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June 25, 2009
Warren County 4-H'ers travel to Russia
On Thursday, June 18 four members of Warren County 4-H in New Jersey departed on a two-week trip to a youth camp outside Moscow, Russia. The 4-H Teen Council members Nick Pope, Spencer Ross, Danny Torretta, and Jeff Wilson will help Russian youth learn English, while sharing with them 4-H values and what life is like in the United States. Since January, the youth has been learning about Russian culture and team building, and all four worked at the Warren County Farmers' Fair to help fund their trip.
The Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders presented the group with a proclamation saluting their efforts. "You young folks are going on the trip of a lifetime," said Freeholder Director Richard D. Gardner. The proclamation expressed admiration and support for the group as they "serve as ambassadors working to enhance cross-cultural understanding."
To read more visit:
Warren County 4-H members serve as teen ambassadors in Russia
Posted in category 4-H Members at 1:11 PM
June 22, 2009
4-H at 2009 CYFAR Conference
4-H had a major presence this year at the 2009 Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Conference held in Baltimore, Md. on May 18-21. There were over 60 workshops and presentations that focused on 4-H and youth. The keynote lecture given by Bonnie Braun, Ph.D., discussed the importance of family and positive communities. Braun was Virginia's first female 4-H director, and in her 32-year Extension career she has focused on reducing barriers among individuals, families and communities.
"CYFAR provides a wonderful networking and professional development opportunity for 4-H and Extension professionals," said Aggie Wright, program specialist at the National 4-H Council. "Through the 4-H Family Strengthening Lecture, high-quality research and its practical implications can be shared with the system in a creative setting. Many who were able to attend have said they were impacted both professionally and personally."
After the lecture, the five winners of the 2008 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Award were recognized. For this award, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, through their partnership with National 4-H Council, honors 4-H Programs of Distinction with $15,000 each to further help build supportive communities using the 4-H program.
Posted in category Camps and Conferences at 5:19 PM
June 18, 2009
4-H'ers Receive 2008 President's Environmental Youth Awards
Clay Ferguson and Chance Boreczky, two middle school 4-H'ers from San Leandro, CA; were among 10 recipients of the annual President's Environmental Youth Awards (PEYA). The PEYA program was established by the White House in 1971 and has been administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since that time. The program recognizes young people across America for projects which demonstrate their commitment to the environment. Winners received a Presidential plaque as well as a trip to Washington, DC in May to accept their awards.
These 4-H'ers winning project was a video called "A Plastic Predicament", to educate the public and to propose pragmatic solutions to the environmental threats associated with use and disposal of plastic products. It also challenges the notion that better living can be achieved through consumerism based on a disposable model.
Through a 4-H environmental stewardship project, "Plastic Eliminators", Clay and Chance learned about the great Pacific trash gyre, a whirlpool of plastic debris twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific,. Recognizing the significant long-term problems associated with processing huge volumes of waste plastic and with ongoing landfill management, they became interested in educating the public about the gravity of plastic pollution and modeling ways for everyone to reduce their use of plastic.
To learn more about the President's Environmental Youth Awards, visit EPA.gov
Posted in category Awards and Recognition at 2:25 PM
June 17, 2009
National 4-H Youth Conference Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary
On June 16, 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower presided over the opening ceremonies for the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. Fifty years later, Center is one of the largest non-academic youth education and conference facilities in America and continues to be the national home for 4-H, hosting annual 4-H conferences and year-round training programs for youth, volunteer leaders and professional staff.
During the anniversary party held at Center, five 4-H alumni joined Donald T. Floyd, Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council, to blow out the five candles on the birthday cake -- each representing a decade of the Center's existence.
Center hosts over 30,000 youth each year while they tour our Nation's Capital, visit historical landmarks or attend conferences, meetings or leadership programs. First built in 1893 and later converted into a college for women, the National 4-H Foundation bought the school in 1951 to house its national training center. Currently, National 4-H Council owns and operates this exceptional conference center.
Posted in category 4-H Stories at 5:18 PM
USDA and NASA to Send 4-H Flag to Space on Shuttle Launch
USDA's National 4-H Headquarters and NASA sent the 4-H flag, depicting the familiar 4-H Clover, into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on June 13, 2009, as part of the STS-127 mission.
"The inclusion of the 4-H flag on this mission is reflective of the commitment 4-H has to building young leaders in science, engineering and technology," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "As the global economy expands, these leaders will strengthen the United States' global competitiveness and leadership in these fields."
4-H promotes positive youth development, facilitates learning and engages youth in the work of the land-grant universities and USDA to enhance their quality of life. Nearly 7 million youth, ages 5-19, participate in 4-H youth development experiences in all 50 states, territories and military installations worldwide.
