4-H News:

Operation: Military Kids Honored on Capitol Hill

Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) hosted the national launch of Operation: Military Kids on April 6, 2005. Operation: Military Kids (OMK) is a national collaborative effort established to support children and youth of deployed National Guard and Reserve soldiers, who often live far away from military installations that provide support to families of other deployed troops.

CSREES - National 4-H Headquarters supports OMK activities to create community support networks for children of deployed parents before, during, and after their parent's deployment.

Being a military kid all of a sudden is, plain and simple, a tough situation, said Grassley. The Global War on Terror and the activation of so many National Guard and Reserve service members has touched communities across our country. It is imperative that we, as Americans, show our support for military children and families. Connecting them with programs in their communities, such as Operation: Military Kids, is an important way to help, said Grassley.

When National Guard, Army Reserve, and other military parents living in civilian communities are mobilized, their children's lives suddenly change. Now they are suddenly military, but they still look the same to teachers, friends, and the rest of the community. Many of their usual support systems may no longer be adequate, and they need to connect with other youth who are facing similar situations to help them cope with their new world.

OMK teams have been established in 20 states affected by the deployments. Led by state 4-H military liaisons, OMK state teams are working to help citizens understand the impact the global war on terrorism has on the children of citizen soldiers. The goal is to involve these suddenly military youth in peer support groups and provide a variety of deployment outreach services that will help reduce the tension on them and their families. Specific actions of the OMK project include:
create community support networks for military youth when soldier parents are deployed;
deliver recreation, social, and educational programs for military youth living in civilian communities;
support military kids coping with the stress of knowing their deployed parents may be in harm's way;
collaborate with schools to ensure that staff are attuned to the unique needs of military students;
educate the public on the impact of the deployment cycle on soldiers, families, kids, and the community as a whole; and
become a part of the ongoing 4-H program in the locations where there are military families.

Grassley's involvement with OMK began last year in Iowa when, at a women's conference he was hosting, the spouse of a National Guard soldier spoke on a volunteer panel about the work she and her family had done with OMK.

Her view that day was an inspiration to many, and her comments brought to light that children of guard and reserve units face tough issues, said Grassley. I'm proud to be part of the national launch [of OMK], proud of being an Iowan leading the way, and last, but not least, I'm proud of the military men and women leading the way to win the war on terror.

The reception highlighted the work of the OMK state teams and included testimony from youth impacted by OMK, representatives of the National Guard and Reserve, and partner organizations.

Gary Ashcroft, whose father Robert is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve in Georgia, spoke about his involvement with OMK first as a 4-H'er and then as a military kid after his father had been deployed.

It's more than just a program to many in our nation; it's a sense of existence that helps fill a gap by filling the void left by a parent's deployment, he said.

Ashcroft first became involved with OMK as a participant in Speak Out for Military Kids, a component of OMK that raises awareness among those in the community about the unique issues children of Guard and Reserve members face. Ashcroft said he received great satisfaction from his work, most notably speaking at the National 4-H Conference, because he was able to raise awareness among over 300 youth delegates who can share the message with the 7 million youth involved in 4-H programs.

After his father was deployed, the program took on a whole new meaning to Ashcroft and his family.

I realized Operation: Military Kids had much to offer me and my siblings, he said. OMK was able to provide links to other teens who had shared his experiences and others who were able to support him. It provides a network of support and shines a light on the often gloomy life of military kids, he said.

OMK is a joint collaborative project in which CSREES partners with U.S. Army Child and Youth Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Military Child Education Coalition, and the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies.

Cathann Kress, Director, CSREES National 4-H Headquarters, explained that the unique partnership between the USDA and the Department of Defense is not new, but OMK is another way of strengthening the bonds between the two departments. During WWI, 4-H'ers were involved in increasing food production as part of Food for Freedom, and in WWII, 4-H'ers planted Victory Gardens, sold war bonds, and collected scrap iron. She said today, this partnership is working to create a safety net to the children of deployed troops and helps 4-H youth learn what it means to shoulder the responsibilities as citizens of a free society.

Brigadier General Ronald Young of the National Guard Bureau Joint Staff stressed the importance of the program to the National Guard. He compared the readiness of the National Guard to a 3-legged stool, with each leg representing the soldier, employer, and family.

