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Focus on Youth
News for OCES staff working with youth.
May, 2009
4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.
This month we are using this spot in Focus on Youth to remember a 4-H Hero – Dr. Joe Hughes. After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Dr. Joe Hughes passed away on April 15. Here are some thought of Joe from Rusty Gosz, our current youth livestock specialist.
In my short life time, like most of you, I have never met a man like Joe. As great a compliment as I know is the fact that people all around the country refer to Joe as simply “a great human being.” I have never heard of anyone referring to anybody else in those terms, and it is a summary that is quite fitting. About two weeks ago, during a long enjoyable morning, Steven Cooper and I were visiting with Joe in his home. It was a memorable conversation as even though his body was being extremely uncooperative he was just as strong in his faith, mind and spirit as I have ever seen him. He was witty, thoughtful, humorous, and sharp.
As we were approaching the end of that week, which was Animal Science weekend, the question was raised, "Joe if you could have the microphone this weekend and address the crowd one last time, what would you say?"
He thought for a moment, as if the question was too hard to answer, and we moved on to other topics. We then relived stories from 30 years prior that he recalled like they happened just the day before. After about 30 minutes and it was nearing the time to go, he raised his hand and brought us back to the question. He had an answer ,and it was clear that it was time to listen, because he some things to say. “Russ, three things!!!”
Joe raised his finger and said, “Jesus Christ is number one! He is all that matters. He is number one. My faith is as strong as it has ever been, and God is not done with me yet.” He said it with conviction and though he was very weak physically, he seemed to continue pointing upwards for a while with a slight grin.
Then he looked toward Lynn, who was kneeling down next to him as he lay on the couch. Without saying a word, tears started to flow down his cheek, and Lynn gently dabbed the tears away with a Kleenex. He quietly stopped pointing to the God he has served his whole life and then pointed toward Lynn. He said, “I have been so Blessed. Family! Family! Family matters. I have been so Blessed!”
He then looked at Steven and me and said, “I have one last thing. Ride for the Brand! Wherever or whatever you do, Ride For the Brand!”
Over the last seven months since Joe’s diagnosis, many of Joe’s friends and family have tried to appreciate and summarize in words the incredible life that each of us has been fortunate to be a small part of. I don’t think there is a better summary of what, who, and why Joe was who he was than what he said that morning. He lived every day of his life in reflection of those three priorities. He was a true servant leader, friend, husband, and colleague - a man of God, who is now hearing, “Well Done, good and faithful servant!”
Services
were held on April 17 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, followed by a burial service
at the Fort Sill National Military Cemetery in Elgin, Oklahoma.
Memorials can be made in Joe’s name to the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation for
the Joe Hughes Fellowship Endowment or the OSU Foundation for the Joe and Lynn
Hughes Scholarship Endowment.
Charles Cox
Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development
Selene
Project: Reaching for the Moon Through Gameplay
Would young people learn science better if it were packaged in a videogame?
That's the question at the heart of the Selene project. Named
after the Greek lunar goddess, Selene challenges players to
learn the major geologic processes scientists believe formed the modern
moon. Players create their own moon and then pepper it with impact craters
and flood it with lava. The game offers a great opportunity for students
to learn about lunar geology while helping researchers study some key
videogame design principles.
The game is designed for students between the ages of 13-18 and takes
about an hour to complete. But more time can be spent checking out Selene's
various resources about the moon. To play, participants must be enrolled
by an adult recruiter to ensure parent or guardian consent for participation.
If you're an adult who'd like to help out, visit the Selene Web
site and click on the Recruiter button. Recruiters help find players
to play the game and take part in the study. Being a recruiter is simple
and does not involve a lot of paperwork. The whole process involves getting
oral consent from a parent or guardian, then forwarding Selene registration
access to recruited players.
Selene: A Lunar Construction GaME was created through NASA by the
Center for Educational Technologies® at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling,
W. Va., and its learning research continues through a National Science Foundation
grant.
To learn more about the game and how you can play, visit http://selene.cet.edu.
If you have questions about this project, please e-mail your inquiries
to selene@cet.edu.
4-H Volunteers - A Southern Traditions” - Southern Region 4-H Volunteer Forum – Deposit due July 17th
New – delegate
packet posted at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/volun/eduopp.htm
Looking for a way to rejuvenate your enthusiasm as a volunteer or county educator? Rock Eagle is the place! The best way to describe the experience is 4-H Camp for Adults. The days are packed with excellent workshops and the evenings are filled with entertainment and Fun Shops. To view a video of the 2008 conference, follow the link http://www.4hsrlf.org/08srlf/08slideshow.htm.
