4-H NEWS

1-Six Elected to National 4-H Council Board of Trustees

(Washington, DC) The National 4-H Council Board of Trustees has elected six new members who contribute expertise in their respective fields and a passion for 4-H youth development to the national organization.

They are James Borel of Wilmington, DE; Tamira Cole, Jackson, TN; George Foreman, Kingwood, TX; Phil Jones, Chevy Chase, MD; Donald Schriver, Kansas City, MO; and Douglas Steele, Bozeman, MT.

"The National 4-H Council Board of Trustees welcomes our six new members who join us with diverse backgrounds, expertise and interests. The Board continues to enhance the 4-H program with its dedication to youth throughout the nation," said National 4-H Council Board of Trustees Chairman David C. Hardesty, Jr., president, West Virginia University.


James Borel
Currently senior vice president, human resources, Borel has worked for DuPont in Delaware since 1978. Borel graduated from Iowa State University with an agricultural business degree and has dedicated his life to agricultural production. He is a member of the National FFA Foundation Sponsors Board and was chairman for CropLife America.


Tamira Cole
Cole, a junior at Austin-Peay State University in Tennessee, is pursuing her bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Journalism. She is a magna cum laude dean's list scholar and was named to USA Today's All Academic College Team this year. Tamira is a long-time member of 4-H, recently serving as the Tennessee 4-H Foundation's Board of Directors youth director and coordinator.


George Foreman
No stranger to the public, youth advocate George Foreman opened the George Foreman Youth & Community Center in 1984 after retiring from nine years of boxing. He holds the title as the 1977 Heavyweight World Champion and was the 1969 Olympic gold medalist. In 1987 Foreman returned to boxing in part to continue funding his youth center. He won the Heavyweight Champion of the World title again in 1991. He has been a boxing commentator for HBO and was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. Most recently, he received the Children's Miracle Achievement Award and an honorary doctorate from the Houston Graduate School of Theology for his charitable work for children.


Phil Jones
Jones is a former CBS News correspondent. He joined CBS News as a reporter out of Atlanta in 1969. He reported out of the Saigon and Hong Kong bureas in the early 1970s and was part of a CBS news team that won an Emmy Award for their coverage of the Indochine Air War. He joined the Washington Bureau in 1972 during the Watergate scandal. Jones was chief Congressional correspondent for CBS News for 12 years. During Jones tenure at CBS, he covered the Vietnam War, the Nixon resignation, the Clinton impeachment hearings and Arizona Senator John McCain's bid for 2000 presidential bid. He retired from CBS News in 2001.


Donald Schriver
Currently executive vice president of the Dairy Farmers of America, the largest dairy cooperative in the United States, Schriver represents almost 23,000 dairy produce members in 49 states and markets more than 56.5 billion pounds of milk per year. Schriver also has been executive vice president and CEO of Milk Marketing, Inc. and is past chairman of the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Resources Board and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.


Douglas Steele
Steele currently is vice provost and director of the Extension Service at Montana State University. Prior to joining Montana State University, Dr. Steele was assistant director of the 4-H Youth Development Program at Colorado State University. He was a 4-H youth development specialist at Purdue University and has held a variety of Extension positions including director, county agent and subject matter specialist. He is a founding member of the National 4-H Leadership Trust and the recipient of numerous awards including the Superior Service Award from the Cooperative State Research Extension and Education Service, United States Department of Agriculture; the Group Award for Excellence from USDA; and the Distinguished Service Award for National Association of Extension 4-H Agents.

"I continue to be impressed with the strength of our Board as we add such exceptional members. As always, I look forward to working with each of these dedicated individuals as we continue to expand upon the 4-H Youth Development Program," said National 4-H Council President and CEO Donald T. Floyd, Jr.

4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning 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. National 4-H Council is the private sector partner of the 4-H Youth Development Program and its parent, the Cooperative Extension System of the United States Department of Agriculture.
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2-RI 4-H Club Wins National Gardening Contest: Garden Will Be Featured on Zoom!
Submitted by Todd McLeish, University of Rhode Island

(Kingston, RI)--The Little Rhody Ranchers, a 4-H club based in Richmond and Hopkinton, RI, scored a gardening victory as the winner of a national gardening contest for children sponsored by PBS television's Victory Garden program.

The club won in the "group" category. A child in Tampa, FL, won in the "individual" category.

The contest, called Fast Food from the Garden, encouraged children ages 6-12 to grow a vegetable garden so they eat healthy foods and learn that "all fast food doesn't come from the drive-through." For winning the contest, the club will receive a gift basket of gardening tools and the garden will be featured on the PBS children's program Zoom! next spring.

