Focus on Youth

Help! Give Us 4-H Fantastic Fair Facts!

National 4-H Council's marketing team wants to promote 4-H fairs across the country. We know the news media loves zany, different (or, even oddball) news, nuggets or facts, so we are compiling a list of "4-H Fantastic Fair Facts" that we can use to generate news media coverage. We need your help! For example, how many 4-H youth attend 4-H fairs each year? How many gallons of soda pop are consumed in one day? How many pies, bunnies, chickens and livestock are shown by 4-Hers? What is the most AMAZING thing you've ever heard about a 4-H fair? What are you most proud of? We want to know all the facts - fun, frivolous, factual. The more unique, the better! E-mail fantastic fair facts to apatel@fourhcouncil.edu.

2005 NRCS Youth Environmental Awards Program Announced

Grant Purpose: To support recognition and replication of innovative conservation and environmental stewardship programs and practices throughout the 4-H system.

Funded provided by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

Awards of $7,500 Application Deadline: August 29, 2005 Awards will be announced September 16, 2005

Through the generous support of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), National 4-H Council will recognize three ongoing (not new) exemplary programs through the NRCS Youth Environmental Awards Program with awards of $7,500 each. One staff member from each of the three programs chosen will be sponsored to attend the 2005 National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) Conference in Seattle, WA, October 30-November 3 (http: //nae4ha.wsu.edu). If attending NAE4-HA is absolutely not possible, attending one of the 4-H regional volunteer leader forums to conduct a program workshop/seminar will be the alternative choice. Recipients will receive the first $5,000 check at NAE4-HA.

The NRCS Youth Environmental Awards encourages outreach and replication during the NAE4-HA conference. Award recipients will manage an exhibit that will display the three programs’ materials and allow award recipients to discuss their program with interested individuals. Applicants must have conducted the program that they are applying to receive the award for between June 1, 2004, and August 19, 2005, and have undergone at least one cycle of outcome measurement (evaluation cycle).

In addition to national recognition and monetary support, award recipients must also conduct two additional workshops to disseminate program information at conferences and/or symposiums at the state, regional, and/or national level. These workshops enable 4-H’s most successful programs to share and promote best practices, furthering their reach. The remaining $2,500 will be distributed when the recipients have successfully conducted the required seminars and workshops and have turned in their document of best practices of the program and lessons learned in an educational format. The primary requirement of award recipients is to be available and willing to educate others about their successful programs.

Projects will be selected through a competitive process and must be based on scientific principles, meet the standards established by the 4-H Programs of Distinction (Visit http: //www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/about/pod.htm for full information.), have strong leadership support from paid and volunteer staff, incorporate youth-adult partnerships, and provide youth leadership opportunities. The application form follows the standards outlined by the 4-H Programs of Distinction awards. In this initial year, because the criteria used to select the NRCS awards is based upon the Programs of Distinction criteria, the three programs awarded the NRCS award will automatically become 4-H Programs of Distinction. However, the three recipients are required to submit the 4 H Programs of Distinction application after being selected.

To be eligible for awards, programs must address one of the following issues: water resources, soil resources, atmospheric resources, grazing land and forestry or wildlife habitat. Programs must demonstrate achievement of short and medium outcomes and impacts which lead to long term outcomes and impacts. They must support the uniqueness of the 4-H system including a connection with a land-grant university system and a youth/adult partnership in implementing the program. Only programs (Cooperative Extension Service faculty and staff) that are authorized to use the 4-H Name and Emblem by National 4-H Headquarters at USDA are eligible to apply for this award.

Each project will be evaluated to help cultivate best practices for youth programs in science, engineering, and technology. These best practices and lessons learned will be shared throughout the system in an effort to continue to develop 4-H professionals in environmental education. The awards will ultimately assist in the development of a knowledge base for youth programs in science, engineering, and technology that will serve as a resource for professional development.

All applications must be signed by the state 4-H program leader and received at National 4-H Council by 5 p.m. on August 29, 2005. To obtain the application and information on the awards program, e-mail Sheila Chaconas, at schaconas@fourhcouncil.edu.

“Open Call” for New 4HUSA.org Web Crew Members

The “4HUSA Web Crew” was created in 2004 to redesign, supervise, manage and market the Web site —www.4husa.org—as a site for, by and about the young people of 4-H across the country. The purpose of the site is to market to enhance and more accurately reflect the national image of 4-H and to create an interactive online community for 4-H members. The site embodies the message, “4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills.” It features timely and interactive elements and demonstrates the size, diversity and value of the 4-H adventure. It is a “one-stop” Web site for 4-H.