Each leg is level and balanced, and if not, then you aren't ready to do your job. This program and its ability to provide outreach to our geographically dispersed children is vital to National Guard family readiness, he said.

Linda Smith, executive director of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), said NACCRRA was involved in OMK by providing free child care for families when the deployed parent comes home on rest and recuperation leave.

The response of volunteers shows how much this country cares and supports what [the military] is doing, she said.

For more information contact Sherri Wright, CSREES Families, 4-H and Nutrition National Program Leader, (202) 720-5075, swright@csrees.usda.gov or visit the OMK Web site at http://www.operationmilitarykids.org.


Senator Grassley (right) receives an OMK heropack from Michael Cooley. The heropacks, created during the 75th National 4-H Conference, will be given to soldiers.

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4-H Youth Speak Out

Thirty 4-H youth from across Montgomery County, Maryland gathered Saturday, April 9, 2005 to compete in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest at the Montgomery County Cooperative Extension Office. The contest consisted of four categories: Prepared Speech, Extemporaneous, Radio Spot and Interpretations, with competitions in the three age groups: Intermediates, Juniors, and Seniors. The county contest took place just a few weeks before Regionals, where the top two in each category and each age group will go up against other speech experts from across the state.

Throughout the hours of the morning and into the early afternoon, 4-Hers could be found preparing for their contest time wandering the halls and sitting in side rooms practicing, scribbling away on note cards, and talking to themselves. Speech topics ranged from more serious issues such as Alzheimer's to lighter issues such as friendship and how to be a good friend. Some youth focused on their own experiences with farm animals and the county fair.

Chris Perdue of Derwood, Maryland, won a blue ribbon for his Intermediate Prepared Speech about giving speeches. A 4-Her for almost seven years, Chris began public speaking five years ago. His light-hearted speech focused on how to give a terrible speech. People grasp what you should do if they hear what you shouldn't do, expressed the twelve-year-old. Chris and his two sisters all competed on Saturday.

The program ran smoothly thanks to the help of John Wells, Public Speaking Chair & Program Coordinator, also Director of Cooperative Development at USDA, and Alga Piechocinski, Extension Educator for 4-H Youth Development in Montgomery County. John shares, Through public speaking we're encouraging young people to develop self-confidence and speaking skills. 4-H is great at doing that in a fun and non-threatening way. He explained how this year they decided to bring the event back to a one-county event instead of a two-county event, as it had been in years past with a partnership with nearby Howard County.

Amanda Beall, a former 4-Her from Damascus who now attends the University of Maryland, was one of eight judges listening to the speeches. My own experience of doing public speaking in 4-H helped with college and job experiences. The youth today need to keep doing what they're doing and gain experience in speaking, and they'll do great in life. Judges gave the contestants feedback and input on how to improve at the end. With all the preparation and advice, other counties in the state will have some competition later in the month at Regionals.


Three Montgomery County 4-H youth pose after competing in the annual 4-H speech contest in Derwood, Maryland on Saturday, April 9, 2005. Left to right, Kaylene Lyons, 12, of Olney, Maryland, Mallory McGolrick, 14 of Damascus, Maryland, Sophia Reaves, 14, of Germantown, Maryland. All three performed Extemporaneous presentations, and Sophia also competed in the Radio Spot category.

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Free SARE Teleconference Informational Session

National 4-H Headquarters, CSREES, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is sponsoring two free teleconference informational sessions in order for youth development researchers and practitioners to learn more about the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program. The goals of the informational sessions are:

To learn more about the SARE Program and opportunities for funding support
To learn about the SARE Program's relevance to youth development researchers and practitioners
To learn about one of the SARE-funded programs and how support from SARE was a catalyst for other funding support

Invited guests include Jill Auburn, SARE Director at CSREES, USDA, and Gretchen Ferenz, Senior Extension Associate, Cornell University Cooperative Extension-NYC, and one of the Principal Investigators of Garden Mosaics, a SARE-funded program. The sessions are limited to 45 people per each session and are scheduled for April 18, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., EST and April 25, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., EST. For more detailed instructions for the informational session, including how to register for a session, please read below:

