Education
Education Credit Receipt
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File Type: pdf
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Education Reimbursement Form
File Size: 143 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
All participating youth are required to earn 2 education credits BEFORE June 30th in order to be eligible to participate in the 4-H shows and auction at the Northwestern Michigan Fair.
Youth may choose ANY 2 options below or contact their species chair if they have another opportunity that they feel might qualify.
Email your completed forms or below requirements to YOUR
​species chair (unless otherwise specified) at:
Dairy Feeders: Stacy Sieffert: ssieffert@yahoo.com
Dogs: Gretchen Sauvage: ges5250@gmail.com
Goats: Beth Stephens: stitch2stitch4231@gmail.com
Horses: Mandy DePuy: mandydepuy@gmail.com AND
​            Alison Forton: excaliburstables@gmail.com
Jr Beef: Amanda Wilkins: wilkinscmu@yahoo.com
Lambs: Nancy VanderStel: tj0034@gmail.com
Llamas & Alpacas: Kathy Easter: ndalpacas@aol.com  AND
                           Renee Hobbins: hobbins@centurytel.net
Poultry: Lynn Henning: 4hchickenqueen@gmail.com
Rabbits & Cavies: Lisa Ralph: r4rabbitry@yahoo.com
Large Beef: Drew Alpers: drewalpers@gmail.com
​Swine: Nicki Brown: nbrown7@mhc.net

Project Options

Everything but the MOO - A Selfie Scavenger Hunt
The project:
  1. Research cattle byproducts
  2. Search your house, garage, and barns for 8 different items that are byproducts of cattle.
  3. Snap a selfie of you with the item
  4. Create a Word document or PowerPoint with the photos and a brief description of what the byproduct came from
  5. Submit your photos and your explanations to your species chair via email to receive 1 education credit
NOTE: Each type of byproduct can only be used once. For example, if you choose a steak, you cannot choose hamburger....Only 1 meat allowed!
Where's the Meat?
The project:
  1. Choose your favorite meal: A meat, a side dish, and a dessert
  2. Make the meal and create a written recipe for each part as you go
  3. Take photos of the raw ingredients, the preparation process, and the final meal
  4. Create a Word document or PowerPoint with the photos and the recipes
  5. Submit your meal presentation to your species chair via email to receive 1 education credit
Choose Your Own Adventure
Everyone has something that they are passionate about. What is that for you?
​Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a short video about your passion.
To Earn Credit:
  1. Create an outline for your video performance. You must include what your passion is, why you love it, what skills you learn from it, and how those skills help you in 4-H.
  2. Create a 5-10 minute video showing us what you love to do.
  3. Post the video to a secure/private URL..
  4. Earn 1 credit by sending your outline and the URL to your species chair to view the video.​
The Perfect Pose
Most species have a point in their show when the animal must be
​"set up" or "posed" for the judge's evaluation.
For this project you will:
  1. Take 4 photos of you with your animal - 1 photo with the animal properly "set up" or "posed" and 3 photos with the animal set incorrectly.
  2. Create a Word Document or Power Point presentation with the 4 photos.
  3. For each of the incorrect photos, state why the pose is wrong and what the benefit is for moving the animal back into the correct position...Why does the animal look better that way?
  4. Email your document or presentation to your species chair to earn 1 education credit.