Azeem Ahmed, 17, who is an avid space enthusiast and 4-H member from Alabama and President of the Alabama 4-H Council, made the original request to NASA to have the flag flown with a future space shuttle mission.
"4-H is more than green and white - it is a collage," Ahmed said. "It is agriculture and it's also healthy living, leadership and citizenship and science, engineering and technology. Science, engineering and technology is one of the missions of 4-H, and by flying a 4-H flag into space, I hope we shine a new light on 4-H."
Ahmed has been a 4-H member for seven years. He has participated in a variety of leadership and science, engineer and technology programs on the state and national level and wants people to see 4-H as he and thousands of other youth do.
To read the complete article, visit the USDA website at USDA
Posted in category SET at 9:19 AM
June 10, 2009
4-H Members Honored For Outstanding Volunteerism
In May, 4-H members received national recognition at the 2009 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program that honors youth for their extraordinary efforts in serving others through volunteerism. From more than 5,000 Local Honorees nominated by their schools or organizations last fall, 102 State Honorees -two from each state and the District of Columbia--were selected. 4-H members accounted for 8 of the 102 State Honorees, 10 of the 234 Distinguished Finalists, and 3 of the top 10 National Honorees.
The State Honorees each received $1,000 and an engraved silver medallion along with an all expenses paid trip to Washington, DC where they toured historic landmarks and visited their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. Former First Lady Laura W. Bush personally congratulated them.
"The young people receiving these awards genuinely care about making a difference in the lives of others and have accomplished so much - in their own communities and around the world," said Mrs. Bush during a gala dinner reception at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. "Students with this kind of commitment and leadership ability are essential to the future of our nation."
Continue reading "4-H Members Honored For Outstanding Volunteerism"
Posted in category Awards and Recognition at 11:36 AM
June 9, 2009
Get Ready to Spotlight Positive Youth Development: Second Annual Call for Teams
Building Partnerships for Youth, a partnership between National 4-H Council and the University of Arizona, announces a professional development opportunity to develop state or community teams from other youth serving organizations. These teams will promote adolescent health and well-being through the integration of positive youth development approaches into policies and programs, and the coordination of youth services across sectors. The goals are to create environments where young people feel safe, supported, and connected to adults and institutions.
Recruit a team of community or state-level leaders from a variety of sectors that serve youth: education, health, faith-based, and voluntary youth serving organizations, and at least one experienced youth leader; if possible, include partnership with land-grant University Cooperative Extension.
Completed applications must be received by October 2, 2009
Continue reading "Get Ready to Spotlight Positive Youth Development: Second Annual Call for Teams"
Posted in category Activities and Competitions at 12:41 PM
June 2, 2009
Leadership Abounds in Pennsylvania State 4-H Council
Hundreds of 4-H youth from across Pennsylvania gathered at the Penn Strater Hotel in Philadelphia for a weekend full of carnival-themed events designed to sharpen one of the most important skills for 4-H'ers: Leadership.
The Pennsylvania State 4-H Council hosted its annual leadership conference for over 300 youth in January with the theme "Dive into Leadership." Youth were welcomed to the Penn Strater Hotel by members of the staff and State Council who were dressed as clowns, magicians and jugglers. But while the conference had a fun-filled opening, youth quickly got to work participating in a number of events that helped cultivate their leadership skills.
"The youth are immersed in leadership development and as an added bonus, they get to work with their peers from all over the State, network with faculty, staff, educators and volunteers," Mya Rushton, 4-H Teen Program Manager for the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education for Pennsylvania State University, said while providing an overview of the conference.
"The purpose of the conference simply put is to develop better leaders for the State," said Rushton.
Continue reading "Leadership Abounds in Pennsylvania State 4-H Council"
Posted in category Camps and Conferences at 2:22 PM
May 29, 2009
4-H Career Postings: June 2009
Continue reading "4-H Career Postings: June 2009"
Posted in category Careers at 1:07 PM
Army Reserve Sponsors Free Camps for Youth
The Army Reserve will sponsor two free camps for Army Reserve youth, where campers will be able to build independence and leadership skills while networking with other Army Reserve youth and military families.
Army Reserve Enrichment Camps (AREC) are free, one-week residential summer camps offered throughout the country for youth ages eight to 16 years. Camp activities include boating, fishing, horse-back riding and more.
Be sure to check camp locations, registration and additional information at Army Reserve Enrichment Camps-- Sessions are beginning soon!
Posted in category Camps and Conferences at 11:58 AM