This is behind the clover, real four h talk with real four h pros. A look at four h from the perspectives of four h professionals from Illinois and beyond with your hosts, Henry craft, Amy Henschen, and Ryan Littlejohn.
Ryan Littlejohn: 00:33Welcome back to behind the clover, real talk with four h pros with Amy, Ryan, and Henry. Y'all heard from us the last two episodes, and if you missed those, go check them out. Behind the Clover is a podcast where we have real conversations with people like you, folks who work in four h. We are back as we begin our journey through getting to know Illinois four h and learning about each of the various positions among our ranks. Our focus today is on extension educators, and we are going to highlight that position by having the wonderful Jonna Jennings on with us.
Ryan Littlejohn: 01:05We'll do a full intro on Jonna later, but we are going to invite her into our spitball round with our game. So what's currently going on in your life, Henry?
Henry Craft: 01:14Oh, man. I don't know if I was ready for that today. Yeah. So what is going on in my life? I got a crack in my windshield, guys.
Henry Craft: 01:22What the heck? It is gravel season in Illinois here. So, yeah, that's something. And I've been slowly watching it over the past three days go from, like, mid windshield and just, like, I don't know, four inches. And then I was, like, putting money with my kids.
Henry Craft: 01:39Like, is it gonna go up? Is it gonna go down? This is a very enthralling process here with the crack in the windshield saga. I'll TBD on where that gets to, but kinda cool. But, also, what did I do this this week?
Henry Craft: 01:54I laminated about 40 workbooks for some kids. That was a lot of work. Apparently, wanted to go all in on that. We just go the extra mile here in four h. So that's what I did.
Henry Craft: 02:08Laminated, bound them with the old school binders. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah. I was feeling pretty slick. But, yeah, it's it's been pretty busy, but I think we're making it.
Henry Craft: 02:21But yeah. So that's that's kinda just a a quick rundown of what what's going on in the life of Henry. Amy, what do you got going on?
Amy Henschen: 02:28Well, I am exhausted because I am an idiot, and I signed up for a hundred mile walking challenge this month. And I am a couple days from the end of the month, and I need to walk 10 more miles to get there. So I'm at 90, but that means I've been getting a lot of steps in every day, but also trying to unpack a house and do work and get other things accomplished. So it's been a struggle, and I think my whole body is, like, ready for next month to start where I don't have this hanging over my head like the sword of Damocles. So that's my personal life stuff going on.
Amy Henschen: 03:01And then at work, I'm trying to submit some proposals for our national conference. So that's something I've been trying to get written. So I'm trying to submit on our senior survey, which is a cool thing we do every, winter and into spring where we interview all our seniors with the survey and kinda get some cool info on them. And I'm thinking about submitting on some of our, global citizenship work, but we'll see if I get it in. I've got another one of, like, just like my walking challenge.
Amy Henschen: 03:27I only have a few more days. So we'll see what if what I can get in under the wire.
Johnna Jennings: 03:32So my life is a little nuts for this week because, like, last week, for since beginning of the year, things have been kinda mellow in my world. But, right now, things are gonna start picking up, and I'm really kinda like, ugh. We got two leaders meetings this week. I've got Juntos. We're starting Juntos at a school this week, so that's gonna be for the next five Thursdays.
Johnna Jennings: 03:54Beef weigh in on Saturday, and then camp concert training on Sunday. So it's just but it'll be fine. It'll be fine. I keep telling myself, one day at a time, that's all I can do, and we're gonna move forward. But, yeah, it's been a it's hit the floor running today and continue until Sunday.
Johnna Jennings: 04:11So oh, well. Life will go on. But I'm sure Ryan has lots of things going on as well. Right?
Ryan Littlejohn: 04:17I wish. No. I do. I have a lot going on this week. Currently, I'm finishing up WE Connect, which is a global youth citizenship program.
Ryan Littlejohn: 04:28It's one of our state signature programs. I've been doing that in our one of our local high schools and their career exploration class. It's a great way to get them to start thinking about their world around them. It's kinda fascinating to watch the students' minds open up and become more keen on their society and how they fit into our world. It's it's been really good to watch that happen, and it's kind of like a positive thing going on in the community.
Ryan Littlejohn: 04:53So it'll be good for them and see how that plays out. And then on top of that, I'm planning workshops. I'm finally off of Fair Book. It's done. Woo hoo.
Ryan Littlejohn: 05:02I can move on to other things. So I planned a sewing workshop for February where we're gonna be making marble mazes. And, yes, that does fall under the four h project guide in Clothing one because you just stitch straight lines, and that is one of the things that you learn in Clothing one. So I was creative. We're gonna do something besides a pillowcase.
Ryan Littlejohn: 05:25And then on top of that, we're also doing a candle making workshop. I found some Valentine's Day candy melt molds. We're gonna make candles out of and little hearts and wax and make it smell like old books and home and fresh baked bread, things like that.
Amy Henschen: 05:44Okay. As the sewing superintendent for the state, I clearly need to see some pictures of what a sewn marble maze looks like. So you're gonna have to send me send me some photos and maybe your lesson plans so I can because I'm always looking for things we can do that aren't a pillowcase for new be new sewers. So that sounds great.
Ryan Littlejohn: 06:03I definitely will because my sewing judge, she actually volunteered to come and do the workshop. She was like, we have five kids in sewing. Like, let's get more kids in sewing. And she was like, what do you wanna do? I was like, well, let's start with project clothing one, and we'll see where we can go from there.
Ryan Littlejohn: 06:19And we came up with this unique marble maze idea, and we're gonna run for it. So we'll see how it goes.
Amy Henschen: 06:26I can't wait to see it. My niece is also we're we did the same thing in our unit. My niece is in a sewing club. She's never sewn before, and we did the same thing. We had a local volunteer who's like, why do we have so few kids in sewing?
