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Deadlines:

Kansas 4-H Trading Pins

The State 4-H Office is preparing to place an order for Kansas 4-H Trading Pins from the National 4-H Supply (on page 62 in the 2007 Source Book).  We intend to order 5,000 so we can offer the pins to counties in packs of 50 for $12.00 plus shipping.  These pins make great trade items at national and international events.  If you want to order one or more packs, please call 785-532-5800 or e-mail KS4HReg@ksu.edu

Discovery Days Update

Discovery Days is almost here!  There are a few updates we wanted to pass along.  All registration payments are due in the State office by May 15.  Registrations not paid in full by the deadline will be cancelled.  Room assignments will be sent out the next week.  Instructors will be receiving their class roster and room assignments soon.   

Delegates will have the opportunity to make “Hero Packs” for Operation Military Kids. All delegates are asked to bring items such as: writing journals, Frisbees, small stuffed animals, small photo albums, scrap books, yoyos, 4-H caps, 4-H scarves, stretch bracelets, pencils, coloring books and crayons, small books or bookmarks.  These items will be given as part of the Hero Packs for kids across Kansas whose parents have been deployed through the National Guard and Army Reserves.  

Delegates will also have the opportunity to help raise money for the 4-H councils in the counties affected by the tornados on May 4 and 5th.  Delegates will be competing within their spirit groups in a penny war where pennies count towards your total, while all other coins and paper money count against it.  Delegates will want to win bring A LOT of pennies for their own team’s jug and A LOT of nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars for the other team’s jugs.  All of the money raised will be given to county 4-H councils in the counties affected by the tornados to use as they see fit in supporting local people and places.  Theses county 4-H Councils might choose to use the money to repair a food booth at the fairgrounds, provide 4-H activity scholarships for members, replace club banners, help individual members or families, rebuild a park or playground, or any other needs they see in their own communities.  The Discovery Days Action Team will match each dollar raised, up to $1000, so bring your change and donations from your clubs! 

We will have several openings on the Discovery Days Action Team this year.  Applications are due June 15 and are available at: http://www.Kansas4-H.org/ActionTeams/   Agents, adult volunteers, and youth are all needed to serve.
Wiebers/Baumberger

Kansas State Fair Books
 
State Fair Exhibitor handbooks have been printed and will be available at Discovery Days registration.  The 4-H section and the Youth Schedule were not updated with the 2007 information in the initial printing and posting on the state fair’s web site.  Edits in the 4-H/FFA combined show section were incorporated into the printed copies.  The 4-H section has been updated on the http://www.KansasStateFair.com web site as of May 15.  As a courtesy to local Extension Offices receiving their copies of the State Fair Book at Discovery Days, the State 4-H Office has decided to incur the costs of re-printing the corrected 4-H section.  Corrected pages will indicate "Corrected for 2007" at the bottom of each page. Anyone else who received a printed copy directly from the State Fair, should be made aware of these discrepancies and may wish to print the 4-H section and the Youth Schedule from the web.  Adobe Acrobat versions of these documents may be downloaded and printed from:  http://www.Kansas4-H.org/Events/KSF/
Wiebers

2007-2008 Collegiate 4-H Officers

Collegiate 4-H elected a new slate of officers for the 2007-2008 school year at their April 9 meeting.  The new officers are:

President – Kylee Grant
Vice President – Becky Greene
Secretary – Grace Tucker
Treasurer – Katie Clowers
Officer Training Coordinator – Barrett Smith
County Club Days Coordinator – Torie Reilly
Public Relations – Melinda Tebow
Historian – Chelsey Weeden
Ag Student Council Rep. – Chelsey Weeden
Dobesh

c4h@ksu.edu

Collegiate 4-H now has a one stop e-mail alias.  Please use and distribute this e-mail address to anyone needing to contact Collegiate 4-H or those wanting information about Collegiate 4-H.
Dobesh

SE Area Horticulture Judging Contest

Cherokee County will be hosting the SEA Horticulture Judging Contest on Wednesday, June 6 in Columbus.  Registration is at 12:30 and the contest will begin at 1:00 p.m.   In addition to the contest, there will be a guest speaker from a nearby greenhouse, a hands-on activity for kids and a plant swap. 

The contest will consist of judging and identification for seniors (14-18) and intermediates (10-13).  There will be a non competitive activity for 7-9 year olds.  

Check out all the information under What’s Hot on the State 4-H Website.  Call Phyllis Kriesel in Cherokee County with questions.
Hinshaw and Kriesel

Kansas Youth Leadership Forum Presenters Needed

It is time to recruit instructors/presenters for the 8th Annual Kansas Youth Leadership Forum to be held November 16-18 at Rock Springs 4-H Center. This conference, designed for youth, ages 14-18, will include speakers, workshops, consulting groups and the election of the 2008 Kansas State 4-H Youth Leadership Council.

