Focus on Youth
News for OCES staff working with youth.
March, 2009
4-H is a community of young people across America learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.
Table of Contents
Hello 4-H Family,
Greetings! I am pleased to let you know that I will soon be spending most of my time focusing on 4-H again. After 16 months of doing double duty, Dr. James Key has agreed to take on the majority of the Interim Department Head duties in Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership. I will still be involved to some degree but hope to be able to spend more time supporting all of you and our new staff here in the state 4-H office. There are some things that I have had to let slide over the past year, so before long you may all be wishing I would go back to doing other things so I would stop bugging you, J!
The reality is that I want us as a statewide program to really begin focusing on developing new partnerships with other youth-serving agencies and groups. By doing so, I hope we will open more doors for you at the local level. For example, several of our staff met with a representative of the Oklahoma Methodist churches at their request. They have long listed 4-H, along with Scouts and Boys and Girls Clubs as groups they seek to support, but in Oklahoma they realize that little has been done to support 4-H. We will be seeking ways to partner with them and other faith-based groups to identify potential volunteers, to use facilities that they may wish to provide, and to explore ways they may be able to help us reach new audiences. At the same time we will be providing you more training on working with “ALL” faith-based groups so we will not violate any laws regarding endorsement and separation or entanglement with religions.
Through our work with the military, many partnerships have begun to develop, and the reality is that we have many groups that would like to work with us, but we need to have some paradigm shifts in order to capitalize on that potential. The biggest is a willingness to give up some control. We still have many educators who would rather control the program than to equip volunteers to share the load and expand the program. These are just a few of the challenges I am excited to work with you on in the years ahead.
You are a hard-working group of paid and volunteer staff, and I value you very much. I am excited about the things that will happen in the next 100 years of 4-H. While we may not get to see the next celebration, we can feel joy now knowing we are helping to shape the future. You are leaving a legacy through your efforts!
Charles Cox
Assistant Director, 4-H Youth Development
Redbud Tree Update
In 2002, David Sorrell secured a redbud tree for each county to plant in honor of the 100th birthday of 4-H in America. Each county was encouraged to plant their tree in a public place and to nurture it and see it grow as a living memorial to the 4-H program.
As part of the 4-H Centennial in Oklahoma we would like to capture a digital photo image of each of the trees this spring as they bloom across the state. You can photograph the tree with 4-H members, volunteers, local civic leaders, or all alone in its splendor; that is up to you. We will then create a digital wall of all of the trees. If, by chance, your tree did not make it, we would also like to know that and would encourage you to consider planting a new tree this spring in its place.
With the weather as warm as it has been lately the redbuds may be in bloom within a month, so now is the time to begin watching the tree to see when the flower buds are beginning to swell, then schedule a time for the photograph. Once you have taken some digital images, send them to Jessica Stewart at Jessica.Stewart@okstate.edu
We hope to have 100 percent participation in this project and hope to also acknowledge the support of Greenleaf Nursery in making this a great contribution to the 4-H program.
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
Friendly Reminder: Materials and payment for CWF are due February 27. Citizenship Washington Focus is a leadership conference where youth, ages 15-19, will learn about the history and culture of our nation while having fun and meeting new people from across the country. Information regarding the Oklahoma upcoming trip can be found on the 4-H website at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/events/cwf.htm
This
year’s Oklahoma group will be traveling and attending June
25 – July 5. If you have questions or need additional
information, please contact the state 4-H office.
Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition Announces Community Mini-grant Opportunity
Oklahoma is one of eight states to receive the Balancing InTake and Expenditure (BITE) grant, which was awarded to the Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.
The Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition announces the availability of approximately $15,000 to fund five (5) mini-grants of $3,000 each to community organizations that have successfully demonstrated their capacity to plan, implement and report progress on a community-based Physical Activity and Nutrition project. The full Request for Proposals document is attached, as well as a copy of the press release that went out last Friday.
Please forward this information to your networks. Proposals are due on March 1, 2009 by 5:00 p.m. (CST). Proposals received after the deadline will not be accepted.
This information will also be available at www.fitkidsok.org in the Current News section, and www.oica.org, Projects & Issues, Fit Kids Coalition. Inquiries may be directed to the project coordinator at the phone number or email address listed below.
Ameyka D. Pittman, M.Ed.
Project Coordinator
Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition
3909 N. Classen, Suite 101,
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
apittman@oica.org
(405) 236-5437, ext. 113; Fax: (405) 236-1690
Centennial Contest Announced
You’re already submitting Oklahoma 4-H Centennial information to various media outlets, using the Centennial logo on items, and telling people about the Centennial. Why not keep a record of your promotion efforts and enter the "Promote the Centennial" contest?