Amy Henschen: 06:37Let's get more kids in. So they did little stuffed animals, which were really cute. So she made a little bear this weekend, and I got to help, which was really exciting. So I love watching that. But, again, our even our sewing leaders, like, what are some other new projects we could use with this age group?
Amy Henschen: 06:50So that's great. Can't wait to hear about it.
Ryan Littlejohn: 06:52Okay. So our roundtable topic of the week is a little controversial. It's nothing like our toilet paper or pineapple on pizza, but this one is which do you think you could live without, elbows or knees? So I'll let you think about it and see who wants to come up first. I mean, I can answer mine.
Ryan Littlejohn: 07:13I'd rather live without elbows because I'm so tall and leg and leggy that I don't wanna lose my height if my knees get taken out from me. I feel like I kinda just be, like, wobbly legs. And I I like I like my height. I'm six four. I wanna keep it.
Amy Henschen: 07:28I went with this is a mobility. Right? So, like, my arms would just be, like, straight stick arms if I got rid of the elbows, and my legs would be straight stick legs if I got rid of my knees. So for me, I need my knees. So I'm getting rid of those elbows because, like, I love hiking.
Amy Henschen: 07:44I love bicycling. I don't think I could do either of those if my legs could bend. Like, I gotta climb things. I gotta pedal. So I'll I'll use my stick arms, and I'll I'll adapt.
Amy Henschen: 07:57It's kinda my policy in this one. But this one really made my brain go
Ryan Littlejohn: 08:02Yeah. How are you gonna walk your 10 miles that you have left to do in three days if you don't have knees?
Amy Henschen: 08:08You got it. I can't do I would that'd very it would just be very, like, 10 shoulder y. Like, I don't wanna walk like that. I'm good.
Johnna Jennings: 08:16In my world, I'm leaning toward I get I wanna keep my elbows. You think about a lot of things you have to do to bend and to feed yourself. I mean, you can't feed yourself, but if you have straight arms, like but maybe it would help me lose weight. So I don't know. There'd be something to be said about that.
Johnna Jennings: 08:29But I'm going for I need the elbows. So I can wobble around with on, like, straight straight legs, but not not eat and and bend and move things with my arms. Yeah. No. I'm all about keeping the elbows.
Henry Craft: 08:41John, I'm with you. I I feel like I'm I'm just picturing how I would feed my face, and it would have to be, like, you know, arm extended with, like, a four foot fork, and I'd have to really get some hard wrist action. But it almost have to be an elf fork because you can't bend your wrist to your mouth. If you think about it, you're bending it. Where like, if your arm's straight, like, even if you just, like, bend it back to your your face, you're you're you're feeding your shoulder at best.
Henry Craft: 09:09I mean, it's not gonna happen to your face. So, man, I and I think we've got so much great technology to get around, like, mobility wise as far as as, like, you know, power power chairs. Heck. Give me a segue. Or is that what they call it?
Henry Craft: 09:29Yeah. Segue. The the Chicago tour stuff. But, yeah, I think I think I'm with with most of us here. I think I'd be take my knees.
Henry Craft: 09:39Elbows, man, really?
Ryan Littlejohn: 09:41I mean, why do you need them? If if your arm's straight up, like, you can move your wrist, you could just lean back and pour whatever you're gonna drink or eat into your mouth. Or, you know, how remember that YouTube video how animals eat their food? You can you can still bring your face to the plate.
Henry Craft: 10:00So you're dangling your food from a string above your head, and you're, like, penduluming it into your face? Okay. Right. You know what? I I didn't go there and touche.
Henry Craft: 10:13Touche.
Johnna Jennings: 10:14Seems like you'd have a really messy face, though. Because, like, how are gonna wipe your face off?
Ryan Littlejohn: 10:19I guess I didn't think about that one.
Amy Henschen: 10:21I think you're just gonna stick your whole face under the sink.
Henry Craft: 10:25No beard for you, Brian. No beard for you.
Johnna Jennings: 10:28Low on it.
Henry Craft: 10:29Yeah. Was funnier than I thought it was gonna be.
Ryan Littlejohn: 10:31I don't know how I how yeah. How would you wash your beard or your hair? Man. I don't know. Now now I might change my answer.
Johnna Jennings: 10:40Get your nose. Look clean, but you won't.
Henry Craft: 10:43The cattle so I just in picture just envisioned Ryan using one of those, like, you know, like, cows have in their fields that they got a really bougie farmer that puts, like, the the brush the big, like, dish or not not dishwasher. The
Ryan Littlejohn: 10:58scratch brush.
Henry Craft: 10:59Scratch brush. Scratch But, like, a car wash. I can see Ryan just rubbing his face all over. Okay. Alright.
Henry Craft: 11:06Digression. Alright. I like that one. Alright. Good.
Ryan Littlejohn: 11:10Oh, that was a good one. That was a good one. There's no statistics this week. It was just, you know, pure facts, how it's gonna work. Okay.
Ryan Littlejohn: 11:18So like we said before in the beginning, we're gonna give Jonna a proper intro, just a little bit about her, and then have her tell us a little bit more about herself that maybe we don't know. So Jonna is originally from Ohio and grew up in Northwest Ohio. For the last thirty one years, she has lived in DeKalb, Illinois, where she currently serves as the four h youth development educator for Boone, DeKalb, and Ogle Counties. Jonna has worked for the University of Illinois Extension and four h for almost thirty one years. Prior to coming to Illinois, she was an four h extension associate for the Ohio State University for five years.
Ryan Littlejohn: 11:58Go Buckeyes. We are so excited to welcome another proud four h alumni on our podcast as Jonna was a four h member for ten years, making four h a big part of her life. Welcome to the show, Jonna, and thank you for being with us today.
