4-H Expo
The 4-H Expo will be held August 24, 2013 at the Merced Fairgrounds in Half Dome. It will an informative event for the public to learn about 4-H. The event will be from 9:00-12:00. We need youth and adults to help with the displays. Displays will include Large and Small animals, Shooting Sports, Gardening, Robotics, Woodworking, Foods, Arts and Crafts, Camp, Conferences and Citizenship, GPS, and General Information. If you have members that would be interested in doing a display about a project please contact Joslyn Campos at 357-9106 or call the 4-H office at 385-7418.
Please promote this event in your area. I have attached a copy of the flyer.
New Leader Orientation
I will be holding two new project leader orientations this year. They will be held September 21 from 9-12 and October10th from 6-9 in the 4-H classroom. If the new leaders attend one of these orientations they will not have to do the online orientations. Please pass this information on to your new leaders when they sign up. All new leaders must have their orientations done and be fingerprinted by November 1.
California 4-H to Host NYSD Events
The 4-H National Youth Science Experiment is the perfect opportunity to promote 4-H to the community while sparking the interest of youth in learning more about 4-H science, engineering, and technology activities. 4-H Clubs and countywide 4-H projects/groups are encouraged to host a 4-H NYSD event. This could be at an existing community festival or a 4-H meeting. The event may be planned by the County 4-H Office, a 4-H Club, group of 4-H volunteers and members, an All Star team, or as an Emerald Star project.
California 4-H Resource Availability Due September 10, 2013
https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=11250
With funding made available by Toyota through the National 4-H Council, 4-H staff, volunteers, and members may submit a proposal to obtain NYSD kits. To request these resources, 4-H staff, volunteers, or youth must complete the online form by September 10, 2013. An order will be placed for kits on September 11 and shipped directly to the County 4-H Office of each group.
Limits: Available resources include 125 experiment kits total (each kit serves 10 youth and retails for $24.95/each). A maximum of 3 kits may be requested for any one group (4-H Club/project). Kits will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
· Additional kits may be purchased directly at http://www.4-hmall.org/Product/educationalresources/2013-4-h-national-youth-science-experiment-kit/NYSD5.aspx.
· The youth and facilitator guides may be downloaded in electronic PDF at http://www.4-h.org/4-h-national-youth-science-day/science-experiments-projects/geographic-information-systems-4-h-maps-and-apps/.
As part of receiving resources, groups are required to:
1. Host at least one 4-H NYSD event in October-November 2013 involving at least 10 youth (preferred dates during National 4-H Week: October 6 to 12).
2. Register the event at http://www.4-h.org/4-h-national-youth-science-day/science-experiments-projects/plan-science-day-event/register-event/
3. Submit a brief final report with photographs no later than December 31, 2013 to the State 4-H Office, including details on your event, the number of participants, and describing outcomes (what did youth learn?).
Please address questions to: Steven Worker at smworker@ucanr.edu or at 530-754-8519.
Public value statements for the 4-H community
The state office has developed 6 public value statements for 4-H. Please refer to these when promoting 4-H in our community.
- 4-H increases the economic sustainability, growth, and prosperity, of California's global economy.
Background:
4-H youth are more likely than their non 4-H counterparts, to enter the workforce better prepared to collaborate, think critically, solve problems, and be innovative. These are skills that lead to a competent workforce enabling industries to be innovative and vibrant, and contribute to increased income and sales tax revenue for our communities and state, thereby improving the economic growth of California's global economy.
- 4-H increases civic engagement to strengthen communities.
Background:
4-H youth, as young as 5, engage in service learning projects to identify needs in their community by building youth-adult partnerships to develop creative solutions to real issues. 4-H provides an enormous amount of civic engagement services to communities across California. For example, statewide, youth and adults contribute more than 100,000 hours to respond to and address critical community issues, which strengthens communities through civic engagement.
- 4-H ensures a safe, sustainable, and secure food supply.
Background:
4-H is California’s premier organization for training young agriculturalists and its research-based curricula promotes cutting-edge practices. More than one-third of the activities that 4-H youth engage in include agricultural-related projects, providing leadership continuity to California’s $37.5 billion agricultural industry and ensuring a safe, steady, food supply for California and the world.
- 4-H increases personal responsibility that positively contributes to communities.
Background:
Participating in 4-H programs strengthen youth’s positive individual characteristics such as being responsible and accountable, being committed and loyal, and having integrity. These are core aspects of what is considered having “character,” and according to Dr. Rand Conger at UC Davis, research shows that character is an important aspect of development that underlies individual success in careers and higher education. Undoubtedly, these interpersonal characteristics not only benefit the individual but create healthy and strong work environments. Thus, the personal qualities that 4-H develops in each member creates a stronger economic, social, and environmental base in communities where 4-Hers live, thereby benefiting and leading to success for the broader community.