1. Space is limited to 45 people in each of the two sessions; therefore, registration is required in order to participate. To register, please send an e-mail to SAREINFO@csrees.usda.gov, indicating which session you would like to participate in and which state or region you are from. We will register participants for each of the sessions on a first come, first served basis.
2. After your registration is confirmed, you will receive an e-mail with the teleconference call-in number.
3. Please review the following two websites prior to the informational session: http://www.sare.org/ and http://www.gardenmosaics.org
4. Please e-mail any questions that you have about applying for SARE grants and about the Garden Mosaics program to SAREINFO@csrees.usda.govSAREINFO@csrees.usda.gov 5. During the teleconference, please use the mute button on your telephone so that the conference participants do not hear any background noise in your office.

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Resources and Opportunities:

The Global Solutions Summer Games Contest

Contest Description:
Citizens for Global Solutions is holding a contest for Flash enthusiasts, internet gamers and anyone else who is interested in creating fun website games about international issues.

The Real Deal:
We're looking for simple games that can be played on-line with plugins such as Flash or Shockwave.
Theme: Global problems need positive solutions - Visit our site for game ideas!
Any game that we put up on our Website will automatically receive a $300 cash prize. We'll choose up to 8 games for our site.
We are looking for games about international issues that people will find amusing, creative, or humorous enough to make an impact!

Prizes:
All entrants who submit a game chosen for final selection will automatically win $300. Up to eight games will be chosen for this year's Summer Games Contest. We've put together a panel of judges made up of Global Solutions activists, staff, and members who will pick the winning games from among all submissions.

Deadline: June 15, 2005

There are some other submission guidelines and a few rules on our Website; give them a look! http://www.globalsolutions.org/games

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Bank of America Commences Second Year of Neighborhood Excellence Initiative

Deadline: June 30, 2005

Bank of America Charitable Investments has commenced the second year of its Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, designating an additional $17 million to recognize, nurture, and reward organizations, local heroes, and student leaders helping to rebuild and revitalize their communities in 38 of the bank's major markets across the United States.

Working with community partners, Bank of America developed the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative to provide the participating markets with support through three distinct programs:
1) Neighborhood Builders: $200,000 in grant funding and leadership training over the course of two years to two local nonprofit organizations working to promote vibrant neighborhoods. The combination of operating support and leadership training is designed to help strengthen the capacity and infrastructure of the selected organizations and promote the professional development of their leaders.
2) Local Heroes: Recognition of five community heroes whose achievements and leadership on local issues contributes significantly to neighborhood vitality. Recipients will direct a $5,000 contribution to an eligible nonprofit of their choice and will be honored at a public ceremony.
3) Student Leaders: Development of five high school students in their junior or senior years who are exemplary young people with an interest in improving their neighborhoods. To further their personal and educational growth, each student will participate in an eight-week paid summer internship with a community-based organization, as well as a mentorship program arranged by Bank of America.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as early as possible. Program guidelines, application and nomination materials, and the list of participating communities are available at the Bank of America Web site.
RFP Link:
http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1246/BoA

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Presidential Freedom Scholarships Available

Deadline: July 1, 2005

The Presidential Freedom Scholarships are designed to promote student service and civic engagement. Students from every high school in the United States are eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship through the program in honor of their outstanding service to the community.

The annual college scholarship program, which will award up to 7,800 scholarships, is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service's Learn and Serve America (http://www.learnandserve.org/) program. Since 1997, over 37,000 students from every state in the nation, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Department of Defense overseas schools have been recognized.

Nominations are open to high school juniors or seniors during the 2004-05 academic year. The scholarship program provides $500 of the award, which must be matched with at least $500 from a community organization, civic group, or business.

Students who complete at least 100 hours of community service, either through a school-based service-learning program or independently through service at a nonprofit or faith-based organization, are eligible to receive the scholarship.

The early notification deadline for certifications is April 1, 2005, which will enable schools to recognize their scholarship recipients at their high school awards ceremony, if applicable. The final postmark deadline is July 1, 2005.

Complete program information and certification forms are available at the Corporation for National and Community Service Web site.
RFP Link: http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/1247/freedom

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