May 20, 2005
Volume 1, Issue 2
Welcome to the 4-H Afterschool Journal, the national online newsletter for 4-H Afterschool!
4-H Afterschool News:
4-H Afterschool Grant Winners Announced
4-H Afterschool Items Available Through the 4-H Supply Service
Collaborator News:
Report from the Road: Ron Drum Visits the YMCA Expo
The Afterschool Alliance Hosts the 4th annual "Afterschool for All Challenge"
4-H AFTERSCHOOL NEWS
4-H Afterschool Grant Winners Announced
4-H Afterschool is proud to announce the winners of the Teens Teaching Middle School Youth Workforce Preparation Skills 4-H Afterschool Grants funded by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund and NFL Charities.
The 10 states that will receive grants include California, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
These states were selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive a $30,000 grant to train teens to teach middle school aged youth workforce preparations skills in after-school settings.
The 10 grantees will send teams of two adults and two teens to a conference in Dallas, Texas, where they will attend workshops on the curricula, working with teens and middle school aged youth, evaluation and marketing. They also will meet officials from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, NFL Charities, and 4-H Afterschool state and national offices. These 10 teams will return to their states and train teens as the first step in implementing this program. Each state will reach at least 36 high school students, 720 middle school youth and 18 adult 4-H volunteers by the end of the grant period.
Below are summaries of each grantee’s winning proposal:
Kentucky: Kentucky 4-H Works
Middle school students will gain employability skills through interactive learning with the R.I.S.E. and Get Into The Act curricula, job shadowing, business and college tours, career inventories, and employee speakers in a variety of fields. Adults and teens will collaboratively carry out the program.
New Jersey: Teens Teaching Middle School Youth Workforce Preparation Skills
Using the Get Into The Act curriculum and activities from other related resources, 720 youth will receive twenty hours of workforce preparation programming at eight after-school sites in the city of Trenton and four parent resource centers in Atlantic City, Picatinny Arsenal, and Sayreville Middle School.
Maine: Mentor ME Afterschool
Mentor ME Afterschool will pilot three approaches to workforce preparation programs in 4-H Afterschool and community settings using teens to teach middle school aged youth. County 4-H faculty will collaborate with after-school coordinators in eight sites across Maine to enhance the mentoring skills of teens and adults, and to increase workforce preparation of middle school youth.
Missouri: Get in the Act!: Building Skills and Relationships
Twelve youth and adult teaching teams will work with 720 middle school youth for 11 weeks in three Missouri communities to help youth learn skills for the world of work, explore future careers, provide the opportunity to be positively influenced by older peers, and build relationships with caring adults.
Texas: Teens Teaching Middle School Youth Workforce Preparation
Texas Cooperative Extension will provide leadership for programming through after-school and summer day camp programs in two counties at eight sites with middle school youth in workforce preparation by utilizing teen volunteers and adult mentors to implement the program. Targeted counties include Travis and Montgomery Counties.
Oklahoma: Teens Teaching Middle School Youth Workforce Preparation Skills
The grant will strengthen 4-H involvement in after-school programs through teen and adult mentors teaching middle school youth workforce preparation skills. The grant will be used to provide training to teens/adult mentors on the Get in the Act curriculum, deliver the program to 720 youth and report to ECI.
Tennessee: 4-H W.O.R.K.S. (Workforce Opportunities Relating Knowledge and Skills)
Workforce Preparation programming has been coordinated for 30 sites around Davidson County, which will reach a minimum of 750 youth. Each site will receive 20 hours of programming related to business dress, financial planning and preparation for careers. A career fair and workplace fashion show are planned as culminating experiences.
Pennsylvania: 4-H Afterschool Workforce Preparation
This project will provide training to teens to teach middle school youth the Get Into The Act 4-H workforce readiness curriculum in after-school settings in Pennsylvania. The curriculum will be delivered via existing 4-H Afterschool sites, Housing Authority Community Centers, 4-H and YMCA Day Camps and camp retreat weekends.
California: Workforce Preparedness
Over 720 middle school youth from three Northern California Counties will receive workforce preparedness training from 40 teen trainers and 20 adult mentors. The project will be delivered through 21st Century and 4-H Afterschool programs, and in other out-of-school settings. Three JCPenney stores will collaborate on the project.
New York: Teens Teaching Middle School Youth Workforce Preparation Skills
High school students will deliver workforce preparation education to middle-school youth in three diverse after-school programs. The focus will be on incorporating the SCANS skill sets through the use of approved curriculum. Adults and youth will work in partnership to implement this project addressing critical aspects of the workforce preparation issue.
4-H Afterschool Items Available Through the 4-H Supply Service
The National 4-H Supply Service is now selling 4-H Afterschool emblemed items here. Items for sale include a 4-H Afterschool mug, t-shirt, polo shirt, tote bag, pen and lanyard.
Check back soon for glow-in-the-dark 4-H Afterschool wristbands, perfect for promoting your Lights On! 4-H Afterschool event. The lights never go out on education when 4-H Afterschool is involved!
All of these items are available through the Supply Service web site and in the 2006 4-H Source Book this August.
COLLABORATOR NEWS
Report from the Road: Ron Drum Visits the YMCA Expo
--Reported by Ron Drum
We take 4-H Afterschool to a number of conferences each year. In the past, we have attended national conferences for Junior Achievement, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, National AfterSchool Association and of course, Extension and 4-H conferences such as NEAFCS, NAE4-HA and CYFAR. This year we were invited to exhibit at the YMCA Expo in Orlando, Florida, April 13 – 16. It was well worth the trip.