- 4-H reduces public costs to society.
Background:
Through participation in 4-H, youth develop specific skills that are important for jobs and careers such as leaderships skills, ability to organize and lead meetings, set and achieve goals, financial awareness, and social skills. These skills arguably lead to greater physical and emotional health and educational and occupational success. Thus, 4-H involvement fosters self-sufficiency and leads to less dependence on costly public social services.
- 4-H improves public health and safety.
Background:
4-H education programs address health, agricultural, and environmental literacy. Through real world experiences that cultivate self-esteem, self-confidence, and leadership, youth and adults adopt preventative and practices that result in reduced risky behaviors and improved healthy lifestyle habits. Program impacts include improved public health and safety and reduced costs to the state and community.
State Leaders Forum
The 2013 State Leaders Forum will be held November 8-10, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Sacramento. The State Leaders Forum provides a weekend retreat for 4-H volunteers across California to gather for networking, education, relaxation, and fun. The conference is sponsored by the State Leaders’ Council and the 4-H section planning the conference. You’ll come home loaded with ideas and activities and the enthusiasm to implement them. The cost of the conference if you register before September 1 is $175 plus $84 per room per night. The Rooms are 1 King or 2 Doubles and can be shared. To register go to http://ucanr.edu/slf2013register . The Merced County Resource Board will help with some of the cost. You may check with your clubs to see if they will help also.
Livestock meeting
There will be a large animal livestock meeting in the classroom Monday August 26 at 6:00. Any fair concerns and suggestions for next year’s judges will be discussed. Please have some there 4-H Small Animal Leaders
Samantha Downey would like to have a fair recap meeting to go over your thoughts about the fair, suggestions, issues or concerns, and things you thought were good improvements. She would also like input for judges for next year. She hasn’t set the meeting date yet but it would be the end of August to beginning of September.
She will also be holding a kick off meeting for all Small Animal leaders once enrollments are underway. This will be for existing and also new leaders. If anyone is thinking about being a leader but are unsure of what to do in a project, this is a great opportunity to get them resources and guidance. She wants to find out what leaders in our county need as far as curriculum, learning aids, activities, contests, and all the stuff that keeps projects running and kids interested. The project areas mainly covered will be Rabbits, Poultry, Dogs and Cavies but any other Small Animal project areas will be greatly appreciated too. Keep an eye out for dates or feel free to e-mail me any questions at chemmajor112487@yahoo.com
Officer Retreat
This year the officer retreat will be held Tuesday September 24, 2013 from 6:00-9:00 at the 4-H office. The retreat will include and ice cream social. All officers and Junior and teen leaders please plan on attending. To sign up log into: https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=6974
Farm to Fork Festival
Saturday, September 28th 11:00am to 5:00pm
Capitol Mall Sacramento is becoming the Farm to Fork Capitol of America! 4-H has been invited to attend! 4-H needs your help to display animal science and healthy living projects! Bring your animal and healthy living projects and display boards! RSVP to Sarah Watkins at spwatkins@ucanr.edu or 530-752-5644 if you’d like to showcase your project and spread the word about California 4-H.
More info: http://farmtoforkcapital.com/festival-info/
- State Record Book Competition
It’s that time of year again! Youth who are planning to submit a 2013-14 Record Book to state competition must complete the Record Book Quick Start Course by October 15, 2013 (The cover sheet says October 1st; we are granting a 15 grace period this first year). All of the information needed to submit a Record Book to state competition, including the Quick Start Course, is found at: http://4h.ucanr.edu/Resources/Members/RecordBook/RBCompetition/
The course is completed online and takes about 25 minutes to view. After the course members take a short quiz which will take about another 7 minutes to complete. The quiz is how we will verify that a member took the course—it is important that they don’t skip that step!
In addition to helping youth prepare to submit a Record Book to state competition, the course is open to anyone who would like some additional guidance on completing a record book.
Individuals wishing to be 2013 Record Book judge need to complete and submit the Judge’s Application by October 1, 2013 by following the link to the application by survey.
- Save the Date! California Camping Conference
March 21-23, 2014
The next California Camping Conference will be held March 21 – 23, 2014, at the YMCA's Camp Campbell the in Santa Cruz Mountains. The Camping Conference provides 4-H teen leaders and adult camp administrators the opportunity to network and attend sessions to develop their local camp program. The early bird registration fee will be $140 by February 1st and $150 after that date. More information will follow.
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Want to help plan and implement the 2014 State Field Day? |
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Applications are due by October 31, 2013
Committee members will be notified by November 7, 2013
- Presentation Manual Task Force Wants YOU!
