Dear co-workers:
A new 4-H year has begun. October 1, the new 4-H year was initiated, one that will conclude on September 30, 2002. In honor of this event, National 4-H Week was conducted October 7-11, the first full week in October.
Numerous celebrations and events were conducted throughout the Commonwealth to mark the celebration of 4-H. Here on campus, the 4-H flag was raised and flew under the Virginia Flag on the grounds of Burruss Hall for the entire week. Additionally, a luncheon celebration was conducted at a local food catering business to honor specialists, support staff, and others who contribute to the overall Virginia 4-H program throughout the year. We also received the Governor of Virginia's Proclamation declaring the week of October 7-13, 2001 as Virginia 4-H Week. The proclamation is attached.
Many challenges and opportunities await each of us during this new 4-H year. I wish you the best in the new 4-H year.
(Bob Meadows)
To Table of Contents...
2001 4-H EFNEP/SCNEP Inservice Brings the Pieces Together
The 2001 4-H EFNEP/SCNEP Inservice was conducted on October 17-19, 2001 at the Donaldson-Brown Conference Center in Blacksburg, Virginia. Approximately 44 staff members (EFNEP/ SCNEP Program Assistants and respective 4-H Agents) participated in this 3-day event, learning more about 4-H, EFNEP/SCNEP, risk management, prevention and mediation of disruptive youth behavior, Character Counts!, and the innovative teaching strategies. Consultant and trainer Fahy Mullaney facilitated a 1-day session that focused on how 4-H and EFNEP/SCNEP staff members can strengthen their partnership through communication, visioning, and goal setting. Future 4-H EFNEP/SCNEP staff development events will be developed with 4-H Agent and EFNEP/SCNEP Program Assistant input. Images from the Inservice will be available on the 4-H Youth Development section of the VCE Intranet by mid-November. For more information about the 4-H EFNEP/SCNEP program.
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
2002 4-H/FCS Inservice "Call for Presentations" Announced
The 2002 4-H/FCS Inservice is scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday, January 29-31, 2002. The Inservice planning committee has announced the "Call for Presentations." (See the "Call for Presentations" in the back of this 4-H Newsletter). Presentations will be accepted in three formats, including
- 3 or 6-hour cross-programming workshop related to a major issue impacting Virginia's youth and families,
- 3-hour 4-H or FCS programming workshop, and
- poster or multi-media display.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, November, 9, 2001 to the State 4-H Office. For more information, contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
Location of Master 4-H Training in March 2002
The State 4-H Office has announced that the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center located in Front Royal, Virginia, will host the Master 4-H Training on March 18-21, 2001. The Master 4-H Training program, which is based upon the Master 4-H Volunteer model, is a staff development event for both salaried and volunteer staff who want to increase knowledge or skills in a specific area for which the training is provided. Tracts (16 or more hours of programming) will be offered in the following areas:
- Resource Development (fundraising/grant writing),
- Volunteer Development / Recruiter Coach,
- Project Wet / Wild / Learning Tree Facilitator,
- 4-H Camp Director, and
- Developing/ Coordinating/Maintaining 4-H Clubs.
For more information, contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
Virginia 4-H Camping
Participation Summary
A total of 22, 518 youth, teens, and adults participated in 4-H camping programs between October 1, 2000 and September 30, 2001 (See Figure 1). This figure includes all types of camps: day, resident, and special interest. (NOTE: This figure does not include salaried staff employed by 4-H Centers or participants in other environmental education programs conducted at 4-H Center.) More information about the opportunities and benefits of 4-H camping will be available in December 2001. For more information about 4-H camping participation data and evaluation, contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
Scholarships Available to the 2002 National 4-H Camping Institute VI
The 2002 National 4-H Camping Institute VI is scheduled for February 13-17, 2002 at Recreation Unlimited, which is located thirty-five minutes northeast of Columbus, Ohio. The cost of the Institute will be $225.00 for the "early bird" registration and more for those who register after December 1, 2001. The State 4-H Office has announced that a limited number of $200 scholarships are available to Virginia 4-H staff and volunteers. Anyone interested in a scholarship must a scholarship application. Applications are due to the State 4-H Office by November 15, 2001. For more information about the schedule for the Institute, or to request a scholarship application, contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
4-H Camp Promotional Items To Be Reviewed
A committee has been established to assess the needs of Virginia 4-H related to 4-H camp
promotional items. An email-based survey was distributed to all 4-H Agents about their needs and preferences for 4-H camp promotional items. The committee hopes to review the results of the survey and to develop promotional items by the end of January 2001. If you have not completed a survey, and would like the opportunity to provide input about this process, please contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
Curriculum News
The 4th Annual Curriculum Event took place in Richmond, Virginia on October 8th and 9th. Eighty-four people representing the ten Curriculum Component Committees were in attendance. In addition, six members of the Virginia 4-H State Staff and the Director of Virginia 4-H took active leadership roles in the two-day event. The collaborative effort within and among committees and between committees and state staff was invigorating!