Johnna Jennings: 12:11Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate it. It's nice to be here with you all, and I'm sure this is gonna be a very entertaining day for me with you two, with all three of you. Excuse me.
Ryan Littlejohn: 12:21So, Jonna, why don't you tell us a little bit more about yourself? Maybe something we don't know. Are you a Buckeyes fan still currently? Like, that's my first question.
Johnna Jennings: 12:30Certainly, I'm a Buckeyes fan. And, actually, when I was at school Ohio State, the football team wasn't all that great then. But since Dan and I moved here to Illinois, the football team has been phenomenal. So it made it even easier to be a true Buckeye fan and cheering on the the the Ohio State University Buckeyes, especially football season. That's our that's a if we had to pick a a sport to watch, that's my sport to watch is football season.
Johnna Jennings: 12:58There's just too many basketball games to keep track of during the week, and I can figure I can focus on a Saturday and know that it's Ohio State football time. So they didn't have the best end of their season this year, but, you know, we'll we'll take it. And even though that, you know, even though that darn Michigan team did very well with their national championship stuff, we'll we'll cheer them on even though it's, you know, it's really goes against my grid to cheer for Michigan, but that's that's beside the point. But so be it.
Ryan Littlejohn: 13:26We can always edit that out if you don't want us to say that, Gino, you have no problem cheering for Michigan. That's what I heard.
Johnna Jennings: 13:32Oh, well no. No. No. I do I do have a problem cheering for Michigan. But I would say it was nice to see a big 10 team actually do well this year.
Johnna Jennings: 13:41So, I will give him kudos to that, but, you know, next year and we're hoping that, Ohio State will beat the crowd out of, Michigan so we don't have to worry about them again. So it's always a tough game. As I say, as far as other things about myself, you know, I and several of you may know this, but I'm married to who I call pig boy, which is Dan Jennings. He's our animal science guy. And, so we've been married for oh my gosh.
Johnna Jennings: 14:05It's been thirty two years already. But I dated him for nine years before I I actually married him. So, like, he's been a part of my life for, too much of it. Really start thinking about this, like, dang. How are we this old already?
Johnna Jennings: 14:18But, and in addition to having Dan in my life, I have two daughters, Jaylene and Justine, and they are both in their twenties. And, both decided that they weren't gonna go into extension. People would ask them, are you gonna do what your mom and dad do and get into extension? And they were always very quick to say, no. We're not doing that.
Johnna Jennings: 14:38You know? And I think they looked at some of the hours and stuff that I put into my job and thought, oh, I'm not doing that. But, instead of doing extension, they both got into the medical side of things. So I told them, like, their hours are just bad in another form. So one of them is a nurse, and then the other one is a physician assistant.
Johnna Jennings: 14:57So they both have, kinda some wacky hours at times, but, they they like what they're doing. And and, they all grew up in the four h program, and I'm very proud of what they've accomplished in the four h program as well. So, I I think, it just comes hand in hand. If you're gonna have kids, they're they're better to be in the four h program with you because that was in my world, that was one way I could see them more often too. If I had a meeting, then they could come along and be a part of that as well.
Johnna Jennings: 15:21So, but anyhow, lots of things. Yes. I see, you probably have lots of questions in regards to Pig Boy. I have a feeling. That's that's my goal.
Amy Henschen: 15:29Great story about Pig Boy at lunch the other day in my office.
Johnna Jennings: 15:33Oh, what did you hear?
Amy Henschen: 15:34We were talking about bicycling. Oh, yes. The the idea of ebikes came up.
Johnna Jennings: 15:39And I
Amy Henschen: 15:40was like, well, I hear John and Jonah and Dan really love their ebikes. And then Deanna said my my county director said that, evidently, Pig Boy, Dan, had an ebikes without telling you guys he had an ebike. Mhmm. And so he was always way ahead of you, and you were all like, what is up? How am I in such bad shape that Dan is so far ahead of us?
Amy Henschen: 16:03So he bought an ebike, did not tell you, and then was just coasting along.
Johnna Jennings: 16:08Well, we knew it was an ebike. So we knew it was an ebike, but he would say, I don't have the motor on. Oh. And and then he would zoom by you, and I would do a lot of cursing as he would zoom by. Because he would say first, he'd say, you can set the pace.
Johnna Jennings: 16:23Well, I'm on, you know, a regular bike, and so my pace was definitely gonna be slower. But then he would pedal past me and then, like you know, be like, oh, good. You know, 200 yards ahead of me. And then, like, I would just be doing a lot of lot of cursing and saying, like, oh, yeah. I'll set the pace.
Johnna Jennings: 16:41Sure. Sure. Wash me up the pace. You're way ahead of me. You know?
Johnna Jennings: 16:45So eventually You're not using the assist, Dan.
Amy Henschen: 16:47There's no way.
Johnna Jennings: 16:48So and he was always very eager to go on bicycle rides when he had his ebike and wanting everyone to go along. So yeah.
Amy Henschen: 16:55So I hear you eventually also got an ebike.
Johnna Jennings: 16:58I did. He got me one for my birthday then, like, a year later.
Amy Henschen: 17:02Awesome. So that ties into my question for you. So what are you do to decompress? Is is going on a bike one of those things? Do you have other other hobbies or things you do to kind of take off from all of those hours you put in for four years?
Johnna Jennings: 17:14That's a good question. So I don't mind riding my bike. Yeah. That's that is a nice little getaway. I don't mind walking too, as the weather cooperates.
Johnna Jennings: 17:22That's another good thing for me to do. And then, you know, I I it kinda goes with the hobbies and that I'd like to do too. Those are the things that I enjoy as well just to decompress. So so I or just being plain lazy and sitting on the couch and watching some stupid YouTube, you know, something on Netflix or whatever just to, veg out. So yeah, so, recently, my family started watching, love on the spectrum.
