4-H NEWS

Front row, left to right: Monique Lugero, Chelsea Stone, Paula Williams, Alexzander Gaither, Rebecca Craven. Back row, left to right: Daniel Feldman, Buddy Bryson, Adeline Tan, Masiela Lusha, Abigail Jo Fulks, Kristina Frye.

1-4-H Leaders Head for Camp Great American Bake Sale

Four 4-H members were among 10 dedicated youth service leaders from across the U.S. who met at the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens in Minneapolis, MN, June 18-19 for Camp Great American Bake Sale.

4-Hers Eagean Buddy Bryson of Reidsville, NC; Rebecca Craven of Asheboro, NC; Kristina Frye of Screven, GA; and Alexzander Gaither of Bryte, CA, joined other teen leaders to learn more about the issue of child hunger and how they can help by holding fundraising bake sales through Kids Bake America Better, Betty Crocker's initiative to support the Great American Bake Sale, an initiative to end childhood hunger in America. They shared the experience with Masiela Lusha, from ABC's George Lopez Show, youth spokesperson for The Great American Bake Sale.

The youth leaders received expert assistance and detailed materials to help them plan their own successful bake sales and headed to the fabled Betty Crocker test kitchens to bake and package their own sweet treats with the help of the Betty Crocker experts. The youth have returned to their communities to educate youth and fight child hunger with their own Great American Bake Sale.

4-H members throughout the country have signed up to hold bake sales to raise funds to fight child hunger through Share Our Strength, the anti-hunger organization. Each receives information about child hunger in America and a learning module addressing youth involvement and leadership in community service. Some also receive a special Bake Sale Kit designed specifically for 4-H by Betty Crocker.

Stay tuned to Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale blog at www.strength.org/forum/bakesale/for updates on the progress of all the Camp Great American Bake Sale participants.

Want to hold your own bake sale to fight child hunger Visit www.gabs.4-husa.org/to learn more about 4-H's participation in Kids Bake America Better or go to www.greatamericanbakesale.org/4h to sign up to host a bake sale today.

2-4-H Members Honored at Congressional Awards Ceremonies
(Washington, DC) Eighteen outstanding 4-H members from across the nation were recognized at Capitol Hill ceremonies June 23, 2004, for their dedication to volunteerism and community service.

4-H members received medals and gold, bronze or silver certificates for their excellence in volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration during the Congressional Award's 2004 Gold Medal Award Ceremony at the United States Capitol.

The awardees who have challenged themselves and made a positive impact on their communities are Elsbeth Allen, Boise, ID; Blair Brandon, Fort Worth, TX; Jeremy Crump, Nesbit, MI; Sarah Finch, Goldsboro, NC; Justin Floyd, Milton, FL; Daniel Grad, Cascade, ID; Tabitha Grad, Cascade, ID; Heather R. Leung-Van Hassel, Millville, NJ; Zachary Myles Lindsay, Milton, FL; Jonathan R. Mason, Brandon, MS; Benjamin McDonough, New Albany, MS; Lauren Pace, Milton, FL; Colby Patchin, Eagle, ID; Hannah Qualls, Moscow, ID; Sarah Raymond, Canton, MS; Maggie Salter, Milton, FL; Jessinah Schaefer, Boise, ID; and Georgia Stegall, Pontotoc, MS.

Youth who participate in the Congressional Awards program dedicate a set number of hours to each of the four program areas and receive certificates and then medals as they progress through the program. The Congressional Awards is non-partisan, voluntary, non-competitive award from the United States Congress to young Americans who participate in achieving their own challenging goals. Participants are ages 14-23. Visit www.congressionalaward.org for more information.

3-Youth Wanted for National Youth Participation Study
Researchers at Penn State University and the University of Arizona are conducting a study of youth participation in structured activities during out-of-school hours. They ask that youth development professionals encourage middle and high school youth to be part of the study through an online survey.

The study focuses on youth participation in organized activities such as 4-H club, band, debate team, school sports, community sports or community choral society. It asks youth about why they get involved, do not get involved or decide to no longer participate in out-of-school programs. The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete.

For more information about the study, go to agexted.cas.psu.edu/fcs/dp/survey/participation/survey.cfm and click on the button that says Youth-Serving Organizational Staff.

If you have questions, contact Daniel Perkins, Penn State University, dfp102@psu.edu
or 814-865-6988; Lynne M. Borden, University of Arizona, bordenl@ag.arizona.edu
or 520-621-1063; or Stephen Russell, University of Arizona, strussel@ag.arizona.edu
or 520-621-1231.

4-Ohio 4-Her on Family Channel's "Switched!" to Air July 8
Ashlea Hull, a Franklin County, OH, 4-H member, will be "switched" with a young
woman from New Jersey on the Family Channel's popular "Switched!" program,
scheduled to air July 8, 2004.

Each episode of the reality show features two participants, strangers from
different parts of the country, who trade places for four days. They attend
each others' schools, live with each others' families, and participate in
each others' extra-curricular activities.

The weekend they were switched, Ashlea's counterpart, Nadia, attended the
4-H Camp Ohio Camp Counselors Workshop in Ashlea's place. The camp is
designed to help build teaching, leadership and teamwork skills among 4-H
teens from 13 counties who will be counselors at Camp Ohio, near Utica,
this summer. In the meantime, Ashlea was hosted by Nadia's family, a family
of strict Muslim faith.

