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Family & Consumer Sciences Meeting Minutes

Winter 2005

The state 4-H family and consumer science curriculum team met by teleconference on December 14 between 10-12 AM. Present were all the committee members: Cathy Brady, Wanda Braymer, Lois Killcoyne, Marg Malehorn, and Jan Scholl. During the meeting the group discussed 1) the need for revisions, 2) requests for new curricula and reviewed the ranking, 3) discussed other comments that were forwarded and 4) reviewed comments and concerns about the state days events.

Prior to the Meeting:

The committee members are county educators who expressed interest in serving on the committee. (These committee lists were mailed to counties with membership indicated.) Because not all regions were represented on this committee, a call for suggested new and revised curricula went out to all of the counties. Based on these suggestions, the county educators and leaders were asked to rank list of 4-H FCS project materials to determine the greatest priorities. Thirty-seven (later, 45) educators and leaders sent in rankings and comments.

The final rankings will be e-mailed to counties early in January.

The following were comments that were sent in in addition to the rankings:

Food Projects are the greatest in enrollment and of highest priority. With the obesity crisis, I feel that the foods projects should be top priority!!!

Home Environment, Quilting and Dressing Your Best and Etiquette have good appeal to youth.

Cake decorating and candy making are popular with leaders and members and though largely crafts, this audience associates them with food since the products are made in the kitchen.

We are also revising the Healthy Heart, Kid Smart to be Healthy Kid, Smart Kid with the new food guidance system.

Dressing your best might be useful with ambassador program as well.

We are using the microwave project so we would like revisions, especially in (our county) where high fat and cholesterol and major problems.

Laurel Hoffman and Philly U. might be able to help with pattern drafting.

4-H and FCS personnel should do more joint programming. PROSPER and Strengthening Our Families has had great impact. Are their projects out there we can use with families?

Would food preservation focus mainly on jams and jellies?
Food preservation, focus on jellies, jams and other gift-type items (u-pick-it produce. Preservation of garden surplus will not go over well at least in this region. Fewer and fewer kids garden.

Our leaders are satisfied with the Ohio State books. There are many more recipes than in previous books. The positive feedback is much greater than the Purdue level A-D books.

I think the most recent microwave books are great. There are a few high fat recipes, like the hot dog and fudge, but I think a part of our job is to teach that there are no “bad foods” and that all foods can fit into a healthy diet in the appropriate portion size.

York County would like to suggest a project based on Quick Cooking (main dishes in 30 minutes and how to dress up convenience foods.

Discussion:

The committee reviewed the rankings. The fact that for every project there was an indication of a high interest and a very low interest in every area, will make it difficult to prioritize. Jan will send out information related to the action taken on each project before and after the state meeting.

Etiquette ranked high as more than just foods project members could benefit from a project of this type. There are a few things out there, but likely this will take a year to create.

Food preservation is of great interest by some of the counties and we have not had a project of this nature in some time. One person in the survey commented that freezing and drying were of greater priority than canning. Jan asked if something similar to the old project could be developed using the 2004 Let’s Preserve fact sheets developed by Nancy Wiker and Luke LeBorde as a basis. Marg suggested that Elizabeth Andrus be contacted in Georgia for any new materials she thinks might be available in this area. We need to with a source that keeps their materials updated and will make them available to us at a reasonable charge.

Food Pyramid Leader Guide Revision – has been worked on but new additions to the food guide pyramid are continuing. The food guide pyramid is also in the 2005 video leader guide with some experiments included and that section has been web streamed for use with Nutrition Links programs. It was discussed that having this piece serve as reference allowing the food curriculum to be more of a “cooking school” approach (as suggested by some leaders). This guide could be more easily revised in times recommended changes.

Repairs and alterations – some of the committee members were surprised to learn that 4-H members are heavily involved in alterations of clothing for family members and others. Based on a study of 4-H fashion revue participants over 10 years, this was shown to be a major source of sewing in addition to the 4-H members’ actual project.

The committee felt that including this topic in a dressing your best project might be a good idea. Also, dressing your best might incorporate concepts from the shopping project (currently with low enrollment) and perhaps replace it.

