Megan Burda – York/Polk Extension Educator
York Summer Reading Program
Introducing a new opportunity for youth in York County! The Nebraska 4-H Summer Reading Connections program aims to connect 4-H curriculum to the Collaborative Summer Library Program theme. The primary goals of the program are to provide 4-H youth development opportunities for youth, educational resources to volunteers, and to spark an interest in 4-H programs. The program reaches out to youth where they live and interact to engage them in life skill development through the framework of 4-H and positive youth development.
This year’s summer reading theme is On Your Mark, Get Set, READ! and lessons have been developed that tie directly to 4-H Healthy Living. There are a series of 4 lessons created to reach youth grades K-2 and grades 3-6.Â
Nebraska Extension is offering programing on Wednesdays in June at the Kilgore Memorial Library. Two sessions will be offered for grades K-2 and 3-5.
Dates: June 8, 15, 22, 29Â
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Limit 25 kids per session. Pre-register your child at http://libraries.ne.gov/york/
These lessons are all highly engaging and tie directly to 4-H curriculum and projects that can be exhibited at the fair. Each lesson features books to enhance learning and physical fitness activities to get youth up and moving.
This year’s lesson themes are:
Ready, Set, READ a Recipe featuring Healthy Snacks
Along with following a recipe, during this session youth will learn how to read a label and use that information to build a healthy snack which contains two food groups and a limited number of fat calories.
Ready, Set, Think Your Drink featuring Healthy Beverages
Sugar is in many of the beverages that youth consume on a daily basis. During this lesson they will discover the amount of sugar in many of their favorite beverages and also why sports drinks are not as good as water in replacing fluids lost in your body.
Ready, Set, Fill Your Plate featuring MyPlate
During this session youth will gain an understating of the digestive system and the way that the human body digests food. After learning about MyPlate they will practice creating their own healthy menus.
Ready, Set, Use Your Senses featuring Sensory Science and Tongue Mapping
Your senses play an important role in the decisions you make in regards to food. Youth will practice being food scientists as they conduct various experiments using their senses.
There are two special components to this year’s 4-H Summer Reading Connections program. Participating libraries are encouraged to submit up to four healthy recipes that represent the youth patrons at their library. These recipes will be collected and made into a 4-H Summer Reading Connections electronic cookbook to be enjoyed by many. Libraries are also being encouraged to have youth record the number of miles they walk or ride a bike throughout the summer reading program. The goal is to see if each library can “walk†across Nebraska (approximately 430 miles).
Although these lessons are designed to work in partnership with local libraries, 4-H volunteers are strongly encouraged to use them as educational lessons at club meetings. These lessons can be taught at any time during the year.
To learn more about the 4-H Summer Reading Connections Program, contact your local Nebraska Extension Office.
This article come from a series of resources developed by Nebraska Extension, 4-H Youth Development Professionals. Learn more about York County 4-H at york.unl.edu, follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Nebraska4H or Megan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/4HFashionista.
Source:Â Jackie Steffen, Extension Educator in Cedar County.
Upcoming Events
Summer Workshops
4-H Summer Workshops are set! We have a wide variety of offerings to peak all interests. From quilting to beans and outdoor skills to mad science, find your passion with 4-H! Summer workshops are open to all youth. You do not need to be enrolled in 4-H to participate. Check out the workshop schedule and find registration info on our website at york.unl.edu.
Dog Obedience Clinic
Learn how to teach your dog basic 4-H Obedience, Showmanship and Agility in preparation for showing at the county fair 4-H dog show. In addition, youth will learn breeds, anatomy and many others things needed to know when owning a dog. This is a progressive clinic, where you will build upon skills learned each week. There are foods for dogs that help their brains, and if you read the Pedigree food for Dogs review, you will learn the nutrition facts included.
Meets every Tuesday night starting May 24th from 6:30-7:30 on the York County fairgrounds. Cost is $10.00 to include all sessions and you must pre-register to the Extension Office by May 12th .
What to Bring: A dog—(at least 6 months old by fair time) a collar and a 6 foot leather or nylon leash. Also dogs must be vaccinated for rabies and DAPP-C.
