Countryside High School Cleans Up Its Act with a 4-H Community Service Grant!

During a school-wide beautification project entitled “Pitch-in” Countryside, Countryside High School’s Interact Club solved their school problem involving trash and a lack of school pride. With the assistance of a 4-H Community Service Grant of $500.00 members of the Interact Club, lead by Club President Shelby Hanna, partnered with many other clubs and organizations in getting their school clean. The Clean-up included cleaning the metal supports around the walkways of the school, picking up trash around the grounds, and landscaping around the school sign. The day long event, which was attended by 100+ Countryside students, faculty, and staff as well as outside support and involvement from the surrounding community was “amazing” said club President Shelby Hanna in a final report submitted to the Community Service Grants Board of Directors summarizing the project. “We received more in-kind and monetary support than we expected” with groups such as Westshore Pizza, Vax-D, GFWC No. Pinellas Woman’s Club, Rotary Club of Safety Harbor, Chick-fil-A, Accent Awnings, Einstein Bagel Brothers, and Palm Harbor Nursery and Landscaping all showing their support. Shelby stated “We will have to wait a few more weeks to see if the trash problem inside our school is improving” but all-in-all the group realized they have their own civic responsibility to work together and to have personal pride in their school and that they are all leaders and have their own special skills. To read a little more about this project and others like it, check out the Grants Board portion of the upcoming Cloverleaf and go to http://www.pinellasteeninfo.com/ to see pictures from the event.

By Richard Livingstone, 4-H Youth Mentor

Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary School Club SAVE Completes Grant Funded Project

With the help of a $500.00 grant from the 4-H Community Service Grants Board, Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary School Club SAVE completed a community service project with the Grace House in Clearwater. Under the guidance of club president Grace Boudreau, Club SAVE collected 1118 books and constructed 12 book cases to be placed in the 12 apartments offered for temporary housing at The Grace House. Last year alone, Grace House provided housing to 544 people, 355 of them were children. In an attempt to solve local community homelessness, Club SAVE set out to identify a problem and a way to fix it. That’s when the idea of providing free books for homeless families came about. “Books would not only encourage reading but provide a way to escape from a stressful environment” said Grace Boudreau in a Final Report submitted to the Community Service Grants Board of Directors summarizing the project. To read a little more about this project and others like it, check out the Grants Board portion of the upcoming Cloverleaf and go to http://www.pinellasteeninfo.com/ to see pictures from the event.

By Richard Livingstone, 4-H Youth Mentor

Purchase Clover Country Now

National 4-H Council has partnered with EMI Music to create "Clover Country: Songs from Famous 4-H Alumni"—the first-of-its-kind country music compilation CD featuring famous 4-H alumni. This extraordinary blend of country music showcases the benefits of 4-H through talented 4-H alumni. Proceeds from each CD sold supports 4-H programs and millions of youth across America.

Clover Country features Grammy-winning song writer, Hillary Lindsey's "The Clown," which Lindsey exclusively recorded for the album. The CD also includes hit songs from country music mega stars and 4-H alumni Sugarland, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Luke Bryan and Alabama.

You can purchase your own copy by visiting http://www.clovercountrycd.com/

4-H Project Achievement

The 4-H project is the foundation of the 4-H program. While completing a project, a 4-H’er learns to plan, be organized, reflect, write, and practice public speaking skills as well as learn about the subject matter of the project. Each completed project is quite an accomplishment and something to be proud of. In fact, 4-H’ers use part of their 4-H projects for their school projects. Every 4-H’er who completes a project will receive an invitation to our 4-H Awards and Recognition Banquet August 15 and will be awarded a 4-H pin and certificate. Achievement is the first step to winning many 4-H awards.

Project achievement consists of four parts:
Demonstration – The demonstration must relate to the project book and presented to a group, preferably the club.
Exhibit – The exhibit is a small educational display that illustrates a part of the project. An example would be a display of samples of dog treats with their nutritional value.
Project Book – The project book should be neatly completed according to the instructions.
Project Report – Also called the Project Summary for Cloverbuds, the Project Report includes all your activities and accomplishments for the year. The 4-H leader must also sign this book.

4-H club leaders: Please turn in your club’s project judging sheets to the 4-H Office by June 23.

All blue ribbon projects should be brought in for county judging by July 12. These projects will be on display at the County Extension Office the week of August 11 until the Awards and Recognition Banquet August 15.

So now that school is out, what better time to complete your 4-H project?

If you have any questions about completing or judging a 4-H project, please call the 4-H Office at 582-2215 or e-mail jrogalsk@pinellascounty.org.