We will soon be recruiting proposals for workshop session instructors/presenters. Topics should center on leadership. Some ideas might include, but are not limited to, community service, citizenship, communications, conflict management, ethics, motivation, decision making, leading by example, time management, international citizenship, multi-cultural studies, diversity, business etiquette and getting involved after high school. The Kansas State 4-H Youth Council members hope that you (or one of your volunteers) will be interested in sharing your expertise or talent with this opportunity.

Kansas 4-H Program Rally

Be watching your e-mail for information about the Kansas 4-H Program Rally currently scheduled for January 9-11, 2008 at Rock Springs 4-H Center.  There will not be a series of Area 4-H Updates this fall, so please put these dates on your calendar. The planning committee will be asking for your thoughts about time, structure and content by way of e-mail. 
Hinshaw and Hecht

A quick definition for bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things that have power over another person. Some ways people or children bully others are by saying nasty things, leaving them out of activities, ignoring them, making them feel uncomfortable or scared, or causing them physical harm. Bullying is not "just another part of growing up", it’s a real and serious issue for the victim, causing fear and anxiety which can lead to lack of self-confidence or self-esteem.

Bullying behaviors may include: verbal abuse (teasing, gossiping, name-calling, dirty looks), public humiliation, demeaning acts, vandalism, theft, threats of violence or organized rejection. As you prepare for camp, develop some tools to handle the bullying situations. Make sure everyone understands what bullying is and how to recognize signs, set clear expectations about positive behavior, and discuss ideas for decreasing bullying behaviors. Decreasing bullying behaviors will create positive experiences and memories for campers. Van Horn

Source: Treasurers of the Trail, West Virginia Extension.
Van Horn

This age group does not do well in competitive activities. They need to be in group and participatory activities. Youth ages 6-8 work best in cooperative groups.

Source: Children and Competition, North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Van Horn

This Oregon study looked at four different aspects of 4-H animal science fair participation to determine if they had differing effects on life skill development. The study also measured the change in self-esteem and proactive coping skills in fair participants over the course of the year." The study can be found on the National 4-H Headquarters website: http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/comm/ANSC_eval06.pdf
McNally

Hosts for International Exchanges Needed for Summer 2007

Kansas will be hosting four individual exchangees from Finland, Taiwan, Australia and Germany as part of our state 4-H exchanges.  These are in addition to the group exchange with Japan to be hosted by Central Kansas District, River Valley District, Harvey County and Osage County.  The individual Exchangees are: 

Ilta Vaanaanen, Finland
Ms. Chu, Taiwan
Nikki Armstrong, Australia
Sylvia Feldmann, Germany 

The first three will arrive in Kansas on June 18 and stay 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months respectively.  They need a family for each 2-4 week period that they are here.  Sylvia will arrive September 7 and stay until November 2.  Ilta will be hosted in Osage County for her entire stay.  Families in Thomas, Ellis and Meade have been identified to host Sylvia.

Two or three hosts are needed for the Taiwanese 4-H professional with families who can expose her to 4-H and four or five hosts are needed for Nikki.  Following is some information on the exchangees needing families.

Nikki

female, age 21

member of Australian Rural Youth

Lives on Targa Farm, Nunamara, Tassmania, Australia
Education Career: high school graduate, half way through certification in hospitality
Working as an administrator for Master Builders
Rural Youth Activities:  Newsletter Delegate, Social Events Organizer
Speaks English, Basic Japanese
Interests:  Farming practices, horse riding

Ms. Chu

female likely in 20’s
(Bio information has not arrived yet)
Taiwanese Exchangee

4-H Extension Professional
Likely speaks Taiwanese, Mandarin, English

Please identify families as prospective hosts for these exchangees and provide contact information to Mary Kay Munson, 785-238-3631 or munsonm@nqks.com or have families contact Mary Kay directly.  Applications are available on the 4-H web site.
Munson

State Horse Judging Contest

The state 4-H horse judging contest will be June 19, at CiCo Park in Manhattan. Check-in time is 7:45-8:15 a.m. The contest will begin at 8:30 a.m. Entries are due by 5:00 p.m., June 6. More information and entry forms can be found Online.
Breiner

Horse Nomination Closed

As a reminder, no substitutions may be made to horse nominations in the event of equine injury or death. All nominations are considered final at this time.
Breiner

Horse Show Rulebook and Level Testing

The current horse show rulebook is now revised and available Online. In print the new book will have a green cover to distinguish it from out of date materials.  Please look for changes in level testing, halter, trail and snaffle-bit sections.  Major changes are outlined in a handout on the horse page as well.
Breiner

* Not doing what you have the power to do.
* Not doing what you have the right to do.
* Not doing what you want to do.