The first in the new series of microwave projects is filled with recipes that are high in fat and sugar. The microwave principles are fine. Cathy Brady volunteered to submit recipes that might be more suitable. Jan will make the recipes, adapt them to prevent any copyright issues and put them on the web site. Project 2 seems to be receiving good reviews so far, especially for club projects. Educators should poll leaders and members about the first project. Perhaps it is not even needed.

Home Environment Project, Changing Spaces – There is interest in this project, but unfortunately like the microwave project, we rarely get to see copies of the CCS curricula before they are available and this could take another year in order to obtain final copies that can be reviewed and suggestions made to the state committee. Some youth already use the textile science projects: accessories, sewing for other projects and other people, design and closet connections to make items for their rooms. The committee suggested that we purchase a limited number of copies—more of the beginner project than advanced projects--with the helper’s guide--to see how it goes.

Alterations of Patterns and Ready-to-Wear – Leaders are looking for training in advanced project areas. Since we do not have a specialist in this area, the committee suggested that a revised listing of resource materials be provided on-line. Perhaps a volunteer might help us provide training.

New Foods Project – Many like the new foods projects but suggest more is needed for physical fitness and some would like to see a cooking school approach as enrollment is dropping in some counties. The video leader guide has been updated and agents may make copies and distribute them to leaders in their county. The favorite project is the Star Spangled Foods at the Intermediate level (a good club project) and the Global Gourmet at the advanced level. Cathy Brady recommended that Nebraska’s Fast Foods Project for grades 5-9 and a Youth in Motion project grades 5-9 to incorporate more physical fitness in the curricula. These will be requested and the curriculum committee will review them as soon as they come in. Jan mentioned that it would be nice to develop our own curricula so that we could have a project series that is coordinated and that we could update easily when changes occur. The cost of purchase from out of state is very high and counties did not like the CCS materials that were first offered. It is important for educators to switch out of the old CCS foods projects or at least point out any disparities in exhibit categories from the old to the new so that youth can enter the farm show and other competitions more easily.

Crocheting Revision: We are still working on this. Jan is still looking for people to determine what needs to be in the project books and to write the sections needed. For now, the project was reprinted on a limited basis. An interest was also expressed in updating the knitting books. Again, more input is needed on the type of information needed and to obtain writers. There are two good reference books that are available from Joann Fabrics (one knitting and the other crocheting) that cost $12.00+. Perhaps we can contact the publisher to receive these at reduced rate or at least make the references better known to 4-H leaders and members.

Dressing Your Best and International Dress were, in general, seen as lower priority items, though they may be higher priority in another curricula area, such as diversity/or international 4-H programs. In any case, Patreese and Jan have been collecting international and cultural items and Patreese has presented very successful workshops for the regional revues. (One is planned for inservice week). A suitcase has been developed with “dress up” costumes and a publication is planned, too. Dressing Your Best might incorporate alterations, shopping and other issues that wouldn’t be seen as a high interest or priority if developed as a stand-alone project.

Fashion Revue:

The curriculum committee outlined the pros and cons of several proposals related to the state fashion revue. In the interest of space, these will be edited and placed on the 4-H FCS web site. It should be noted that individual members of the committee felt strongly about their preference and no decision could be made about what to do. The state review will be held this year at the Pasquerilla Center instead of the Eisenhower Auditorium.

Foods and Nutrition Contest:

The committee met and youth are to study the new project materials and the new food guide pyramid.
The committee was concerned that with the changes of youth going to Henderson and cooking as part of the contest and with the added features of a chef presentation that the numbers in the contest have dropped. Are more youth becoming involved in the fitness contest? Are youth hesitant to show their food preparation skills? Jan will share this concern with the 4-H/FCS agents at large. A similar pattern is present with the 4-H foods presentations and even the egg cookery demonstration contest.

Conclusion of meeting:

The committee parted with many good wishes for the holiday season. Members are asked to review the minutes before they were sent out to the counties.

After the committee met, eight other counties sent in rankings and comments. This is the overall data. The addition of the inputs changed the overall rankings a bit, though the rating of top choice and non-ranked items remained nearly the same.

2006 Committee:

If you would like to be on the 2006 4-H FCS Committee, please contact Jan Scholl or Christy Bartley.