Purpose:
- 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’s mission
Eligibility:
- Open to individuals or teams of two
- Youth may partner with adults
Divisions:
- Youth Junior Division (under 13)
- Youth Senior Division (13 and over)
- Team Division (youth/youth, youth/adult, adult/adult)
Promotional methods may include:
- Radio and TV spots
- Illustrated talks
- Method demonstrations
- Newspapers, newsletters, printed media
- Exhibits
- speeches
- Skits, drama
- Videos on YouTube
- Workshops
- Web sites
- Brochures, magazines
Rules
- Contestants will be judged on materials chosen, message delivery, creativity, effectiveness of promotion, and audience reached
- Promotional packages should include copies or photographs of promotions used and a type-written record of promotion, date performed/used, and audience
- Permission must be gained to use any copyrighted material and sources MUST be cited
- Packages must be submitted to the state 4-H office by September 1, 2009, for consideration!
The top 10 promotional packages will be recognized (and shown, if possible) at the Oklahoma 4-H Green Tie Gala in November 2009.
For questions or more information, please call or e-mail Jessica Stewart – 405-744-7960 or jessica.stewart@okstate.edu.
Outcome of 4-H & FFA Fun Night with OKC Blazers Hockey
Many thanks to all the 4-H clubs and counties from around the state who participated in the 4-H and FFA Fun Night with OKC Blazers Hockey on February 7. A special thanks goes out to the 4-H ambassadors for their leadership in selling tickets and encouraging other 4-H’ers to sell tickets to the event. Here are the results:
Total 4-H Tickets Sold: 608
Total 4-H Organizations Participating: 46
Top Selling Group: Canton 4-H with 52 Tickets (Congratulations,
Canton 4-H!!)
Total Money Raised to Support 4-H: $3,040
The funds will be used for 4-H activities that are supported by the 4-H Foundation; for example, Roundup and our Oklahoma 4-H Centennial events and initiatives.
Congratulations also to Brooke Sparks from Davidson 4-H who was the grand prize winner of the beautiful Express Ranch heifer, valued at $2,500!!!
We are deeply grateful to American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) President Ray Wulf for inviting 4-H to join with FFA in this worthwhile event this year. We are also thankful for AFR’s generosity in purchasing the four animals that were awarded to 4-H and FFA youth at the event. Thanks also goes to AFR’s Paul Jackson, who serves as a member of the 4-H Foundation Board and who was instrumental in making the event a success. We also appreciate the efforts of AFR’s Mary Ann Nickens who publicized the event.
Coach Doug Sauter and the Blazers team members were likewise very gracious to interact with our youth out on the ice, to sign autographs, and to provide an autographed hockey stick and free tickets to another Blazers game to the top-selling 4-H and FFA groups. We also appreciate Stacie Rathbun in the Blazers ticket office who did so much of the behind-the-scenes work distributing tickets and making sure things ran smoothly the night of the event.
I encourage everyone to send a nice thank you to the folks at American Farmers & Ranchers and the OKC Blazers for making this opportunity possible. Their addresses are as follows:
Mr. Paul Jackson
American Farmers & Ranchers
P.O. Box 24000
Oklahoma City, OK 73124
Coach Doug Sauter
Ms. Stacie Rathbun
Oklahoma City Blazers
105 North Hudson, Suite 101
OKC, OK 73102
Centennial Share Fair – State 4-H Parent-Volunteer Conference
The State 4-H Volunteer Board would like to invite your county 4-H Parent-Volunteer Organization and/or County Leaders Council to provide a Share Fair display at the State Parent-Volunteer Conference July 11, 2009, in Stillwater. Applications for the “Centennial” Share Fair are attached and due on or before July 1, 2009.
This year the Share Fair displays will focus
entirely on the 4-H Centennial celebration. We
want to showcase interesting and innovative examples of centennial activities
at the club or county level – programming, projects, fair exhibits,
alumni activities, special events, and/or community involvement, which
have taken place or are currently being planned in regard to the 4-H
Centennial. We want
to make this a learning experience which provides an opportunity for
4-H volunteers and parents to get some great ideas for use in their clubs
or county program.
It is the responsibility of a volunteer/county delegation attending the
conference to set up the display and be available to answer questions
during breaks. These
exhibits are not intended for individual 4-H members to showcase project work. We
want the display to showcase Centennial efforts of a local 4-H group or county
program.
Misty Highfill. NW District Representative
4-H Green Makes the World Go Round - Discovery Unlimited
2009 Discovery Unlimited – May 29-30, 2009 - Saints Groves Camp, Stillwater. 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.
