Michigan 4-H events for 4-H SPIN club members
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EmailParticipate in Michigan 4-H events during and mainly after the 4-H SPIN Club experience.
“I participate in a 4-H SPIN Club.” That’s great! That means you are in a six-to-eight week special interest 4-H Club in Michigan 4-H Youth Development that specializes in a specific project. Since you participate in a 4-H SPIN Club, you are a Michigan 4-H member! This means you have opportunities to participate in a variety of activities and programs in Michigan 4-H Youth Development.
Since a 4-H SPIN Club is in a six to eight week time frame, please keep in mind other options for programs and activities in Michigan 4-H after your 4-H SPIN Club finishes meeting. Here are some options to consider:
Join or start a 4-H club
A 4-H Club consists of at least five youth from two or more different families and they may work on one project or participate in a variety of projects. The main difference between the 4-H Clubs and 4-H SPIN Clubs is the meeting time. 4-H Clubs must have a minimum of six meetings during the 4-H year, which starts on Sept. 1 until Aug. 31 of the following year. Some 4-H Clubs meet throughout the whole 4-H year. There are also 4-H Clubs that participate in service learning/community service activities and other leadership opportunities. We can also add that many 4-H members participate in their local county youth fair. Once your 4-H SPIN Club Experience is completed and you are interested in continuing in a long term 4-H experience, contact your local 4-H staff at the county MSU Extension office to learn about starting or joining a 4-H Club. Expanding into a 4-H Club is also something you may want to talk to your current 4-H SPIN Club leader about, too.
Additional 4-H workshops – Kettunen Center and others
Workshops at the Kettunen Center are available to 4-H members throughout different times of the year. The workshops focus on a variety of topics during a weekend. Here are some examples: Michigan 4-H Youth Leadership and Global Citizenship Spectacular, 4-H Robotics Youth Challenge, Michigan 4-H Creative Arts Celebration, Challenge U 4-H Funfest, Michigan 4-H Dairy Conference, and the Beef, Sheep and Swine Teen and Adult Leaders Workshop. Other examples of workshops are: Teens as Teachers and 4-H Teen Spokesperson Training.
4-H pre-college programs and other events
Michigan 4-H offers different 4-H pre-college programs for youth and these pre-college programs are in different topic areas too. Here are some examples of pre-college programs: 4-H Exploration Days, 4-H Renewable Energy Camp, and 4-H Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp. There are benefits for youth participating in pre-college programs. Other events to consider are: Michigan 4-H Health and Food Science Camp, 4-H Capitol Experience, Citizenship Washington Focus, and national events such as a Michigan 4-H delegate to the National 4-H Congress and the National 4-H Conference.
Being a member of a 4-H SPIN Club gives youth access to different events and activities through Michigan 4-H. Remember, you are a 4-H member and these events and activities are open to you until the 4-H year ends (Aug. 31). Also, if the event or activity was not related to your project area in your 4-H SPIN Club, that’s OK! Participate in these events and activities to learn something new and meet new friends in different project areas. Learn all you can by participating in activities during and after your 4-H SPIN Club experience. This will help you learn and grow through your 4-H experience.
