Focus on Youth
News for OCES staff working with youth.
January, 2010
4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.
Table of Contents
Hello 4-H Family,
Wow, it seems like just yesterday we were gearing up for our Centennial
year, and now 2009 is go. Do you remember a few years ago when
people were afraid everything electronic was going to stop working when
we entered 2000? Hard to believe it has now been nearly 10 years
ago!
The start of a new year is always a good time to set some new goals and to consider
what things we can leave behind as we get a chance at a fresh start. I would
encourage you to take some time to think of your county program in the same way.
Are there some new audiences you would like to reach in 2010? Are there
new programs you would like to introduce or new issues that need to be addressed? Most
likely there are! But the reality is that there is just so much that you
can do and there are just so many hours in the day. The solution is to figure
out ways to transfer some things to others or identify things that could go away
so you can do some new, more meaningful things. For example, say you have
been doing some contest forever for only about five kids but would like to add
something new that might reach 50 new youth. Maybe this is the year to exchange
an event for five with a new one for those 50. I know it sound radical but give
it some thought! You might even consider the possibility of empowering
your volunteers to take more ownership of the 4-H program in your county. That
does not mean you stop doing anything. It means you change the things you’re
doing. You could change from having to be in control of events to being in charge
of recruiting, equipping and empowering volunteers.
A new year also means that it is TAX TIME! In our case it also means doing
a 990N for EVERY SINGLE 4-H club and (all other non-profits). All of your clubs
should have done this at least once by now. This should be done in JANUARY.
Our office will close on the 23rd and will not reopen until the 4th. You
can still send us e-mails and we will periodically check phones for messages.
On behalf of your State 4-H Staff, Happy Holidays!
Charles Cox
Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development
4-H and Sales Tax (a reminder)
From time to time we get calls about 4-H clubs paying sales tax on purchases. Four-H is considered to be a non-profit under the Federal Group Exemption and does not pay taxes on income. This is further confused by a 1993 Senate Bill that would have excused 4-H clubs from paying tax on purchases. To make sure that the statutes have not changed, I recently checked with the Oklahoma Tax Commission, and the 2001 rules for 4-H clubs are still in effect. The statute states that the sales of tangible personal property by: local 4-H clubs; county, regional or state 4-H councils; county, regional or state 4-H committees; 4-H leader associations; county, regional or state 4-H foundations, and; authorized 4-H camps and training centers are exempt from paying to the Tax Commission taxes that are collected on the sales. The commission does not issue sales permits to 4-H clubs anymore, as the clubs are exempt from paying taxes on sales. However, 4-H groups are all required to PAY sales tax on purchases they make. In other words you pay on the front end of a fundraiser but not on the back end. For example, if you buy cheese for a concession stand you pay the tax on the cheese, but when you sell the nachos to a person at the window you do not collect or remit sales tax on that sale.
ALL 4-H clubs and groups that use the 4-H name and emblem to raise money are required to complete a 990N every year to report income.
Celebrate Bake & Take Month in March
Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission is teaming up with 4-H to promote Bake & Take Month during March.
The FAPC and Oklahoma Wheat Commission are encouraging 4-H members to bake a product made from wheat and take it to a neighbor, friend, relative or organization during the month of March.
“The Bake & Take promotion is a wonderful way to get our young people to experience the joys of baking and understand the importance of the cereal grain and wheat grown in our state,” said Renee Nelson, FAPC milling and baking specialist.
Bake and Take originated in 1972 with the Kansas Wheathearts, an auxiliary organization of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, as a community service event to celebrate the wheat harvest in Sumner County, Kansas. Even though the Kansas Wheathearts disbanded in 2001, Kansas Wheat continues these efforts today.
For more information or ideas to celebrate Bake & Take, contact Nelson by calling 405-744-6071 or e-mailing renee.albers_nelson@okstate.edu. The FAPC and Oklahoma Wheat Commission want to help promote your event, so please contact Nelson if you plan to participate in Bake & Take.
2010 Oklahoma State 4-H Horse Leaders, Parents and Educators Conference
Attached is a brochure with information regarding the 2010 State 4-H Horse Leaders, Parents and Educators Conference. It will be held January 23 on the OSU campus. Registration to attend is due January 15, 2010.
Thank you for your Centennial efforts!
What a year! Thank you to all volunteers, 4-H members and Extension
educators for all of your event planning and support of the Oklahoma
4-H Centennial. It was a monumental celebration, and I felt privileged
to have shared it with so many dedicated to Oklahoma 4-H.
4-H “Promote the Centennial” Results
Three entries were submitted for the 4-H “Promote the Centennial” contest. These three entries were displayed at the 4-H Green Tie Gala. In addition, the promotional efforts of the three who submitted will be featured in the 2009 4-H annual report. Those who submitted scrapbooks for the contest include:
Ashlan and Debbie Wilson, Hughes County
Becky Walker and Pontotoc County 4-H’ers
Susan and Karen Weckler, Payne County
Ashlan and Debbie Wilson’s entry featured news articles Ashlan wrote for her local newspaper, photos of their Centennial Road Trip, and other special events celebrated in Hughes County.