Species-Specific &
Virtual Learning Options

Multiple Species

4-H Market Livestock Through a Business Lens
April 20th at 7:30pm
This one-hour zoom program is open to youth ages 8-19 in Michigan 4-H.
We will cover the following topics, relating them to your 4-H market livestock project: 
  • How to get started
  • Types of Organizations 
  • What makes a business concept?
  • The cost of doing business
  • Money Decisions and risk management
  • Money management skills
  • Credit and cash flow
  • Business credit vs. personal credit
Register at:
Event Summary for 4-H Market Livestock Through a Business Lens | ANR Events Management System (msu.edu)
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. ​Register for the online workshop
  2. Send your registration confirmation to your species chair along with which session you plan to attend.
  3. Attend the session at the scheduled time.
4-H Veterinary Science: Stopping Sickness
Animals get sick, just like humans do. This series of activities explores how sickness spreads among animals, how the immune system fights off illness, and how veterinarians examine and treat animals with medicine to help them get back on all four feet.
Learn some of the ways that people can help animals stay healthy. The 4 activities include:
​Defense Department
Biosecurity Dominos
Sick or Well: How Can You Tell?
Not A Shot In The Dark
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Select 2 of the 4 activities to complete.
  2. Answer to 4 reflection questions after completing the activity.
  3. Email your answers for both activities to your species chair. Be sure to include which activity you completed, your name, and 4-H club.
To Earn BOTH Credits - Complete all 4 activities and reflection question sets.
Small Animal Online Workshop
Register By May 4th
Wednesday Nights in May!
May 5:   Goats
May 12: Poultry
May 19: Rabbits
May 26: Biosecurity & Animal Health
Register at:
Event Summary for Shiawassee Small Animal Online Workshop | ANR Events Management System (msu.edu)
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. ​Register for the online workshop
  2. Send your registration confirmation to your species chair along with which session you plan to attend.
  3. Attend the session at the scheduled time.
Michigan State University Extension
​Hot Topic Series
2021 Topics Include:
  • Horse Health and Safety Considerations
  • Assessing Calf Health
  • Cattle Traceability
  • Preventing and Treating Parasites that Infect Farm Animals
  • Heat Stress and Animal Handling
  • Biosecurity and Signs of Swine Influenza
  • Relationship with Your Local Health Department
  • Small Ruminants as 4-H Projects
Register at:
Michigan State University Extension Hot Topic Series - MSU MediaSpace
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Select a topic and view the webinar.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the workshop. Be sure to include which specific session you attended
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals - Online

http://yqca.org/
YQCA is designed as an annual education and certification program focused on food safety, animal well-being and character awareness for youth ages 8 to 21 producing and/or showing pigs, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, market rabbits, and poultry.
 Log on to the YQCA website using your MSU 4-H Online login information.
​Upon completing the course, send a digital copy of the certificate to nwmi4hlivestock@gmail.com to receive your 1 Education Credit.
​Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and species.
NOTE: There is a $12 fee for this course. - $3 Discount Coupons are available through the YQCA website

Cattle

Kalmbach Feeds Formula of Champions -
​Show Cattle Virtual Clinic
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. View the presentation.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the workshop.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Click Below to View the Presentation:
FOC Virtual Show Cattle Clinic - YouTube
Farming to the Future Virtual Field Trip
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Click HERE to take the Virtual Field Trip
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the field trip.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Ohio State Meat Lab Virtual Tour
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Take the Virtual Tour at:   Virtual Field Trip to The Ohio State University Meat Laboratory - YouTube
  2. Complete the Ohio State Meat Lab Questionnaire
  3. Email your answers to Amanda Wilkins at: wilkinscmu@yahoo.com
Ohio State Meat Lab Questionnaire
File Size: 104 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Dogs

Dog Aging Project
The Senior Dog Care Series focuses on common challenges that older dogs face and provides helpful tools and suggestions to help your senior dog maintain an optimal quality of life for as long as possible.
Select from one of the following articles:
Preventive Care for Senior Dogs
Mobility Tips and Tricks for Senior Dogs
Understanding Behavioral Changes in Senior Dogs
Beyond Gray Muzzles: Defining Aging in Dogs
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Select one of the articles to read.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned about preventive care.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.

Goats

Kalmbach Feeds Formula of Champions -
​Show Lamb & Goat Virtual Clinic
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. View the presentation.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the workshop.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Click below to view the presentation:
FOC Show Lamb & Goat Virtual Clinic - YouTube
American Institute for Goat Research
Langston University
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Visit the Langston University Goat Library
  2. Take the virtual tour and read a few of the articles from the archives
  3. Write a 1 page summary telling us which articles you read and what you learned.
  4. Email your species chair the summary. Be sure to include your name and 4-H club
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Visit the Langston University Goat Program Training website
  2. Sign up and complete 3 training modules toward a goat producers certification
  3. Take a screenshot of each of your completed module tests,
  4. Email your tests to your species chair. Be sure to include your name and 4-H club.
Tennessee Meat Goats
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Explore the Onion Creek Ranch website.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name and 4-H club.
www.tennesseemeatgoats.com

Horses

Horse Owner's Workshop
Presented by OSU Animal and Food Science Department
​Thursdays from 7-9pm - March 4, 11, 18, & 25
Topics will include:
  • Equine allergies
  • Toxic Plants in Oklahoma
  • Veterinary care year round
  • Adaption and Inclusion for Riders with Disabilities
  • Your County Agriculture Educator: Meet Your New Best Friend
  • Equine eye injuries
  • The Nuts and Bolts of a Virtual Youth Equine Science Camp
  • Hoofprints and Footprints: Serving the community through the 4-H Horse Project and more!
Registered participants will have access to recorded presentations and supplementary materials via secure Dropbox links and passcode protected links to the webinars. 
Registration is $10 and includes 60 day access to materials.
Register at:
Horse Owner’s Workshop (touchnet.com)
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Attend or view a presentation.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the workshop. Be sure to include which specific session you attended
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
MI 4-H Horse Program's Virtual Horse Judging & Hippology Contests
April 10th & 11th
Registration Deadline: April 1st
Registration cost: $10/participant/contest
Full contest rules can be found at:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/horses_ponies/registration-information
To earn 1 credit:
1. Email your species chair a copy of your registration.
2. Sign on April 10th and/or 11th and participate