"We're very excited that a Rhode Island 4-H club has earned this tremendous honor," said Marcia Morreira, Children, Youth and Families program leader at the University of Rhode Island's College of the Environment and Life Sciences, which administers the state's 4-H program. "The garden was a great learning experience for the children and a great community service project as well, since all the vegetables were donated to local food pantries."

The winning garden is a 90-by-40 foot plot of land off Mechanic Street in Richmond and adjacent to the Wood River on land owned by the Link family, the newest members of the Little Rhody Ranchers. The club's 25 members selected, planted and harvested the produce: cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, cabbage, green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, musk melon and watermelon, as well as herbs and flowers.

"I think we won in part because we included a large group of kids of many different ages, which fostered a great deal of mentoring between the older kids and the younger ones," said Jennifer Anderson, who serves as co-leader of the club with Kathleen Damicis. "We also made a reasonable selection of species to plant, and we introduced some science to the project, like the use of a rain gauge and thermometer for low-key meteorology and the use of companion plants to demonstrate how some plant species have symbiotic relationships."

In addition to planting, weeding, watering and harvesting, club members kept a garden journal about their experiences during the growing season. After the final crops are harvested this month, the group will plant a winter cover crop of buckwheat and make plans for next spring.

"Next year we plan on doing some garden demonstrations for other kids, which will jive with our goal of practicing more leadership skills," Anderson said.

Club members are Hallie and Emily Anderson; Phillip and Kyle Audette; Jordan, Jessica and Jennifer Damicis; Raymond and Kaitlin Doloff; Sean, Daniel and Rebecca Fitzgerald; Jonathon, Juliette, Abigail and Karen Link; Jacob Marshessault; Natalie and Michael Niemeyer; Allison, Nina, Joey and Nick Palumbo; and Nathan and Justin Tefft.


The Little Rhody Ranchers 4-H Club shows off their garden.
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3-4-Her Youth Journeys to Sarajevo

When Andrew Dunckelman began his 4-H career as a fourth grader, it is doubtful that this Louisiana native expected to one day find himself across the ocean, rubbing elbows with the head of an international bank.

But that is exactly what Dunckelman experienced as one of three American youth who attended the second annual Youth Development and Peace Conference in Sarajevo, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovenia, in September.

The World Bank sponsored the summit in conjunction with the European Youth Forum and the World Organization of the Scout Movement. The event brought together more than 170 youth representatives from 83 countries in an effort to create a plan by which youth organizations and the World Bank can work together to eliminate poverty and promote development on several levels, including advocacy, knowledge and operations.

Dunckelman had the opportunity to meet and dialogue with World Bank Group President James D. Wolfensohn and 40 senior World Bank officials. The conference focused primarily on how to empower young people and enhance youth participation for peace and development. In light of this mission, a participant base was created with youth ages 18-25 experienced in the areas of youth empowerment through their work in youth organizations. Dunckelman was the ideal candidate for this meeting as he is executive director of the National 4-H Youth Directions Council (N4-HYDC).

Dunckelman was excited to see the similarities in how 4-H and the World Bank utilized youth input. It surprised me how much the two organizations mimicked each other in bringing young people to the table, he said. The shared vision of 4-H and the World Bank is that there is tremendous opportunity for young people to bring about change.

The World Bank is starting to build a better understanding of the power of youth, Wolfensohn said. We cannot ignore the fact that half of today's world population is under 24. It is essential that the World Bank and youth organizations work together.

Reflecting on his unique experience, Dunckelman believes that the United States and 4-H together have a two-fold role in influencing world development. Sharing best practices with other countries allows other youth organizations to benefit from already tested models. 4-H's ability to incorporate young people into communities where they learn leadership, citizenship and life skills is just one example of a strong practice that can be seen in the numerous success stories that come out of the organization.

Dunckelman said he believes there is a room for 4-H to take a larger role in advocacy. We need to think about how we can tie into the 4-H experience a chance to learn about developing countries, think about things outside our own experience, and be more conscious about global social issues.

If your club or organization has been working toward global advocacy, email clovercornernews@fourhcouncil.edu with your unique story.


Andrew Dunckelman, third from left, recently attended the second annual Youth Development and Peace Conference in Sarajevo.
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4-4-H Member Runs for Indiana House of Representatives

(Greencastle, IN) Long-time 4-H member Eric Wolfe, 22, currently is seeking the District 44 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives. The 2004 DePauw University graduate is youngest candidate running for a House of Representatives seat in Indiana.

A lifelong resident of District 44, Wolfe grew up in Brazil, IN, and currently resides in Greencastle. If elected, Wolfe will serve more than 61,000 residents of Putnam, northern Clay, eastern Parke, and eastern Vigo counties.

