Entomology Contest 2015

Up before the crack of dawn...the boys were pumped and ready to go...they studied along the way.

This was Henry's first year in the senior division and he joined the team at the last minute to make sure Sean's group would have enough members to compete.  He had not had a lot of time to study and he really was concerned.  I was very proud of him for volunteering to participate as this is really not his project.

We arrived and the contest went quickly once it started.  Most of the youth were out within 30 minutes.  Henry lingered trying to remember as many insects as possible.  Sean did a good job and was confident when he came out of the testing room.

The teams must identify insects...by common name and order.  Then they must determine where the insects are most often located and if they are beneficial or pests.  Then there is a written portion of the test for general knowledge of insects.  The seniors must answer 100 questions all together.

The youth then had about an hour to keep busy...it was a great day for insect discoveries.  It all started with the dead tree in the big open courtyard.  The youth found termites and other insects in the dying tree.

That jump started the hunt.  Several in the group brought their collection tools and began looking in all the normal locations.  Here are a few of their finds:

After all the fun, the results were in and the group did a great job.  Ms. Molly said it was the first time she has known all of her participants taking home some type of ribbon...individual or team.  Everyone went away with smiles!

Our Seniors won 2nd in the team division and are headed to the state competition in June!  And as individuals, we had:

Nicolas – 3rd individual
Sean – 4th individual
Henry – 5th individual

I have to also send a congratulations to the Wilson County team...great job!  We look forward to seeing you at the competition in June.  Also, I was so happy to see you recognize your mascot...we should always be ready to welcome in the next generation of budding entomologists!  So sweet!

Then our Intermediate Teams took:
2nd Place Team – Ian, Jack, Nicolas
3rd Place Team – Hannah, Mack, Brian

Intermediate Individuals:
Hannah – 1st
Jack – 2nd  (who competed as an intermediate at the last minute...way to go!)
Nicolas – 4th

We did not have a junior team this year...but we have some amazing young beginners who did a great job!

Elina – 1st place (with a perfect score!  She actually tied with another individual...had to identify 5 more insects and won first place do to her amazing spelling of these insects!  Not bad for her first year in the contest!)
William – 4th place (with a near perfect score!-He left before I could get a good picture!)

We are so proud of all the participants...the scores were very close...everyone did an amazing job!

And for those who did not compete and waited patiently...we thank you....here are some photos of them patiently waiting throughout the morning!

What Happened to 2015?

WOW!  I have been lacking in the 4H blog these early months of 2015.  I cannot believe I have not sat down to talk about our 4H adventures.  It has been a crazy year for us personally, but 4H goes on.

I realized my absence from the blog when I met a new mom and told her about some of our past projects.  I told her she could go to my blog to see some of our fun over the years.

I knew it had been a while since I posted ... so here I am ... a brief review of the last 3 months in 4H ...

January

Entomology

Our Entomology spin off club met to go over a review of the orders.  I am so thankful for a great instructor who makes it interesting for the youth.  Sean is the only one who goes to the meetings for our family.  I just cannot keep him away as he loves insects so much.

Falconry

The boys were not able to go to the monthly meeting this month but wanted to learn more about falconry.  SO...I was enlisted to go in their place.  I have enjoyed the project so did not mind.  We learned about taking care of sick birds and how to keep them healthy.  We also learned about their mew, which is one of the primary ways to keep one's falcon healthy.

I love to watch the handlers with their falcons.  They are so calm and is easy to see that the animals and handlers have a mutual trust for each other.

Photography

Henry was able to spend an afternoon learning new photography techniques.  He especially liked to see how to compose a still life and work with various backdrops.  He turned out some nice photos that he hopes to turn in for contest.

Consumer Decision Making

This is a new project for our family.  We had heard about it for years but just never got involved.  All the boys seem to enjoy it a lot.  They like the idea of finding the best quality at the right price.  The organizer for this project has them out in the "field" to practice.  They actually enjoy going to various stores to price compare for a given scenario.

February

Club meetings are always a good way to meet with others in the area.  Our club leader is always good about sharing information.  She has been trying to organize a community service project as well as a photography outing for months but the rain keeps us from making this happen.  We will continue to try in the months to come.  So, she shared some photography tips using different ISO settings for our cameras.