I started to talk 4-H with YMCA staff even before I got through the conference center door. A woman on the airport shuttle saw my 4-H shirt and said, “I used to be in 4-H!” I told her I had been a member as well. She asked why I was in town, and was surprised when I said that, like her, I was there for the YMCA Expo. When I explained that 4-H and the YMCA were partnering on improving and expanding after-school opportunities for young people she said, “What a great idea!”
This positive response was repeated throughout the conference as staff members from the YMCA came up with quizzical looks and inquired, “4-H? What are you doing here?” Even those that announced that they too had been in 4-H were confused—why was 4-H at a YMCA event?
It was a great question because it allowed me to offer a great answer. “I’m here to let you know that we can help support your after-school program. We can train your staff, provide curricula for your programs and can help organize a 4-H Club at your facility,” I said. After a bit more discussion to provide details, most left promising to seek out their county 4-H educator so they could get started on building 4-H into their programs.
One woman approached the 4-H Afterschool exhibit at the YMCA Expo with undeniable energy and lots of questions.
“Maybe you have some ideas,” she began. “I have a large audience of children and families who are members of my YMCA, but don’t participate in programs. I need something different to get them involved. Can you help me?”
I asked if she had tried 4-H programs, and she laughed and replied, “No, I’m in an urban area!”
“Let me tell you about 4-H and what we can do for you,” I said. As I told her about the opportunities available through 4-H Afterschool, she became more and more intrigued by what we had to offer. By the time I had finished, she had a big smile on her face and lots of notes written on her pad.
“This is just the thing I need,” she exclaimed. “Thank you!”
If there is a YMCA in your area that you have not connected with yet, stop by and say, “Hello.” You might just be the person they’re looking for!
The Afterschool Alliance Hosts the 4th Annual "Afterschool for All Challenge"
The Afterschool Alliance hosted the 4th annual “Afterschool for All Challenge” from May 17-18, 2005 in Washington, D.C. The event was a great success as hundreds of afterschool advocates – parents, children and program directors from across the country – descended upon Capitol Hill to discuss the importance of afterschool programs with more than 150 congressional leaders.
“Every day, 14.3 million children leave school without a safe place to go,” said Afterschool Alliance Interim Executive Director Jen Rinehart.
Members of Congress were recognized for their support of afterschool programs in 2 special events, a Breakfast of Champions on Wednesday morning and a high-energy event called Afterschool Rocks the House in the evening. “Hercules, The Legendary Journeys” star Kevin Sorbo emceed the event, expressing his strong belief in the value of afterschool education.
“Every young person deserves a place to go after school, where they have opportunities to learn, be engaged with positive role models and become more physically active,” Sorbo said.
“We must make afterschool programs accessible to all children.”
Afterschool Rocks the House showcased afterschool programs from New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, as well as spoken word, dance and musical performances from Rhode Island’s AS220 Broad Street Studio.
"Hercules" star Kevin Sorbo addresses the audience at Afterschool Rocks the House.
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May 06, 2005
Volume 1, Issue 1
Welcome to the 4-H Afterschool Journal, the national online newsletter for 4-H Afterschool!
We welcome any story ideas -- share your successes, methods and exciting news by e-mailing us here.
4-H Afterschool News:
A Message from Dr. Eddie Locklear
A Message from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund
4-H Afterschool News:
A Message from Dr. Eddie Locklear
Welcome to the 4-H Afterschool Journal – the newest way to learn and share information you can use about 4-H Afterschool. We are excited about this opportunity to provide you with up-to-date information in the fastest, most direct way possible.
Here, you will find information about everything 4-H Afterschool, from new grants to best practices to inspirational stories. You’ll learn which states are offering after-school curricula and activities, and we’ll make sure you know about after-school related conferences where you can present learning sessions or gain information for your own programs.
Check the journal often for tips on how to document and promote your program’s successes. We’ll show you how to take high-quality pictures to show off your 4-H Afterschool activities, how to write and distribute a news release and much more! By showing your community how great 4-H Afterschool is, you’re helping ensure these programs will be funded and expanded for years to come. As always, we encourage you to send us your success stories here. It only takes a minute to share what you’re proud of, and your story may give another program a great idea!
Collaboration is a great way to strengthen your 4-H Afterschool program, so we’ll keep you updated about projects we’re working on with our four JCPenney Afterschool Fund partners. We continue to work with them to identify specific ways 4-H Afterschool can access the youth they serve, receive benefits from services they provide and secure resources to help expand after-school programming.
This forum is YOUR voice--we want to hear from you! Tell us what you want to know about 4-H Afterschool! Share your helpful hints, promotional ideas and success stories so programs around the country can learn from them and expand the impact 4-H Afterschool has nationwide. We are excited to build future issues around your needs and interests to make sure the 4-H Afterschool Journal is a valuable resource as you continue to achieve great successes in 4-H Afterschool.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, 4-H Afterschool does – because of your good work and support!
Thank you,
Eddie Locklear
National Director, 4-H Afterschool
A Message from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund
The JCPenney Afterschool Fund welcomes you to the 4-H Afterschool Journal and thanks you for your participation. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund, a proud supporter of 4-H Afterschool programs nationwide, is working to ensure that all children have access to the world of opportunities that awaits them ... after school!
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