The conference will be held in Eatonton Georgia, October 1-4, 2009. Full Conference registration will not exceed $275. A $50 deposit is due July 18, 2009, the remaining balance is due August 21st. Visit the host state conference site at www.4hsrlf.org for current information regarding the conference. Participants are responsible for their own transportation. Oklahoma typically travels as a group via air transportation.
The mission of the Southern Region 4-H 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.
Scholarships – 4-H Parent-Volunteer Conference
Oklahoma 4-H has received a grant from National 4-H Council, in partnership with Monsanto, to underwrite our State Parent-Volunteer Conference for a third year.
“4-H is supported nationwide by a dedicated network of volunteers who know the value of strong, positive youth development. Partners like Monsanto make it possible for 4-H to continue to build and sustain our volunteer base and ensure that even more youth enjoy fulfilling 4-H experiences,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., president and chief executive officer, National 4-H Council.
“Monsanto has a long-standing tradition of providing support for 4-H,” noted Jim Tobin, director, biotech business development, Monsanto, who presented the $500,000 training award to 4-H. “Many company employees were 4-H members, and tell us that they credit 4-H for many of the skills they use today to do their jobs—a real credit to the 4-H volunteer leaders who assisted them in their learning process.”
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. For additional information, please visit www.monsanto.com.
Our funding will be used for Langston University and Oklahoma State University to enhance our volunteer certification process by encouraging new volunteers to attend the Conference. Up to one-hundred (100) $30 scholarships would be awarded to “certified 4-H adult volunteers” applying to attend the conference for the first time.
To be eligible for the scholarships the volunteers must all ready be certified – paper work, screening and orientation completed prior to making application. The volunteer must complete the scholarship form and have it signed by the county educator/university representative prior to submitting the scholarship application. Scholarships will be dated as they are received in the state 4-H office.
If awarded a scholarship the volunteer is expected to do a presentation at their local club for parents/volunteers or at a county Parent-Volunteer Association meeting. Scholarships will not be awarded in counties where the 2008 reporting process was not fulfilled.
County educators please be sure volunteers making application are committed to attending and returning home to share their experiences. We want all scholarships to be used the day of the conference. Any one who chooses not to make use of their scholarship will need to notify the state office one week prior to the conference so alternates can be notified.
State Parent-Volunteer Conference
"Oklahoma 4-H Volunteers: Honoring, Celebrating and Envisioning" is
the theme of the 2009 State Parent-Volunteer Conference. The conference
is schedule for July 11, in Stillwater.
Conference program, workshop descriptions and enrollment form will be available on line at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/volun/eduopp.htm after May 1. For the third year, Monsanto scholarships will be available for certified volunteers attending the conference for the first time.
The program and enrollment form were mailed directly to 700 volunteers whose name and address were submitted to the state office as club leaders of “chartered” clubs. Please assist the State 4-H Volunteer Board in promoting the conference to all other parents and volunteers in your county.
Conference objectives include:
- Celebrate past, present and future traditions as part of the Oklahoma 4-H Centennial.
- Enlighten volunteers as to how diverse 4-H opportunities and experiences develop capable youth.
- Encourage volunteers to establish and nurture a support network with fellow volunteers.
- Motivate parents and volunteers to serve as project leaders, committee members and club leaders.
There will be four tracks of workshops:
Track 1 - “Honoring” our past - workshop
topics which are a rich part of our history and still viable to today’s
youth and our communities.
Track 2 - “Celebrating” our present -
current trends and interests of youth and youth development programming
or volunteer development.
Track 3 – “Envisioning” our future
- introduction of new and unusual programs, projects, and coming trends
which will put our youth programming out on the cutting edge.
Track 4 – “100 years of Service" -
Invitation only! - the top recipients of the 100 years of Service project
will be invited to present the innovative service learning program
their club conducted.
Centennial Share Fair - The “Share Fair” will be a showcase of county centennial projects and programming. County Parent-Volunteer Associations will be asked to participate by sharing examples of fair exhibits, educational programs, alumni programming, special events, community involvement, etc., which have taken place or are in the works for their counties.
During the luncheon Oklahoma 4-H will recognize volunteers who have been selected by their county for Volunteer of the Year and Life-Time Service awards and announce the District and State award recipients.
The early bird enrollment fee of $30 and enrollment form are due on or before June 19. Any enrollment postmarked after June 19th will be responsible for the full enrollment fee of $40.