Johnna Jennings: 17:46So we watched a whole series about, you know, people with autism on the looking for love. And so, you know, it's mindless. I can I can just veg out and and decompress that way? So that's a good thing.
Amy Henschen: 17:57Low mental energy watches are my new favorite. So, like, old series I've seen already, just random reality television. That's quirky. I'm all in. Baking, I'm in.
Amy Henschen: 18:11I can do other things. I don't have to think about it. Love it. Love it. Yeah.
Johnna Jennings: 18:17When I was in college, I took a stained glass class. Actually, I took two classes, and that got my interest in doing more, like, soldering stained glass sorts of things. And then that has evolved to fused glass projects. So, my girls actually, for four h when they were in four h, they took visual arts, and one of the things that I taught them how to do was doing stained glass. So they have done a variety of stained glass windows.
Johnna Jennings: 18:44Matter of fact, our house does not have enough windows to hang all the stained glass windows that they have made over the years. So we have, like, a collection of stained glass windows hanging in the basement, you know, because, like, what do you do with them after so long?
Amy Henschen: 18:57So we have stained glass as a a get
Johnna Jennings: 18:59a little getaway thing. Fusing glass probably is more of my thing anymore that I enjoy doing. And then, sewing, I like to I like to challenge myself sometimes and do variety of sewing. So when my girls were little, this was real stupid on my end. You think back about it, and you go, wow.
Johnna Jennings: 19:15I spent a lot of time on this. But I made all their Halloween costumes. So I have a we have a collection of variety of Halloween costumes in our basement now, you know, that they wore. It was just you think about it. They wore it for maybe twelve hours, and then they didn't wear them again.
Johnna Jennings: 19:32You know? But, like, why did I spend this much time on a Halloween costume? But, it was something that I did. It was I think it's just a way to challenge myself to see, can I do it and make it? And and that's sort of what I I think I do a lot in my world is I I see what I can do to challenge myself and then try to go to conquer it.
Johnna Jennings: 19:49And that's that come becomes a hobby.
Henry Craft: 19:51Okay. I gotta follow-up on that because it is blowing my mind right now that I literally I was watching my own mindless YouTube last night, and I saw some people doing, like, a restoration with leaded glass. And I was like, man, I totally wanna get into that. And you just were like, yeah. I mean, because, essentially, stained glass is kind of it's I'm seeing it being a similar process.
Henry Craft: 20:17Am I right or wrong?
Johnna Jennings: 20:18It is. So there's lettered, and there's soldering. And so I do the copper foil soldering version where if you watch the leading that it that's truly leading. They're pulling the lead, and they're fitting it into round the pieces. Similar concept.
Johnna Jennings: 20:31It's just a little different process of how you do it. But you no matter what, you're still cutting in the glass and grinding it and and making it fit like a puzzle and then working your either copper foil or your solder around it or in this case, what you're watching was lead. Fascinating.
Amy Henschen: 20:45So Henry, if you need some guidance, John has helped write a manual on stained glass for four h projects Yay. Available from Illinois four h. So you can go check it out if you wanna look at maybe how you get started if you wanna learn how to do that.
Henry Craft: 21:01Thanks, John. Way to go. That's cool.
Ryan Littlejohn: 21:04I'm not gonna lie. I had no idea that was a four h project option until last week, and I've been with extension now for two years. I just think that's fascinating.
Henry Craft: 21:15Okay, Jonna. So sweet. Stained glass, I love that. Speaking of colorful and the variety of colors of the rainbow, we are almost I mean, we're in spring, not to date our podcast or anything, but very important. And if you say the one that I think is controversial here, we might have to bond.
Henry Craft: 21:39But jelly beans, are you into basic flavors or, like, the again, not a sponsor, but the fancy jelly beans.
Johnna Jennings: 21:50So I'm right in the middle. So I really don't like the old fashioned jelly beans too much. Yeah. But I do like Starburst jelly beans, and I like SweetTart jelly beans. But Jelly Bellies, not so much.
Johnna Jennings: 22:04But, definitely, Starburst and, the sweet tart ones. And if I had to pick up one of the colors, it's probably gonna be the red in the Starburst ones. So
Amy Henschen: 22:14I am so glad that there are other people who are agreeing with me that, like, the Starburst jelly beans are the best standard jelly beans out there. Not that this is not a product endorsement. I just like to know that extension does not endorse Starburst jelly bean. But I agree they're, like, by far the best standard when you're kicking through your kids or nieces or nephews Easter candy. Gotta get in on those.
Henry Craft: 22:35Wait. Is Bertie Bott's is that an it are they actually making those, like, from Harry Potter?
Amy Henschen: 22:40They are.
Ryan Littlejohn: 22:41The airwax ones?
Amy Henschen: 22:41I think I think the the he who should not the company who shall not be
Johnna Jennings: 22:45named, think, is the one oh, no. They have their own.
Amy Henschen: 22:48They have their own called bean boozled that are basically a rip off of birdie bots. Oh. So my nieces love those, and they gave me the earwax one. And I thought it was not earwax. I thought it was something yummy, and it was gross.
Amy Henschen: 23:01And now I don't trust them and will only eat starburst jelly beans, which I can differentiate from
Henry Craft: 23:06Amy can feel the pain of Dumbledore. Oh, man.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:10I'm gonna have to say that Starbursts are great. Yes. But give me the traditional jelly bean. I mean, I much rather have the traditional jelly beans, not the licorice. You can leave the licorice ones out.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:24They go in the trash. Okay? I want I want the good old grape and cherry and what lime. Is that what they are? And and lemon.
Ryan Littlejohn: 23:34That's what I want. I don't want any of the of the fun flavors. I want the basic.
