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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
January/February, 2007
Dear
4-H Educators, Members, Volunteers and Parents,
This month we would like to highlight the Ag in the Classroom Program as the
innovative idea. Ag in the Classroom is used as a school enrichment program in
many counties, and it is available on the Worldwide Web for anyone who wants
to use our resources. The Oklahoma AITC program is unique in that it is more
education-driven than commodity-driven, as is the case in many states.
Recently our partners at the State Department of Agriculture, Food
and Forestry hired a new staff member to work with Mary Ann Kelsey
and Jamey Allen in delivering the program to schools across the
state. Leanne Cheek joined the staff at the beginning of the year
and will, in time, work in the southwest third of the state. (Watch
for a map soon on the AITC website.)
In our office Judy Ferrell has joined the AITC team on a part-time
basis. She is working with a team of teachers who are now writing
new lessons for grades 7 & 8. If you have a teacher in your county
who is teaching in the middle to junior high age range,
knows something about agriculture, and might be a good member
of our curriculum team, please contact Pat
Thompson or Judy Ferrell.
A plan has been developed to pay the teachers a nice stipend for
being part of this process.
In the fall of 2007 we are planning to have a “Roll Out Conference” for
the new Ag in the Classroom materials with leaders from the State Department
of Education and various commodity group partners. As the date is set
and plans finalized we will make you more aware of that event.
The Ag in the Classroom program is working because of partnerships
with folks like yourself, teachers and administrators across
the state, and the three state agencies who oversee the program.
Please, keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Charles Cox
Interim Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development
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Digital Media Show and Tell
From 4-H clubs to summer camps to athletic teams, every youth program
has something that makes it special. While one group is painting a mural
or designing a fair exhibit, another group is planting trees or building
a Web site. Some youth keep returning to their program to see their friends,
to learn new skills, to explore nature or all of the above. What about
YOU?
During CYFERnet's Digital Media Show-and-Tell contest, you can let the
world know what makes your CYFAR and 4-H program special. Your mission
is to use digital photography, audio, video or a mix of digital media
to answer the question, "Why am I here?" In other words, what
do you enjoy most about your program and what benefits keep you coming
back for more?
Work independently or as a team to show off your art, communication
and technology skills while telling your story. CYFERnet will post submissions
online for the public to enjoy. Our panel of judges will announce and
recognize the winners at the May 2007 CYFAR conference.
Visit http://www.cyfernet.org/4htech/missions.html for complete details.
Jeff Sallee
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2007 ESRI GIS Grant Program for 4-H
Application
Period: January 1-February 28, 2007
ESRI, in cooperation with National 4-H Headquarters and Cooperative
State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)/U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), and American Forests announces
two 2006 ESRI GIS Grants for U.S. 4-H to support its geospatial outreach,
education, and community involvement efforts. The goal of this program
is to foster and support the integration of geographic information
system (GIS) software in U.S. 4-H clubs.
Grant categories include an introductory grant for 4-H clubs new
to GIS and an intermediate grant for those 4-H clubs that received
previous ESRI 4-H grants and completed the grant requirements.
Eligible Applicants: A U.S. 4-H community or in-school club, 4-H
after-school program, 4-H special interest group, 4-H school enrichment
group, 4-H camp, or similar 4-H unit that meets regularly and is
recognized as an authorized 4-H group within its state's 4-H program.
Application guidelines
This grant is for the ESRI ArcView software, curriculum & training
(no money, no hardware) to the 4-H program (not for county
dept/or other organization use). Requires participation in the Community
Atlas program and conducting a GIS-related community service project
over the coming year. Note 2-28 deadline
Jeff Sallee
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Growing
as a Professional
The most recent edition in the Professional Development Series provided
by the National Youth Development Learning Network, features 4-H and
the
professional development standards created by the National 4-H Professional
Development Task Force.
If you want to see the 4-H Professional Development Standards
in more detail, go to: http://www.national4hheadquarters.gov/comm/4h_prodev.htm
Charles Cox
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Southern
Region 4-H Volunteer Leader Forum Workshop/Funshop Proposals
SRVLF is soliciting workshop and fun shop proposals for the 2007 conference.
Rock Eagle will be held October 4-7, 2007 in Eatonton Georgia. The “Request
for Proposals” (RFP) is posted at http://www.lsuagcenter.com/4h/4HWorkshopRequest/.
Workshop and Fun Shop proposals are due by the close of the business
day on March 1, 2007. If you have any questions, contact Janet
Fox,
225-578-2971.
Concurrent Sessions are 1 hour and 30 minutes in length. Sessions may
be in any form deemed effective (presentations, panel discussions or
experiential learning opportunities).