Lambs

Kalmbach Feeds Formula of Champions -
​Show Lamb & Goat Virtual Clinic
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. View the presentation.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the workshop.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Click below to view the presentation:
FOC Show Lamb & Goat Virtual Clinic - YouTube

Llamas & Alpacas

Cotton Creek Farms
Virtual Farm Tours & Alpaca Education and Articles
www.cottoncreekfarms.com
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Visit the Cotton Creek Farms website.
  2. Take a virtual farm tour and read a few of the articles.
  3. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned. Be sure to include which articles you read.
  4. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Penn State Extension
Llama & Alpaca Educational Articles
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Visit the PSU Extension website and search Llama or Alpaca
  2. Select 3 articles to read
  3. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned. Be sure to include which articles you read.
  4. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
 extension.psu.edu
Packing with Llamas and Alpacas
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Use your favorite search engine to search "Packing with Llamas and Alpacas".
  2. Select 3 websites to visit and read what they have to say about packing.
  3. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned. Be sure to include which websites/articles you read.
  4. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.

Poultry

Townline Hatchery Virtual Tour
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. Take the Townline Hatchery virtual tour
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned about the process of preparing, hatching, and shipping the birds.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Click the logo above to access the Townline Hatchery Tour on YouTube
Penn State Extension
Poultry Showmanship
To access the video, go to:
Poultry Showmanship program information — 4-H Poultry — Penn State Extension (psu.edu)
To Earn 1 Credit:
  • Watch the PSE Poultry Showmanship Program Information Video
  • Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned about each of the 4 things the judge is looking for:
    • ​​The bird is properly cared for
    • The showman's ability to handle the bird
    • The showman's ability to examine and position the bird
    • The showman's overall knowledge of poultry
  • Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.

Rabbits & Cavies

Swine

Kalmbach Feeds Formula of Champions -
​Show Swine Virtual Clinic
To Earn 1 Credit:
  1. View the presentation.
  2. Write a 1 page summary telling us what you learned from the workshop.
  3. Email your summary to your species chair. Be sure to include your name, 4-H club, and 4-H age.
Click below to view the presentation:
FOC Show Pig Virtual Clinic - YouTube
Ear Notching 101
To earn 1 credit you must create a slide presentation explaining the process of ear notching.
Your presentation must include:
  • A minimum of 5 slides and 4 photographs explaining:
    • Why is ear notching important to swine breeders
    • How and when is ear notching performed
    • How do you read the ear notches
Email your completed presentation to your species chair. Be sure to include your name and 4-H club.
A Quiz Bowl Challenge
A quiz bowl is a game in which teams or individuals compete head to head to answer questions from all areas of knowledge on a subject. Answers are usually one or two word answers.
To earn 1 education credit, you must:
  • Create a list of 40 quiz bowl questions that have to do with raising a swine project and provide the answer
  • Create a list of resources used to develop the questions and/or verify the answers
  • Email your Quiz Bowl Challenge list to your species chair. Be sure to include your name and 4-H group.
Developing A Biosecurity Plan
Pretend that you are the owner of a 2,000 head swine farm. Your challenge is to create a biosecurity plan presentation for your employees.
Your presentation must include:
  • 10 or more slides
  • A checklist for the employees to follow
  • Steps to ensure biosecurity when entering and leaving your farm
    • What protocol needs to be followed and why
  • A list of references used when creating your plan
Email your completed presentation to your species chair. Be sure to include your name and 4-H club.
Biosecurity Diorama
​A 2-Part Challenge
Part 1: Create a diorama of your farm
  • Use a small box and any crafting supplies you can find
  • Be sure to include:
    • Your barn/shelter
    • Your feed storage area
    • Your biosecurity equipment
Part 2: Record a video
  • Take a walk through of your farm via your diorama
  • Be sure to discuss ALL biosecurity measures used within each area including what equipment you use
  • Post your video on a secure site and email the URL to your species chair. Be sure to include your name and 4-H club