4-H News:

4-H Campfire Stories Needed to Share Nationwide

National 4-H Council needs stories about exceptional youth who are making a difference through 4-H. We’re looking for outstanding leaders, unique activities and other stories that we can develop to tell the story of 4-H Afterschool across the country. For example, there’s a Brazilian 4-H Dance Troupe in California, and a 4-H teen in Kentucky who raises money to outfit police dogs with bulletproof vests.

Do you know of a story that’s interesting, inspiring or unique? You don’t have to write it, just call us and talk—we’ll do the rest. Repeat, you don’t have to write it!

A short conversation will go a long way towards promoting 4-H across the country. It helps increase awareness of the good 4-H does for our youth, and ensures continued funding for our programs. So please take a minute, think about all the great things 4-Hers and 4-H programs do, and TELL US!

Email or call Gretchen Hilburger at wow@fourhcouncil.edu or 301-961-2829.
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Twenty-one 4-H Members Nationally Recognized by Prudential

(Washington, DC) - Twenty-one 4-H members across America were honored last month as 2005 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards State Honorees. These awards honor young people in middle level and high school grades for outstanding volunteer service to their communities.

During the recognition ceremony, General Powell (Ret.) spoke to the awardees. “Make service an integral part of your life,” Powell said. “Thank you for what you are doing for your community. Thank you for what you are doing for our nation.”

Stephen Galloway, an eight-grader from Felton, DE and member of the Westfield 4-H Club, attended the recognition ceremonies at the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of History in Washington, DC. He has collected over 2,000 hygenic items including toothbrushes and soap, for Adopt-a-Family. Joining him were Dr. Jan Seitz, Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware, and Joy Sparks, Delaware State 4-H Coordinator.

The twenty-one 4-H members who were honored are: Caitlyn Hammersley from Battle Ground, WA; Amanda Pittmon from Bossier City, LA; Delaney Sweeney from Sounder, MO; Margaret Fazenbaker from Alamogordo, NM; Lindsey Plourde from Candia, NH; Tyler McGee from Apple Valley, CA; Holly Poort from Malvern, IA; Michelle Rydell from Vermillion, SD; Kayla Martell from Milford, DE; Jami Harper from Grand Island, NE; Shilo Summers from Monongah, WV; Kelsey Marsolek from Independence, WI; Katie Ridenour from Farmington, WV; Stephen Galloway from Felton, DE; Tanya Hamner from Lyman, WY; Craig Peden from Henderson, KY; John-Henry Lambin from Gardnerville, NV; Greg Tusa from Alpha, MN; Jeff Wald from Maddock, ND; Landon Bergner from Holyoke, CO and Barry Hill from Duchesne, UT.

You can read more on each of these amazing 4-H members by clicking here.

Two young Americans—one high school student and one middle-level student—in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are named State Honorees each year at the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. The Honorees each receive $1,000 awards, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created in 1995 by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). The awards constitute the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteering. Over the past ten years, the program has honored more than 60,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.

Craig Peden, KY, and Stephen Galloway, DE, show off their Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

4-H members who received the 2005 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.
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Goshen 4-H Yard Sale and Trash Clean Up
By Kelly James, Goshen 4-H Club member, Montgomery County, Md.

On April 16, 2005 the Goshen 4-H club in Montgomery County, Maryland hosted a yard sale and trash clean up in their community. The club members collected items from their houses and sold them at the yard sale. The money they raised went to the Adopt-A-Social Worker program of Montgomery County, Maryland. Social workers came to the yard sale to talk to the 4-H club about child abuse prevention and foster care. All the items that were not sold were donated to Goodwill, which gave the program vouchers to spend in the store other things they may need.

Katherine Irons, Candice and Joseph Cameron helped to sell food, such as hot dogs, doughnuts, coffee and lemonade. Other members of the club joined with their parents to help pick up trash on Goshen School Road. Although the long hours in the sun seemed to take forever, it was worth the hard work. The Adopt-a-Road program added the club's name on the street sign.

Goshen 4-H club member Emily Stubbs said, “It was a lot of fun, helping out the community is very rewarding. We were able to earn community service hours for our schools and feel good about helping people. The Adopt-A-Social worker program helps children that need to leave their homes for various reasons. I think this is a great cause.”

On June 9th, the club presented a check for $800.00 and some Goodwill vouchers to the Adopt-A-Social Worker program.

Members of the Goshen 4-H Club pick up trash in their community.
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4-H Beekeeping Essay Rules Available

The 2006 topic for the 4-H Beekeeping Essay Contest sponsored by the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees is “Honey Bees in Art and Culture.” Essayists are invited to examine the roles not only of honey bees but also of honey and beeswax in art and culture.

4-H offices who did not receive the 2006 essay rules, should contact Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees, P.O. Box 1317, Jesup, GA 31598, e-mail: foundation@abfnet.org.

In the 2005 contest, Daniel Snyder of Crystal Springs, MS, won first place; second was Olivia Vacca, of Roundup, MT; and third was Kassi Nelson of Greenbrier, AR.
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Be Environment Friendly on goCyberCamp

As kids have fun in the sun at picnics and parks, have them learn to help keep picnic areas and parks clean through the Recycle Race at the Meadow on goCyberCamp! Recycle Race is an interactive activity where kids clean up a picnic site by placing recyclable items in the correct bins. It's a fun way to learn how to recycle paper, glass, and plastics, as well as how recycling protects the environment!

You can continue the fun by engaging kids with any of these hands-on activities:
- What's bio-de-gradable? Learn how to identity things that are biodegradable.
- New Soil Old Worms: Discover productive uses for food garbage than throwing it away!
- Recycling Paper: Understand why and how to recycle paper.

Background information about recycling and more ideas on creating a "summer fun" program with goCyberCamp are available at the Caregiver Club at http://www.gocybercamp.org. For more information, please contact sindh001@umn.edu or 612-625-9771.
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Resources and Opportunities:

Impact of Service-Learning on High School Students’ Civic Engagement

CIRCLE released a new study on the effects of service-learning. The study shows that young people involved in service-learning are more likely to vote and enjoy school. You can find out more about the report by downloading it from CIRCLE's Web site at http://www.civicyouth.org/research/areas/serv_learn.htm
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New Tools Help Organizations Work with Youth

Two user-friendly tool kits help community organizations work with young people and conduct successful evaluations of community-change work. Developed by the Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development, the tool kits are Reflect and Improve and Learning and Leading. They build on the Innovation Center's experience working with local groups to involve youth, build community and strengthen organizations.

For more information and to view excerpts, visit the Innovation Center's website at www.theinnovationcenter.org. The Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development connects thinkers and leaders of all ages to develop fresh ideas, forge new partnerships, and design strategies that engage young people and their communities.
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