IFYE Host Families Still NeededThanks to agents who have contacted potential hosts for the International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) youth coming to Kansas this year. Now that we have information on all our in-bounds, Becky Meiwes is moving ahead with screening and placements. We know additional families are needed from the end of June through December. Please contact families who may have wished to host in the Japanese Exchange, which is on hold this year. A new host family is needed for approximately every three weeks during the IFYE's stay. Kansas will be hosting the following individuals who are listed with their dates in Kansas, ages and countries:

First Half 6-month Exchange June 25--September 6
Claudia Eugenia Fernandez Zamora (20) Costa Rica

Full 6-month Exchange June 25--December 4
Alejandro Verzola (19) Costa Rica

Second Half 6-month Exchange September 22--December 4
Bodil Pederson (22) Norway

Some host family slots have been filled, but more are still open, especially for the 6-month participants. Interested families should complete the "International Four-H Youth Exchange Application", available on the State 4-H web site www.oznet.ksu.edu/4h/ under "IFYE". Adult family members must also complete the 4-H VIP form unless they're already approved as volunteers with a VIP form on file. A follow-up In Home Interview is required before an IFYE is assigned to a family.
Munson

Discovery Days Update   Questions??? Please contact the following individuals if you have questions pertaining to:

Discovery Days Agent Committee - Carl Garten (Chair), Pam Van Horn (Class Instructors, Classes) (Adult Assignments), Al Davis (Registration Materials), Leroy Russell (Health Forms), Michelle Perez (Delegate Packets) or Beth Hecht (Housing).

Discovery Days Caucus (Action Team) Pat Fultz (Coordinator), Leroy Russell, Rod Wallace, Krista Harding or Robyn Swonger,

Livestock Skillathon, Julie Voge (785-532-1264)

FACS Quiz Bowl, Margaret Phillips (785-532-1562)

Cancellations/Refunds/Substitutions, Kathy Zimmerman or Cheryl Thomas, Office
Professionals (785-532-5800)

REMINDERS:
A reminder that one check to cover all registration fees for your county delegation is due in the State 4-H Office by April 25th. Something New! Please send the Revue Sheet Form with your payment. This is a summary of all delegates, monies paid for each delegate and the total amount due. This form will be very advantageous in keeping  track of "who has paid what" component of this multi-faceted event. The Form can be downloaded and printed from the State 4-H Youth Development web site, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/4h/Discovery%20Days/03DiscoveryDays.htm
Thanks!

To participate in the Livestock Skillathon or FACS Quiz Bowl, 4-H members must submit a Discovery Days Registration Form and Health Form. Only teams may participate in these two events. No individual entries will be accepted.
Adults will be needed to serve as Floor Counselors. Please refer to the job description (pg. 15) included in the Discovery Days Handbook for the specifics of this role. Available on our web-site: www.oznet.ksu.edu/4h. This will be a great opportunity for you to interact and become acquainted with lots of great youth!

An average of 38% of delegate health forms are incomplete when submitted with the registration forms. Most often, the doctor's phone number is missing. This is a very high error rate and consumes valuable time by the Shawnee County staff to obtain the missing information. You can help by making sure all forms are completed to the nth degree before mailing them.

Remember to make copies of the Kansas 4-H Health Form, Code of Conduct and Photo Release Form for your use during travel to and from the conference.

Remember that Delegate Coordinators must be named for each delegation. The Coordinators must remain at Discovery Days during the entire conference. Late arrivals and early departures of Delegation Coordinators put the county delegation and the program at high risk.

Remember that K-State Housing Department policies make it necessary for counties/districts to identify a male adult who will be housed on the same floor as your male delegates and a female adult who will be housed on the same floor as your female delegates. You may share chaperones as long as one adult is not responsible for more than 10 youth.

Refund of Registration Fees Clarification:

1. Refunds will be given if cancellation notification is submitted to State
    4-H Office by April 25.                  

2. Substitutions (same gender and roommate) will be accepted April 26 - May 1.

3. No refunds given for cancellations or substitutions May 2nd and later.

Key Award Clarifications--Several questions have came up recently regarding the Key Award, so I want to clarify this issue before I leave.

In 1996, a task force of agents and volunteers worked with me to revise and strengthen our County Member Achievement Plans and the State Key Award recognition program. There is a major difference between the county 4-H achievement pin recognition programs and the 4-H Key Award. The county achievement pins are a County recognition program, and as such, can be revised or localized to fit each individual county. However, the Key Award program is a State award program, and our intent is for it to be as consistent as possible between all counties, and thus, the requirements should be followed as they are printed.