Henry Craft: 23:38You're a you're a basic bean kinda guy, know, a basic bean. Alright. Alright.
Amy Henschen: 23:43Alright. Well, Donna, we started this podcast to tell four h stories. So we just wanted to ask, do you have, like, a best or favorite four h story? Either that you were, like, when you were in four h or as a four h adviser or a four h parent?
Johnna Jennings: 23:57Oh, that's, I was thinking about that earlier when you shared those questions with me. I'm like, oh, man. There's just so much when you think about, forty well, over forty some years. Gosh. It really sounded old.
Johnna Jennings: 24:09How many years I've been involved in four h? But one of my first things that I remember as a four h er, my mom and dad were four h leaders. And when we when I have three siblings. I have an older brother, an older sister, and a twin twin sister. And so when we first started four h, we were showing pigs.
Johnna Jennings: 24:27And so when we were in four h, the county that we were in, we could show six pigs per individual. So my dad, you know, it was all about we're gonna show us everyone's gonna show six pigs. And so we loaded up 24 pigs to take to the county fair. But, before going to the fair, the decision was that we would try to wash them ahead of time. And so my dad we loaded them up in the back of the grain truck.
Johnna Jennings: 24:56There were four kids with castle, castle soap bars and then, brushes and a one garden hose. And then our pigs were all white. They were like a Yorkshire mix of some sort. So they all pretty much looked alike, but we're in the back of the truck, and there's, you know, four kids brushes, bars of soap, and pigs, and one garden hose. And, like, I don't know if the pigs ever really got clean because, you know, you didn't even know which pig you got done finishing before you moved on to another one.
Johnna Jennings: 25:26And then, of course, they're they're still, you know, pooping and peeing in the truck. And so it's not long before the one the one you thought you just got clean is dirty again. So, that one sticks in my mind a lot. And I remember my dad too. You know, over the years when we were loading at pigs, like, he would he would complain that he had, you know, the four stooges with him because, you know, the pigs weren't loading and, like, we we didn't seem like anything as kids that we were doing it quite right.
Johnna Jennings: 25:52So, that was always an entertaining thing with with that. And then, you know, as as my, family grew and my Dan and I had the two girls, we also had them show pigs. I happened to meet my husband in a pig barn at our county fair, so that's how how he became pig boy too to me. But anyhow, just seeing that whole cycle or circle of life kinda thing happened because then when they were showing pigs, it was the same situations. You know?
Johnna Jennings: 26:20Loading up the pigs was always an ordeal and and whatever and washing them and stuff like that. But, definitely less pigs when my girls were showing than when when we've started with 24 pigs as a four h member. So but, very fond memories. I I can't think that there's too many opportunities in my my four h times that I can't say that, there were a lot of positive memories made and or entertaining memories made that you don't forget. And, you know, they trickle back every now and then when you start thinking about something else.
Johnna Jennings: 26:48So it's it's a so sweet sweet times that I remember with my four h experiences. And the fact that my mom and dad were very crucial part of that was was also extra special.
Amy Henschen: 26:58I love that so much. And for any of you who haven't or, like, not getting a great picture of Jono's story, just go to a pig show. My first pig show was like, woah. Like, an eye opening for someone who's not a livestock person. It's just controlled chaos, basically, is every pig show.
Amy Henschen: 27:16So go watch the pig show, and then you will and you will have vivid images when Jonah tells you about trying to load animals and what they're doing and how they're just moving around in an unpredictable way. So love it.
Henry Craft: 27:28I knew a guy who wouldn't he wasn't a farmer as such, but he was you know, the homesteading era is upon us and, you know, everybody's trying to get into livestock, but it it came butcher time. He had four hogs and doesn't wear pants. I mean, he just wears, like, shorts. So he was trying to load four hogs into a trailer in shorts, and he came to work the next day. And you'd have thought he was just rubbing his legs with a metal bristle brush.
Henry Craft: 28:02They were so caught up and red, and I was just like, dude. But, yes, I could just imagine the pain and agony of brushing 24 hogs. Give me a break. That is insanity.
Johnna Jennings: 28:16It was it was interesting, but very memorable.
Ryan Littlejohn: 28:19So, Jonna, as a four h youth development educator in Illinois, what does that look like? Kinda what is your role locally and then maybe on the state level?
Johnna Jennings: 28:31Locally, it's it's changed a lot, right, since when I first started in extension because I started here in '93, and so I only had one county then. So I've seen a lot of changes over the time, reorganizations and stuff like that. So the last reorganization not only meant that I was not not just covering one county, but now I'm covering three counties. And I can't complain because I could be in Southern Illinois where you're covering a whole lot more than three counties. So I'll take my three and and keep my mouth shut about, the extra responsibilities, but it has changed a lot.
Johnna Jennings: 29:09And so you, in my world, you know, you you learn, but you have to count on the program coordinators a little more to do more of the the on the ground running kind of things that they that maybe you did a little more of, when you only had one county. Locally, like, it seems like it's just never ends. Right? So, you know, like, I'm doing the Juntos program right now starting, this Thursday at a school, but I also do chicken biology. I do, do that in two of the counties, and a program coordinator has taken on the role, in one of the counties.
Johnna Jennings: 29:40That was just what she did when before we reorged. So she continued that. So but chicks chicken season's a big time of year in Illinois, especially in my two counties that I cover. I think I'm in over 55 classrooms during the anywhere from February till the May, doing embryology, so that's a busy time. Do cooking schools too during the summertime at one of the counties.
Johnna Jennings: 30:07We have four h camp, but that encompasses all three of our counties, but particularly one of those counties. It just it never ends. It's just, one thing after another. So, locally, it just feels like there's just so many opportunities to do a lot of different things. And, you know, we try to do some things in in our unit as a unit, to you know, if you wanted to do a program, we may as well tap in and include everybody.
