Campus County Connection

Volume XXV  Edition IV                                                 April 2008

A Bit of 4-H History
Jane Robertson and I were reviewing information today for this issue of the CCC and we went back to review a March, 1940 research report titled 4-H Club Work in Indiana. I shared some of this information a few years ago … but we had a chuckle as we looked at the list of “Problems of Local 4-H Leaders” as reported nearly 70 years ago! There has been a great deal of far more sophisticated research conducted in our program through the years…but there are some themes that just tend to stay with us over the years. What is it they say about “the more things change, the more they are the same?” I hope you’ll also be reassured that some of the issues we deal with today, are really not new. The following quote is from the 1940 study:

“In Indiana, it was found that the local leaders encounter 14 problems of considerable difficulty in supervising 4-H club work. They were as follows:

  1. Securing the interest of the member who has no real interest in club work.
  2. How to hold members 15 to 20 years of age in club work.
  3. Getting parents to feel they are an active part of the program.
  4. Getting parents to understand what is required and to assist the club member to plan work.
  5. Getting members to plan own program.
  6. Training demonstration teams.
  7. Lack of time to properly supervise 4-H program.
  8. Training judging teams.
  9. What to do with those who do not have facilities to carry out a satisfactory program.
  10. Getting members to be serious during business meetings.
  11. Developing a sense of responsibility in the members for the success of their project.
  12. Getting members to keep accurate records.
  13. Developing a sense of fair play among members.
  14. Getting parents to allow members to use home equipment.”

Does any of this sound familiar to you??? Some things never change!

- Renee McKee, State 4-H Program Leader 

INDIANA COUNTIES PARTICIPATE IN THE NATIONAL 4-H STUDY OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
We are very pleased to announce that 27 Indiana counties will be participating in this landmark research study funded by the National 4-H Council! The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development is a longitudinal study with data being collected for a sixth year. The research project is led by Richard M. Lerner and Jacqueline V. Lerner in the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development (IARYD) at Tufts University. Because it is a sequential longitudinal study, more youth are added each year in “waves.” The data collected this year will be “Wave 6.” (we will focus in Indiana primarily on 8th-10th grade students who could conceivably continue in the subsequent two years of the study). There are currently about 4,000 diverse adolescents participating in the study. The adolescents have varying levels of involvement in community-based programs, such as 4-H clubs, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, and Scouting. 

Purpose of the Study:  The purpose of the research is to identify characteristics that are related to positive youth development. Researchers also want to understand how positive influences in the lives of youth help protect them from getting involved in "problem behaviors", such as substance abuse, unsafe sex, school failure, delinquency, and violence. The study should help identify ways that 4-H and community programs can promote positive youth development. 

We are very excited to be participating in this research and would like to thank the 4-H Youth Development Educators in the following counties for agreeing to participate: Allen, Boone, Cass Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Dubois, Elkhart, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Huntington, Jackson, LaGrange, LaPorte, Madison, Marion, Miami, Newton, Orange, Parke, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Washington, Wayne, and White

- Renee McKee, State 4-H Program Leader

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

The Indiana 4-H Foundation
The Indiana 4-H Foundation Annual meeting was held on April 2, 2008 in Indianapolis. The Foundation honored the following retiring board members:  Greg Gwaltney, Sonnie Laviolette, Donna Lehman, Kim Mannweiler, and Bob Ritchie. Annie Watts Cloncs was honored for her service as Board president through December 2007.

The following new Board members were elected:  William E. Root of Hamilton County, Pris Gerde of Tippecanoe County, Allen Leising of Rush County, Michelle Jacobs of Madison County, and Kurt Strueh of Boone County. Also reelected for second three year terms were the following current board members:  Monty Korte, Christy Denault, Bob Grimm, Joe Pearson, and Sherry Fabina-Abney.

2006 was called a Year of Discovery and Achievement and 2007 is being called a Year of New Beginnings. The Marketing Committee rolled out a new branding campaign for the Foundation. “Investing in a Bright Green Future” was developed with new a dynamic website, stationary, and other strategies for engaging 4-H supporters. The 1st Annual Bright Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast was held at the State Fair on 4-H Day with Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman as keynote speaker. The Bright Green Team alumni and friends group was launched. Scholarships for 4-H members continued as well as our support of 4-H Round-up , Indiana 4-H Congress, and the State Junior Leader Conference.