Wolfe was a 4-H member for nine years. He was executive director of the National 4-H Youth Directions Council (N4-HYDC). He co-authored the National 4-H Strategic Plan and co-hosted the National Conversation on Youth Development in the 21st Century. Wolfe also worked as a National 4-H Council marketing associate, serving as the managing editor of Clover Corner News.

In high school, Wolfe created his own community program, Clay County Youth As Resources. The program provides groups of youth, such as 4-H clubs and church groups, the chance to positively change their local communities with community service grants. In 2001, Eric was honored by President George W. Bush and the Points of Light Foundation as a Daily Point of Light for his community service in Indiana and the United States.

Combining his communication arts and sciences degree with his many experiences, Wolfe is able to move toward his political aspirations. He has served as a page for Indiana Representative Susan Crosby and was an intern for U.S. Senator Evan Bayh's Washington, DC, press office. He has also worked on a presidential campaign in New Hampshire and hosted an event for young Washington, DC, professionals with former President Clinton as a guest of honor.

Wolfe's campaign slogan, "A New Generation for Indiana," speaks to the need for younger voices in the legislature. Young adults feel the impact on many issues, but few are represented in Washington, DC. Issues such as job creation, health care, education, and property taxes are on the top of Wolfe's agenda. If I want to raise my family here, the jobs aren't here, Wolfe said. That's why I'm in the race. That's my top priority.

Click here to visit Eric's campaign homepage.


Past 4-H member, Eric Wolfe, is running for Indiana House of Representatives.
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5-Hardesty Receives Highest Honor in West Virginia 4-H

(Morgantown, WV) New National 4-H Council Board of Trustees Chair and West Virginia University President David C. Hardesty, Jr. is a West Virginia 4-H All Star.

Hardesty was surprised with the honor during a dinner commemorating West Virginia 4-H at Blaney House. The dinner was part of events surrounding the fall meeting of the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees.

West Virginia All Stars outgoing Chief Marilyn Dague, and Barby Frankenberry, incoming Chief, presented Hardesty with a West Virginia All Star pin. Hardesty commented that he was deeply honored and looks forward to being part of the organization.

The West Virginia 4-H All Star Award is bestowed upon a 4-H member or leader who has demonstrated a lifetime of service to the 4-H program and to the community. It is the highest honor one can receive in West Virginia 4-H. Hardesty was presented with the award for his support of the 4-H program, as well as for his continual support of Jackson's Mill, the first state 4-H camp in the country. Hardesty is now a life member of the West Virginia 4-H All Stars.

The 4-H All Star program was started in West Virginia in 1920 by William H. Teepi Kendrick, the state 4-H club leader at the time. The program spread to other states, and eight states today have an active All Star program, devoted to the motto Service. The emblem of the 4-H All Stars is a 4-H clover with a red, five-pointed star and a diamond chip.


David C. Hardesty, Jr. honored as West Virginia All Star.
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6-Registration for Citizenship Washington Focus Still Open

Plans for Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) 2005 are underway, and there is still space available for groups to register. Click here for a pre-registration form or email Jeunice Salita-Lim, program planner (301-961-2892).

Weeks available are June 5 - 11, June 19 - 25, July 3 - 9, July 10 - 16 and July 17 - 23.

An exciting new addition to the program this year is the ability for individuals to register for CWF during week seven (July 17 - 23, 2005). CWF Program Assistant staff will serve as the chaperones for this group of individually registered delegates. For more information on this new format, click here or contact one of the CWF Staff Assistants: Stacy Carrell (301-347-3819) or Adam Cassady (301-347-3817).

For more information on the Citizenship Washington Focus program, click here or contact any of the above people. The program schedules, coordinator handbook and registration materials as well as additional information are accessible from the web site.


CWF attendees enjoy a trip to our nation's capital.


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7-Program Assistants needed for Wonders of Washington Program

Are you between the ages of 18 and 23? Have you recently graduated from college or are looking to take a semester off to work? Are you interested in government, political science or youth development? Well, then we have the perfect opportunity for you! Apply today to become a program assistant (PA) at National 4-H Council in Chevy Chase, MD. Positions begin January 31, 2005, and run through mid-May 2005.

As a program assistant, you will lead groups of today's youth into the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and teach them about our nation's history and culture. While on campus, you will greet groups, familiarize them with campus, lead discussions and facilitate workshops. All of these activities occur after a rigorous four-week training period where you will learn more than you ever dreamed possible about our nation's capital and working with youth. During the training period, you will also receive your tour guide license upon successful completion of all the requirements of the D.C.R.A.

The hours of a PA are long, but we reward our staff with free room and board in Warren Hall, the intern house on campus. You also receive a weekly stipend, better than most Washington, DC, interns. Applicants must have excellent communication, leadership and public-speaking skills. Experience in 4-H is not required.

