4-H NEWS

Don Floyd Featured in Afterschool Alliance's Newsletter

(Washington, DC) - National 4-H Council President and CEO Donald T. Floyd recently conducted an interview with the Afterschool Alliance for their newsletter, the Afterschool Advocate.

The Afterschool Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of after-school programs and advocating for quality, affordable programs for all children. It is supported by a group of public, private and non-profit organizations that share the Afterschool Alliance's vision of ensuring that all children have access to after-school programs by 2010.

Read the interview here.
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4HUSA.org Calls for State Representatives
Submitted by Hayley Trahan-Liptak, 4HUSA Web Crew

Are you constantly asked What is 4-H?? Do you want to communicate to others about how great 4-H is Here's your opportunity.

The 4HUSA Web Crew Content Team is searching for State 4HUSA.ORG Representatives from each state and territory to be responsible for their state or territory's content on 4HUSA.ORG. State 4HUSA.ORG Representatives will be responsible for gathering and submitting their state or territory's 4-H news, links and calendar events; helping with message board threads; and promoting 4HUSA.ORG within their respective states.

Once appointed, State 4HUSA.ORG Representatives will serve as their state's liaison to the 4HUSA Web Crew, and they will have close communication with one of three 4HUSA Web Crew Chief Regional Representatives.

These positions are open to all 4-H youth who are ages 15 to 22. Interested 4-Hers should contact their State 4-H Offices to inquire about the position. Please direct any questions to webcrew@4husa.org.


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New National 4-H Council Board of Trustees Chairman David C. Hardesty Visits Council

(Washington, DC) New National 4-H Council Board of Trustees Chair David C. Hardesty, Jr., President of West Virginia University, told National 4-H Council associates that 4-H makes his job as a land-grant university president much easier. Hardesty made his comments during his visit to the National 4-H Youth Conference Center on Wednesday.

4-H truly is a unique organization with such an expansive size and scope for change, Hardesty said. "Your jobs are so important. The future of America rides on our jobs," Hardesty said of the role every 4-H staff member plays in the lives of the young people the 4-H youth development movement serves.

"But don't underestimate the importance of the volunteers," he said. "They have an enormous allegiance to 4-H. They are truly special. With over 600,000 volunteers in 4-H, they are the ones that help us do our jobs."

Relating to his role as a university president, Hardesty recounted the numerous 4-Hers that have come through West Virginia University. "The quality of the students that come to college is determined by what has happened in their lives beforehand. 4-H makes my job easy. Our world would have so many fewer problems if every child was involved in 4-H," Hardesty said.

Hardesty also was in Washington Wednesday to speak to more than 150 Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service employees about the challenges of leadership. He addressed new national program leaders, deans, Extension directors and experiment station directors at two workshops hosted by the Land-Grant University Partnership Working Group as a part of the National Association of State Universities & Land Grant Colleges.


National 4-H Council Board Chair David Hardesty talks with National 4-H Council Associate Wawa Ngenge.
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Louisiana 4-H Members Make a Difference With Bow-Wows and Meows
Submitted by Becky Owen, Louisiana Morehouse Parish Extension Agent

(Morehouse Parish, LA) Louisiana 4-H members rolled up their sleeves and opened their hearts to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of dogs and cats on the annual volunteer day of the same name. While millions of Americans were participating in USA Weekend magazine's Make A Difference Day on October 23, 2004, Morehouse Parish 4-H members were putting the final flourish on their own weeks of preparation.

In anticipation for the event, 4-H members began collecting food items, treats and cleaning supplies for the Bastrop Animal shelter in Bastrop, LA. On the day of the event, several Morehouse Parish 4-H members took more than 500 donated items to the animal shelter. heir hard work and compassion did not go unnoticed, as the director of the Bastrop Animal Shelter, Mrs. Turpin, referred to this contribution as the biggest donation that had been received in her many years of running the shelter.

Six parish 4-H clubs, along with numerous businesses, family and community educator clubs and 4-H leaders and volunteers donated to this cause. We hope to make parish residents more aware of the service the Bastrop Animal Shelter provides and get more organizations involved in helping the needs of the shelter, said Becky Owen, Morehouse Parish 4-H Agent. She said she was proud that the 4-H youth and others reached out to help the shelter.