Ethics requires us to give up the idea that an act is proper simply because it is permissible or that an act is ethical so long as it is legal. There is a big difference between what a person has the right to do and what is right to do. Ethics is bigger than compliance. Compliance is about doing what you are required to do by laws or rules. Ethics is about doing what you should do because it is right. Ethics is not about rhetoric. It is not about what we say, or what we intend. It is not a written code or a framed credo. It is about what we do. Ethics is about action. Ethics is not an option. It is a ground rule!

"Ethics is a code of values that guide our choices and determine the purpose and course of our lives." - Ayn Rand
GERHARD

Start Planning Today!  Summer 2008 4-H Japan Inbound Exchange 

Help make the world seem a little smaller by inviting 5 to 7 Japanese students to stay with 4-H families in your Extension Unit for one month during the summer of 2008. Your 4-H'ers will make friendships that will last a lifetime. Now is the time to consider becoming a part of this fantastic world citizenship opportunity. Youth and their adult chaperones arrive in Kansas approximately July 18 and stay for four weeks. You don't have to decide today, final commitments aren't due until September 2007. But if you're curious as to what is involved, would like to shadow the arrival orientation at Rock Springs 4-H Center, or visit a mid-term activity near you, the summer of 2007 is the perfect chance to find out if this is a way to strengthen your 4-H citizenship programming. Kansas 4-H has hosted Japanese LABO and LEX Foundation students and staff for nearly 30 years. Two adults and 23 young people in their teens will be staying in River Valley District (Clay, Republic, Cloud and Washington), Central Kansas District (Saline and Ottawa), Osage, and Harvey counties this summer. If you have questions about possibly becoming involved next year, contact Rose Scott, the 4-H Japan Inbound Exchange Coordinator at (785) 388-2009 or myself at (785) 462-6281 or e-mail.
Waldren

Kansas 4-H/FFA Wheat Variety Plot Enrollment 

As wheat harvest approaches it is time to remind members to re-enroll or ask new members to enroll for the 2008 Kansas 4-H/FFA Wheat Variety Plot program. The program begins fall of 2007 and goes through September 2008.  The enrollment form will be on the Kansas State 4-H Website by June 1 under "What's Hot" rather than the Northwest Research Extension site. Members are asked to contact their local Extension Office by July 10 for information with enrollments due to the Northwest Area Extension Office by July 25, 2007. It is very important that we know the number of participants early, so we can have enough seed and metal signs available for Extension agents and leaders to pick up at the Kansas State Fair.  New participants will receive a large plot sign, and five individual variety signs.  These will be distributed on the first weekend of the 2007 Kansas State Fair.

Resource information for the wheat variety project includes:  (1) Wheat Variety Plot Brochure, 4-H 565 Rev., April 2000; (2) Wheat Variety Plot--Youth Participant Handbook, 4-H 566, Aug. 1996; and (3) 4-H Wheat Variety Plot Record, P1099.

This year's participants who are getting ready to harvest their plots should be planning their county fair display for possible qualifying for the Kansas State Fair entry in the Pride of Kansas Building.  For more information, contact Deryl Waldren at 785-462-6281 or e-mail. 
Waldren

2007 Kansas State 4-H & FFA Wheat Show in Manhattan

Don’t miss out on this exciting wheat field day this summer.  It’s the annual Kansas State 4-H and FFA Wheat Show.  Kansas is famous for its golden wheat fields all across Kansas.  Families have been participating with this fun and educational show for decades.  Join us in Manhattan on Friday, August 10^th from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the International Grains Program at 1980 Kimball Avenue across from the KSU Football stadium.  The wheat show committee is working hard to finalize plans for the 2007 show.  The wheat show is open to all 4-H and FFA members, family members, 4-H leaders, Extension staff and Vocational Agriculture staff.  There will be eight contests open to youth members with cash prizes awarded.  Classes include:  (1) 3 lb. bin run for crops members; (2) 3 lb. bin run for “adopt a producer”; (All wheat samples are due to K-State on July 20 so testing can be completed).  (3) 1 quart jar sample of cleaned wheat; (4) loaf of bread; (5) four cookies; (6) wheat photography contest; (7) wheat centerpiece contest; and (8) a Cloverbuds division awarding participation ribbons. Participants will tour the new International Grains Program facility and the Hal Ross Flour Mill, as well as a hands-on baking activity at Shellenberger Hall.  There is no registration cost.  Pre-registration is required for an accurate meal count and for tour divisions by August 1^st on the Kansas 4-H website registration system. Click on “Register for 4-H Events, and Kansas State 4-H & FFA Wheat Show.”  For those with no computer connections, contact Greg McClure for food count by August 1^st at 785-537-6350.  For more information contact Deryl Waldren at 785-462-6281 or e-mail. 
Waldren

If you've had an exceptional year with programming, please consider sharing your story on the national 4-H Afterschool website - Success Stories.
Diane Mack & Pam Van Horn

Dairy cattle show entries will still be sent to the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Office. Show information will be sent with a catalog directly to 4-H dairy members.
Adams

"Please refer to the enclosed National 4-H Headquarters Fact Sheet, 'Tax Exemption Status of 4-H Clubs and Affiliated 4-H Organizations' for specific information. The fact sheet can also be downloaded from www.national4-Hheadquarters.gov, go to Name & Emblem, then Fact Sheets.