Becky Walker and Pontotoc County 4-H’ers entry featured a DVD commercial, Centennial Train Ride promotional materials, Centennial Road Trip information, and news about Pontotoc County’s Centennial celebrations.
Susan and Karen Weckler’s entry featured their efforts, including their work on the 4-H Centennial Garden and all of the media that surrounded that project. In addition to their scrapbook, their entry also included a display board that was exhibited at the Tulsa State Fair, as well as an example flower pot that their club painted for use in the garden.
Congratulations to our three contestants! Look for more information on their efforts in the 2009 4-H annual report, available in early summer 2010.
Oklahoma 4-H history books still available!
“Oklahoma 4-H: Generations of Clover” is still available for $39.99 and will be available for delivery in spring 2010. Gift certificates for the book are also available if you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift. Call the State 4-H office at 405-744-4493 to place your order.
2010 National Service Opportunities
How do we implement and stress the need for the development of meaningful 4-H service projects which result in a lasting impact? Look to HandsOn Network for information.
Partner with Businesses to Create Lasting Impact - HandsOn Network's programs (http://www.handsonnetwork.org/) provide businesses and corporate leaders with opportunities to leverage their unique resources and expertise by sponsoring, developing and implementing environmental projects and national partnerships that impact the environment positively and inspire communities to engage as well.
- Neighboring is a form of volunteerism in which community members are empowered to lead projects instead of simply benefitting from service. Grassroots neighboring projects begin when one members of a community has an idea that can relieve strain on the environment.
- Kids Care Clubs provide parents, teachers and youth with tools and resources to promote civic values. Kids Care Clubs support elementary and middle school children in developing interest in service, volunteerism and the concept of social responsibility through meaningful hands-on service projects.
- Youth in Governance promotes service learning and provides students with the tools to create and lead activities that promote change and civic-consciousness.
Research indicates that schools with broad-based community involvement
provide more dynamic learning experiences, resulting in higher student
achievement. Numerous studies confirm that young people perform better
when they have positive after-school options, as well as opportunities
to serve their communities through service-learning or other volunteer
programs. When kids have an opportunity to contribute to their communities
in meaningful ways, they are much more likely to stay in school and go
on to college.
Impacting the Environment through Events HandsOn
Network helps corporations mobilize and engage employee volunteers through
customized projects and national sponsorship opportunities. National
signature service days celebrate the power of volunteers as change agents
and direct public attention to the many ways individuals can become involved
in their communities.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (January 18, 2010) - "A Day On, Not A Day Off." Remember. Celebrate. Act. MLK Day is an opportunity for Americans to honor the legacy of Dr. King by volunteering in schools in their communities. From refurbishing schools to celebrating student leaders.
- National Volunteer Week (April 18-24, 2010) is a call to action for millions of Americans who volunteer and inspire by example.
- National Conference on Volunteering and Service (June 28-30, 2010, New York City). The world’s largest gathering of volunteer leaders from the nonprofit, government and corporate sectors is a prime opportunity for corporations to demonstrate their commitment to education.
- 20th Make A Difference Day (October 23, 2010) is the nation’s largest day of neighbors helping neighbors. Corporations can mobilize employees to volunteer together on this day to revitalize a school or renovate a recreation area for children.
Reduce the dropout rate by leveraging the power of service in every school. What it could look like:
- A 4-H Club leads a make-over “legacy project” engaging youth, parents, businesses, civic leaders, faith-based groups and others in a year-long series of projects to renovate a school, community site, home, etc.
- A 4-H member organizes 10 of friends to take their lunch break twice a week to tutor students (in reading, math, social studies, etc.) at a nearby elementary school.
Reduce the carbon footprint through neighborhood-based conservation and restoration projects. What it could look like:
- A 4-H club organizes a weekend tree planting and park clean-up project for resident families and their friends. The project accomplishes a carbon-offsetting outcome and educates the neighborhood on environmental and energy policy issues.
- A 4-H club lead their families in a commitment to spend a month recycling old items stored in the house and make small changes to their lifestyles, like lowering the thermostat and changing light bulbs.
Support economic security for families by facilitating access to resources and dollars. What it could look like:
- A 4-H club organizes a “Flash Mob & Facebook” canned food drive to stock the shelves of a local food pantry over a 48-hour period that delivers $10,000 in food.
- Adopt a family/senior for a year – assist with restorations, cleaning, personal time (play games, tutor, do crafts, etc.), yard work, shopping, food, birthdays, holidays, etc.
Source: http://www.handsonnetwork.org/
National Volunteer Week - National Points of Light Institute
April 18 – 24, 2010
April 17 - 23, 2011
National Volunteer Week reflects the power that volunteers have to "inspire by example" — volunteers both encourage those they help and motivate others to serve!