Make A Difference Day is the largest community service effort in the nation, rallying corporations, government leaders, charitable organizations and everyday Americans into action on one day. Millions of Americans participate by spending the day doing volunteer projects to improve their communities and help neighbors in need. It is sponsored by USA Weekend Magazine in conjunction with the Points of Light Foundation.

For more information on how YOU can make a difference, visit Make A Difference Day.


Louisiana 4-H Clubs make a difference for local animals.
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National 4-H Headquarters National Program Leader, Allan T. Smith, Retires

(Washington, DC) - Most of us cannot imagine 4-H in the United States without Allan Smith.

Dr. Cathann Kress, director, youth development, National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, USDA, first made the statement echoed by many of Dr. Smith's co-workers at his retirement party at USDA Headquarters on Tuesday that is perhaps the best way to sum up his 34-year career in the youth development profession.

Described as a passionate character with fierce dedication to youth development, Smith, who is retiring from his post as national program leader at National 4-H Headquarters, leaves behind a legacy that will certainly continue to impact the 4-H organization in the years to come.

In his 34 years of service to the youth development profession, Smith has been instrumental in numerous committees and initiatives and is perhaps best known for his role in initiating the National 4-H Curriculum Jury process that now insures the highest quality standards for 4-H curriculum and programs.

Allan is deeply passionate about contemporary curriculum and making sure kids have meaningful, exciting projects, said Dr. Mary McPhail Gray, deputy administrator, Families, 4-H and Nutrition, CSREES, USDA.

Smith also was a founding member of the National 4-H Leadership Trust. Don Floyd, president and CEO of National 4-H Council, described Smith as one of the key voices in making the Leadership Trust a reality.

Smith has worked at USDA since 1981. As a national program leader, Smith currently provides leadership on behalf of National 4-H Headquarters to 4-H curriculum development, enrollment reporting, impact assessment and national competitive events.

Smith said his favorite work-related 4-H memory is the time that he participated in a special session to train all the camp counselors for the eight Missouri State 4-H camps at the time. We really put them through it, and they were such wonderful kids, Smith said.

The years of hard work have not depleted Smith's energy and enthusiasm for life. He is looking forward to filling his days with woodworking, genealogy and tours of the National Parks. His dream is to visit all of the National Parks he's two-thirds of the way there.

I can't wait! Once you get your arms wrapped around a specific goal in this case, retirement you focus on it, and it looks better and better, Smith smiled.


Allan Smith and his family cut cake at his retirement party.
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NAE4-HA Award Honors Dr. Allan Smith

An Interactive 4-H Educational Website Award is being established through NAE4-HA to honor Dr. Allan Smith, retiring national program leader, CSREES, USDA, for his years of commitment to youth through the 4-H program.

Through this award, a national team will be recognized for developing web sites which motivate youth, spurs action and embeds critical thinking and decision making activities.

To make contributions to the Allan Smith Interactive 4-H Educational Website Award please make checks payable to "National 4-H Activities Foundation" and note Allan Smith Retirement in the memo. Mail to: National 4-H Council, Attn: Cathy Jackson, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
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Cornell Cooperative Extension on Display at the Albany International Airport

(Albany, NY) - Holiday travelers stopping at the Albany International Airport this year will be treated to more than long lines and delays as they make their way through the airport's busy terminals. The airport's Art & Culture Program provides opportunities to local museums, cultural institutions and organizations in the region to showcase their collections, programs and services in the airport's terminals.

One of seven participants in the program, Cornell Cooperative Extension enjoys a prominent place in the airport, piquing the interest of more than a few passersby. The display was conceptualized by the CCE Capital Region Marketing Committee and submitted as a written proposal to the competitive program. Once selected, CCE provided the copy, graphics, logos, high resolution photographs and objects for the display cases to the airport. Graphic designers for the Art & Culture program created the display panels and cases for the exhibit.

