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 9....................................... March 14, 2008

Attachments:

:: IRS Reporting Fact Sheet
:: MOU template
:: CSU Collegiate Shadow Program Information
:: CSU Collegiate Shadow Program Registration
:: Shadow Program Health Form and Code of Conduct
:: 4-H Name and Emblem Authorization Continuum

IRS Reporting Requirements

All clubs that are under our Federal Group Exemption with the IRS will eventually need to file the 990-n (e-Postcard). Attached is a new fact sheet (also handed out at the 4-H CCA meeting) from National 4-H Headquarters about the process. Page 2 of the document includes the filing deadlines.

The first groups that will have to file are those that have a Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 fiscal year. Their deadline for filing is May 15, 2008. Most 4-H clubs are on an Oct. 1 – Sept. 30 fiscal year. They will have to file for the current fiscal year (2007-08) by Feb. 15, 2009.

We’ll keep you posted on further updates as we receive them! — Dale Leidheiser

Memorandum of Understanding

Attached is a Memorandum of Understanding template that can be used with appropriate organizations in your county. Also attached is a fact sheet from National 4-H Headquarters which can help answer your questions about the varying levels of authorization to use the 4-H Name and Emblem. For the most part, this tool should be used with county 4-H foundations as they have their own 501(c)3 status under IRS regulations. This tool does not need to be used with organizations you have listed under the 4-H Group Exemption Number as part of the process we’ve just been through. Please call with any questions!
— Dale Leidheiser

Collegiate 4-H Shadow Program

Each year the CSU Collegiate 4-H Club offers a program to high school juniors and seniors who are considering attending Colorado State University. The Collegiate 4-H Shadow program offers these students a first hand, hands on look at how the college system works, allowing them to attend classes with one of our members, room in the dorms for two days, visit with the admissions and financial aid offices, attend club activities and a BBQ. This spring’s shadow program is April 24-26, 2008. The deadline for registration is April 10th. Please read the attached information for further details. — April Mendenhall

Colorado 4-H Technology Team

As you know, the Colorado 4-H Technology Team is currently recruiting 4-H youth and adult members to join the 2007-2008 Technology Team. The mission is to provide assistance with new technology curriculum, help maintain a youth-friendly section of the Colorado 4-H web site, and provide educational technology opportunities to Colorado 4-H youth at county, district and state levels.

We are looking for five- to seven senior-age 4-H members and one- to two adult volunteers with a technology interest to join us on this inaugural technology team. Interested individuals need to send or email an application to perry.brewer@colostate.edu. Applications are available online at the Golden Plains Area Staff Web Site (http://156.108.32.67). The deadline for applications is May 1, 2008. — Perry D. Brewer

4-H International Exchanges - 2008

4-H/Japanese Exchange Programs
Japanese exchange students have 100 percent medical coverage and may participate in host family vacations. Teens from hosting families in Colorado can subsequently be eligible to participate in an exchange program to Japan during any of the following summers until they are 21 years old.

Summer Exchange Inbound – Host families are needed for approximately 75 Japanese boys and girls, ages 12-21. Japanese teens from the Labo and Lex organizations arrive in Colorado on July 21 and join host families on July 23 after orientation by 4-H staff. Teens from the Utrek program arrive in Colorado on July 21, joining their host families on July 25 after orientation and a camp in the mountains. Both groups return to Denver on August 18 and depart for Japan on August 19.

Summer Exchange Outbound – The outbound exchange involves a family that acts as a host for a Japanese youth. This enables their son or daughter, ages 12-19, to apply to be a delegate to Japan for a four-week (July 9–Aug. 7) or seven-week (June 12–Aug. 7) homestay experience. Travel expenses, however, must be assumed by the traveler.

High School Exchange – Colorado will also host 10 Labo, Lex and Utrek Japanese high school exchange students, ages 16-18. These participants stay with host families and attend Colorado high schools from July 2008 through mid-June 2009. They are proficient in English and will attend an additional intensive English language class before arriving in Colorado.

Families who host a high school delegate are eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship toward the cost of sending their son or daughter to Japan for one month.

Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX)
Host families are needed for FLEX students. This program is funded by the U.S. State Department to instill democratic principles in exchange participants from the New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. FLEX participants come from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Colorado will host 10 participants ages 15-18 who will stay with host families and attend high school from August 2008 through mid-June 2009.

International 4-H Youth Exchange
Incoming – International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) delegates, ages 19-30, stay two to three weeks with several host families during their three-month stay in Colorado. IFYE’s come from many regions of the world: Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Western Europe. They share information about their country, culture and the IFYE program with various community groups and travel throughout Colorado during their visit. IFYEs generally arrive in Colorado mid-June or mid-September.

Outgoing – International Four-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) delegates may participate as an ambassador or as a representative. The Representatives are 19 to 30 years of age and they visit a foreign country for three or six months. The countries are located in Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Western Europe. Six-month delegates leave the United States in late June and return in early December. Three-month delegates return in early September. Delegates live and work with host families and gain a unique perspective about another culture. When delegates return, they travel throughout Colorado to share their experiences and broaden international awareness. The Colorado 4-H Foundation offers two full scholarships each year for IFYE representatives (personal spending money excluded).

Ambassador trips are scheduled to Australia (ages 16-19; June 16–July 17), Costa Rica (ages 15-19; June 21–July 19), Finland (ages 15-19; June 14–July 15), Mexico (ages 15-18; July 5-25), and Norway (ages 16-19; June 30–Aug. 4). Ambassadors travel to the host country as a group, accompanied by adult group leaders. After arrival they stay with a host family. The traveler is responsible for all program expenses.

Please contact me at Courtney.Loflin@colostate.edu or 970.491.2711 for further information. — Courtney Loflin

Work Safe This Summer

Working a part-time of summer job gives youths a great opportunity to earn spending money and learn important skills. Did you know that there are Federal Child Labor laws that determine what you can do and the hours you can work? These rules were passed to ensure that you can work safely and vary depending on your age.

If you are 13 or younger you can deliver newspapers, work as a baby-sitter on an occasional basis, work as an actor, or work in a business or farm that is 100 percent owned by your parents.

If you are 14 or 15 you can also work in an office, store, restaurant, movie theater, amusement park or gas station. You cannot, however, bake (pizza, bread, etc.) or work in a room where they are manufacturing goods. During the school year you are only allowed to work outside of school hours, after 7:00 a.m. and until 7:00 p.m., no more than 3 hours on a school day, no more than 18 hours in a school week, and no more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours in a week on non-school weeks. From June 1 to Labor Day you can work as late as 9:00 p.m. but no more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

If you are 16 or older there are no restrictions on the day, time or number of hours your can work. You can work in any job that has not been found to be hazardous by the U.S. Department of Labor. Among the jobs considered dangerous and not allowed until you are 18 are driving (no pizza delivery!), using a meat-slicer or a dough machine, using power tools, driving a forklift, or crushing boxes in a motorized crusher at a store.

If you are age 16 or above you may work in any farm job at any time. Ages 14 and 15 can work outside of school hours in non-hazardous jobs. There are some instances where youths under the age of 13 can work with parental consent.

For more information on hour restrictions, how you can help prevent workplace injuries, and what jobs you are allowed to do, you can check the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthRules! website at http://youthrules.dol.gov. — Jan Carroll

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Updated Monday, March 17, 2008.