We continued to strengthen our partnership with the Purdue College of Agriculture/Cooperative Extension/ Purdue Development for the long term benefit of the Indiana 4-H Youth Development Program. We are looking forward to 2008 and our “bright green future” together with increasing support for Indiana 4-H youth.

- Nola Gentry, President, Indiana 4-H Foundation

Remember – Earth Day: Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Arbor Day - April 25
The Indiana State Museum's Arbor Day Celebration is filled with educational activities and ecological fun from 9:30 am – 2:00 pm. Students will enjoy speaker Tim Womick of Tree Family, Johnny Appleseed, and a special guest appearance by Rupert Boneham of Survivor as they learn about the importance of trees in our urban forests. See the IN State Museum website (http://www.in.gov/ism/PublicPrograms/SpecialEvents/arborday.aspx) for information.

In Fishers, Indiana on the evening of April 25- Arbor Day - Sam Carman will be giving a first-person play, “Charles Deam: In His Own Words.”  Charles Deam was Indiana's first State Forester, a botanist known world-wide, and a most eccentric character. Contact Danesa Stolz at stolzd@fishers.in.us for more information.

- Natalie Carroll 

Operation: Military Kids
Supporting Children of Military Families
Thanks to all of the counties who supported the March 13 training, “Supporting Children of Military Families” with their attendance and/or by encouraging others to attend. Over 60 Extension Educators, School Officials, Community Leaders, and Military Personnel attended the one-day training which focused on how schools and communities can better support the needs of military children.

Resource materials which were shared at this training have now been posted to the Indiana OMK Web site: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/omk/ under the Resources tab.

The Month of the Military Child
April has been named as The Month of the Military Child and presents an opportunity for club or community wide clubs and groups to come together to create a service project honoring these children. Projects to date have included activities for children during deployment briefings, county-sponsored events such as a Valentine party, and filling Hero Packs with games and activities and including notes thanking the children for their sacrifices on behalf of all of us. Give Judy or Steve a call to brainstorm some ideas and/or to find out how OMK can help with these local efforts. Additional suggestions can be found at: http://www.monthofthemilitarychild.com. 

4-H Camp Ideas
As an area-wide 4-H community service project, Extension Educators from Area 2 are planning to have campers fill Hero Packs during summer camp. Each county plans to apply for OMK funds to be used towards the purchase of items to fill the Hero Packs. Meanwhile, Area 1 is planning to invite a military service member to speak to the campers as a part of their “Super Heroes” theme.

These are just two of many ways to show how community groups can work together to create projects and activities that will show military children our support and appreciation for the challenges they face. Inter-agency groups can add additional challenges but can be successful if they have a common goal and a shared responsibility for achieving the goal. 

Finding the funds for special projects can frequently present a challenge, but fortunately OMK can support many different kinds of local programs as long as they show support and appreciation for military children. The OMK County-Sponsored Event funding application is very brief and can be found at http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/omk/ under the County-Sponsored Events tab. Steve and Judy look forward to hearing from you.

The Bugle
April 2008 marks the return of The Bugle newsletter, sharing highlights of OMK as well as providing other resources related to supporting children of military families. Please feel free to share this newsletter with individuals in your counties who have an interest in this area.
Download The Bugle

2009 OMK Grant
The 2009 proposals for OMK funding will be due at the end of April. If you have suggestions for programs that should be considered related to military audiences, please forward those as soon as possible. Also, if you would like to be added to the State OMK Team, please let us know!

- Judy Hauser and Steve McKinley

International 4-H
Looking for a way to experience your world without buying the plane tickets? International 4-H has a way to do just that; consider becoming a host family for the summer. Every summer, families across Indiana host Japanese students from Meiji Gakuin High School. The students arrive mid-July and leave mid-August, and they have a desire to learn about the typical American life. Your family could help them achieve that! Families from all over Indiana are welcome to apply, and they may or may not be involved with 4-H. (It is important, however, that if your family does not participate in 4-H, your exchangee has the opportunity to participate). To find out more information or to apply, visit our website at
http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/International/Default.htm

- Lee Stanish

“The Great Sunflower Project”
San Francisco State University has just launched “The Great Sunflower Project,” a community science project with the goal of increasing our understanding of where bees are doing poorly and how the pollination of our garden and wild plants are being affected. We're hoping you will join us by planting sunflowers in your garden. Community, demonstration, and school gardens are invited to participate.