During the past year, several 4-H Councils and 4-H clubs across the state have discovered how very important it is to be on the IRS Group Exemption List in order to receive monies from a donor as well as maintain a relationship with that donor. Questions? Please contact Pat McNally or your Area 4-H Specialist for more information.
McNally

Summer Camp is Here

As you prepare for 4-H Camping here’s a few things to think about: 

2008 Camping Issue of the 4-H Journal.
The Camp Action Team will be putting together the Camping Issue of the 4-H Journal next year and we need help from county staff, district staff and camp groups. Please send photos, story ideas, testimonial quotes or camp traditions to Robyn Deines Walnut Creek District following your 4-H camp.

Here's what we need:

• Action photos from your camp.  4-H Campers love to see themselves in the Kansas 4-H Journal.

• Quotes from campers, counselors, agents and parents.  if you get something great, please share it-- such as "how much fun" campers have during camp.

• Camp flyer and the letter sent to the campers with what to bring, how camp works... it is our hope to put all of these great ideas together for some neat features that will be helpful to families planning for 4-H camp.

• Other camps conducted in the County or District?  Day Camp, local over-night camp? CAT wants to know and promote all 4-H camping.

Camp Counselor Recognition
The Camp Counselor Recognition Information is on the Web. Farm Bureau is again sponsoring this recognition. Camp Groups need to send camp counselors names to the State 4-H Office by July 15 for counselors to be recognized. 

Camp Planning
As you put the final touches on your camp planning, remember there are some great resources on the web. You will find 2007 Camp Theme information including activity ideas and graphics. The Camp Action Team also has a list of camp resources, so check all of these resources out if you are needing a little assistance or creativity to finish up your camp plan.  

Camp Standards
After the 2007 Camping Season, the Kansas 4-H Camp Standards will be reviewed. If you have thoughts after camp, please share them with Pam Van Horn. The purpose of camp standards is to provide a safe learning environment at 4-H Camp. The KSRE Risk Management Manual reinforces the importance of and the need to implement these standards.   

Camp Action Team
Have a passion for 4-H camping and having fun? Interested in youth having a positive, safe camp experience? Want to expand 4-H’s camping experiences? Then the 4-H Camp Action Team might be the action team for you! The Camp Action Team is looking for energetic, enthusiastic, excited agents, volunteers and teens to enhance Day Camp, 4-H Camp, Counselor Training and much more! Think you might be interested? Applications available.  Please have applications in to Pam by June 15, 2007.
Van Horn

Registration is now open. For more information go to: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/4h/ncvlf/index.cfm
Buchele

Applications for the Master Volunteer program are not due until fall, but now is the time to be working on identifying and selecting Master Volunteer candidates. This way you and they will be ready long before the deadline. Full information is available on the web, or call me.
Buchele

To complete the class the volunteers; view the introduction video and the Essential Elements video, view each of the three modules, complete the three quizzes, print a copy of their grade book and take the copy to the local Extension Office. Since the volunteer serves the local Extension Board the responsibility for monitoring completion is with the local office.

If you have enrolled a volunteer but have not heard back from them with their grade book, you might want to give them a call and see how they are doing. You want them to complete the process, so a little encouragement might help. If as a result of the call, you find they are having problems, please let me know so we can check out the problem and help out.
Buchele

• Volunteer rate: 45% versus 33%
• Average volunteer hours: 4.3 hours per week, as compared to 2.8 hours

"21% report they would be more likely to volunteer if they knew volunteering would fit in among their other commitments."

Time isn’t the real issue: The questions are "Is what I will get out of donating the time worth the time it will take? How much hassle is involved? Can I trust you to deliver what you promise?

The number one reason for discontinuing volunteering, over 70% of volunteers give this reason. "Things could be better organized."

Implications:

• Provide volunteer opportunities for families
• Deliver what we promise
• Have flexible time options
• Volunteer opportunities that do important (to the volunteers) functions

Buchele

On Thursday, June 14, a brief introduction to Blue Ribbon software training will be offered for Agents and Office Professionals new to the software.  The session will be offered from 2:00pm to 4:00pm by conference call.  To register, e-mail Cheryl Thomas at cthomas@ksu.edu no later than June 11.  Please be sure to include your first and last name, position and Extension Unit.  The phone number and access PIN will be e-mailed to registered participants.

4-H State Office Open House

Come join us
May 30
3:30-5:00
for an open house in our newly redecorated office!

Neiss