August 16, 2019
What a Summer! #SoProud #KS4H and Thanks Sarah!
County Fair Season is such a great display of 4-H project based learning within Kansas 4-H Youth Development. It was a joy to spend time with professionals, volunteers and youth in Greenwood, Crawford, Lyon, Pottawatomie, Johnson, Wabaunsee, and Washington Counties this year. It was a valuable time listening and hearing about what they are proud of and what concerns them about the Kansas 4-H program. There was a unifying desire to see the program continue to grow in relevance and impact locally while providing substantive opportunities for youth in skill and personal development. County 4-H Exhibitors were fantastic in articulating to me the ways in which 4-H was making a difference in their life and their community’s well-being!
Many thanks to the countless hours and energies given on behalf of the 4-H Program this summer. You have truly made the best better and are leaving our communities better than you found them!
Our mission has not changed for over one hundred year. 4-H is charged within K-State Research and Extension to fulfill the positive youth development mission of developing tomorrow’s leaders who will grow the skills to learn, communicate, collaborate, and contribute to their communities!
Programmatic Updates:
Kansas State 4-H Policy Update: Policy updates continue to be refined between the KSU Office of Legal Counsel and the State 4-H Office. Specific areas of clarification that are being worked out related to emergency protocols, ADA accommodations protocols, updating of civil rights language (in conjunction with Extension Administration), financial use of the 4-H Clover policies, code of conduct updates, and incident report forms and procedures. Many of the updates that are done are related to items that are already in place within the department but have yet to find their way into the official policy document. Administrative changes will not be in place for the coming Program Year (starting Oct. 1), but will be rolled out for before December 1.
Staff Transition:
Last week, I received notification that Sarah Keatley has accepted another position within the College Of Veterinary Medicine and therefore will be resigning from the Department effective at the close of the work day Friday, August 23, 2019. Please join me is expressing our sincere thanks for her service and contributions to the growth and impact of Kansas 4-H Youth Development programs in Johnson and Shawnee Counties and at the Kansas State 4-H Youth Development Office as the Events Coordinator. Her stewardship of our prominent state level events (including State Fair) and investment in the lives of Kansas youth, volunteers, and professionals who co-deliver those events has been a valuable service. I am grateful for her service and her intentionality to leverage her talents and expertise to help the program grow and develop.
I wish her well in her new endeavors and do hope for a smooth transition.
Next Steps with Transition:
The following is the tentative list of Event Responsibilities and their staff point of contact going forward:
Scholarships – Dona Ratliff, Sarah Sullivan
Kansas Award Portfolios (KAP) Process – Anissa Jepsen, Sarah Sullivan
Paper Clover/Tractor Supply Co & JoAnne 4-H Campaigns – Terry Roberts
National 4-H Congress Coordinator – Shane Potter/Chris Mullins
National 4-H Conference Coordinator – Beth Hinshaw
Kansas 4-H Youth Leadership Council Selection Process – Beth Hinshaw
KYLF Taskforce Partnership support – Beth Hinshaw/Sarah Sullivan
Citizenship In Action Task Force advisor & support – Dona Ratliff/Aliah Seay
Discovery Days Task Force advisor & support – Shane Potter/Dona Ratliff
Kansas State Fair Responsibilities – Dona Ratliff will help pre-and onsite coordinate efforts with aid from regional specialists and Shane Potter.