Johnna Jennings: 30:33Plus, I think it's a nice way to incorporate a team atmosphere within our program coordinators and our four h staff. If we're working together, you know, it's we're all gonna benefit from that experience, and we get to know each other a little better. We also learn to to figure out who's got what strengths and and and compass on those and take advantage of you know, they're they're better at the social media side. We're better at the other side or whatever, and and getting that all accomplished, which is which is a good thing. As far as state level, I think I I've taken on that role of the chicken person.
Johnna Jennings: 31:06So I get to work a lot with Ken Kolkabek in in arranging a state, teen t state teacher trainings. And so those are coming up here in February and then again in March. And so we'll be offering, two beginner and two advanced level, embryology trainings. And so I work with the Illinois State Board of Ed to get, make sure we get professional development hours for those teachers. But just a little a lot of things that you don't think you're gonna take up a lot of time, but my gosh, they they seem to suck away those hours really quick.
Johnna Jennings: 31:36So lots of things that they were I'm also very active with the volunteerism committee, at the state level. And, during COVID, I I was very proud of a lot of things that our, volunteerism committee accomplished. I think we were we did our best to try to make sure volunteers were, educated and included and made made to feel like they were they were truly valued during a really tough time trying to be a four h leader. Right? You know?
Johnna Jennings: 32:02If you weren't used to Zoom, my gosh, you were forced to get to know to Zoom, and that was on all of us. Right? Not just the four h leaders, but the four h leaders that may have not had any of that experience before. And suddenly now they're having to deal with the four h club that way. It's it's a it's a tough time.
Johnna Jennings: 32:16But I don't think I really have to look too far to figure out what I need to be working on next in in this job, which is good or bad. But I guess the nice thing is there's a lot of variety.
Henry Craft: 32:26John, I I got a follow-up question. So you you mentioned camp. So do you guys do a separate camp kind of dynamic, or are you you're just involved with the 4 H Memorial Camp?
Johnna Jennings: 32:38We totally do our own camp up here. So Northern Illinois has had their own camp. Oh gosh. The law as long as I know. But we plan our own one week of four h camp.
Johnna Jennings: 32:50And so we recruit our own team counselors, and we train them. And so we have we're doing monthly training or whatever. So, like, right now, we we're gonna have our second camp council training meeting on Sunday. But we have, I think there's 29 teams that we have recruited. They most of them have been past four H'ers or four H campers, I should say.
Johnna Jennings: 33:11And so they come in, and we train them, and and they we pick our theme, we pick our activities, where we we'd have our crews, you know, whatever. We have everything from the the time they get there to the time they leave all planned out for the for that week. And so it's it's a really neat opportunity. I am I'm a true sucker for four h camp. I grew up going to four h camp.
Johnna Jennings: 33:34I was a camp counselor for a number of years. And then so, actually, when I was in Ohio, four h camp in Ohio is huge. And so I I was the camp director from two of my counties. I worked in two different counties when I was in Ohio, and we planned four h camps then too. Here's your own week of four h camp.
Johnna Jennings: 33:53And and up here in now in Illinois, our four h camp encompasses nine counties, but we also include other people that wanna you know, there are other kids that wanna come. We're not gonna turn a kid away, just because they're not in one of our counties. They they're welcome to come as well. Yeah. I'm a kind of a geek when it comes to camp.
Johnna Jennings: 34:09I I think there's a lot of cool things that kids gain from going to four h camp.
Henry Craft: 34:14I wouldn't have gotten that. I didn't you're expanding my mind. I wasn't aware. And I think that's really cool that it just highlights, I think, that every every county, every district, every region does things slightly different. And I wow.
Henry Craft: 34:32The just the power that you guys must see and gain out of a local camp experience is is pretty indicative in the fact that, you know, you guys are fully invested in doing your own week at camp. And so that's that's really cool. That's a lot I mean, that's a lot of work and a lot of dedication in that. So that's really cool. My mind is is sufficiently blown.
Amy Henschen: 34:55Well, awesome. Jonna, you have been here a while. So you've been doing cool programs like camp and embryology and all sorts of other local programs, state programs, regional programs. So what are some examples of some, like, fruits you've seen grow from a seed you've planted, with a program or a process or something you did locally?
Johnna Jennings: 35:16Oh my gosh. So that's a lot of years to encompass here, Amy. So there's been a lot of lot of seeds, but then, like, yeah, the fruit happened, and then maybe it was harvested. Now it has doesn't happen anymore. So I'd like kinda going, okay.
Johnna Jennings: 35:29I'm not so sure you when you've been around this long, you see things come and go. Right? But one of the programs that, you know, was that I really liked that we did, and and we only did, like, I think, three years, whatever, and that was biotech camp. We did this back in the nineties, somewhere in there. It was an interdisciplinary program that we did.
Johnna Jennings: 35:48It was when biotech was just becoming, like, you know, the the new word, and we had Dolly, the cloned sheep, and everything else. You know? So there was a lot of controversy about biotech. But we up here in Northern Illinois, we saw some value in it. So Lisa Waysner, which, I mean, most of you probably had no clue who she was, but she was a four h educator.
Johnna Jennings: 36:09She was a center educator. And one of our annual conferences, we had to go down on campus, and we focused on biotechnology. That was one of the topics. And she came back from annual conference all humped up. You know, like, this is awesome.
Johnna Jennings: 36:25This is exciting. We we really gotta get this going about starting starting something with biotech. Lisa was super creative. And so she pulled in a variety of different people, four h educators. She animal science people.
Johnna Jennings: 36:38So Pig Boy, as I referred to him. Dan was included. We had other, other egg related people involved in it. I think Russ Higgins was a part of it at one time. Rich and darn oh, I'm I'm probably naming off lots of people that have long past retired, from extension.