Public Speaking

Another new project for our boys this year.  I will admit I forced them to go kicking and screaming.  I told them from the start that they would not need to enter a contest but to be open to learn a new skill.  A 4H alumni was teaching the workshops and I thought it would be a good experience.  They do have to admit that it was a good lesson for them and maybe I can convince them to actually enter at the local level next year.

Rodeo Time!

Our club manager decided we needed to organize a pre-Rodeo event for the county.  What better way to rodeo than a dance!  She was amazing...getting everything set up.  We had no idea how much she did until the boys arrived "early" to help set up.  She even took the boys as I could not go with the younger ones (although they were welcome...it was just too much for me and late into the night.).  The older boys had such a great time dancing.  They also helped set up and clean up.  They did not get home until after midnight and they were exhausted but wanted to tell me everything!

Sean and Henry were able to participate in youth rodeo tours.  They arrived at the grounds at 7am and stayed throughout the day to ensure their group of children made it safely around the rodeo.  All the youth tour guides helped over 18,000 children through the grounds in five days.  Awesome job!

Falconry

Another trip to be with the birds but I was not able to attend with the boys.  Michael took them instead.  He took pictures and I realized I missed the workshop for me.  They had the most sweet looking falcon.  It was a marlin and as soon as I saw the pictures, I was hooked...I think I want to be a falconer now!

The boys also learned how to work leather to form jesses and straps for the falcon.  I was very impressed with their work.  Now we just need to find a young falcon to tame!

Entomology

We set up a booth at a Botanical Gardens night event.  We even had live insects and tarantulas to share.  Sean did a great job sharing information about the rhinoceros beetle grub he held for the crowds.  I enjoyed being able to show the fascinating life cycle of the lady beetle.  Nick and Ian did a great job talking to the participants and answering questions.  We have a very knowledgeable group of budding entomologists!

Consumer Decision Making

Sean and Henry were on a team as they headed out for contest.  Edward was the lone Junior who was surprised that he was even competing.  He was really hoping this was just an informative opportunity.  We decided it would be good for him to go along and participate.

The boys had to evaluate several products...hiking boots, sleeping bags, printers, gift cards and fast food restaurants.  The basic scenario was that a family was preparing for a vacation.  I thought it was great that it was such an every day situation.  It is contests like this that make me proud to be involved in 4H...I like knowing that the youth are learning life skills in their projects.

Sean and Henry were pleased to be a part of such a great team.  They found out at the end of the day that their team were awarded third place and a spot in the state contest in June!  They could not have been more pleased to also learn their team mate (Erin) also won first place overall and was given a $10,000 scholarship!  Awesome job!

March

Photography

Henry had a hard time deciding but chose several photos to enter into the county contest.  He is waiting to hear the results.  He also picked from these to turn in for the district contest.  Hopefully, we will hear back on that contest by mid-April.

I had the great privilege of judging the county level entries (not any of the categories Henry entered) and I was very impressed with all the amazing photos.  Our county has some great photographers!

County Round Up

The boys did not participate in any of the contest at this level.  We actually thought we would be out of town.  However, I was asked to be a judge and made plans to do this.  In the end Michael had to go in my place.  He enjoyed listening to the public speaking presentations.  He said he was even moved by an original poem recited by one of the youth.  Maybe I can convince one of the boys to enter next year.

Citizenship

4H Capitol Day is one of our favorite family events.  It is the one event that Michael has always been able to attend.  He had to make a special effort this year, but he made it happen so the tradition goes on.

This year we went for the first time for Bexar county.  Michael and the boys were able to go to the offices for our representatives.  Unfortunately, it turned out to be a busy day at the capitol, and they were not able to meet with the youth.  The boys were able to meet with the staff.  I hate to say that it was a disappointment.  AND...most of all...they were all disappointed that were not able to meet with our new governor.

One thing that did happen...the boys were all given a Fiesta medal from one of the reps.  There were also several 4H booths set up around the capitol to exhibit some of the projects.

AND...a mariachi band happened to arrive to perform on the capitol steps and in the rotunda.  They were also able to go about the capitol and listen in on the business of the day.  We look forward to another opportunity in the future.

Entomology

Sean was able to attend an entomology workshop at Texas A&M University.  This is our second year to attend.  This time Sean went alone, however, this did not stop him from enjoying himself.  He learned more tricks for remembering the insects and their orders.  He also had a good talk with Prof. Teel of the department.  Sean continues to get excited about the thought of attending the university to seek a career in entomology.

