Five local 4-H'ers compete in state congress

For this week’s recipe, I found a recipe for “Famous Fried Rice.” You will need the following ingredients: 2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil, ¼ cup chopped onion, 14.5 ounce can of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups instant brown rice, 2 cups frozen mixed peas and carrots (or frozen mixed vegetables), and an 8 to 12 ounce can of white meat chicken, drained. For the yellow sauce, you will need ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt, ¼ cup light Ranch dressing, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon mustard, and ½ teaspoon ketchup.

Begin by putting the oil in a large (10”) skillet on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and 1 tablespoon of the chicken broth. Cook and stir over medium high heat until onions start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add rest of the chicken broth to the skillet. Cover and bring mixture to a boil. Add instant brown rice and stir. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. While rice is cooking, mix ingredients for Yellow Sauce together in small (1 quart) bowl. When rice is ready, remove cover and fluff with fork. Turn heat on medium. Add frozen vegetables and canned chicken. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are hot. Serve with Yellow Sauce on the side.

For some great ideas in the kitchen, visit the UGA Extension’s “FoodTalk” website at https://foodtalk.org. It has great ideas on how to keep your family healthy by making nutritious food choices on a budget.

State 4-H Project Competition

Senior 4-H DPA winners each year get to travel to Atlanta for the annual State 4-H Congress. This year’s pandemic has caused many changes, including cancelling the face-to-face event. Therefore, Georgia 4-H held the contest through a virtual event. 4-H members had to record their demonstrations to upload as well as go through a virtual interview over information included in their 4-H portfolios.

Since State 4-H Council was not able to be held either, the election of the State 4-H Board of Directors was also held during the same week as the State 4-H Congress events.

Coffee County had five 4-H members who earned the opportunity to compete in this year’s State Congress: Ashton Ates in the Festive Foods for Health project, Candice Pace in the Performing Arts-Drama project, Adrianna Rivero in the Veterinary Science project, Alexandra Rivero in the Performing Arts-Drama project, and Ishika Sadarangani in the Food for Health & Sport project. Alexandra Rivero also threw her hat in the ring to campaign for the State 4-H Board of Directors.

Alexandra did a great job with her campaign speech and answering her challenging question. However, it was very tough competition and she did not get elected this year.

In the project competition, Ashton Ates received honorable mention, Candice Pace received 3rd place, Adrianna Rivero received 3rd place, Alexandra Rivero received honorable mention, and Ishika Sadarangani received 2nd place in their respective projects. The Coffee County Extension staff is extremely proud of these five students and want to congratulate them all on their accomplishments this year.

If you would like to learn how you can become more involved with the Coffee County 4-H program, please contact the Coffee County Extension office at (912) 384-1402 or visit our website at http://coffee4h.org.

Seeking Americorps Member

Coffee County Extension is accepting applications for a full-time AmeriCorps State member. AmeriCorps is a federally funded national service program modeled after the Peace Corps.  For more information: www.nationalservice.gov. This is a temporary, national service position, not a traditional employment position. A one-year commitment is required.

AmeriCorps State members provide 4-H positive youth development programming under the direction of the County Extension Agent. This is a direct service position that requires transport of youth and some night and weekend hours. Members also assist with program planning, development, and volunteer management. Other activities include required trainings, monthly reports, administration of surveys, and data entry.

This position is available September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021. This is a full-time AmeriCorps member position. The member is required to log 1,700 hours of service (35-40 hours/week) by August 31, 2021 to successfully complete the term of service.

AmeriCorps members receive a variety of benefits: monthly living allowance ($1,250), free health insurance, education award ($6,195). To qualify for the education award, the member must complete the hour requirement. Other benefits are available based on eligibility (childcare assistance, loan forbearance).

A high school diploma or equivalent and valid driver’s license are required. Experience providing youth development programming and a general knowledge of 4-H is preferred.

To apply: http://ugajobsearch.com. Use Keyword AmeriCorps to find open positions.