4-H is a community of young people, across America, learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills.

Weekly 4-H Update

Communications >> 4-H Update >> Volume 12, Number 1....................................... January 11, 2008

Attachments:

:: None for this month....

Training Team Position Description

What is Speak Out Military Kids (SOMK)?

Speak Out Military Kids (SOMK) is a youth-driven educational speakers’ bureau designed to generate awareness and foster community activism to support “military” youth and families.

“One of the issues facing military youth and families is the lack of community awareness of the unique stressors and challenges they face during times of conflict and war. This lack of understanding by the general public can make military youth feel isolated and misunderstood.”

What is the Role of the Colorado SOMK Training Team?

• To raise the public awareness of issues facing military families during mobilization and deployment of a family member.
• To develop youth-led speaker’s bureaus, lectures, public service announcements, videos, and other presentation materials to help military kids share their experiences in communities throughout Colorado.

How Will My Involvement With the SOMK Training Team Benefit Me?

• You will have the opportunity to create Colorado’s SOMK program.
• You will have the opportunity to gain valuable leadership, research, organizational, technology, and public speaking skills and share your experiences with others.
• You will have the opportunity to work with a variety of community organizations, meeting and working with other military and non-military youth while learning from their experiences.

Colorado Speak Out Military Kids (SOMK) Training Team Membership:

The state training team is composed of five youth (military and non-military) ages 14-to 17-years of age and two adults representing National Guard/Reserve and OMK partner organizations (4-H, Boys & Girls Club, etc.). This year’s training will run from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, to 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26. Please contact me at Shauna.Woods@Colostate.edu if you are interested in joining our training team! — Shauna Woods

National 4-H SET Staff Readiness Survey – Deadline Extended

The initial response to the National 4-H SET Staff Readiness Survey was excellent with approximately 1,300 responses. This number is adequate for making many observations from a national perspective and for several states. Some states, however, have not had enough of their field staff respond for the data summary to be useful. So, in order to allow those states additional time to get field staff to respond the end date has been extended to March 10, 2008. Below is a reminder of the survey details.

The Youth Literacy in Science, Engineering, and Technology Community of Practice (Youth SET for Life eXtension CoP), with funding support from eXtension and National 4-H Council, conducts this survey in order to learn more about Cooperative Extension System field staff interests, attitudes, experiences, and abilities regarding science, engineering, and technology programming for youth.

The survey is voluntary and is intended to be completed by paid staff from agent or program assistant levels to regional and state level specialists and administrators. It should only take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

To open the survey, click on the URL below or paste it into your browser:
https://is-nri.com/take/?i=119377&h=u6fTidW3CNmNLKcJbxr1hw

Also, at the end of the survey respondents will have an option of providing their e-mail address in order to have an opportunity to share programming and impact information related to science, engineering and technology. Other than this optional input the survey is completely anonymous. There is no data requested, other than name of state, that identifies the responder and the optional input will not be used to specifically identify anyone in relation to the survey itself.

The optional opportunity to provide SET programming and impact information will be provided separate from the SET Staff Readiness Survey itself. If the responder provides an e-mail address for this purpose they will receive additional instructions for submitting SET program and impact data.

The survey will remain open until March 10, 2008. Individual state summary reports will be available on request. Any reports prepared will be released only as summaries in which no individual’s answers can be identified.

Questions? Please contact (phone 334.844.2233; cell 334.750.3606) John A. (Tony) Cook, Ed.D, Project Leader, Youth SET for Life Community of Practice.
— Jan Carroll

Citizenship Washington Focus Program Assistant Position

Do you know a collegiate 4-H’er who has a passion for government, history, political science, working with youth, public speaking, or leadership? If you do, encourage them to apply for the position of Program Assistant (PA) at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center! They will be given the opportunity to spend their summer in Washington, D.C., touching the lives of hundreds of high school-aged students from all over the United States while working for the Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) program.

The CWF program, offered at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, MD, gives young people the chance to explore, develop, and refine the skills necessary to become outstanding citizens and leaders in their home communities. Using the living classroom of Washington, D.C., youth will learn about the history of our nation, various leaders who have shaped this nation, and how they can put their skills of leadership and citizenship into use when they return home.

As Program Assistants, Collegiate 4-H’ers will have opportunities to create and facilitate workshops for use with groups who participate in the CWF program, act as a liaison between the National 4-H Youth Conference Center and various 4-H delegations from across the country, and serve as a role model for the students who participate in the CWF program.

We are looking for individuals with at least a high school diploma (preferably some or continuing college experience) and an interest or passion for youth development, hospitality, teaching, history, politics, or leadership. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please have them visit our website (http://www.citizenshipwashingtonfocus.org) for more information; or have them contact me directly at 301-961-2812 or myoung@fourhcouncil.edu. The application deadline is Jan. 27, 2008. Selected candidates will begin in early May and will run through the beginning of August. We look forward to getting to know some qualified, energetic applicants for this professional development opportunity. — Molly Young, Director, Youth Opportunities, National 4-H Council

Attention Nuggets Fans!!!

Colorado 4-H Night with the Denver Nuggets is Friday, Jan. 25, 2008. Come help support the premiere youth organization in Colorado and see Carmelo, AI and the rest of the Nuggets battle it out against Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets! Game time is 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person for upper level and $45 per person for club level. Every ticket purchased through this special offer includes access to the 4-H VIP room on the club level and a post-game shoot-around on the Pepsi Center’s court.

Bring your sleeping bag….the Nuggets are hosting a sleepover! Those purchasing tickets to support 4-H also have the opportunity to sign-up to stay the night in the Pepsi Center.

You are free to use this article as a press release/flier for your local press. To attend, call Nick Gray at 303.405.6187 or visit www.pepsicenter.com/KSEforms/Nuggets/4H.

National Western Stock Show Discounted Tickets

All 4-H members, families and friends, and their invited guests are eligible for discounted prices on reserve seating at the National Western Stock Show. The prices offered are unavailable to the general public and tickets purchased through this special offer are free of all service charges, an additional savings of $3.75 per ticket. (Tickets must be purchased through Group Services. Discounts will not be given at the Stock Show Box Office.)

The National Western Stock Show invites all 4-H members to enjoy their personal favorite(s) shows, and to spend a day full of fun that will include numerous opportunities to be entertained by the exhibits, shopping, art, delicious food and western spirit. (Your show ticket includes free grounds admission to all exhibits, all day long 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.)

You will receive a $2 discount off of the regular price for the majority of their shows. In honor of “4-H Day,” which is on Wednesday, Jan. 23, you will receive a $3 discount off of the regular price for both Pro Rodeos that day. For the Pro Rodeo at 2:00 p.m., tickets will be $9 each, and for the Pro Rodeo at 7:30 p.m., tickets will be $11 each. Again, these tickets must be purchased through Group Services.

To reserve your tickets and for further information please read the attached brochure. — Melissa Oliver

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Updated Friday, February 08, 2008.