The mission of the Southern Region Volunteer Leader Forum is to increase
the capacity of volunteer and salaried staff to contribute to the achievement
of the mission of 4-H youth development and the Cooperative Extension
system as a whole. The primary purpose of the forum is to educate and
prepare participants to share what they learned back home. Participants
benefit from the experiential learning activities which require them
to discuss, use and apply what they learn. The ultimate application
is for individuals and teams to teach others.
SRVLF is an excellent opportunity to meet adult volunteers from 13 southern
states, Puerto Rico, Grenada, and the Virgin Islands and to share our
expertise across state lines.
Karla Knoepfli
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State
Parent-Volunteer Conference
"Step into the 4-H Spotlight" is the theme of the 2007 State
Parent-Volunteer Conference. The conference is schedule for July 14
in Stillwater. A flyer is attached for promoting the conference.
Liz Taylor
State Volunteer President
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State Parent-Volunteer
Conference - Call for Workshop Proposals
The State 4-H Volunteer Board extends an invitation to county educators,
para-professionals and volunteers to present a workshop July 14, 2007
in Stillwater. The proposal form is attached to
this Focus
on Youth or
may be accessed online at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/volun/eduopp.htm.
The volunteer board encourages staff and volunteers to submit workshop
proposals by February 3, 2007. The board would like to have the conference
program ready to distribute by May 1.
Ann Knopfel
State Volunteer Board Vice President
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4-H Day at
the Capitol – Training
Youth and county educators with youth participating in 4-H Day at the
Capitol must participate in a training session. Even if the youth
or educator has participated in past sessions they must still participate
in one of the trainings being offered. Each year there are changes
which must be communicated.
Training Dates:
- January 27th 10:30 am Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton
- February
24th 1 pm Centra Symposium
- March 4th 1:30 pm Oklahoma County Extension
Center
The Centra Symposium will be available for viewing after February 24th.
April 4 has been scheduled for 4-H Day at the Capitol.
Karla Knoepfli and Jim Rutledge |
Volunteer of
the Year and Lifetime Volunteer Awards
Each county may submit one nominee for each of the two awards: Volunteer
of the Year (less than 10 years of experience) and Lifetime Volunteer
Awards (an accumulation of 10 or more years of experience). County
nominees will be recognized at the state awards luncheon on July 14,
2007 as part of the State Parent-Volunteer Development conference.
The State Volunteer Board would like to have every county present and
honoring a volunteer.
The application form and guidelines for 2007 District and State volunteer
awards are available at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/awards/recogn.htm.
Nominations submitted to the District 4-H Office must be submitted electronically.
Nomination includes application, three letters of recommendation and
a photograph. Nominations are due no later than 5pm, April 15,
2007.
Karla Knoepfli |
4-H Unlimited – Discovery
Unlimited
2007 Discovery Unlimited – May 4-5, 2007 - Saints Groves Camp,
Stillwater. A promotional flyer is posted on the 4-H web site and attached to
the Focus. Please share this date and promote the program with both volunteers
and youth, 11-12 years of age. The planning team has chosen the following
workshops: "Amazing Race—4-H Style," "What Kind of Superhero
Are You?" and "Superheroes Serving 4-H." Each conference participants
will receive a T-shirt as part of the registration fee.
County registration will be due to the state office on or before March
26th. All forms and conference schedule will be posted by March 1 at
http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/events/discovery.htm.
Discover Unlimited is intended to help retain the membership of our "tweeners" in
the Oklahoma 4-H program. It is critical that our organization focus
on these young people if we intend to maintain enrollment and increase
participation of the 13-19 year olds.
Carrie Highfill, Committee Chair |
Plan Your
Service Project for National and Global Youth Service Day, 2007
National & Global Youth Service Day, the largest service event in
the world, is April 20-22, 2007. Resources are available to help you
plan your service project: Order or download free planning resources:
Planning Tool Kits, Service-Learning Curriculum Guides, and posters are
available at www.ysa.org/nysd/resource/planning.cfm.
The Planning Tool Kit is a comprehensive guide to help project planners
identify their projects, recruit volunteers, generate media attention,
raise funds, and more. The Service-Learning Curriculum Guide contains
eight lessons to help students develop project management
skills as they plann projects for National & Global
Youth Service Day. Classroom posters are colorful tools to recruit volunteers
and decorate project sites. The back of the poster contains a guide
for teachers and activity sheets for students.
Apply for a grant
to support your project: Youth Service America is pleased to
offer grants to help young people and organizations plan and implement
service projects for National & Global Youth Service Day. Current
grant opportunities include Disney Minnie Grants (to engage younger children
in service), the Capital One Youth Service Fund (for youth-led projects
in low/moderate income communities in the metro DC area), and Lion in the House
Community Service Grants (for projects addressing pediatric cancer). Visit
http://www.ysa.org/awards for more information.
Register your National & Global
Youth Service Day project: Registering your service project at http://www.YSA.org/nysd enables Youth Service America to highlight your project through our
national media campaign.
National 4-H Council Marketing
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