Keep your eyes open for the upcoming Task Force. In October registration opens for the Presentation Manual Task Force. The Task force will be responsible for reviewing and editing the manual. The changes will go into effect for the 2014-2015 program year. Contact Sarah Watkins, spwatkins@ucanr.edu if you interested in joining the team or would like more details.
4-H Volunteer Café
Are you a club or project leader who is tired of doing the same old activities month after month? Maybe you need something designed just for you to be encouraged and encourage your own personal growth. The 4-H Volunteer Café is a place designed just for you providing encouraging and thought-provoking articles of how the principles of positive youth development translate into your 4-H experience and it offers tons of resources for you as a 4-H volunteer that you can use immediately in your meetings and gives you a place where you can contribute your own experiences and challenges. To check out the 4-H Volunteer Café, use the following link: http://4hvolunteercafe.wordpress.com/.
- 4-H Online Record Book (ORB) Opportunities
ORB Support Team is Now Taking Applications
Use of the 4-H Online Record Book has grown rapidly over this past program year. With over 6,000 ORB users across every California county, the need for greater resources for the 4-H Online Record Book is imperative. The ORB Support Team is a statewide project of Adult Volunteers and Youth Members who desire to further the development and support of the 4-H Online Record Book. This team functions as a statewide project meeting virtually each month between October and May.
Members of this team assist in developing ORB Help instructions through text, video and presentation. Opportunities may exist throughout the year for team members to provide training to others at local, county, regional and state levels.
Interested members are encouraged to review the position description below and apply using the link below. http://ucanr.edu/p/43129
Applications will be accepted through September 15, 2013. Team Members will be announced the following week. If you have any questions, you can contact Scott Mautte at the state office at scmautte@ucanr.edu.
ORB Internet Café
The ORB Internet Café is provided to give staff and volunteers both individualized and group instruction on using California 4-H’s Online Record Book System. The café is designed as a 3-hour workshop that combines presentation, hands-on practice and group discussion. Participants will need to bring a laptop or tablet with them to the café. The following topics will be covered:*
v Overview of the Features & Functions in the Online Record Book (Record Book, Social Media, Evaluation)
v Navigating the forms in the Online Record Book (PDR, APR, 4-H Story)
v Project & Club Leader Functions and Approving Forms
v Maximizing your ORB experience—How to use ORB to be efficient and save time (Print Feature, Expression Pages, Collection of 4-H Works etc.)
To bring this training to your county, please fill out the following request form.
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=9591. Counties are responsible for covering the travel and lodging cost of the trainer for this event.
______________________________________________________________________________________
* Logging into the Online Record Book will not be covered in this training, please work with your county office prior to the training to secure your login information for the Online Record Book if you currently have not accessed the system.
HEALTHY LIVING
- Welcome New Healthy Living Officers!
Congratulations to all our newly elected Healthy Living Officers!
The Healthy Living officer will serve as the club’s ambassador for health! By choosing to elect a Healthy Living officer your club is taking an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles. The Healthy Living officer will be the leadership for all health activities including: providing ideas on how to incorporate physical activities and healthy eating into each club meeting, write Healthy Living articles for the club newsletter, and adopting and promoting a club Wellness Plan. Please help ensure that the health “H” of 4-H is at the forefront of all our meetings, consider electing a Healthy Living officer!
The Choose Health Officer Guide developed by Cornell University Extension can be found at:
http://4h.ucanr.edu/Programs/Clubs/Officers/
- *To receive your FREE Healthy Living Officer pin please email the name of your officer and
Anne Iaccopucci at amiaccopucci@ucanr.edu
- Celebrate National 4-H Week: Teens take on Health
We are excited to announce that 4-H has partnered with Molina Healthcare to bring a national campaign Teens take on Health to California. As part of this campaign, 4-H California youth will host a Town Hall event for teens and other stakeholders to discuss their solutions to the current health issues of our nation. The Teens take on Health Town Hall Meeting will be on October 12th, 2013 in Sacramento. If you cannot make it to Sacramento, you can still participate via on-line streaming. We are currently soliciting teen leaders to participate in the planning of the Town Hall. If you are an interested teen please contact Renata Atayeva at renata.atayeva@gmail.com. Registration is now open! www.ucanr.edu/ttoh
- National 4-H Conference
April 5 -10, 2014
Applications will be available August 31, 2013. Deadline for Applications will be October 31, 2013. For more information on National 4-H Conference http://4h.ucanr.edu/Programs/Conferences/N4-HC/
- Revolution of Responsibility
Is your club planning a service learning project? Join the Revolution Of Responsibility
Next deadline is September 15th. For more information: http://4h.ucanr.edu/Support/RofR/