We'll send you some free native sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seed and twice a month, we'd like you to time how long it takes for 5 bees to visit one flower on that sunflower.  This information will give us an index of pollination that we can compare across the United States.

You can see the details about the project and register at www.greatsunflower.org or contact  Gretchen LeBuhn, Associate Professor, San Francisco State University by email: sfbee@sfsu.edu.

- Kathryn Orvis

4-H Shooting Sports Education
We just completed the Spring 4-H Shooting Sports Education certification workshop. The list of newly certified instructors will be included in the May CCC. Contact Natalie Carroll (ncarroll@purdue.edu) if you need to check on the certification status of a volunteer.

The Ambassador workshop (Science Workshops, June 11-13) is recommended for any shooting sports members interested in learning more about promoting their project in a positive manner.

We are not offering a Shooting Sports track this summer due to the lack of interest the past years and the fact that the Ambassador Workshop focuses on teaching any youth to be a positive spokesperson for their project(s) and 4-H.

- Natalie Carroll

Indiana Project Learning Tree Artwork Exhibit at the Indiana State Fair
To celebrate trees, Indiana Project Learning Tree is sponsoring a student art exhibit during the 2008 Indiana State Fair. Any artwork related to trees or forests will be accepted. Submissions may be projects created by a class, club, or by individual students.  Examples of artwork include, but are not limited to, drawings, paintings, papermaking, leaf art, sculpture, paper mache, and poetry.

Size: Artwork should be no larger than 24" x 36" for two dimensional pieces and 48" high for three dimensional projects.
Deadline for submission is May 23, 2008.

Mail or Deliver to: the Project Learning Tree office at the Natural Resources Education Center at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis (address below). All artwork submitted will become property of Indiana Project Learning Tree and will be exhibited in the Home & Family Arts Building during the 2008 Indiana State Fair, August 6-17. One project will be selected to be permanently displayed in the Indiana State Fair Communications Building.

Please label all artwork with the school name, club or school address, class grade, number of students in the club/class (if a group project) and educator's name (or student's name if art is an individual project). Name of students will not be included in the exhibit unless written permission is provided. If Project Learning Tree activities are the basis for the art, please include the names of the activities.

 Each student who submits artwork as an individual or as part of a class project will receive a 2008 Indiana State Fair participation ribbon and complimentary admission tickets to the Fair!

For more information on this art exhibit, please contact:
Donna Rogler
IN Project Learning Tree Coordinator
Fort Harrison State Park
317-549-0354

 “Mission: Leadership” - 77th State 4-H Junior Leader Conference
Registrations have started to arrive for the 77th State 4-H Junior Leader Conference to be held June 17-20, 2008 at the University of Indianapolis. The registration fee of $150 per person is due by May 15. Again this year all registrations may be completed electronically via ED.

Please make checks payable to Purdue University and submit payment to: State 4-H Junior Leader Conference, 615 W. State St., AGAD 226, West Lafayette, IN, 47907.

Delegates should be Junior Leaders who have completed grades 9-12. More information about the conference is available on at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/sjlc/index.html. Thank you for your assistance with recruiting participants for this excellent leadership development experience!

- Steve McKinley

Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy
Sascha Harrell, Real Estate Manager for the Purdue Research Park, passes along the following information to share with students who will be entering grades 11 or 12.

The Purdue Research Park Entrepreneurship Academy is a weeklong program for all incoming high school Juniors and Seniors in the State of Indiana. The academy will be held July 27-August 1 at Purdue University. 

Students who demonstrate dedication and innovation in the areas of Math, Science and Technology Education should apply. Students applying should have strong leadership skills and an above average level of energy for becoming involved in advanced learning activities.

Aspiring entrepreneurs will learn how to identify a possible business, develop a product or service, create a marketing plan and pitch the idea to potential investors. Winning teams will receive college tuition vouchers, ranging from $100-$500.

