The most exciting way to learn about the
Earth and its processes is to get into the outdoors and
experience it first-hand. Visiting an Earthcache is a great
outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy. An Earthcache is a
special place that people can visit to learn about a unique
geoscience feature or aspects of our Earth. Earthcaches include
a set of educational notes and the details about where to find
the location (latitude and longitude). Visitors to Earthcaches
can see how our planet has been shaped by geological processes,
how we manage the resources and how scientists gather evidence
to learn about the Earth.
Currently there are three EarthCaches
listed in Oklahoma. Setting up an EarthCache might be an
excellent opportunity for your youth with Science and
Technology projects or clubs with an Environmental emphasis.
EarthCache is an extension of the popular Geocaching website
which allows participants to play hide and seek using GPS
technology all around the world.
Mark your calendars for February 11. We
are planning to hold a Science Leadership conference for teens
and volunteers who would like to explore curriculum resources
for science-based project clubs. Ideally counties will send a
team of youth and adult volunteers who would return to the
county and start a science project club based upon the training
they receive. This will be a multi-track program. Tentative
tracks are Biotechnology, Precision Agriculture and the New
Geology project (which includes lessons on water, soil and
other earth sciences). This program is still under
construction. If you have an idea for an additional track or
would like to help with the conference give me a call. This is
intended to be a preliminary announcement. Look for more
details as plans progress.
Food Network: Cook With
your Kids (http:
//www.foodnetwork.com/food/lf_kids/text/0,1904,FOOD_16382_19600,00.html)
Here's a great opportunity to Cook with
Your Kids, presented by the Food Network. "Whether
learning math skills, nutrition basics, or building
self-esteem, kids can pick up a lot from cooking," in
addition to your having quality time with them. There are
online videos available for both the adult and child, making
instruction a lot easier than if you had to go solo. The recipe
how-tos are presented in a step-by-step manner, further
simplifying the tasks. The list of kid-friendly recipes make
you want to hurry to the kitchen and begin cooking! In
addition, there are tips that help with basic cooking
techniques, nutrition considerations, a “Pleasing Picky
Eaters” area, as well as “Message Boards” to
share your experiences with other kid-cooks and supervisors of
these budding chefs. Try cooking for a great family experience!
This would be a good resource for our members starting out in
“Food Science” projects.
For the past 18 years 4-H has conducted a
statewide fund raiser for the benefit of Ronald McDonald House
AND 4-H. During that time 4-H has raised almost a half a
million dollars. Half of that has gone to Ronald McDonald
Houses in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, and the other half of has
come to 4-H, with most of the 4-H share staying in the
counties. This campaign is a great way to do something good for
another worthy cause while also helping 4-H on the local level.
Members, leaders and educators who participate are eligible for
some great prizes. Every county that raises at least $250 will
receive a $50 savings bond for their top fund raiser. The top
state fund raiser receives a $1000 savings bond, and second
place receives a $500 savings bond.
This year’s campaign will run from
the fist of the year through the end of February, but all
participating clubs must be signed up in the State 4-H Office
by December 7th. Each county should have received their
introductory letter about September 12th. If you did not
receive the introductory letter, please send me an email, and
we will send you another copy of the materials. Our goal this
year is to raise enough to put us over the half million dollar
level before we begin our 20th year next year.
All 4-H educators should have received an
email about the support materials available for this year. All
the materials are available under the “Resources”
tab on the 4-H web site. The site includes fact sheets, press
releases, promotional ideas, and activities that you can use to
promote 4-H during October. If you have questions about any of
the materials on the site, or if you have additional ideas for
programs that work, please contact Julia Burnett in the State
4-H Office.
Jim Rutledge &
Julia Burnett
It’s not too late to sign up to play
or to help with this year’s 4-H Clover Classic Golf
Tournament. The Clover Classic will be played at the Oak Tree
Golf Club in Edmond. If you want to come out and have some fun
for the day, please let me know you would like to volunteer to
help. For full details on the tournament, go to the 4-H web site.
Most of you know that Mary Sue Sanders has
“retired” again. This time she has retired from day
to day management of the state 4-H Ambassador program. She has
turned those reins over to a team of volunteers, including
Shannon Ferrell, honorary 4-H ambassador and 4-H Foundation
Vice President; Gwen Shaw, extraordinary sales woman and 4-H
Foundation Past President; and Barbara Hatfield, 4-H lifer and
recently-retired district 4-H program specialist. I am helping
out as a member of the team and state office contact. We have
divided up the duties as follows: Gwen is managing the
reporting process; Shannon is in charge of training; and
Barbara is in charge of the application and selection process.
If you have any questions about any aspect of the State 4-H
Ambassador Program, please use the following emails to contact
the appropriate individual on our team.
If you see any of these folks, please
thank them for stepping up to the plate to fill these important
roles in Oklahoma 4-H. If you see Mary Sue please thank her for
years of dedicated service to the program. And, by the way,
Mary Sue has agreed to be available for consulting for as long
as we need her (which will be a long time!).
Attached is the information, the Member Certification Form, and RAM form for
this event being held north of Enid at the Grand National Quail
Gun Club. Educators and coaches from counties with youth
participants are expected to attend and help put on the event.
Please contact the NW District office at 580-233-5295 or
kevin.hackett@okstate.edu to confirm that educators willbe
coming to assist or if there are questions.
