4-H News:

Mississippi 4-H Seeks New Coats for Youth Affected by Hurricane Katrina

With the onset of cold weather, young people along the Mississippi Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina urgently need new coats.

Through Operation 4-H Relief, Mississippi 4-H is asking individuals and businesses to provide new coats for youth from toddlers to teens. Mississippi 4-H is soliciting, receiving and working with Mississippi State University to distribute items that will go to all needy children along the Mississippi Coast. Youth also need new sweaters, socks, sweatshirts, headwear and blankets. The need is for new items because Mississippi 4-H cannot clean, prepare and deliver used items in time.

Louisiana 4-H reports no need for coats, but Clover Corner News and 4husa.org will continue to report on any requests from 4-H programs for help for those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

“Our group that went to the coast today returned basically in tears. They carried 300 coats and found they were short 2,500 just at one school. As warm as the coast is in the summer, winters are cold and the wind and moisture magnify the discomfort. Children are sitting in makeshift class rooms shivering through the day. They go home to small FEMA trailers and in some cases tents,” said Mississippi State 4-H Development Officer Morris Houston in a November 18 e-mail he sent to 4-H foundation directors.

Individual donations of coats or other items should be sent to Operation 4-H Relief, Mississippi 4-H, Bost Building, Mississippi State University, 39762. Monetary donations designated for the purchase of coats or any of the other items also will be accepted. All donations are tax deductible.

Those who might know of businesses that might want to donate a large of number of coats as a way to get rid of old stock can contact Houston directly at 601-829-3611 or mhouston@ext.msstate.edu.
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Kansas 4-H Project Aids Louisiana, Pets

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—Eleven 4-H members from Johnson and Leavenworth counties wanted to contribute to hurricane relief but do more than raise money or send a check.

To look for opportunities, Beth Hecht, Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development agent in Leavenworth County, checked the Internet and happened across Bow Wow and Meow Day in Morehouse Parish, La. The project, which replenishes supplies for a storm-stricken animal shelter, offered an opportunity for Kansas 4-Hers to work alongside Louisiana 4-Hers.

All but one of the Kansas City 4-Hers are in high school and all participate in the Kansas River Youth Leadership Program (KRYL), so Hecht shared the project idea with Al Davis, K-State Research and Extension 4-H youth development agent in Johnson County and co-coordinator of KRYL, and the Kansas City 4-Hers.

While KRYL typically pairs young adults in the Kansas City metropolitan area with service learning opportunities in the area, the young adults began gathering supplies so they'd be ready to go to Louisiana on October 22. The date was selected to coordinate with National Make a Difference Day, designated by USA WEEKEND magazine.

In the weeks leading up to October 22, the Kansas 4-Hers collected nearly 6,000 pounds of dog and cat food, more than 3,000 pounds of kitty litter, 76 gallons of bleach, 23 dog houses and hundreds of pet products such as collars, leashes, feed dishes and pet toys, said Hecht, who, with Davis, helped the teens load the supplies and deliver them to Morehouse Parish, La.

For example, Kansas 4-H member James Bailey of Leavenworth County positioned himself near the main entrance of a supermarket that also sold pet supplies. He passed out a flyer about the 4-H project to shoppers entering the store but also collected donations such as bags of dog food from them as they exited. Wes Squire, a 4-H member from Johnson County, sought donations from local businesses, such as the A&M Company, which donated a pallet of kitty litter.

While in Louisiana, 4-H members from both states worked together to come up with proposals to help sustain the shelter, Hecht said. Their suggestions included adding teens to the shelter board to bring in a new interest group and to add volunteers. They also suggested initiating a penny drive throughout the school system.

Getting involved helps children and teens identify with their community and feel a sense of pride and ownership that often can lead to a lifelong commitment to community. "Community service is a key component in 4-H, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Kansas this year. In the Kansas City area, an anonymous donor provided the seed money to continue the 4-H KRYL program to encourage youth in community service," said Davis.

For more information on the Johnson and Leavenworth county hurricane relief/community service 4-H project or community service opportunities with KRYL, contact Hecht at the Leavenworth County Extension Office at 913-250-2300 or Davis at the Johnson County Extension Office at 913-764-6300.

