online Application for consideration to attend. Application deadline: November 10, 2024.

State 4-H LSU Bash on the Bayou Tailgate
1-day adventure for all 4-H members and families - Tailgate Free; Game Tickets additional fee

Join other 4-H members from throughout the state and their families for a tailgate event at LSU leading up to the big game! The event will be held on November 23, 2024, before the LSU football game, where LSU will play Vanderbilt in Tiger Stadium. The tailgate event is free to registered 4-H and FFA families, but space is limited. Transportation to and from the event is on your own. Contact your 4-H Agent for details on purchasing tickets to the LSU game or participating in the LSU 4-H/FFA Tailgating experience.

4-H Senior Jacket & Honor Cord Awards
Awards for current 12th grade members - Award Recipients receive 4-H jacket and/or honor cord to wear for graduation

State 4-H Night With the New Orleans Pelicans
1-day adventure for all 4-H members and families - Pregame Tailgate Party included with 4-H Ticket purchases

Join other 4-H members and their families for a tailgate event prior to the New Orleans Pelicans professional basketball game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The event will be held on Friday, January 17, 2025. The tailgating opportunities are available to those who purchase tickets with the 4-H program, but space is limited. The deadline to purchase tickets is December 13, 2024. Transportation to and from event is on your own. Contact your 4-H Agent for more details.

Above and Beyond Partners
We would like to thank our continued partners of the St. Charles Parish 4-H Youth Development Program:

Color Our Community
4-H MLK Day of Service

A Civic Engagement 4-H Youth Development Program of the LSU AgCenter

January 20, 2025

St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter Office
453 Spruce Street, Norco, LA

Schedule:

8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Orientation for 4-H Jr. Leaders, High School Members, & Adult Volunteers
8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Sign-in for general 4-H members (K-8th grade) and families
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
4-H Day of Service Activities

Activities:

• 4-H'ers and families will learn and participate in a full service-learning cycle.
• All participants will be asked to bring 5 non-perishable items to donate to our local food pantry.
• This event will include an assortment of activities that will COLOR OUR COMMUNITY to address our State 4-H Service-Learning focus - Hunger and Poverty.
• We will celebrate our success with a color kickball game.

Important Information:

• This event is open to all St. Charles Parish 4-H members who are registered and approved in 4-H Online. Families are encouraged to attend. All 4-H members must pre-register by completing the 4-H Civic Engagement Event Online Registration Form.
• Dress for this event will be tennis shoes and white clothes that can get dirty.
• Registered members should check their email prior to attending for any reminders or changes.

Register Here
by December 16, 2024

The LSU AgCenter and LSU provides equal opportunities in employment and programs. Should you need an ADA accommodation, contact the St. Charles Parish LSU AgCenter Office at least two weeks prior to the event.