Twenty-three million more Americans are volunteering today than in 1989 according to the research by the Points of Lights. They report volunteering has increased by 1/3rd over the past 20 years. Baby Boomers and Older Americans are 40 percent more likely to volunteer than their peers in 1989. For additional information see the attachment. What can this mean for 4-H? Expand your recruitment pool beyond the parents of our 4-H members. Look to those whose children are grown and have time, talents and experiences which will benefit the 4-H program and the youth we serve. Find out how you, too, can participate in the week’s many offerings. Discover how simple it is to nominate volunteers for awards (http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov), including the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
2009-11 State 4-H Leadership Council
Attached is a copy of the contact information for cluster representatives following the October elections.
The youth people are eager to serve. Please review responsibilities as they pertain to the county, utilize them at the local and county level, and provide them with the time and resources necessary to carry out their duties.
District Representative’s Responsibilities
- Practice the life skills of Self-responsibility, Organization, Time Management, and Communication.
- Serve as liaison to specific counties within a district. Cluster representatives will visit each county twice each year to conduct designated team programming. At-Large representatives will visit each county at least once per year to conduct designated team programming. This does not include county “visits” or “appearances.”
- Communicate on a regular basis with county youth and adult leadership teams – to conduct educational programs, encourage participation in 4-H programming, and to collect information for reporting to the At-Large Representatives and district reporters.
- Cluster Representatives will submit quarterly reports of county activities to the At-Large Representatives.
- At-Large Representatives will submit a district quarterly reports and materials to the reporter for 4-H publications, blogs, website and state e-scrapbook.
- Exemplify Youth-Adult Partnerships in all interactions.
State Council Speakers Bureau
The team is eager to interact with the 4-H members in our state. Please do not hesitate to invite representatives to Volunteer Association meeting, County Council, Teen Leaders, county awards program, local club or day camp. The team is here to serve YOUth and Volunteers!
The class of 2008 has prepared a workshop and keynote address for presentation at the local and county level. A brochure of their presentations is attached. The class of 2009 is in the process of developing their keynote and workshops.
A copy of the service projects is attached or can be downloaded at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/leadership/project.html.
Copies of the traveling workshops can be reviewed or downloaded at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/leadership/workshop.html.
McKinzey Baab, State 4-H Leadership Council, NE Cluster Rep. 2
Record Books 2010
State Record Books are due in the state office no later than noon April 1, 2010. The 2010 Record Book update is being developed and will be posted on the Oklahoma 4-H Web site by the end of January. Call Jessica Stewart at 405-744-7960 with questions.
Update on REAL COLORS Training – February 2010
If you have wanted to be “certified” in Real Colors there is an opportunity to participate in the three day training being conducting in Stillwater February 23 - 25, 2010.
The Real Colors Facilitator Certification Training Class, will teach you how to successfully facilitate/present the Real Colors workshop program when working with staff, clients, students and the community.
The Facilitator Certification Training Class will be at Meridian Technology Center, located at 1312 S. Sangre Road in Stillwater. OCES staff is being given a reduced registration rate o $505. Lunch and snacks for all three days is included in the registration rate.
Please use the coupon code Stillwater10 when registering online for the training at: http://www.ncti.org/cgi-bin/ncti.cgi/class_registration.html?class=80604. (Make sure you hit the "recalculate button" on the checkout page to have the discount applied).
OCES can also register by completing the attached registration brochure and faxing it to (602) 252-4736 or by calling (800) 622-1644 Ext. 5555.
Japanese Pen Pals
The Camp Zama SAS 4-H club in Japan is once again looking for pen pals to correspond with. Please help us get the word out that 4-H clubs interested in communicating with them are asked to contact their 4-H club leader, Nick Andrews at nicholas.andrews2@us.army.mil.
Thank you,
Claire M. Nakatsuka
UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
Dept. of Family
and Consumer Sciences Cooperative Extension Service
Hitch A Ride on the Glory Satellite
Do you want to hitch a ride on NASA's next climate
monitoring satellite? Join the Glory mission, which will launch no earlier
than Oct. 1, 2010, by surfing over to the Send Your Name Around the Earth
Web page. Names will be recorded on a microchip built into the satellite,
and you will get a printable certificate from NASA acknowledging your
participation. There are already 226,323 names on the chip, but there's
still plenty of room. You may not submit your name more than once.
To add your name to the microchip, visit http://polls.nasa.gov/utilities/sendtospace/jsp/sendName.jsp.
Glory carries two scientific sensors dedicated to understanding the effects
of aerosols and the sun's variability on Earth's climate. The Aerosol
Polarimetry Sensor will collect information about tiny liquid and solid
particles suspended in the atmosphere that absorb or reflect sunlight.
The Total Irradiance Monitor will measure the intensity of incoming sunlight
that can vary over time.
To learn more about the Glory mission, visit http://glory.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
Become a Friend to the Glory Mission on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1368706679&ref=profile