The Ohio 4-H Youth Development program is part of Ohio State University
Extension, the outreach arm of Ohio State University's College of Food,
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

5-goCyberCamp Summer Fun and Learning
4-H's goCyberCamp has launched its Summer Series with new activities for kids to engage in every week. Caregivers can integrate goCyberCamp into their 4-H programs for fresh ideas and activities every week through the summer. Kids can explore goCyberCamp and engage in upcoming activities such as those that teach the mechanics of canoeing and the physics of sailing!

goCyberCamp kicked off its Summer Series of fun and learning with Tug of War!, which brings this age old camp tradition of teamwork and the test of might to its campgrounds for kids to understand the science behind the fun.

goCyberCamp is available to children and their caregivers free of charge. Funding for goCyberCamp is provided by AT&T Family Care Development Fund, CYFERnet, and USDA.

Caregivers can register for a "Caregiver Account" that gives them access to the Caregiver Club on goCyberCamp. The Caregiver Club is where caregivers enroll kids in their program as "campers" on goCyberCamp. It's also the place where school-age professionals find resource materials and hands-on activities to extend the online learning.

To register for a "Caregiver Account," go to gocybercamp.organd click REGISTER. For more information, contact sindh001@umn.edu.

A young reader meets Clifford the Big Red Dog at a GEAR event.

6-West Side 4-H Club Members Get Into GEAR
Members of the West Side 4-H Club in Greers Ferry, AR, recognize that reading is important if youngsters are going to get a good start on their education. So, they started GEAR, Get Excited About Reading, an award-winning project that helps children develop a love for reading and appreciation for the written word.

We hope it will get the kids off to a good start in their education with reading, said Carolyn West, West Side 4-H Club volunteer and GEAR project leader.
GEAR was initiated throughout the elementary schools in the West School District in 2002 by West's daughter, Rachel, who realized that reading was a key ingredient to a successful education and asked her fellow 4-H club members to help her with this project.

Kindergarten and first grade students who participate in the GEAR program receive book bags filled with books for them to keep. Members of the Greers Ferry Extension Homemakers Club construct the bags and personalize them with each student's name and painted pictures of his or her interests. The bag includes a letter to parents encouraging them to have a special time to read these and other books to their children. High school students and other guests read favorite childhood books weekly to these young students.

Students in grades two through four who participate in the Gear program selected one book to keep and participated in a reading competition. Those who read the most books received awards. By giving children their own books and reading to them, West Side 4-H Club members hope that the young children will develop an early appreciation for reading that will benefit them throughout their lives.

The expressions on the children's faces as they receive their book bags filled with books tell the whole story. For example, West said that one kindergartener received his book bag, hugged the bag tightly and exclaimed, "This is the best day of my life!"

For more information about GEAR, contact West at westc@westside.afsc.k12.ar.us.

Members of the Korean 4-H Association delegation pose with Jennifer Zaniewski of National 4-H Council on the steps of the National 4-H Youth Conference Center during their visit to Washington, DC.

7-Korean Delegation Learns About 4-H in the United States
(Washington, DC) Ten delegates from the Korea 4-H Association (KPA) made stops at National 4-H Headquarters and National 4-H Council June 25, 2004, during a weeklong study program to learn more about 4-H in the United States.

The group learned how National 4-H Council operates as the private sector partner in support of the 4-H movement and heard about some of its programs and initiatives including those administered through its Strategic Communications and Strategic Initiatives Teams as well as 4-H Afterschool. The group also toured the National 4-H Youth Conference Center.

Following the delegation's visit to Council, the group met with staff at National 4-H Headquarters, Cooperative State Research and Education Service, United States Department of Agriculture to learn how National 4-H Council's federal government partner supports and promotes the 4-H movement nationwide.

The Korea 4-H Association is the national, private sector non-profit organization for 4-H youth development in Korea. KFA promotes and encourages Korean young people to learn through 4-H activities that provide educational training and support, develops curriculum and fosters innovation by working together as catalysts for positive change.

4-H is a community of young people across America who learn leadership, citizenship and life skills. Young people who participate in university-based 4-H programs in their local communities gain these skills through experience-based activities. Visit www.4husa.org to learn more about 4-H and its national partners, National 4-H Headquarters and National 4-H Council.

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

8-FREE Election Resources from ZOOM!
ZOOM, the popular PBS Kids series, is getting kids involved in the democratic process and ZOOMing Out the Vote!

ZOOM's new election guide for kids ages 8-12 makes the case that every vote counts and shows kids how they can increase voter turnout in their community by hosting a voter registration drive. This guide also outlines ways kids can become involved in politics locally and nationally and lists additional resources kids can use to learn more about the US political system.

To order a set of 50 guides for the kids in your program, e-mail a request including your name, title, organization, address, phone, and work e-mail to zoom_intoaction@wgbh.org/ . Packets will be sent in August. Also, check out pbskids.org/zoom in August for downloads and printouts your kids can use to launch their voter registration drive. Let's ZOOM Out the Vote!

9-Recognize the Outstanding Youth in Your Community!
The Nestl?ery Best In Youth program, co-sponsored by Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and Nestl?SA, honors young people ages 10-18 who have made reading a priority, have contributed significantly to the quality of life in their communities, and have inspired other young people to do their very best.

At least 25 winners will be selected. Prizes include a trip with a parent/guardian to Los Angeles for an awards ceremony, a Certificate of Appreciation from Nestl?SA and RIF, a $1,000 donation to the winner's charity of choice, and a profile in the 2005 Very Best In Youth publication.

Nomination forms are available online and must be received by November 1, 2004. For more details, visit www.rif.org/what/eventscontests/verybestinyouth/default.mspx.

If you know a young person who is a good candidate, be sure to tell him or her about the Nestl?ery Best In Youth program and encourage them to participate*. Don't let their exemplary achievements go unnoticed!

*If you or someone you know submits an application, please ask them to mark the "RIF'" box on the nomination form for how they heard about the Nestl?ery Best In Youth program.