More information about more than 30 educational 4-H projects available to Kansas kids, ages seven and up, is available at county and district Extension offices and on the state 4-H Web site at www.kansas4h.org.
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Five 4-H Programs Receive 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Awards

CHEVY CHASE, Md.—National 4-H Council, in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has given five exemplary 4-H programs the 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Award. The programs were selected by 4-H for their ability to improve outcomes for rural, disadvantaged families by fostering the social network, economic opportunities and support families need to be successful.

The winners of the $15,000 awards include Strengthening Family Involvement in Millville-Regional Safe Schools/Healthy Students Collaborative, Millville, N.J.; University of Nebraska-Lincoln for Families, Lincoln, Neb.; Family Camp, Belvidere, N.J.; Attitudes for Success Youth Leadership Program, Umatilla, Ore.; and Living Interactive Family Education (LIFE) 4-H Program, Potosi, Mo.

The developers of the award-winning programs received $10,000 at a recognition event held November 2, 2005, during the annual National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) Conference in Seattle, Wash. They will receive the remaining $5,000 after sharing best practices relating to their programs with others in the Cooperative Extension System or other youth-serving partner agencies.

To qualify for the award, each program must be a Program of Distinction—part of a collection of programs that reflect the high quality of 4-H youth development programs occurring in communities across the United States, supported by the 4-H system partners and coordinated through National 4-H Headquarters at the United State Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES).

The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private charitable organization dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in the United States. It was established in 1948 by Jim Casey, one of the founders of UPS, and his siblings, who named the foundation in honor of their mother. The primary mission of the foundation is to foster public policies, human-service reforms and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today’s children and families. In pursuit of this goal, the foundation makes grants that help cities, states and communities fashion more innovative, cost-effective responses to those needs.

4-H is a community of more than seven million young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. National 4-H Council is the national, private sector, non-profit partner of the 4-H Youth Development Program and its parent, the Cooperative Extension System of the United States Department of Agriculture. Learn more about the 4-H adventure at www.4husa.org.
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4-H Afterschool Educators Receive NAE4-HA National 4-H Afterschool Award of Excellence

SEATTLE—Three 4-H Afterschool teams and one 4-H Afterschool educator are the recipients of the NAE4-HA National 4-H Afterschool Award of Excellence, sponsored by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund.

The winners of the award include Chad Ripberger, Trenton, N.J.; the Delaware 4-H Afterschool team of Shirley Alloway, Betsy Morris, Teresa Lopez, Katie Daly, Joy Sparks, Mark Manno, Carol Scott, Doug Crouse, Susan DeFord, Dennis Rhodes, Rhonda Martell, Consuelo Gonzalez, and Heather Gooden, Dover, Del.; the Pennsylvania 4-H Afterschool team of Karen Hack, Stacy Goetz, Mary Ann Oyler, and Roxanne Price, Chambersburg, Pa.; and the Wisconsin 4-H Afterschool team of Joan Wimme, Nicky Wilson, Lori Ballantine, Lorrie Gunnerson, and Nora Fie, Superior, Wis. They were each presented with the award at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Annual Meeting in Seattle, Wash., on November 2, 2005.

This award recognizes four members or member teams of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, the professional organization for 4-H youth development educators, for excellence in development and implementation of after-school programming or for providing enrichment to ongoing programs through curriculum and/or training for staff.

4-H Afterschool trains after-school educators to develop quality programs and collaborate with other youth organizations to create safe after-school communities for children across America in which youth learn leadership, citizenship and life skills.

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports programs designed to keep kids safely and constructively engaged during out-of-school time. The fund’s contributions allow for the creation and continuance of after-school programs aimed at the academic, physical and social development of children throughout the United States.

Visit 4husa.org or 4hafterschool.org for more information about 4-H and 4-H Afterschool.
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2006 National 4-H Conference Call for Workshop Proposals

National 4-H Headquarters, USDA, is accepting workshop proposals for the 2006 National 4-H Conference, March 25-30, 2006.

The 2006 National 4-H Conference theme, “Connect 4-H—Let’s Get Together!” reflects the many connections we have within and across 4-H, including the Essential Elements of the 4-H Youth Development Program—independence, belonging, generosity, and mastery. When there are sustained opportunities for young people to gain a sense of independence, belonging, generosity, and mastery, youth can master skills to make life choices; effectively contribute to decision-making and act responsibly; and positively influence their communities and beyond.

