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Save the Date for a Statewide 4-H Staff Summit
--Pat BoyEs
The 4-H Futures Committee has been processing your input from the May 4-H Program Management Days as well as the input from the State 4-H Staff Retreat held in June. Very shortly you will have the opportunity to review the products of those discussions. This week the 4-H Professional Development Action Team (PDAT) met to plan their work for the coming year and requested that we identify dates for a Statewide 4-H Staff Summit. Given our recent state-level budget cuts and county funding challenges and our strong desire to continue to have the most effective high quality youth development program possible I heartily agree with PDAT. I also recognize that in order to make it possible for the greatest number of our statewide team to attend, I will need to cover the expenses centrally. I will certainly do my very best to make that happen. At this point in time, I would greatly appreciate it if you would hold the dates March 23-25, 2010 for our Statewide 4-H Staff Summit. I don't have any of the details, like specific content, location, presenters or even the format, but I know how very precious your time is and I'd like to have you commit your time to these dates.
As a number of you have heard me say in the past, one of my greatest personal satisfactions, when I was researching our 4-H history for the 4-H Centennial celebration in 2002, was discovering the old “county agent” reports on their “4-H Club” work. It was so inspiring to read about how rocky our early beginnings (often there was only 4-H staff support for a few months of the year) to where we have grown to today as the largest youth development organization in Washington annually reaching over 75,000 young people. I am confident when I say we are not less creative, we are not less dedicated and we are most assuredly stronger youth development professionals than our predecessors. We, too, will come through these challenging times to nurture the 4-H program into the organization that our young people deserve.
Heather Rider Leadership Award – Postmarked or Emailed by Saturday, August 1
--Kevin Wright
The purpose of the Heather Rider Leadership Award for Young Adults is to recognize the extraordinary leadership and service to others by a young person 19-22 years of age as of September 1 of the current year.
Heather Rider was a Cowlitz County 4-H member who was elected to serve as a State Ambassador and to the State 4-H Advisory Board. Heather was an exceptional young woman who touched many lives in her 4-H career before her life was cut short in the fall of 2005.
This award, created in Heather's honor by the State 4-H Advisory Board, seeks to recognize a young person 19-22 years of age for their 4-H involvement past and present at the club, county, regional, state, and/or national levels. The recognized youth will demonstrate a genuine passion for 4-H. The application is available on the 4-H website at: http://4-h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/awards.htm.
Applications must be postmarked or emailed by August 1, 2009.
Award Nominations – Postmarked by Saturday or Emailed by Saturday, August 1
--Kevin Wright
Nominations for Annual 4-H Awards must be postmarked or emailed by August 1, 2009. The awards include Friend of Washington, Alumni of the Year, the Volunteer's Staff Award, and the Volunteer Excellence Awards. Winners of the Volunteer Excellence Awards (Lifetime Achievement and Less than 10 Years) will be sent on for National Competition.
Nomination forms may be downloaded from the Forum website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/awards.htm.
State Board Positions Looking For Nominees
--Kevin Wright
There are positions for teens and volunteers from every district on the State Advisory Board and State 4-H Fair Board. The Council meeting is an opportunity to elect representatives to these boards and through the recommendation process, have input on changes and improvements to the Washington 4-H program.
The applications, guidelines and background information about the Council meeting are available on the 4-H website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/council/index.htm. Please review the information carefully and be sure to have applications and recommendations postmarked by September 1, 2009.
State 4-H Fair Board Positions up for Election
Northwest District
- NW1 3-year term through 2012
Southwest District
- SW1 3-year term through 2012
Northeast District
- NE1 3-year term through 2012
- NE3 2-year term through 2011
Southeast District
- SE1 3-year term through 2012
- SE3 2-year term through 2011
West Teen
- 1-year term through 2010
East Youth
- 2-year term through 2011
Learn more about the State 4-H Fair Board and download applications at: http://4h.wsu.edu/statefair/trustees.htm.
State 4-H Advisory Board Positions up for Election
Northwest District
- NW2 3-year term through 2012
- NWTeen 2-year through 2011
Southwest District
- SW1 2-year term through 2011
- SW2 3-year term through 2012
- SW3 1-year term through 2010
- SWTeen 2-year term through 2011
Northeast District
- NE2 3-year term through 2012
- NETeen 2-year term through 2010
Southeast District
- SE1 3-year term through 2012
- SE3 2-year term through 2011
- SETeen 2-year term through 2011
Other Positions
- School Age Care (SAC2) 3-year term through 2012
- Challenge (Chall2) 3-year term through 2012
Learn more about the State 4-H Advisory Board and download applications at: http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/sab/sablist.html.
Youth Positions Available on the 4-H State Advisory Board
--Jan Klein
Teens, who have been in 4-H for several years, are looking for leadership opportunities beyond the county level. The youth positions on the 4-H State Advisory Board, offer the opportunity to use personal 4-H experience to build a better State 4-H program. Each year, youth positions are available from each district and I encourage you to personally invite high school teens to run for these positions.
What will they bring to the 4-H State Advisory Board?
- The youth voice and perspective.
- Creativity and energy.
What will they receive from the experience?
- An opportunity to partner with adults to provide input into 4-H program issues, and the State 4-H Forum.
- Exercise and development of their leadership skills.
- Expenses paid for travel to face to face meetings.
How do they apply?
- Submit an application, with requested signatures, to Jan Klein, State 4-H Teen Leadership Coordinator by October 1, 2009.
The application is at: http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/sab/SABTeen.pdf. Once accepted, information will be sent on to the youth to prepare for the State Advisory Board youth elections held at each District Rally.
Here are the openings for this year:
Northwest District
- NW Teen 2-year through 2011
Southwest District
- SW Teen 2-year term through 2011
Northeast District
- NE Teen 2-year term through 2011
Southeast District
- SE Teen 2-year term through 2011
Learn more about the State 4-H Advisory Board and download the application at: http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/sab/sablist.html.
Seattle Storm Basketball Fundraiser
--Pat BoyEs
Help King County 4-H youth in attending national 4-H events. Click here to learn how. We certainly appreciate this partnership with the Seattle Storm.
Garden Judges' Training
--Toni Gwin
The Mid Pacific 4-H Cluster is holding a Garden Judges' Training this fall after State Fair. Click here for the registration brochure for the October 1 Garden Judges' Training. Please spread the word.
Emergency Animal Heath Notification
--Jerry Newman
As a follow-up to the 4-H Animal Science Needs Assessment, to sign up for Emergency Animal Heath Notification, go to the Veterinary Medicine Extension website at: http://vetextension.wsu.edu/ and click on the right hand side of the screen.
State 4-H Advisory Board Minutes
--Vicki Contini
All it takes is the click of a button and you can find out what's being discussed at the State 4-H Advisory Board meeting. The detailed minutes and a two-page summary of the minutes from the January 24-25, 2009 meeting are now available on the State 4-H website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/sab/sablist.html.
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.