|
E-Learning for 4-H Volunteers Update
--Jan Hiller
E-Learning for 4-H Volunteers is basic information about 4-H, how to get started as a leader, learning about positive youth development, leadership and teaching. Since October 1, over 150 different individuals have signed-in at least once, and 60 individuals from 16 different counties have completed all 4 Modules! One county has encouraged individuals to complete the 4 Modules in order to be eligible to enter a drawing for a digital camera!
Most of the comments from prospective leaders, enrolled leaders, State 4-H Ambassadors, 4-H Staff and Educators have been positive! Many of the Western Region States are utilizing this training option this year, too. Let me know how you like it!
Where can I find E-Learning? Go to the Washington State 4-H Homepage http://4h.wsu.edu and click on E-Learning for 4-H Volunteers. This takes you directly to http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/elearning.htm to provide contact information. The next screen takes you to learning about the course and doing the 4 Modules now or returning at a later time. The information is always available for review, too!
Since you only need to provide the contact information once, in the future you can use this URL http://4h.wsu.edu/volunteertraining and go directly to the 4 Modules. The site is available 24/7, which many volunteers like, plus it is interactive, making learning fun! 4-H Educators appreciate that basic information about 4-H is available online so that they can focus on other training topics using other methods.
Go to http://4h.wsu.edu/volunteertraining/scripts/county.asp to find a list of individuals by county who have completed all 4 Modules. Make sure that your name is there soon!
Shooting Sports Training Update
--Janet Schmidt, State 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator
Over the past several months, many Extension personnel have inquired about dates for Shooting Sports Training. Thank you for your patience. The next training is scheduled for March 3-4, 2007, in Columbia County, with leadership provided by Paul Carter, Extension Educator and Robert Stearns, 4-H Shooting Sports Leader. Possible disciplines for the training will include rifle, shotgun, hunting, muzzle loading/black powder and archery. The brochure is being developed and will be available soon. Be watching future Tuesday News and the state website for registration information.
In an effort to continue growing the shooting sports program, counties now have the opportunity to host shooting sports trainings. The Shooting Sports web page, http://4-h.wsu.edu/projects/shooting.htm, has a Bid to Host form for counties to complete to host a State 4-H Shooting Sports Training. The benefits of hosting training in your county are many. All of the in-county 4-H leaders who desire their shooting sports certification can do so and save travel time and expense. Consider applying for dates not in 2007 but look to the future to 2008 and beyond.
For all Archery enthusiast, please be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, April 21, 2007, for the State 4-H Archery Championships in Kitsap County Fairgrounds! Registration materials can be found at http://home.wavecable.com/~flamarrow and soon they will be posted to the State 4-H website. This is a state event and all counties are encouraged to send archers to this state contest.
For teens in the shooting sports, consider applying for the National 4-H Shooting Sports Teen Ambassador Program. Refer to the National 4-H Shooting Sports website for details.
Until next time, keep your eye on the target!
Summer 2007 Exchange Opportunities Update
--Carol Beckman
News Flash! Washington 4-H Families have an opportunity to host a youth delegate from Finland this summer. We are still in need of completed host family applications. The application is due to my office by February 15. Check with your County 4-H office to obtain an application. The arrival date of the delegates to Washington is approximately mid-June to mid-July.
This summer there may also be an opportunity for Washington 4-H youth to travel to Mexico for a 3 week homestay with a host family in a suburb of Mexico City. The approximate dates for this opportunity would be early July to late July. This trip would be combining delegates from Wisconsin, Illinois and Washington.
For those interested in either of these opportunities, please contact Carol Beckman at beckmanc@wsu.edu or 253-445-4623.
Kansas 4-H Club Seeking a Washington Busy Beaver's Club
--Lauri Sherfey
The Miami County, Kansas Busy Beaver's 4-H Club wants to make contact with other clubs of the same name. They are searching across the U.S., but could not find one in the State of Washington. It appears they randomly sent their search to me. Benton-Franklin Counties does not have a club by this name.
Their intention is correspondence, very cute. They have sent a packet of information (called a flat beaver) that I would be happy to forward to any club named Busy Beaver's. Please help me move this on to a good home. I can be contacted at sherfey@wsu.edu.
The Cost of Juvenile Detention
--Pat BoyEs
I recently went to the DSHS Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration website and noted the following statistics under their demographics section:
About 1000 youth are committed annually by county juvenile courts in Washington to incarceration facilities. These young people are typically serious and violent offenders or youth with extensive offense histories who have not responded to local sanctions and interventions.
Approximately 825 youth are in JRA residential programs on any given day and an additional 750 youth are receiving parole services. The youth in residential care range from 12 to 20 years of age with the majority of them being 15-18 years of age. The cost of housing one youth in a JRA facility for one year is: $75,342 based on 2006 figures in the State of Washington. This high cost is but one reason why the work we do in prevention is so cost effective.
Please remember that this figure ($75,342) does not include the county based costs associated with the juvenile justice system and interventions at the local level before a youth is committed to state care. Some of these costs would include local Sheriff Deputy time transporting juveniles to detention facilities etc.
Just a Reminder!
When you have new Extension staff that will be working in some capacity with 4-H, please let Nancy in the State 4-H Office know. They will be added to mailing lists, added to the 4-H Talk list serve, sent a 4-H Welcome Packet, and be assigned a state 4-H staff person as a point of contact, as appropriate. 4-H News is sent via the 4-H Talk list serve each week. Archived copies of previous weeks “Tuesday 4-H News” are available on the 4-H web site: http://4h.wsu.edu/. Please send submissions by Friday of each week to Tiffany Boswell, State 4-H Office, tiffany_boswell@wsu.edu. Detailed event information and registrations forms can be found on the 4-H web site.