Focus on Youth
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News for OCES staff working with youth 4-H
is a community of young people across America learning
leadership,
citizenship and life skills.
http://agweb.okstate.edu/fourh
June, 2005
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Dear
Extension Educators, 4-H Youth Development:
Once again we thank all of the
Extension educators and 4-H volunteers who helped
make the 84th State 4-H Roundup a success.
Registration for this year’s Roundup included
864 youth and 209 adults.
Congratulations to Cathleen
Taylor and Nathan Thompson, the new Hall of Fame
winners. Also, to Jered Davidson, the new state 4-H
president, and the other new members of the state
and district officer teams and the state
ambassadors.
As we look toward summer more
state events are on the horizon. You have no doubt
seen enrollment information for the State
Leadership Conference, July 23, 2005, in this and
previous months’ Focus newsletters. Remember this
conference is planned for educators and volunteers
alike. The first week of June, all charter club
leaders were mailed a conference program and
enrollment form. Please be sure that other 4-H
volunteers in your county receive enrollment
information about the conference. Enrollment fees
are due on or before July 1. Attendance at this
conference counts as in-service toward maintaining
volunteer certification. It is also a legitimate
in-service for Extension Educators. This year
county Volunteers of the Year will be recognized at
the luncheon on Saturday. We look forward to seeing
many of you and your volunteers at this
year’s conference. The Volunteer Board has
worked hard to develop a program with workshop
topics of interest to all.
Sincerely,
Lynda Harriman
Assistant Director
4-H Youth Development
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Reno’s Sportswear in Oklahoma City
has closed down its store. Awards and Moore in Stillwater can
help you with purchases of jackets:
405-624-8393
809 S. Main
Stillwater, OK 74074
Attached is a flyer about the Western
District and State 4-H Summer Shooting Sports events. In
addition to these competitions, members may wish to participate
in the State Wildlife Expo in August at the Lazy E. If your
Shooting Sports groups would like to work at the Expo for an
hour or so, please let me know, and I will connect you with the
volunteer who is working on staffing it.
The Oklahoma Pork Council is sponsoring a
speech contest, open to all 4-H and FFA members, to be held in
conjunction with the Swine Field Days, Thursday, July 21, 2005.
Please see attached flyer for
details.
The State Volunteer Board would like to
recognize each county’s “Volunteer of the
Year” (less than 10 years of service) or a Life Time
Volunteer Award (an accumulation of 10 or more years of
experience) during a luncheon at the State Leadership
Development Conference on July 23rd in Stillwater.
Honoree’s Name:
Full Mailing Address:
Work or Home Phone Number:
Honor for which being recognized –
Volunteer of the year (1-10 years service) or Lifetime (over 10
years of service)
Additional Materials Required - The
following materials/information are necessary for the awards
ceremony:
1. One electronic picture of the recipient
(head and shoulder or active with 4-H members)
2. Number of years Service:
3. Project Interests:
4. Leadership Positions at the local and
county level:
Each individuals submitted by the July 1
deadline will receive an invitation for him/herself and a guest
to attend a reception and awards luncheon July 23rd from 11 am
– 1:30 pm.
Many 4-H clubs, teen groups, and leader
councils get involved in some kind of community service
activity. Most outstanding 4-H members have done a lot of
community service by the time they complete their last record
book. We see that most of the community service is to support
some non-4-H program or group. While it is certainly important
to support our whole community, it would be nice to see more
4-H members doing community service projects that directly
supported their 4-H program. While some may think of this as
self serving, it could also be seen as investing in a better
future for your own youth development program. Rather than
raise money for some other charity or cause, how about raising
money to support either your local county program or the 4-H
Foundation. Rather than donate time and energy to other
agencies, how about donating time and energy to the 4-H program
by mentoring younger members, helping an elderly former 4-H
volunteer, or being an aide in the Extension office. If you
have 4-H groups or individuals that would like to do a project
to support the state office, please let me know. In the
meantime, please encourage your members to think about ways
they can support 4-H as a worthy cause. The attached
article gives you another
source for funds to support community service.
Application Deadlines: Applications for
mini-grants are reviewed three times each year. Deadlines are
October 15, January 15, and April 15. Applications received
after a deadline will be reviewed in the subsequent grant
cycle. Applicants will be notified about the status of their
mini-grants within 60 days of each deadline.
Description: The Pay It Forward Foundation
administers a mini-grant program for "pay it forward"
activities involving youth of all ages. A Pay It Forward
project is defined as one or more service activities that
benefit youth’s school, neighborhood, or greater
community, and include learning goals for the youth
participants. Applicants are encouraged to plan the project
with input from the clients or organization that will benefit
in order to ensure that the project is needed and timely.
Who May Apply: Teachers, principals, other
school personnel, youth leaders, and student or community youth
groups (with an adult sponsor) may apply. Individual youths may
also apply. Youths or adults may write the application. All
youth under 21 are invited to participate. Groups whose members
are all over 18 years of age must include work with youth who
are under 18 as part of their project.
Funding Amount: Mini-grants between $50
and $500 are available to school-, church-, and community-based
groups of youth for service activities of all types.
Found - Silver fish bracelet, Samsung
Maxima Zoom 90GL camera , Fujifilm Disposable Camera
Lost - hp 635 camera in an
orange/black case. Please call Keri Boone, Cherokee County,
405-203-7323
Contact Judy Tally, 405-744-8891,
regarding lost and found.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's
The Nature of Learning Grant Program seeks to use National
Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater
understanding of local conservation issues and utilize field
experiences and student-led stewardship projects to connect
classroom lessons to real world issues, as well as build
partnership among local schools, community groups, natural
resource professionals and local businesses. Maximum Award:
$1,000-$5,000. Eligibility: Schools or nonprofit organizations.
Deadline: June 15, 2005
http:
//refuges.fws.gov/education/natureOfLearning/intro.html
National 4-H Conference is a working
conference and a training ground for youth who are focused and
committed to working for the Oklahoma 4-H program. Funds are
being invested in training delegates to return to Oklahoma for
the maintenance and implementation of 4-H programming. 2006
delegates will be making more than a personal commitment of
their time. Initially delegates will be expected to pay 2/3rds
of their transportation, lodging and registration. If the
delegate fulfills his/her duties the funds will be reimbursed
to the family. The application for 2006 delegates is available
online at http:
//agweb.okstate.edu/fourh/4hawards02/03files/awardshandbook03.htm
and is due July 1.
Oklahoma’s delegates must be team
players. The delegation will function as a team for
approximately two years from the time you attend Conference
until the Back Home Action Plan is completed. Pre- and post-
conference work is mandatory. Delegates will work cooperatively
with previous teams to learn, maintain and coordinate existing
programs.
National Conference is an opportunity for
youth and adults to solicit input from a diverse cross-section
of the Cooperative Extension System and to strengthen and
expand the 4-H Youth Development program at local, state, and
national levels. National Conference is an intense week of
committee work, workshops, legislative visits, and
presentations. Delegates will contact and meet with Oklahoma
decision-makers during their time in our nation’s
capital.
Details are attached for this event. While the
kick off time is not known we are planning for a great turnout
for this popular event. Last year we had 1400 4-H members and
families attend this event and have reserved 2000 seats for
this, the opening game of the Cowboy Season.