Theresa Bragg, State 4-H Volunteer Board President
100 Years of Service Project - Reports Due
The purpose of the State Council 100 Years of Service Project was to recognize clubs who have contributed to the betterment of their communities and citizens while providing meaningful opportunities for members to develop life skills through community service projects.
Objectives:
- Encourage clubs to use the “Service-Learning” model when choosing, planning, conducting and evaluating a youth led community service project.
- Provide a means to collect, record, and recognize the community service projects of Oklahoma 4-H Clubs.
- Develop a database of community service as a resource to assist other clubs in planning and conducting service projects that make a significant difference to our communities and the lives of our citizens.
- Recognize clubs (members and volunteers) who excel in ingenuity – creativity, resourcefulness, and life skill development.
Reporting and Recognition – Send an electronic copy of the completed SLAP guide and a video of the project to your district office no later than June 1, 2009. The guide can be down loaded from the November 2008 Focus on Youth http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/focus/2008/november/nov.html#service.
The district officer team will in turn
- provide a method for making projects/materials available for clubs/county to access and use as a resource and
- select the top 25 projects to forward to the state committee.
The state teams goal is to have video of all 100 projects available for viewing through the State 4-H Website – possibly an OK 4-H YouTube type link. The State Volunteer Board is going to invite top projects to present in Track 4 of the summer Parent-Volunteer Conference. If quality and time permits, the top 10 project ideas will be shown at Round Up.
Robbie Maples, Committee Chair
Each One, Reach One – Centennial Style
In recognition and celebration of our 100 years of service to Oklahoma youth we encourage each county to expand their enrollment and retention of new volunteers and members, but more importantly the retention and participation of new 4-H members and adult volunteers through Each One Reach One. This year the program has been expanded to include the recruitment and retention of adult volunteers.
To have participated in “Each One, Reach One,” an enrolled 4-H member (who has been an well rounded and active 4-H member for a minimum of one year) has been provided an orientation for being a mentor, they then recruited one “new” member (who is not an immediate family member) into their local club and mentored that person during their first year of enrollment. This program is not intended for Cloverbuds.
The goal of “Each One, Reach One” was not “Quality not Quantity.” We wanted the 4-H member or adult volunteer to make an investment in the individual, so the new member/volunteer becomes as passionate about 4-H as the mentor!
Attached is a copy of the Club Report and the mentor and mentee E.O.R.O report form located in 4H.PLD.504. Reports are due June 1 to the county extension office. All club reports and E.O.R.O. forms collected at the county level are due by June 15th to the State 4-H Office.
Robbie Maples, Committee Chair
Promote the Centennial Contest
You’re already submitting Oklahoma 4-H Centennial information to various media outlets and using the Centennial logo on items. Why not keep a record of your promotion efforts and enter the Promote the Centennial Contest?
The purpose of the Promote the Centennial Contest is to:
• Encourage 4-H members, leaders and educators to develop promotional
and marketing skills during this once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
• Promote the Oklahoma 4-H Centennial Celebration.
• Increase the number of people who join, support and understand Oklahoma
4-H.
The contest is open to individuals or teams of two. Youth may partner with adults in a team.
Divisions are as follows:
- Youth Junior Division (Under 13)
- Youth Senior Division (13 and over)
- Team Division (can be youth/youth, youth/adult, adult/adult)
Promotional methods may include radio, television, illustrated talks, method demonstrations, newspapers, posters, projected images, exhibits, photographs, puppets, public service announcements, speeches, drama, skits, videos (YouTube, etc.) computer programs, Powerpoint presentations, workshops, online social networking pages, Web sites, brochures, banners, magazines, etc.
Contestants may promote to 4-H or non-4-H audiences.
The goal of the contest is to gain Oklahoma 4-H Centennial recognition.
Contest Rules
- Contestants will be judged on materials chosen, message delivery, creativity, effectiveness of promotion, approximate audience reached, and presentation of promotion.
- Promotional packages should include copies or photographs of promotions used, i.e. copies of a brochure or pictures of a demonstration or skit.
- Use of graphics created by others is allowed, but permission must be gained to use any copyrighted material. Correct usage of the 4-H clover emblem will be considered when materials are judged.
- Promotional packages must be submitted to the State 4-H Office by September 1, 2009, for consideration.
The top 10 promotional packages will be recognized at the Oklahoma 4-H green tie gala in November 2009.
Submit packages to:
Jessica Stewart
205 4-H Youth Development Building
Stillwater, OK 74078