A Time of Reflection

The County Fair is a time of showing off accomplishments from the past year for many 4-H members and their families.  It is also a time where we can look back at the last year of our interactions with these young people and think about what we can do better.

It is a time to begin planning for the next year of educational programming and thinking about what we want things to look like a year from now.  As I was cleaning up my office on Friday I realized that there are a lot of things that I am looking forward to working on in the next 366 days (YAY Leap Year!) but in order to do so, I’m going to have to do a lot of cleaning…cleaning out my office and my calendar of things that are not helping me get to that place.

Tomorrow starts a new year!

IPad = Lower Productivity

It’s not a good time at work to not be productive…but when I picked up my Ipad yesterday in Lincoln, I couldn’t help but spend the rest of the day looking at apps and playing around with them.

I can’t wait to see how this will impact my programming and what I can share because of this new tool!

Day 31 – A picture of yourself

Day 19 – A picture and a letter

Full Body Scan…

I was right, Omaha only has one body scan machine at this time and today I had the pleasure (???) of using it..it really creeped me out and I can honestly say that I don’t feel any safer than I do when I fly out of the other terminal…

I am on my way to DC for the week and I feel like crap…but how do you call in sick to a week long work trip?

Day 05 – A picture of your favorite memory

I have a lot of favorite memories…but this one is near and dear to my heart right now!

Miss you Grandpa John!

I’ve been MIA…

but I am back now and posts will become more regular…PROMISE!

30 Day Song Challenge – Day 6

A Song That Reminds You Of Somewhere…

We Rode in Trucks – Luke Bryan

Reminds me of home!

Letter to Editor

To The Editor,

This May, Carroll County residents will go to polls to decide the fate of the Ohio State University Extension and 4-H program in the county. Being an alumnus of the 4-H program, I would like to take an opportunity to tell the residents of Carroll County what the 4-H program means to me and the thousands of other adults and youth who have benefited from the program.

I was a 4-H member for 11 years in Carroll County, and participated in a variety of events during that time. I was an active club member and officer, committee member, a member of Teen Leaders, a Jr. Fairboard member and Camp Counselor. These experiences allowed me to develop the skills and abilities that not only allowed me to succeed in college, but also in graduate school and now in my job.

Of the many things I learned through 4-H a few, such as, time management, organization, responsibility, leadership skills, and communication skills, stand out to me. I took a variety of 4-H projects during my 11 years and each one of them taught me more about those skills. Whether it was taking the responsibility for my livestock each day, giving a demonstration to my local club, leading a discussion or managing my time well so I could complete a project on time, the projects I took allowed me to become the person I am today. I still use those skills in everyday life and in my work. Another concept learned through 4-H is team work and how to be an effective and productive team member. There is always someone to lend a hand or expertise in an area or with a project.

The involvement I had with the Carroll County 4-H program directly lead to my college and career choice. I graduated from Ohio State and chose to attend that university because of the experiences I had on the Columbus campus through 4-H. I am currently an Extension Educator in Nebraska, focusing on the 4-H program at both the state and county level. I enjoy my work for many of the same reasons I enjoyed being a part of the 4-H program. I have the opportunity to work with many different people, make a meaningful impact on a community and the youth in that community, and to watch others succeed in doing something they are very passionate about.

That is why I want to ask you, when you go to the polls in May, to vote in support of the OSU Extension levy.

Lack of Posts…

I’m still here! I promise! I took a break from posting to clear my head and to figure out a few things. But I’m back and ready to entertain you all with the random things that pop into and out of my mind from time to time.

More to come later!