The display, a $10,000 investment from the Arts & Culture program, will be exhibited for one year, after which it will be the property of Cornell Cooperative Extension. CCE plans to utilize the exhibit as a traveling display that various counties can use at major community events, county and state fairs and in public buildings and community centers. They also are exploring the possibility of exhibiting the display at the newly-remodeled local train station and other public transportation venues.

Please contact Emily Schmidt, marketing and technology coordinator, Saratoga County Cooperative Extension Association and chair of the CCE Capital Region Marketing Committee, for more information on the display.


The Albany Airport showcases New York 4-H and the Cooperative Extension Service.
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Metlife Foundation N4-HYDC Youth Leadership Grants Available in 2005

The Metlife Foundation, National 4-H Youth Directions Council and National 4-H Council invite current and former N4-HYDC members to partner with adults in their communities to propose projects for 12 new grants of $3000 each in the 2005 calendar year.

The underlying concept of the 4-H Youth in Governance initiative regards young people as necessary, fully engaged participants in their communities. Rather than seeing young people as future citizens or future leaders, this initiative believes youth are capable individuals who contribute in meaningful, authentic ways to the organizations and communities where they live, learn, work and play.

Youth in Governance can be further defined as a range of youth leadership and decision-making experiences that ultimately result in youth becoming equal partners in leadership and authentic decision-making that affects their lives. Examples include youth participation as full and equal members on county boards, school boards, city commissions, foundation boards, state or national committees and other civic bodies.

Applications are due Friday, January 14, 2005, and all work required by the grant should be completed by December 1, 2005. The primary work supported by the grant should be Youth in Governance/Youth in Decision-Making trainings, designed to reach 300-500 youth and adults. Since many communities need to conduct research and environmental scanning to prepare for these kinds of trainings, work of this type is acceptable as long as the trainings also are accomplished in the time period described.

Youth must be actively involved in the creation and implementation of the proposal, and a youth (age 21 or younger) is asked to serve as one of two primary contacts for the grant application.

For full information, including the application, click here. Call or email Karen Blaney (301-961-2891) with questions.
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Youth and Adult Judges Needed for Healthy Lifestyles Proposals

Both youth and adults volunteers are sought for judging Healthy Lifestyles proposals for local 4-H and Extension educational programs focusing on confronting and reversing the climbing trends of youth overweight and obesity. The 20 grants of $7,500 per site are offered by National 4-H Council with funding provided from Kraft Foods, Inc. and Cargill, Inc. Participating in a national 4-H program judging is a great leadership experience and gives you the opportunity to work with others across the country.

Judges will operate as youth-adult teams with one youth and two adults each. Interested youth must between 14 and 18 years old, have strong reading and writing skills and previous experience working with 4-H adult volunteers. Experience or interest in healthy lifestyles subject matter (foods, health, etc.) is helpful but not necessary.

Judging will be done between January 18 and February 8, 2005. Each team will evaluate 30-35 submitted proposals, using a scorecard that will be provided. The scores are submitted to National 4-H Council and tallied. The review process will end with a conference call among all judging team members and a National 4-H Council facilitator to discuss the grant proposals to determine which are funded. The estimated time commitment depends on the number of proposals submitted, but typically a judge can expect to commit one-half to one full day (eight hours) for reviewing and up to two hours for the conference call.

To apply, send your contact information (name, youth or adult status, professional title and employer (if applicable), address, phone and fax number, e-mail address and year in school-major-school attending (if a youth). Also needed are the following: 1) Information about applicable volunteer position(s) and/or participation in community-professional organizations; 2) How you heard about this opportunity and why you are interested; and 3) A brief statement of no more than 100 words about what in your background would make you a valuable member of the Selection Committee. Please email this information to JoAnne Leatherman.

Applications will be accepted until positions are filled or by December 28, 2004, whichever comes first. If a group that you are active with is applying, you will not be able to participate as a judge.

For more information about judging or about the Healthy Lifestyles grant program, please email or call (301-961-2870) JoAnne Leatherman, Program Coordinator.
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RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

National Youth Service Day Grants Still Available

This is a reminder that hundreds of grants are available right now to support National Youth Service Day projects. Click here for more information on these grants and additional grants sponsored by DisneyHand, Youth Venture, and NEA.
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