Community Service

We crossed over town and joined the Helotes group to set up Easter baskets for 15 dialysis patients.  I was so glad we were able to attend as there was not a lot of help.  I even had the opportunity to run to the store for extra supplies.

The best part was seeing the generosity of those who came.  When we realized we did not have enough supplies, everyone chipped in a little money so we could have enough for all the baskets.  We were a little disappointed that we were not able to deliver the baskets to the patients but we found out that only adults can visit patients.  BUT...we know that the baskets will be well received.  Praying that they all know that we will be thinking about them this Easter.

SO...that is what the first three months of the year held for our family and 4H.  There is so much more that happens around our house but I think 4H will always play at least a small part in our days.  Thankful for seeing how we can "make the best better."

Caroling with the 4-Hers

A big thank you to Ben for setting up a visit to the nursing home to sing carols!  We enjoyed a nice visit with the residents of the nursing home.  The group sang for almost an hour...traditional carols and more "peppy" tunes as well.  We also had a great violinist (Ben) to accompany the singing.  Then two guitarists (adults, one from Spain) joined in.

Another member of our group brought his puppy to share with the residents.  I think the puppy spent most of his time with one or two people as he was so cuddly.

The best part of the afternoon...when a man decided to have a solo as he sang a verse of Jingle Bells no one had ever heard.  I tried to find the verse when we got home but even after a thorough search of the internet we had no luck.  Maybe it was a verse he made up on his own!  It ended with..."and if my horse could talk he would probably say to not hitch him up to the one horse open sleigh!"  If you know this verse please let me know!

After singing we walked around to great the residents.  We spoke to a woman who moved here from Minnesota after her husband died in February.  Her daughter lives in San Antonio so she wanted to be closer to her.  She was so happy to have us come visit as she needed a reason to celebrate as she was sad during this first holiday season without her husband.

We just love having events at the nursing homes!  A great way "to make the best better" is spending the day with those full of wisdom and experience.

 

No Fear Here

To follow up from our falconry post last month, I thought I would say that my children do not have any fears of these birds.  Well, Edward did say that he only wanted to hold the one with the hood AND Brendan decided watching through the glass door was his method of viewing the project...BUT the rest of the children were enjoying the experience...even our little tag-along Zaira wanted a chance to hold the bird!

We arrived at our second workshop for this project last night eager to learn.  The boys actually got us there thirty minutes early.  The man with Fury (the red-tailed hawk) had already arrived so they had a chance to talk to him before others arrived.

The training this month was a general overview of the types of birds used in falconry and the different aspects of the birds.

There are four main types of birds used:

Edward with Fury

Hawks

Hawks are of the family Accipitridae and the genus Buteo. They are often called "broad wings."

• Red-Shouldered Hawk
• Red-Tailed Hawk
• Ferruginous Hawk 

These are masters at soaring and can hang motionless on the merest threads of wind. These birds use their powerful feet and strong talons to bind to their prey constricting it in their grasp and puncturing vitals.


Accipiters 

Accipiters are in the family Accipitridae and the genus Accipiter. T
hey are often called "true hawks" and "short wings" and sometimes the "yellow-eyed hawks".

• Cooper's Hawk
• Goshawk 

These birds are marked by their broad, round wings that are shorter than Buteos, short neck, and long tails. Juvenile eyes are yellow turning to red in adulthood. These are quick birds off their perch and will easily overtake their prey. Their typical flight pattern is a flap-flap-flap followed by a glide.


Eagles 

Eagles are in the family Accipitridae and the genus Aquila.

• Golden Eagle 

These birds have long, broad wings and a medium tail. Bald eagles are not used for falconry, but have an interesting iris in that it starts as brown and matures to be yellow.


Falcons 

Falcons are in the family Falconidae and the genus Falco. They are often called "long wings" and sometimes the "dark-eyed hawks" or "pointy wings".

• American Kestrel
• Peregrine Falcon

These birds have a much different body form than the others listed here. They have long, pointed wings due to the long second primary and third primary feathers, and a long tail. The short, hooked beak has a unique notch specifically for snapping the neck of prey. The notch is sometimes referred to as a tooth, but more completely called the tomial tooth. Their toes are long and thin with knobby nodules to help hold on to small birds when they grab them. They have less substantial talons than hawks or eagles.


Other Birds

Sean with Xena

The Harris' Hawk (Parabuteo) has been one of the most successful recently used raptors. It makes a great beginner bird for many reasons and is one of the more leisurely birds to fly.