There will be a State 4-H Special Event
for Horse Show classes of Working Hunter and Jumping in
October. Thanks go to Kris Hapgood, Oklahoma County Volunteer
Leader for organizing this opportunity. The entry form and Hunter Series Show Bill (both in pdf format) are attached.
Just a reminder- The Afterschool staff at
National 4-H Council need our assistance in providing data to
them about Oklahoma's involvement in Afterschool programs. If
you have been involved in providing training or programs to
afterschool staff or youth, please take a moment to complete
the survey on or before October 15. The survey can be found at:
http://ext.msstate.edu/survey/afterschool/. If you have completed the ES237 report for
your county, it will just take a few minutes to enter data on
the survey.
On October 20, 2005, it is anticipated
that over 7,500 after-school programs across the country and
nearly 1 million people will mark the fifth annual Lights On!
Afterschool celebration. Lights On!, a project of the
Afterschool Alliance, brings attention to the importance of
after-school programs for youth, parents and communities and
urges support for these programs which help to keep kids safe
in the critical hours after school.
Past LOA! 4-H affiliated events included a
family game night, free spaghetti supper, stakeholder
breakfast, county fair exhibit, parades, project fairs and
talent shows. No program is too small or too large to hold a
LOA! event. This is a cumulative effort to raise awareness for
after-school programs, so every little bit helps.
To plan your event, there is a Lights On!
Afterschool 2005 event planning kit
that features artwork and materials, event ideas, sample news
releases and much more. Register your
LOA! event so we can report on 4-H’s activities.
Please NOTE that the LOA! registration
form offers an opportunity to indicate agency affiliation. It
is highly important to check “4-H” when 4-H is
involved so we can get credit for our participation. Multiple
affiliations can be checked off. Also, whenever possible,
include “4-H” in the event title – this makes
it easier to see 4-H affiliated events in the on-line list of
events.
Watch for the big, yellow, traveling light
bulb visiting communities around the country in support of
Lights On! Afterschool. Contact Ron Drum at rdrum@fourhcouncil.edu if you would like the light bulb to visit
your community.
We are proud to announce that 4-H
Afterschool is offering an award recognizing 4-H volunteers who
are involved in 4-H Afterschool programming in their
communities. Awards of $500 each will be awarded to 25
volunteer-led 4-H Afterschool projects. The funds will be given
to outstanding 4-H volunteers--youth and adults--who are
providing one or more of the following activities within their
communities:
1) Training after-school program staff;
2) Increasing the use of 4-H curricula in
after-school programs;
3) Helping organize 4-H Clubs in
after-school programs;
4) Providing 4-H activities to youth in
after-school programs; and/or
5) Working with JCPenney Afterschool Fund
partners (Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, Junior
Achievement, and/or Afterschool Alliance) or other groups
(schools, faith-based, community-based groups) to offer 4-H
curricula and/or training to youth and staff in after-school
programs.
This awards program is open to all 4-H
youth and adult volunteers currently involved with a local 4-H
Afterschool program. The funds must be used to support 4-H
Afterschool work in local communities. A local 4-H professional
staff member must sign the award application verifying that the
applicant is a 4-H volunteer.
For more information and to obtain an
application contact Nancy Dunlap at nancy.dunlap@okstate.edu or 580-333-4100.
The Future Agricultural Leaders Conference
is designed to assist prospective college students in learning
about agriculture-related industries and enhancing their
knowledge of the college experience and the opportunities that
lie within. The OSU Ag Ambassador team will walk the
participants, future leaders of our great industry, through the
maze of activities they need to accomplish before, during and
after college for a successful academic and professional life.
The conference requires a two-night stay
in the OSU Student Union Hotel. Conference participants will be
chaperoned by the Ag Ambassadors and faculty advisors. The
conference begins with registration on Friday afternooon,
November 20. All expenses are covered, with the exception of a
$50 housing charge and transportation to and from Stillwater. A
detailed itinerary will be sent to those students who are
selected.
Current high school juniors and seniors
interested in furthering their education and becoming future
leaders in agriculture and natural resources industries are
invited to apply for this exciting conference. Only 50 students
will be selected to attend. The Application forms can be found
at www.agambassadors.com. Applications should be typewritten and MUST BE
RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 7, 2005. No late applications will be
accepted. More details concerning the application can be found
on the Ag Ambassador’s website.
The July-December, 2005, 4-H Publication
listing and websites was delivered by pouch mail in July to
each county and district. This form lists what is available of
shelved publications, plus websites for additional fact sheets
and project information. Page No. 1, providing the shelved 4-H
Events and Activities was included as an attachment in the
August 4-H FOCUS.
TJ material still available for counties
may be ordered by calling (405) 744-8887 or emailing Rosalyn.Weston@okstate.edu. Any TJ material left on the shelf by January 1,
2006, will be recycled.
No. 14—Parents are on the 4-H Team
Brochure is an excellent brochure for new 4-Hers and their
families. The brochure suggests ways parents can be of service
to their county 4-H program.
No. 7—Oklahoma 4-H Program Meeting
Folder (green and white with inside pockets)--is available @
.15 cents each. These folders are excellent for counties
to use in training volunteer leaders and other workshops.
The charge is part of end-of-the year county maintenance
cost.
Nos. 83 &
84—“Friends” Introduction to Oklahoma 4-H and
“Friends” Leader Guide are located on the 4-H
website; Literature Online; Open “4-H Policies and Promotional
Items.” This material provides information and history of
the 4-H program as an excellent way to start out the 4-H year
with new members and continuing members.