Johnna Jennings: 36:55But we had a variety of different people that all came down together, and we created, what was called biotech camp, but it was a murder mystery. Alright? And so we we did all sorts of things. We related to that. The kids were broken into groups.
Johnna Jennings: 37:08They had we had we were cast of characters typically in this murder mystery as well. But they they learned about a variety of things. So they also the kids did, we brought people down from camp from campus up. The kids learned about extracting their DNA. They learned about electrophoresis.
Johnna Jennings: 37:25I mean, anything and everything. And then we also worked on things talking about, you know, some of the the media issues that come with biotech, you know, and had kids actually looking at a variety of sides of things, you know, why people worked up about biotech and and what were the some of the positives of biotech. So, it was way before its time in some regards, but it was a really neat program. And and that program, actually, we got a lot of acknowledgment for it. We had received a a grant from National four h Council, like a $10,000 grant to do the program.
Johnna Jennings: 37:58And then as a result of it, we we won the state level for, programming as far as creative programs go. We won at the national level, and we won the JSEP award with that. All all those, like, the trifecta kinda thing, with that program. And it was it was just a really neat opportunity because we we brought so many different people from all across different areas. So that that was one I would say, like, you know, the seed, the fruit, and then, like, it was harvested, and now we're moving on to something else.
Johnna Jennings: 38:25Right?
Amy Henschen: 38:26So we have a lot of new staff. And sometimes they're planting seeds, and they're not seeing immediate growth. Right? Do you have any, like, advice for those new people on, like, what do you do when you're not seeing the results or waiting? You're not seeing what, you know, things aren't essentially progressing as fast as you wanted them to.
Amy Henschen: 38:47Have you ever had any experience with that, or do have any advice for those new people?
Johnna Jennings: 38:50Nothing moves quickly sometimes in extension. Right? And so sometimes you just need to adjust and adapt and, like, maybe let have a fresh set of eyes look at it too for you because I think we get blinded by our own work sometimes that it's kinda hard to think, like, well, what else could we do? This is the best solution. How else could it be done?
Johnna Jennings: 39:08And so patience probably isn't always our strong suit. For for me, it is. And I know, that sometimes we just we want instant gratification, and we wanna see, you know, the end results be better than what we expected. So I think sometimes we just have to take time, but also just, you know, have someone else help us look at it with a different set of fresh eyes sometimes because we do get a little clover blind, whatever you wanna say, when it comes to the four h program.
Ryan Littlejohn: 39:34Clover blind. I love that. That's such a great way. Well, to see it because as, an EPC, sometimes as an EPC, you don't get to see what seeds you may plant into your four h unless you're here for ten years. But sometimes all the EPCs move up and educator rules, and they get to see that, but not all the time.
Ryan Littlejohn: 39:53So how what would you say to, like, EPCs or maybe you said it to your EPCs that kinda feel the everyday stress of, you know, having to do fair and all these different volunteers? And how do you tell them to see the success in that?
Johnna Jennings: 40:08You know, I you kinda look at the positives. So, like, we all had those volunteers that challenge us at times. You wanna go, ugh. Not them again. Right?
Johnna Jennings: 40:15You have to remember, like, for every one of them, there's probably, you know, how many more positive influences that are out there that that are making a difference and making your lives better because they're doing their jobs, and and they're influencing and changing the lives of the youth around them. Yeah. The downfall is when you're talking about the changes you see, like, we don't usually see the good things that the kids are getting out of the program until they're long out of the program. Right? And so it's not until you hear us from the four h alum oftentimes, like, oh my gosh.
Johnna Jennings: 40:46I gained so much from four h, or or you talk to the parents and say, my my kids learned so much because of what you did for them in the four h program. Those are the things that really are rewarding, but, like, it doesn't come around often enough. Right? You don't get to hear it often enough. But as a new program coordinator, like, you gotta take your wins when you can get them.
Johnna Jennings: 41:05Right? And and and absorb and take in those those comments that you get from the kids or from from the parents to say, you know, wow. You made a difference and and what my kid got from that experience. And you know, you may not hear it from everybody, but if you hear it from one, even one makes a difference. That's why you do what you do.
Henry Craft: 41:25Donna, I man, I appreciate the last the last ten minutes. I've just been sitting here soaking it up. Probably one of the most impactful interviews so far, personally, for me, I'm just hearing kind of where you've seen four h come from, what you've seen. You've been around long enough to see some of that fruit, and that's from the nineties till now. Gosh.
Henry Craft: 41:46What is it that you wanna be remembered for? What is and and I don't mean this to be, like, a super epic question, but it is because that's kinda where my head is going in this space. But what is the legacy that you want extension remembered Jonah Jennings for?
Johnna Jennings: 42:02That's a pretty deep question, Henry. And I and I'm not really sure how to answer that, honestly. I'm I think I just want people to know that I cared, that I, that I liked what I did, and that they could tell that I liked what I did. You know, I think that's important. Like, nobody wants to be around somebody that goes, oh my gosh.
Johnna Jennings: 42:22They're at work today, and look at them. They're grumpy again or whatever else. So I hope that when people that I've encountered over the years will look at me and say, she really loved what she did. She had fun with her job, and she she was, passionate about it. And so, I I I my goal is to retire before people start saying otherwise about me.
Johnna Jennings: 42:44And so, you know, I don't want anyone to be like, gosh. She really should've left a long time ago. She's really just a grumpy guest. So, you know, I I think I have a good work ethic. I think I I brought a lot to the program.
Johnna Jennings: 42:56I hope I continue to bring a lot to the program, but but my goal is that I I hope I made a difference.