Owls (Strigiformes) have been used with various amounts of success.  Great Horned Owls have been used to catch game. These birds are quiet as they soar across the sky due to the formation of eyelash type feathers on the upper part of their upper wings.

We also learned about the parts of the birds...the types of feet (including talons), wings, beaks and feathers.  It was very interesting; however, the real excitement came when the participants were offered the opportunity to pt on a glove and hold one of the birds!

All of the boys held the red-tailed hawk, Fury.  When all the youth had the opportunity, the adults were asked if they wanted a chance also.  I was the second in line to take my turn.  It was an awesome feeling to hold such a powerful bird on my fist.  The keys was to always hold the bird above your elbow.  They did not tell us why this was important but I think it must be a signal to take flight if the hand is lowered or maybe the bird likes a high perch.  I am sure we will learn more as we continue the classes.

Henry with Oliver

Oliver trying to take flight

Sean and Henry also took time to hold Oliver (the Great Horned Owl) and Sean held Xena (the Harris' Hawk).

We look forward to learning more from Mr. Vance and his friends.

NASA Contest Winner

Last month we found out about a contest sponsored by NASA.  It was a few short questions about the ORION space exploration project.  Selected participants would get to take a special tour of the Johnson Space Center near Houston, Texas.  We were very excited to get an email saying that Sean had won!  Here is his guest blog post to tell about his experience:

The tour was the morning after our 4-H meeting.  So, immediately after the meeting, we loaded everyone into the van and headed off for Houston to a hotel for a brief sleep.  My mom and I woke up to see the "Blood Moon" of the lunar eclipse and then it was off to NASA.

We met at a conference center in Nassau Bay, TX.  There, we learned about a group called "Rockets to the Rescue".  This group plans to use rockets to deliver emergency supplies to victims of natural disasters.   We broke up into groups of four...my group called ourselves "The Skittles."  We then had to calculate a launch angle to see how that affected the distance a rocket would travel.  We tested our calculations using rockets made of paper launched by blowing into a straw.  Did you know that a 45° angle gives you the most distance?

Then we went to the Space Center.  We rode on a tram to the Mission Control building, where they used to direct all NASA spaceflights, especially the APOLLO missions to the moon.  It was about the size of our living room, this is a pretty small room for so much history.


We were going to see where the astronauts trained, but they had a fire drill.  However, this gave us an opportunity to see the simulator instead.  We got to see the mid-deck of a shuttle, and it was really cool!  The cockpit was closed off, so we did not get to try flying the shuttle.

On the grounds, they have static displays of some of the rockets used by the early NASA missions, including a Mercury-Redstone and a Saturn V.

Then it was back to the Space Center building to make more paper rockets, launched from soda bottles.  These rockets carried a payload of four raisins, and we had to land our rocket in a specific location.  I got to shoot our rocket...dubbed the "strawberry"...later in the day and I got pretty close to the target location!  Awesome!

Then we had lunch (just sandwiches, no exciting astronaut food).

After lunch, we went to fly the tourist shuttle simulator.  We got to take off and deploy the Hubble Space Telescope!  Then we had to bring the shuttle back down for a safe landing.  It was a lot of fun!

Then we got to see a presentation about the ORION project.  NASA wants to use this to take people to Mars.  ORION tests this December, and launches in 2021.

After the ORION presentation, we learned about the food that astronauts eat!  Did you know that their favorite food is shrimp cocktail?  This is because food tastes very bland, but the horseradish in the cocktail sauce contains horseradish, and can still be tasted.

We then got to see some model rockets being launched by the local model rocket club.  This was pretty cool.  Even more cool was meeting Bill McArthur, a former Army officer and astronaut.  He is now the Director of Safety and Mission Assurance at the Johnson Space Center.

Then we were each given a goodie bag with lots of stuff, especially a personally autographed astronaut picture and a poster of Mars.  We were presented with a certificate and t-shirt for us to remember this day.



There was also a TV News reporter at the event and even though I was not interviewed, I was seen in several shots from the day!  This will be watched around the country for others to see what we did on National 4H Science Day!

This was a really awesome day!  My favorite part was seeing the astronaut food!  I would love to be able to go space and eat some of this food!  Now that I have been to NASA, I think they need a few entomologists in space.  Maybe I will get a chance to become an astronaut on a mission to Mars to study micro-organisms one day!  I am so thankful to 4H for helping me see how I can "make the best better!"