Recent conversations have been ongoing with the Kansas 4-H Foundation staff and our office about the need to make the Key Award more prestigious. This was part of the intent of the 1996 changes when the quota was removed and several of the requirements were made more difficult. Our intent was to have the Key Award eventually be seen as an equal to the "Eagle Scout" award of Boy Scouts. There was discussion about even sending names and address of winners to local and national legislators so they could send a congratulatory letter back to the member. This is also why, as new 4-H scholarships are added, we are working with the donor to ask that a prerequisite be that a scholarship winner must have received the Key Award. We would be interested in your suggestions of how we might work in the future to raise the esteem of the Key Award. Send your thoughts to Gary Gerhard at the State 4-H Office.

The 4-H Key Award Application can be printed from the K-State Research & Extension web page, or it is on the 4-H Record Book CD as a form-filler application for Windows applications on pc's. Please be sure to follow the requirements as closely as possible when making your selections, to keep the consistent state-wide integrity of the program.

There has been a question about the specific intent of #7, "Participated three different years in county/district demonstration and/or public speaking contests." It is our intent that this be a prepared, planned public presentation that would include the 3 parts of a speech/demonstration: Introduction, body and conclusion, with visuals as appropriate. 4-H alumni studies have concluded that one of the major outcomes is learning to speak before a group. We want to continue to encourage and recognize those 4-H members who are learning these skills.The bulletin, "Getting Ready for 4-H Day" provides definitions for the 3 types of presentations which we were intending for this requirement to apply are as follows:

1. Demonstrations are defined as a "show-how" process involving doing or making something while giving an explanation. The demonstrator uses actual items, supplies, equipment, people, or animals while going through a process. There is usually a finished product to show, but it is not required. The demonstration is a teaching method designed to teach specifically.

2. Illustrated Talks are defined as a "tell-how" process where the presenter uses visuals such as posters, charts, models, graphs, etc. to aid in emphasizing a point or to add interest while telling how to do something. Visuals are required in the "telling how." The illustrated talk is for any age youth whose purpose is teaching specifically.

3. Public Speaking is intended to assist older, more experienced members to further develop confidence and skill in speaking before an audience. In Public Speaking, members may speak on any topic of their interest. Visuals may be used. One or two note cards are permissible if used correctly and in outline form. Outlines should be provided for each judge. Suggested maximum time limit is 15 minutes.

These definitions would exclude show and share, project talks, readings and other informal types of presentations.

Standard #11 intends to recognize those members who have participated in an  extended exchange program with another county, state, or country. "Extended" is the key word here.

I hope this will be of help to you and your Selection committees.
Steve Fisher

* be enrolled in Kansas 4-H,

*have reached their 14th, but not their 19th birthday, by January 1, 2003,

* not have previously attended EITHER National 4-H Congress or National
  4-H Conference, and

YouthWorks - Self Study Guides Available
Before retiring Marcia McFarland, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, helped write a self study manual of  "Moving Ahead - Preparing the Youth Development Professional Training." Many of you may have seen the copy I had at Spring Action Conference.  YouthWorks, self study modules are designed to better prepare staff who work with youth in out of school settings to plan and deliver appropriate and effective programs. They contain:

*Five individual study guides

*Four interactive CD ROM experiences that support the learning activities in the     guides

*Facilitator's guide that outlines the most effective methods for using the material.

Formed in 2001, the Association provides a unique opportunity for volunteers, paid staff and other individuals to join forces, to build connections with others who have an interest and passion for the 4-H youth development program.

The Association has two primary goals:  1) Provide opportunities for educational volunteer development at the state and area level and 2) Serve as a communication network to get information to volunteers.

Unlike other states' volunteer associations, the Kansas Association is not a political nor an advisory group. And, this makes it truly unique in the nation! Membership dues are only $5.00 per year or a person can join the association as a life member for only $50.00. Contact Deb Wood, Treasurer, or Cindy Baldwin, SC Vice-President, for more information.

The Officers and Board of Directors for the 2002-2003 year are eager to visit with staff and volunteers about the association's goals and opportunities. Those individuals and their contact info are as follows:

Vice-President, SW Area
Pansy Fryman, Finney County
620-272-3012
pbf@gcnet.com

Vice-President, SC Area
Cindy Baldwin, McPherson County
620-654-3321
cgteach@hometelco.net

Vice-President, NE Area
Brenda Hoobler, Atchison County
785-872-3286

District And State Horse Contests And Show Participation
Junior (ages 10 to 13) youth who wish to participate at the district and/or state horse show must have successfully met the requirements of all three sections of Achievement Level I (except showmanship and halter class participants) PRIOR  to the ENTRY deadlines.