Ryan Littlejohn: 43:02I like how you said, you know, you wanna be remembered for enjoying your job, and that all starts with what does four h mean to you, but how do you sell four h to people in your community or when you're trying to recruit kids or maybe even parents to buy into this wonderful program? I know you said your parents played a big role in your four h career, and that's something we've talked about on the podcast prior to this episode was, you know, four h is a family thing. So we just wanna know, like, how do you sell four h?
Johnna Jennings: 43:35Well, I think, you know, that you can sell from what your own experience is, but more importantly, you talk about what the kids are gonna get out of it. Right? It's more important that their parents understand the benefits that their kids can get from this four h experience. And so, you know, I can talk if I know from my own experience, but I can talk from what my girls gained from that experience, but what I see from other kids as well. Sometimes, you know, when when you're the spokesperson for the four h program, they're just thinking people may look at you and just say, you're only doing this because it's helping your job.
Johnna Jennings: 44:06Right? And so it's kinda hard for for them to look at you a little differently. I think some of our better people that do the elevator speeches are the kids themselves or the parents whose kids are in the four h program because they can truly tell you what the benefits that they've noticed with their kids. When I, you know, when I talk about the four program, I talk about what what they get from the four h program, and that is, you know, you're developing a lot of life skills, communication skills. Our we're we have a whole generation growing up that's used to texting, social meeting, and all that, but they they're losing the ability to actually talk to each other.
Johnna Jennings: 44:41I really feel that the four h program gains a lot of those communication skills. You know? People may not like to do the talks and demonstrations at their club meetings, but, my gosh, it makes a difference. You know, their ability to actually talk, to one another and to each other, it makes a huge difference. And what's interesting, I've noticed that, we had speech teachers in high schools tell us that they can tell the kids that are in the four h program because they're not afraid to stand up and talk in front of their peers because they've been doing it since if they were starting four h at eight, they've been doing it since they were eight years old.
Johnna Jennings: 45:14They're more comfortable with it. But my elevator speech is, like, just the the amount of leadership skills that the kids get out of the four h program, the hands on learning by doing finding things that they're interested in. You know, we're working on kids' individuality. And and then the fact that we're also working on community service, you know, we're we're all about, like, making sure that they know about giving back to one another, and get and seeing the big picture of how their community can change just by their little effort. So the four h program, me, has been able to do a lot of different things for a lot of different kids.
Johnna Jennings: 45:49And if they stick with it long enough, they also see the the growth and development of the skills that they've learned and the projects they've taken. And then, you know, they they're just darn good kids and individuals when they get out of the program. And what they can do for their communities later on is just phenomenal. So, it's I'm I'm always thrilled when we see the four h alum come back around either become four h leaders and and making making sure that their kids are having those same experiences. That to me is a is a pat on the back kind of thing for the four h program when when they come back around because they know what they got out of the experience, and they want the same things for their kids.
Ryan Littlejohn: 46:26What piece of advice would you give someone that is thinking about moving up to become an educator out of an EPC role or maybe from a different role or coming in as an educator?
Johnna Jennings: 46:38I would say do it. I think, you know, EPCs and I I've I've all of my EPCs have heard me hound them too before. It's like, you have a great opportunity. The university provides a wonderful opportunity for you to go back to school. Do it.
Johnna Jennings: 46:52Get that master's degree because where else are you gonna be able to go to school and, you know, basically free, and have the have your employee pay for it. Right? But more importantly, like, there's so many opportunities. Like and and I love all of my EPCs dearly, and I'm very thankful for them. And I know I can't do this job without them.
Johnna Jennings: 47:13But I I know that, like, there's opportunities for them to grow in advance. And not that educators mean that you're growing and advancing, but at least you may get paid better. Right? But there's so much that they can do. I I and what they gained from being an EPC does help them, I think, as an educator.
Johnna Jennings: 47:31Right? You have a better perspective of what takes place at the the county level, a better understanding of how a county office functions. And so I love to see those people that have already done a lot of the grunt work that understand the the ins and outs of their county moving up into the system, and so that they're they're sharing their wealth and their leadership with others, and and able to spread themselves, to to add and and add and make a difference to other four Hers and other, families along the way. Even if it means sometimes, like, oh my gosh. I'm in what county today?
Johnna Jennings: 48:04And and then later on tonight, I have to be in the other county. It's a challenge sometimes, but there's a lot of perks to it. So I I would hope that a lot of our EPCs would you know, not everyone's in a position that they wanna go back to school. I get that. But if you have an opportunity to do it and you feel comfortable doing it, I I think that all the program coordinators should actually consider looking into that opportunity.
Henry Craft: 48:27Alright. Well, Jonah, we appreciate you so much coming and sharing with us today about the role of the four h youth development educator position. Just your wealth of knowledge and everything that you bring to the table is personally inspiring to me. And I don't just say that because I'm hosting a podcast. I'm 100% genuine.
Henry Craft: 48:48I appreciate our offline connections and the the mentorship you've given on some very key things in the even in the past short time that I've been here. So I just wanna say, personally, I really appreciate you. And I know I can speak for Ryan and Amy just to say, man, it's really awesome to have somebody that's been so dedicated to the four h program coming from the Buckeye State all the way over here to Illinois just to you know, and stick around, and we just appreciate you. And I I'm gonna have a hard time calling him pig boy, and I don't know that I can. But you and Dan both, we we wish you all the success on your ebikes and for the rest of your your days with extension, which I hope they are not few by any means.
Henry Craft: 49:37So maybe you do, but we hope that you stay around for quite a long time. So this has been Behind the Clover Real Talk with four h Pros, all about the extension educator position here in Illinois. So join us next time as we bring on yet another fantastic interviewee in Kurt Sinclair. And he is just a ball of fun, and we are so excited to have him with us. So, again, thank you for joining us today, and we hope that you will join us next time as we continue the journey of what is four h.