To receive complete application materials, visit our web site at http://www.wowwashington.com. Please send completed application along with cover letter and resume to: Lita Haarer, National 4-H Council, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Questions should be directed to Lita Haarer (301-961-2898). Deadline is November 1, 2004. Don't delay, apply today!


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8-Rural Youth Development Pre-Conference

The Rural Youth Development (RYD) Pre-Conference Workshop will be held Saturday, October 30, 2005, at the NAE4-HA Conference in Oklahoma City, OK.

State 4-H Leaders were invited to this special workshop, along with those who were project directors for RYD 1 or RYD 2 grants. The workshop will focus on the unique needs of rural youth as well as assessing the achievements in the Rural Youth Development program during its first year of funding in three initiative areas: Youth in Governance, 4-H Afterschool and Professional Development.

Keynote Speaker, Daniel Perkins, Ph.D., will start off the morning with a speech and workshop. Perkins, an associate professor in Family/Youth Resiliency and Policy at The Pennsylvania State University, has a wealth of knowledge in rural youth development. His speech, A Broad Introduction into Rural Youth Issues: Landscape of Needs of Rural Youth, will begin the day with a focus on the needs of rural youth and developing programs in this field. He will then lead a workshop that will focus on the best practices to achieve success within rural youth development programs.

Girl Scouts of the USA and Future Farmers of America have also been invited to participate in the pre-conference workshop to allow for future collaboration. Other speakers include a Sustainability Workshop by Tammy Gillespie, CYFAR Project Director of Missouri and Engaging the 4-H Youth Serving Communities: Program Strengths and Opportunities for Rural Youth by Dr. Lynne Borden, Associate Specialist of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Arizona. Also speaking on the program are Dr. Nancy Valentine, National Program Leader for Families, 4-H and Nutrition of CSREES, USDA, and Ms. Denise Streeter, RYD National Project Leader, National 4-H Council.

Sally Miske, Strategic Initiatives Program Leader, National 4-H Council will present the composite achievements from RYD 1 and will present a summation of the opportunities afforded for states/regions to apply for funding under RYD 3.

A copy of the proceedings will be available after the conference. Information on how to obtain a copy will be in the next issue of Clover Corner News.

For more information on Rural Youth Development, contact Joanne Leatherman at jleatherman@fourhcouncil.edu. The workshop has a few spots left for those who would like to participate. Click here for more information, and scroll down to find out about the RYD Pre-Conference Workshop.
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9-Photography Curriculum Update

National 4-H Council is preparing to revise and update the photography curriculum, which is one of the most popular project series in 4-H. We are working with Bob Horton, 4-H curriculum specialist at The Ohio State University. Horton will be coordinating this effort in cooperation with a national committee. If you are interested in contributing to this project, please contact Horton at 614-292-6942 and/or at Horton.2@osu.edu.
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10-Lights on Afterschool! Comes to a Close

Six thousand events celebrated the fifth annual Lights On! Afterschool day on Thursday, October 14, 2005.

The purpose of Lights On! Afterschool is to emphasize the critical importance of keeping after school programs' lights on and doors open. Speakers at events across the nation warned that tight budgets are endangering after school programs around the country, forcing many to cut back or even close their doors. With participation from 4-H Afterschool programs as well, it was the only event across the nation to celebrate after school and inform the public about after school programs that keep kids safe, help working families and improve academic achievement.

Lights On Afterschool! is a project of the Afterschool Alliance. The Afterschool Alliance is a non-profit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to afterschool programs by the year 2010. The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is the national presenting sponsor. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is national chair of Lights On Afterschool! The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a national sponsor of the event and additional support is provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Open Society Institute.

Thank you to all who participated this year! We hope to have an even larger turnout next year with more fun afterschool games and activities. More information on the Alliance and Lights On Afterschool! is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.


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RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

11-Make a Difference Day is Tomorrow!

Make A Difference Day began with a simple idea: Put your own cares on hold for one day to care for someone else. Now in its 13th year, the nation's largest single day of volunteering has hit its stride. Join The national day of doing good on October 23, 2004 with your 4-H club. To find an event near you or to register your event, click here.
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12-In Search of the Perfect Christmas Tree

The National Christmas Tree Association is hosting a contest for youth to submit pictures of their perfect Christmas tree and why it is special to them. Prizes include $5,000-$10,000 scholarships, an all-expense paid trip for four to Orlando, FL, and an all-expense paid trip for four to Pigeon Forge, TN. Deadline for entry is 11:59PM, December 31, 2004. Click here for complete details and registration.
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13-Good Knight Network

The Good Knight Castle Museum is open in the Washington, DC/Maryland region for fun and educational programs. Those not in the region can enjoy their Leadership Mentoring Materials. For more information on the museum or materials, click here.
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