| Volume XXVI Edition XI | November 2009 |
October presented a “flurry” of activity as we work to wrap up loose ends from one 4-H Program year and move into the next. We know that the addition of the Biofuels Blast activity that coincided with National 4-H Week seemed (for some of you) like just one more thing to do, but you’ve done a tremendous job with that effort and we have had GREAT reports of how engaging volunteers, teachers and youth found this to be! There will be a follow-up breakout session at PDC from 1:15-2:15 to introduce you to Soy-Sensations. Stephanie DeCamp has worked with Drs. Brady, Orvis and Knobloch to create activities that provide a demonstration of how soy products are utilized in everyday life. As with the Biofuels Blast, we have received funding (Indiana Soybean Alliance) that will provide supplies for each county. ADM has also come on board as a partner to provide soy flakes for the experiments. This presents a wonderful opportunity to engage young people in science activities as 4-H clubs/meetings pick up this winter!
I know everyone has been busy working on fall record keeping and achievement programs while also looking ahead to 2010 4-H enrollment and planning. I hope as you’re doing so that you’ll also spend some time reflecting on the needs of our volunteers (who serve as the backbone of our program)! Dr. McKinley and the state volunteer development committee work year around to develop training materials for you to more effectively engage volunteers in their work with youth….but this starts with you availing yourselves of the 4-H 101 programs like the one scheduled for November 10, “Effectively Utilizing Volunteers.” I hope you have these opportunities for your ongoing professional development scheduled….and then you’ll plan to utilize the information gained!
Approximately 30 of us attended the NAE4-HA meeting in Rochester, NY during the last week of October. I think we can all say this was a wonderful opportunity for networking, picking up new program ideas, and learning about some of the important research occurring regarding youth development. I spoke with Dr. Hibberd before I left Rochester and shared with him that most of us were “clicking our heels and saying over and over, there’s no place like home.” As we networked with faculty/staff from other states and learned of some of the severe funding issues they are currently experiencing, we can be proud of the work that is done in Indiana and the confidence county and state elected officials have in our system (demonstrated with funding for the coming year). In times of reduced tax income at all levels of government, we know that elected officials have had to make some tough choices as they make funding decisions.
Congratulations, Tony Carrell
We can all be proud of Tony Carrell who represents us extremely well as he serves as a North Central Region Director for NAE4-HA. Tony has recently acquired the additional honor of being tapped by the incoming national president to serve as chair of the regional directors. This will involve serving as the primary board contact for the state relations team, working closely with the president-elect to develop monthly conference call agendas, coordinating the plan of work for the RD’s, and participating on the monthly conference calls with the vice president’s council. Please join me in congratulating Tony on this “new assignment.”
Congratulations Regional and National Award winners
Congratulations are in order for the following individuals who received awards during the NAE4-HA meeting in Rochester.
Achievement in Service Award – Joan Grott, Jeff Pell, Gary Simmons
Distinguished Service Award – David Addison, Joanne Lytton, Angie Riffle
Meritorious Service Award – Dr. Carl Broady
ES-237 Report
I appreciate everyone’s attentiveness to completing this year’s ES-237 reports. We have been reviewing the reports as they come in and will be contacting counties as we have specific questions regarding this reporting. We’ll be compiling our mass report for submission immediately following the Thanksgiving Holiday!
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Renée McKee, State 4-H Program Leader
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Shooting Sports
We had another great workshop September 11-13, with a wonderful group of volunteer leaders. The list of newly certified Shooting Sports Education instructors is available here. Please remember that instructors are only allowed to teach youth in their area of certification. Other adults can help (and are encouraged to) but a certified instructor must be present at any activity where shooting occurs.
- Natalie Carroll
Operation: Military Kids (OMK)
Hoosier Cheer for Our Heroes!
Lt. Governor Becky Skillman is once again promoting her holiday letter campaign for U.S. troops spending the season away from their homes and loved ones. A card or letter is one small way Hoosiers can say thanks and bring cheer to our heroes. Cards or letters can be sent to:
Office of Lt. Governor Becky Skillman
c/o Hoosier Cheer for Our Heroes
200 West Washington Street, Suite 333
Indianapolis, IN 46204
An electronic note can also be sent to lg@lg.in.gov.
Some suggested guidelines are as follows:
Holiday Events
Local military children and their families may also appreciate extra support during the holidays. If you know of a group or organization that would like to sponsor a community event, fill and distribute Hero Packs, or help create cards and messages through the Mobile Technology Lab, please contact Judy Hauser (jhauser@purdue.edu) or Steve McKinley (mckinles@purdue.edu ) for additional information about OMK resources available to assist with those activities.
- Judy Hauser and Steve McKinley
“4-H 101” Staff Development
The second program of the “4-H 101” staff development series will be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2009. Each of the six 4-H 101 programs in this series will be offered via Adobe Connect and will provide information regarding the basics of the 4-H program that can be used for personal knowledge or to share with volunteers and others in the 4-H program. NOTE: this is an update of the series that was last offered in 2005-2006.
Prior to each session, the PowerPoint presentation used in the session will be posted to the U: drive under the State YDAE/4-H 101 file folder. A link to the Adobe session will be e-mailed prior to the session to enable you to connect. During the session, questions may be sent to the presenters via the chat box.