A major goal of the 2006 National 4-H Conference is to offer participants a rich and meaningful personal and professional development experience through a comprehensive understanding of the Essential Elements of the 4-H Youth Development Program. Each workshop will focus on one of the four essential elements of youth development and be led by a team of youth and adults. Workshops will be meaningful, fun and of the genre that “gets folks out of their seats and ready for action.” Workshop facilitators will provide participants with a “toolkit” that will assist them in applying what they learned back home.

Conference celegates are strongly encouraged to submit workshop proposals. Proposals from teams other than National 4-H Conference delegates are welcome; please review the workshop materials on the conference Web site for additional information about “visiting presenters.”

Visit the “Call for Workshop Proposals” link on the conference Web site, http://4hconf.4-h.org, for more information about the call for workshop proposals as well as a simple form to submit to Natl4HConf@csrees.usda.gov regarding your intent to submit a proposal (due December 19) and the submission form (due January 12).

Applicants are asked to notify their state or institution 4-H program leader of their proposed workshop and facilitators. Also due December 19, e-mail confirmations from state or institution 4-H program leaders to Natl4HConf@csrees.usda.gov indicating they’d been notified of the proposed workshop(s). This communication is required for a workshop proposal to be considered for the conference.

Interested in attending the 2006 National 4-H Conference as a conference delegate? National 4-H Headquarters, USDA, sponsors the National 4-H Conference, also known as the Secretary’s Conference. National 4-H Headquarters extends an invitation, on behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture, to each land-grant institution to send a delegation of youth, adult volunteers, and/or Extension professional staff to the National 4-H Conference. Each state/institution has their own processes for identifying and selecting their delegates. Please contact your 4-H office to learn more about representing your state or institution at the National 4-H Conference.

The conference will be held March 25-30, 2006 at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center – operated by our private partner, National 4-H Council – in Chevy Chase, Md.

Questions about National 4-H Conference? Please contact Maria Parisi, National 4-H conference coordinator, National 4-H Headquarters, USDA, at 202-720-8857 or mparisi@csrees.usda.gov.

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Three 4-H Programs Receive NRCS Youth Environmental Award

CHEVY CHASE, Md.—Three 4-H programs are recipients of the 2005 Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Youth Environmental Award. National 4-H Council recognized the awardees at a November 3, 2005, ceremony at the 2005 National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Conference in Seattle, Wash.

The winners of the NRCS Youth Environmental Award include Michigan 4-H Youth Conservation Council (M4-HYCC), Tustin, Mich.; 4-H Wildlife Stewards, Portland, Ore.; and the 4-H20 Pontoon Classroom, Clemson, S.C.

The $7,500 award will allow the winners to enhance their programs and conduct two workshops to teach their programming practices to others in the 4-H community. The three national awardees will compile their best practices into one document that will be shared with 4-H professionals and other youth development organizations.

4-H is a community of more than seven million young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. Learn more about the 4-H adventure at www.4husa.org.
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Resources and Opportunities:

Great Things Happen in Inclusive Schools

Inclusive schools are better prepared to bridge the achievement gap for students of diverse abilities and backgrounds, because they integrate special education supports into the curriculum and affirm students’ rich cultures. The 5th annual National Inclusive Schools Week™ will be celebrated in schools, classrooms and communities December 5-9, 2005, with a special focus on the achievement gap and strategies for improving educational outcomes for all students. Click here for more information.
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Help Santa Find the Perfect Real Christmas Tree

The National Christmas Tree Association is holding its second annual scholarship competition, "Help Santa Find the Perfect Real Christmas Tree." Participants will submit essays describing why their tree is the perfect real Christmas tree for Santa. There are four age groups: 6-9; 10-12; 13-16; 16-18. Each participant must submit a photo along with an essay of 300 words or less. In each age group a winner will be chosen and given a $5,000 college scholarship. Of the winners from the four age groups, one grand prize winner will be chosen for an additional prize of $5,000 scholarship money. Details can be found at: www.realchristmastrees.org. (There is no gender, religious, military, location or GPA requirement.)

Deadline for entry is December 31, 2005.
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