The nomination packet and our one page marketing flyer are available below. You can also go to our web site: http://www.purdueresearchpark.com/academy/index.asp to find these materials in downloadable PDF format. All press material, pictures, criteria, etc. are included at this site as well. Please contact me if anyone needs some questions answered.
Download Entrepreneurship Academy nomination packet
Download Entrepreneurship Academy marketing flyer

- Sascha Harrell, smharrell@prf.org

2008 State Fair Horse and Pony Show Reminder
Reminder – For the 2008 State Fair Horse and Pony Show, exhibitors will be required to present the yellow copy of their enrollment form when they check-in. They will not receive a stall assignment, or their number, without it. This is not a new policy, but we will begin enforcing it more closely. Please help get the word out to the potential exhibitors.

- Colleen Brady

“Strength Through Unity…Together We Can Accomplish the Fantastical!” - Indiana State Fair Youth Leadership Conference
Registrations are due by July 1st for the Indiana State Fair Youth Leadership Conference to be held August 3-9 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Registrations are $125 per person and may be completed electronically through ED. Please make checks payable to the Indiana State Fair and submit them to: ISFYLC Registration, 615 W. State St., AGAD 226, West Lafayette, IN, 47907

More information about ISFYLC is available on the conference Web site: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/isfyl.....

- Steve McKinley

PROJECT CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES

Natural Resource Exhibits
Do you get questions about how to make an exhibit or what “the judges are looking for?” See the Indiana 4-H Natural Resource project pages at: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/staff.home/natalie/4h.html. You will find links to pictures of Indiana State Fair exhibits. If you follow the project links you will find a brief introduction to the project, FAQs, notes, and resources.

- Natalie Carroll

Entomology

Using 4-H Natural Resource Activities in the Classroom
Lesson plans for using activities from selected natural resource manuals are available at the website, www.four-h.purdue.edu/staff.home/natalie/Resources/LessonPlans,Activities.htm.

- Natalie Carroll

Resources for Educators
New Farm to Kindergarten Toolkit
The Kindergarten Initiative of the Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, is designed to integrate nutrition and agriculture education into kindergarten-level lessons; feed children well; connect children to growing food; partner with parents; and involve the community. Its new Kindergarten Initiative Toolkit provides inspiration and practical information for policymakers, legislators, school districts, teachers, and parents wanting to implement Farm to Kindergarten programs in their communities. The downloadable toolkit is free; a $5 print version includes a CD with lesson plans, sample activities, and other resources for fitting nutrition topics into a standards-based curriculum that follows the kindergarten year thematically. Learn more here: http://www.thefoodtrust.org/php/programs/kindergarten.initiative.php

Operation Green Plant: FREE SEEDS
Each year, America the Beautiful's Operation Green Plant provides free seeds to educators and nonprofit groups to encourage citizen efforts to protect and preserve America’s lands and resources. These are seeds from 2005-2007 with germination rates of 90% to 95%. Grants of 100 to 2,000 seed packets are being offered on the basis of availability and relative need. Shipping and handling fees for the first set of 100 seed packets is $14.95. Additional set(s) of 100 packets are available for $5 per set. Learn more and order seeds here:
http://www.america-the-beautiful.org/free_seeds/index.php

Grow Dwarf “Space Crops” in Your Classroom from FREE SEEDS
Utah State University’s Crop Physiology Laboratory provides teachers with instructions and free seeds for growing dwarf "space crops.” Explore plant biology and plant growth systems such as hydroponics; compare plant growth with conventional crops grown here on Earth; and identify other differences between crop production on Earth and in space. Learn more and order seeds here:  http://www.usu.edu/cpl/outreach.htm

NOTE:  These are the seeds we use for the Mission to Mars project – so if you have youth participating, please let them know about this resource!

- Kathryn Orvis

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT

4-H Volunteer Vision
Download The April “4-H Volunteer Vision” for use with your local volunteers.

- Steve McKinley

National Volunteer Week: April 27 – May 3
As a reminder, the March 2008 CCC contained a National Volunteer Week packet to help you recognize volunteers in your program. This year’s National Volunteer Week will be held from April 27 – May 3, 2008.

- Steve McKinley

2008 North Central Region Volunteer Forum
The 2008 North Central Region Volunteer Forum will be held November 6-8, in Columbus, Ohio.  Preliminary information regarding the Forum is located on the Ohio 4-H website at:  http://www.ohio4h.org/NCRVF/index.html.

More information will be available in the coming months.

- Steve McKinley