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Table of Contents

Clover Corner News

Focus on Youth

News for OCES staff working with youth.

4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.

oklahoma4h.okstate.edu

April/May, 2007

Dear 4-H Educators, Members, Volunteers and Parents,

This is a busy and exciting time of year.  School is coming to a close, and there are always many end-of-the-year events associated with that major milestone. Congratulations go to those who have graduating seniors. In the 4-H family a special “Congratulations” goes to Dr. Jeff Sallee, PhD.  Jeff has just completed work on this dissertation and will be graduating from the OSU Graduate program in a few days.
 
We are busy preparing for Roundup. We hope the total numbers will not have been impacted too much from the extension of the school year due to snow days. In some counties numbers are actually up, but we know in others they will be down. We are still interested in moving this event to a later date to avoid school conflicts. The bottom line is: Have it in May and use Gallagher-Iba or have it later without access to that facility. We will be forming a program review committee soon to evaluate this event and make some recommendations. If you have strong feelings about Roundup or want to be considered for that committee, please let Tracy Branch know.
 
Thanks to all who made 4-H Day at the Capitol and Extension and Research Day a wonderful success! You are doing a wonderful job of developing citizenship, leadership and lifeskills through 4-H. I will see you all in a few weeks at Roundup.
 

Sincerely,

Charles Cox
Interim Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development

Oklahoma Centennial Parade

4-H has been invited to have 100 members participate in the Oklahoma Centennial Parade, Sunday, October 14, 2007.  Members must be 12 years of age or older and be able to participate in the entire 2.1 mile route through downtown Oklahoma City.   The event will include most of the day.  Participants should plan to arrive by approximately 9:30 a.m. and may not be finished until around 7:00 p.m.  A more detailed schedule will be available at a later date. Interested members will need to make application on the attached form.  Approved members will be notified by August 15, 2007.

Tracy Branch

National 4-H Conference Youth Planning Committee

The National 4-H Conference Youth Planning Committee application and position description have been posted at http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/2008N4-HC/. This includes positions for Technical Support Volunteers (age 16 or older), who serve on the overall committee and provide support in computer technology, lighting and sound for assemblies, digital photography and video, Web support, conference PowerPoint presentations and assist in presenting a 4-H SET related workshop during conference.

More information is contained in the application and position description. Application deadline is Friday, May 4. (FYI – Information for adult planning committee applications is coming soon and will be posted on the same Web page.)

Jeff Sallee

Value placed on Volunteers

The new figure just posted by the Independent Sector for the value per hour of volunteers is $18.77.

The value of volunteer time is based on the average hourly earnings of all production and non-supervisory workers on private non-farm payrolls (as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics). Independent Sector takes this figure and increases it by 12 percent to estimate for fringe benefits.

Older Adults Engaged as Volunteers

The following  policy brief from the Urban Institute reports some very interesting results.

Older Adults Engaged as Volunteers(Policy Briefs/Perspectives on Productive Aging)
Author(s):Sheila R. Zedlewski, Simone G. Schaner

Increasingly, studies are documenting that engaged older people remain in better health. Volunteering allows older adults to stay active as they reduce the time they devote to paid work. Today, older adults who assign high importance to religion, and those with higher incomes and more education volunteer more often than others, while Hispanics volunteer less often. Policymakers should gauge the value and potential growing demand for more volunteer opportunities as society ages. Initiatives that target older adults with low rates of volunteering could yield some big payoffs.

To view the entire policy brief go to: http://www.urban.org/toolkit/policybriefs/subjectbriefs.cfm?documenttypeid=126

Putting the  4-H Essential Elements into all your 4-H programs!

Want to know how to intentionally implement a youth development approach, and better meet the needs of young people in a positive way?  

The 4-H Essential Elements Program Planning Tool will help you discover how your 4-H programs stack up next to the essential elements.

If you are a 4-H Educator, the 4-H Essential Element Program Planning Toolwill help you verify your program’s strong points and spot areas where you can step up your emphasis -- for each of the essential elements of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.   It also offers some of the best resources from current youth development research and CYFERnet that relate to the 4-H Essential Elements.

Volunteers will find the 4-H Essential Element Program Planning Tool easy to use and jam-packed with good ideas to make them more effective as leaders.

Need resources that will help your 4-H partners understand and apply the 4-H essential elements? The 4-H Essential Element Program Planning Tool offers resources for staff support, volunteer training, new staff orientation, and mentoring boards and committees.

State-Wide 4-H Family Horse Camp

Statewide 4-H Family Horse camp is May 26-28 in the Great Salt Plains State Park in Jet. Registration is due May 15. The application form are attached.

Dave Freeman

4-H Publication Corner

Nos. 102-106—4-H News Information Sheet, Photography Sheet, County Yearly Project Report Form, Oklahoma Report form, and Key Club Application are on ‘literature online’ by using arrow for ‘Awards Information’ and then put cursor on the green ‘search’ key.

Animal Sciences 4-H Project Fact Sheets are online with websites www.oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/litonline ,

www.osuextra.org/ .  By opening 4-H links, leadership, science and technology, resources, etc. on the main 4-H website www.oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/ , counties will be able to obtain further project information and ideas.

F-1128—ATV Safety Fact Sheet (Int./Adv.) is available on ‘osuextra’ listed under Department of Ag Engr.

The Lawn Ranger 4-H safety material is on ‘litonline’. Four-H Shooting SportsEducation and Safety material is on ‘litonline’ and left-hand side of main 4-H website opening ‘Shooting Sports’.

Nos. 236-239—Collecting and Exhibiting Tree Leaves, Leaf Presses & Collecting Hints, Wood SampleExhibits, Forestry Self-Determined Project Fact Sheets plus What is Forestry? and No. 715--Forestry Judging Contest Manual are on www.oklahoma4h.edu/litonline/ and www.osuextra.org/ . The ForestryJudging Manual also includes the contest cards for 4-H forestry contests.

Oklahoma 4-H20—Open site located on right-hand side of main 4-H website; scroll down to Oklahoma 4-H 20.  Four-H information is available for Interactive Household Conservation, Water Presentations, and PowerPoint files.

Rosalyn Weston