Candidates for the Web Crew may be nominated or self-nominated. State 4-H leader and/or county 4-H agent recommendation or statement of support for nominees is required. Candidates will be 4-H members/young alumni (14+ years old) with demonstrated expertise in Web site content, design and management. A selection committee of current 4HUSA Web Crew members and advisors will choose the new members.

We are currently looking for members who specialize in specific areas such as journalism, writing, reporting, content management, graphic design, multimedia development, game development, website supervision and networking with 4-H staff and members. If you don't have experience with one of these areas, we are also looking for hard-working 4-Hers who have demonstrated initiative, leadership and teamwork and are capable of quickly gaining skill in news content and technical fields.

The length of this assignment will be 12 months. Members must accept the responsibility of time-sensitive and demanding assignments. Applicants must be willing to devote their time and talents accordingly. Members are responsible for completing a variety of assignments, some of which may require writing copy text and starting with simple tasks. Members of the Web Crew will conduct their assignments through phone conferences, virtual meetings and instant messaging. New members will be working alongside current members as soon as they have an orientation by existing members. Web Crew member selection will be ongoing based on current team needs and applications received.

To apply, write us a letter explaining what you can personally bring to the Web site, along with ideas for the future. What skills do you have that will enhance 4HUSA.org? What experience do you currently have with Web design and maintenance? Send the letter to Gretchen Hilburger at ghilburger@fourhcouncil.edu. Have your state 4-H leader and/or county 4-H agent send a recommendation or statement of support to the same e-mail address. Any questions can be directed to Gretchen at 301-961-2829.

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2005 Youth Wildlife Art Contest

The NRA is now accepting entries for its 2005 Youth Wildlife Art Contest. The contest, the 18th in the annual series, is open to students in grades 1 through 12 (including home-schooled children). NRA membership is not required. The deadline to enter is October 3, 2005.

Entries may be submitted in one of four categories, based on school grade. Category I includes grades 1 through 3. Category II is for grades 4 through 6. Category III covers grades 7 through 9, and Category IV includes grades 10 through 12. Entries may portray any North American game bird or animal that may be legally hunted or trapped. Endangered species and non-game animals, such as eagles and snakes, are not eligible subjects. Call (703) 267-1531 if you need to confirm whether a certain animal or bird is eligible.

Contestants are limited to one entry each. Entries may be in a medium of the artist’s choice (oil, water color, pastels, pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, etc.). Submissions should be on good quality bond or drawing paper, or illustration board. Preferred sizes for the image are 8-1/2” x 11” or 11" x 14"; matting is optional. Entries need not be framed.

Composition must be original. Photographs may be used for reference, but artwork determined to have been traced or copied from an existing photograph or work of art will be disqualified.

Entries must arrive at NRA by October 3, 2005, and must be accompanied by a brief statement, signed by the student’s parent, guardian, or teacher, attesting to the originality of the work and verifying the artist’s grade level as of October 3, 2005. In addition, the artist’s name, home address, phone number, age, and grade must be printed on the back of the entry or on a note attached to the back of the entry.

Entries will be judged on effort, creativity, anatomical accuracy, and composition. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners.

Send entries to: NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. Entries will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. NRA assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged artwork and reserves all rights to reproduce entries. The immediate families of NRA staff members are not eligible to enter. Questions regarding the contest may be directed to (703) 267-1531.

4-H Enrollment

As the new 4-H year gets underway it is a good time to re-enroll club members. Continuous enrollment is discouraged because it makes it difficult to maintain active membership lists. When enrolling new members, please share the 4-H Policy Guide with 4-H families as a means of informing them of 4-H rules and philosophies.. It is Lit. # 5. A revised copy should be online by August 15 or very shortly thereafter.

4-H Jacket Orders

Anyone wanting to order a 4-H jacket should go directly to the vendors. The 4-H Foundation is no longer providing this as a service, but you can contact either Awards and Moore in Stillwater or Oakmark Apparel in Bixby. More information about both of these sources can be found on the Foundation page of the 4-H web site. The link is in the upper right hand corner of the Foundation page and is labeled "4-H Jacket"

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