Programming will be focused around our theme 4-H Green makes the World Go Round. Workshops and speakers will focus on what 4-H offers teens in the way of leadership, travel and friendship. Please help our planning team promote this program with youth 11-12 years of age.
Registration will be $35 and will include housing, food, educational supplies and a T-shirt. All youth must register through their county Extension office. No exceptions. County registration is due to the state office on or before March 31st.
All forms and a tentative conference schedule will be posted by March 23rd at http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/events/discovery.htm
Robbie Maples, Discovery Unlimited Co-chair
Centennial Fair Exhibits
All exhibits in the 4-H Centennial division are intended for members to learn about and document our 4-H heritage through the process of identification, preservation and restoration. Four-H curriculum has been developed to introduce and educate 4-H members and volunteers to appropriate preservation and conservation techniques. The criteria/ standards used to evaluate the 4-H member’s exhibit will reflect the child’s mastery of conservation and/or preservation techniques and their ability to document memorabilia/history.
Curriculum currently available: 4H•HLTH•402 "Collectibles;" 4H•HLTH•404 "Preserving Books, Paper Documents, & Photographs;" 4H•HLTH•406 "Preserving Memorabilia;" 4H•HLTH•407 "History Mysteries Part 1;" 4H•PDL•111 "Heritage Posters and Displays;" 4H•HLTH•410 "History Mysteries Part 2" and 4H•HLTH•411 "Authentication Card."
Materials under development and available May 1 include "Preserving Vintage Clothing and Textile Products;" "Preserving Metal, Wood and Plastic Collectables;" "Documenting and Cataloguing Collectables;" and "Displaying Collections and Collectables." All curriculums can be downloaded on the Oklahoma 4-H webpage under 4-H Centennial.
Updates have been completed for the 2009 Fairs. Attached is a revised handout for use at the county level.
Kevin Hackett and Dixie Ferrell
Operation Military Kids
I would like the opportunity to introduce myself. I am Ryan Moehle, the new Oklahoma Operation Military Kids Coordinator. I grew up very active in 4-H and have since served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard and am currently in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. I was mobilized in 2002 in efforts of Operation Iraqi Freedom and again in 2008. My family and I know first hand the difficulties faced by separation from a loved one due to deployment.
Operation Military Kids is built upon its ability to work effectively with various organizations. So we need your help! Volunteers, 4-H’rs, Educators, and anyone else!! There are four core elements to our program:
- Hero Packs: Backpacks given by youth to military youth as a token of gratitude. These packs come with some core materials, but donations, personalized letters, and further literature will need to be included. Donations are welcome!
- Ready Set Go Training: Educational curriculum on the deployment cycle and the various aspects that go along with a mobilization.
- Mobile Technology Lab: We have 10 computers and various communication items that will be utilized as an effective tool to connect that youth with their service member.
- Speak Out Military Kids: Program designed to capture the story of the military child being affected by deployment and present it to the public in efforts to raise awareness of their sacrifice.
OMK Camping Initiative: We have several OMK day camps coming up this summer. We will need help with finding the kids to participate. We will have a registration but the cost is free. Entire military families get in free! For each day camp we will provide educational components and several fun activities.
Hero Packs can be ordered by simply emailing me at ryan.moehle@okstate.edu Let me know how many you want and where they need to be shipped. An RSG instruction would be a great topic for a volunteer training and can be requested by email. (Please give me two weeks notice). The Mobile Technology Lab can be checked out at any time. For this information email Ashley.stockamp@okstate.edu. In order to truly have this program up and running we need your help finding the audience! As this is a grass roots organization, I will always work to keep you, the county educator, informed, and I depend on your knowledge of the county to find the military kids. For more information go to www.operationmilitarykids.org or www.4-Hmilitarypartnerships.org
Upcoming Events:
Frontier City Military Kids Appreciation Day May 30th. If you have a
unique program or idea we still have much programming that needs to be filled!
Science Museum for Military Kids June 12th.
All family members welcome!
Oh! By the way it’s on us!! Free!
Ryan Moehle, Operation
Military Kids Coordinator
405-744-1173
405-744-8885
Jared Wade Wins Bee Keeping Essay Contest
Congratulations to Jared Wade of Colbert, Oklahoma winner of the 2009 Bee Keeping Essay Contest.
Oklahoma 4-H History Book
After much preparation, we are excited to announce the compilation of the Oklahoma 4-H History Book is underway. This is a huge project and will not be possible with out the help of 4-H members, alumni, volunteers, leaders and staff.
Each county is responsible for submitting its historical summary in 300 words or less (about one page double spaced) and two to three pictures. The due date for submission is May 1, 2009. Please contact your county 4-H extension educator if you would like to help with your county’s history, or send an e-mail to johnna.stevenson@okstate.edu.