Each session will be recorded and posted to the State 4-H Web site for later viewing. The first program in the 4-H 101 series, “4-H Purpose, History, and Structure”, is now available for viewing on the Educator page of the 4-H Web site: http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/ext_ed/index.cfm. Look for 4-H 101: 4-H History.
Listed below are the remaining programs, the dates offered, and the Adobe Connect Web link.
Each session is held from 10 a.m. – 12 noon (ET).
If you did not enroll for this series via the Extension Staff Development Web site earlier this year and would like to do so, please contact your District Office.
- Steve McKinley
4-H Trips & Conferences Promotion
A 2010 4-H Trips & Conferences Brochure and PowerPoint are now posted on the 4-H Web site. They are posted under the “Join 4-H” tab, then the “Trips” tab. Look for “2010 4-H Trips and Conferences Brochure” and “2010 4-H Trips & Conferences PowerPoint.”
Please use these files to help promote the various opportunities that are available to your 4-H members in 2010.
- Steve McKinley
VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT
“What Every 4-H Volunteer Should Know”
“What Every 4-H Leader Should Know” will be offered to 4-H Extension Staff and Volunteers on Thursday, December 3, from 7:30-9 p.m. (ET) via Adobe Connect (https://gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/leader4h/). This program will cover the basics of the 4-H program policies and procedures, essential elements, National 4-H Mission Mandates, club meetings, 4-H opportunities, volunteer resources, and FAQ’s.
Counties are encouraged to invite 4-H Volunteers to meet at a central location to participate in this program. Carl Broady, Renee McKee, and Steve McKinley will facilitate the program from campus. Opportunities will be provided for county groups to have local discussions and to interact with other counties during the program.
A flyer that can be localized to help you promote the program to 4-H Volunteers is available here. Please complete the text fields with information specific to your county before distributing. Several additional files will be posted to the U: drive that can be printed to distribute to volunteers during the session. We will also provide some on-site facilitation instructions for you to use with your volunteers.
A recording of the program will be available on the State 4-H Web site upon its conclusion.
Thank you for helping to promote this program to your volunteers!
- Carl Broady and Steve McKinley
Volunteer Recognition: Salute to Excellence 2010
Salute to Excellence is a national volunteer recognition program. Each state or territory can nominate two volunteers, one in each of two categories: Volunteer of the Year (less than 10 years of service) and Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer (10 or more years of service). The regional awardees receive a plaque and a cash award to be given to any local 4-H program that they wish. They also receive a travel stipend to pay a portion of travel to the regional forum at which they will be recognized. The national awardees will receive a special gift and a cash award to be given to the local 4-H program of their choice and a trip to Washington, D.C. for the 4-H Hall of Fame Ceremony in October, 2010.
The nomination form for the 2010 Salute to Excellence awards is available here. Please consider submitting a nomination for one or both of these awards to the State 4-H Office. Each application must be accompanied by 3 letters of recommendation addressing the points listed under the selection criteria on the nomination form. Please submit letters and applications electronically (Word format preferred).
Nominations received by December 1, 2009 at the State 4-H Office will be considered to represent Indiana in the regional competition for the 2010 awards.
- Steve McKinley
4-H Volunteer Vision
Download The November “4-H Volunteer Vision” for your use with volunteers.
- Steve McKinley
VolunteerIN…4-H Toolkit for Success
Lesson plans for the fourth and final year of the “VolunteerIN…4-H Toolkit for Success” are being prepared by the 4-H Volunteer Development Committee. This series, based on the Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development, will focus this year on the Generosity concept. To begin the fourth year of the materials, an IP Video program will be held on Tuesday, January 26 and on Tuesday, March 2 (the same program will be offered on each date). Each program will be held from 7:30-9 p.m. Eastern Time (6:30-8 p.m. Central Time).
IP Video sites may be enrolled by visiting: http://1144sms/ipevents/. Look for programs #1721 (Jan 26) and #1722 (Mar 2).
Please begin to promote these opportunities to your volunteers. Once the specific lesson for the IP Video program is identified, we will share that information with you. Final lesson plans will be distributed to county offices on a CD in early January, 2010.
- Steve McKinley
Everyone Ready® Volunteer Management Staff Development
Purdue Extension staff members are invited to participate in Everyone Ready®, a new online volunteer management training program.
National 4-H Council, through a grant from Monsanto, is making the Everyone Ready® program available nationwide to all Extension staff who work with volunteers, regardless of program area or title (not just those who work with 4-H volunteers). There is no cost to states or individuals.
Purdue Extension staff members may register at any time to participate in Everyone Ready® at: http://4-h.org/resources/volunteerism.html.
Each month a new volunteerism topic is introduced – either as an Online Seminar or as a Self-Instruction Guide. Sessions are designed to last approximately one hour each. New topics are introduced on the third Monday of each month but will be archived for Extension use for the 3 years of the grant. The October Self-Instruction Guide is titled, “Focus on the Volunteer Program Manager: A Task Analysis of the Role and Its Significant Issues.”
- Steve McKinley