An all-new activity kit, available online, gives 4-H’ers fun, hands-on ways to learn about the importance of healthy soils with their families, their clubs or on their own.

Through activities such as ‘Sprouts and Soil Health’ and ‘Movers and Shakers…. and Wigglers,’ 4-H’ers will learn about biodiversity and the importance of soil health in food production, while the ‘Ultimate Compost Challenge’ will grow their practical skills and ‘Shout-out About Soil’ will give them the chance to demonstrate their youth leadership.

“Whether doing these activities on their own, with their families or with their clubs, 4-H’ers will not only learn new skills but also be empowered to make an impact on these important topics at home, in their communities and for the world,” said 4-H Canada CEO Shannon Benner.

The activity book can be found on the 4-H Canada website. The activity book for another new program, About My Plate and the Planet, will be available shortly.

The post New at-home learning program for 4-H’ers appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

BASF is supporting the Community Engagement & Communications program.

“This program empowers young people to make a positive difference in the world by volunteering in their local community and participating in globally oriented initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” 4-H Canada said in a release.

The funding will also support 4-H’s Youth Advisory Committee, the annual Show Your 4-H Colours campaign, and provincial youth leadership programming in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.

The post 4-H gets $600,000 funding pledge from BASF appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The awards are driven by nominations from 4-H members who want to share the positive impact their leaders have had on them and their communities.

Lisa Patton of the Truro-North River 4-H Club in Nova Scotia is the winner of the national leader award. The other provincial winners are Marlene Baskerville (U of M Future Leaders 4-H Club, Winnipeg), Theresa Hunter (River Valley 4-H Club, Summerfield, New Brunswick), Janice Whalen (Millview-Vernon River 4-H Club, Avondale, P.E.I.) and Joanne Blanchard (4-H Challenging Pioneers, Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador).

The post Calgary 4-H leader honoured appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The distinction is bestowed upon individuals whose dedication and passionate contributions have advanced the 4-H movement in Canada.

McConnell has been giving back to his community since his days in Hamiota, Manitoba’s 4-H Beef Club, the longest continually active 4-H club in Canada. The AdFarm founder has served on the national 4-H board as well as the Canadian 4-H Foundation but is also known for his contributions to the agriculture sector. One was the Straw Man Beef Initiative to advance the Canadian beef industry which he undertook with David Andrews and John Kolk. The trio’s comprehensive report sparked a chain of events, including the creation of a national beef strategy and the founding of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.

In 2017, McConnell was appointed to the Order of Canada for his years of service to his community and country.

Also receiving the honorary membership honour is longtime Ontario 4-H champion Carm Hamilton.

The post Kim McConnell honoured by 4-H Canada appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The highly sought-after scholarship recognizes four outstanding 4-H members who demonstrate personal development, community impact, and leadership excellence in each of 4-H Canada’s four leadership development Pillars. They honour youth who have become exceptional leaders through their 4-H experience.

Each recipient will receive a $20,000 scholarship towards their four-year post-secondary studies, an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the leadership awards ceremony in Ottawa in February, and mentorship from an expert in their field of study.

“The L.E.A.D. scholarship is unique in that it matches recipients with dream mentors, thus supporting youth as they move forward in their careers,” said Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada.

Taylor won the scholarship in the sustainable agriculture and food security pillar. Other winners are Douglas Sroka of Saskatchewan, Josiah Lodewyk of Ontario, and Riley Callahan from New Brunswick.

More information on the scholarship, which is sponsored by CN Rail, can be found at 4-h-canada.ca.

The post Albertan wins prestigious 4-H L.E.A.D. scholarship appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Sixty per cent of sales will go back into supporting 4-H in Canada, with over half of the profit staying local.

“Our youth members told us they wanted to be part of a collective fundraising effort that embodied the 4-H values, was Canadian and had a positive impact on the environment,” said Shannon Benner, 4-H Canada CEO. “Our fundraising campaign fits all these criteria.”

Veseys Seeds is a 90-year-old P.E.I. company that sells its products online and through its catalogues across North America.

The fundraiser will launch on a pilot basis this fall. Interested 4-H regions, counties and clubs can find out more online and have until Sept. 30 to sign up. — 4-H Canada

The post 4-H Canada launches national fundraiser appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

For the first year of this initiative, 4-H clubs will take part in a science experiment ‘in a box.’

“With this initiative, our goal is to encourage young people to be engaged actively in STEM by learning to do by doing through fun and interactive experiences,” said Shannon Benner, 4-H Canada CEO.

The Discover Science kit will contain all the components needed to build a wearable health monitor following the engineering design process to build, test, and refine the device. Wearable technologies are becoming more and more integrated in our lives, and this initiative will allow 4-H members to learn about human health, and how it can be tracked and improved using technology.

These kits were created in 2017 by the National 4-H Council in the United States as the Incredible Wearables kit, and developed by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with the support of various donors. The Canadian version is being supported by Bayer Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Discover Science kits will be distributed to 90 Canadian 4-H clubs in Canada this spring, introducing over 2,200 young members to inquiry-based learning.

“As a life science company, we understand that exploration and innovation are key factors helping to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges, and it’s encouraging to see the large number of clubs and youth participating in this pilot program,” said Al Driver, country division head with Bayer Crop Science Canada.

For more information, go to 4-h-canada.ca/discoverscience.

The post New program will encourage 4-H’ers to develop STEM skills appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The program gives senior 4-H youth and young alumni the opportunity to travel across the country in the summer, working in partnership with youth taking part in 4-H Canada’s Club to Club Exchanges to plan and implement community service projects.

The goal of the program, created as part of the federal government’s Canada Service Corps, is to give young people the chance to advance their leadership skills and learn project management through hands-on experience. It is open to young Canadians aged 15 to 25.

The four Alberta Youth Service Leaders for 2019 are Brookelyn Felske, Amanda Hardman, Carissa McGregor, and Kianna McGregor.

For more information on the Hands to Larger Service program, go to the 4-H Canada website where you can also find information on the Club to Club Exchange program.

The post Four Albertans chosen as Youth Service Leaders appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The mentorship program is a key part of Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction scholarships.

Emmett Sawyer, who grew up on a mixed farm near Acme and is a past member of the Swalwell 4-H Club, has been paired with Bill Buckner, former senior vice-president with Cargill. Sawyer, who began his bachelor’s degree in agricultural studies at the University of Lethbridge in the fall, says his goal is to become president of an agricultural company and one day pursue a career in federal politics.

Emma Kaliel of Westlock County was a member of the Double Diamond 4-H Multi Club. She is studying engineering at the University of Alberta and has been paired with Erin Thorp, an engineer, certified coach and published author. Kaliel, who was profiled in the Nov. 5 edition of Alberta Farmer, credits 4-H with sparking her interest in science.

To learn more about the L.E.A.D. scholarship, its recipients, and their mentors, go to www.4-h-canada.ca/lead.

The post A big scholarship and a helping hand appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The leadership awards recognize outstanding 4-H members, leaders, and alumni who are contributing to 4-H in Canada and their communities.

The event is 4-H Canada’s premier annual fundraising event, and the organization is looking for travel vouchers, event tickets, unique experiences, gift cards, sports memorabilia and more for its online auction, which will run from Jan. 21-31.

For information on how to donate, or to buy tickets for the event, go to the 4-H Canada website or contact events co-ordinator Heidi Vallinga at hvallinga@4-h-canada.ca.

The post 4-H leadership awards gala coming up appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.