Collaborative efforts evidenced many results, including:
- an "interactive hook" developed as an introductory public web presence for nine of the ten committees under the direction of Joe Hunnings and Mark Sumner
- recommendations from each committee to facilitate a more user-friendly 4-H publication process
- a written review of the 4-H competition areas and recommendations for change from each committee
- a written review of the Virginia 4-H Contest Participation Guidelines and recommendations for optional youth participation once eligibility has expired.
- a written review of the current 4-H publications and recommendation for additions/deletions for web posting
- an initial conversation between 4-H Center Program Directors and Educational Design Team Members to uncover natural curricular links and potential connections for future work
- an increased awareness of a national organizational change process used to evaluate and improve committee communication and public perception by examining concerns structurally, from a human resource perspective, politically, and symbolically (Bolman and Deal, 1997).
- an awareness of Service Learning as a "thread topic" through all curricular areas
- an awareness that curriculum committees are funding partners to the Virginia 4-H Foundation
If you are not currently a member of a curriculum committee, please feel free to send suggestions and comments to the committee chairs listed below. We want our work to represent all of us. Take initiative to have your voice proactively represented!
2001-2002 - Curriculum Committees Chairs
(Kathleen Jamison)
To Table of Contents...
The National 4HCCS Product Premier
The National 4HCCS Product Premier was a pre-conference seminar at the NAE4HA Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. What a success! Thirty state teams were represented, with Virginia having the largest team of five agents, two presenters, and one coordinator. New materials were introduced through skillathons on Saturday night. On Sunday, a training session, "Teaching and Learning Experientially," preceded workshop sessions and state team planning time. Each state team developed a plan of action to train/refresh agents with ways to teach volunteers to use the experiential learning model through skillathons and workshops. Virginia's team, Jan Blankenship, Betsy Campbell, Mike Clifford, Leonard Elam, Staci England, Kathleen Jamison, and Lori Marsh, will submit a proposal for Inservice Training in January. If it is accepted, please come to share some of the latest ideas and creative slants to a "tried and true" experiential method of 4-H program delivery.
(Kathleen Jamison)
To Table of Contents...
From the Desk of the Currriculum Specialist
Pulling together loose ends from my work over the past two months and reviewing excellent curriculum that continues to pour forth through the curriculum committees takes current priority. I will, however, be setting aside some time soon to write my dissertation. Knowing that time and work does not stop for me to complete this, I also realize it is a pressing professional priority. Leave messages with Marjorie when I am not available. I will return calls and emails and will be available as needs arise. As committee members, please help me by problem-solving among yourselves and being available to agents who need support or information. Also, see me finished and stamped with approval to maintain my position with 4-H and Virginia Cooperative Extension! I do love my work!! It is a satisfying time to be a part of this dynamic system created for the development of youth.
(Kathleen Jamison)
To Table of Contents...
LifeSmarts--The Ultimate Consumer Challenge
Want to teach teens to be smart, responsible consumers, and have fun at the same time? You need to try the LifeSmarts competition. This is a free national competition open to all teens in 9th-12th grades (including home-schooled). LifeSmarts helps teens learn consumer and marketplace skills related to:
- personal finance ( credit cards, loans, budgeting, investing)
- health and safety (nutrition, food safety, hygiene, household safety (electricity, repairs, etc.)
- the environment (recycling, disposal, regulations)
- technology & telecommunications (computers, software, programming, robotics)
- consumer rights and responsibilities (responsible purchasing/selling, consumer complaints, consumer fraud/scams)
LifeSmarts is a game-style competition. Students compete on-line to qualify for the state championship (March 5, 2002, Richmond, VA).
Enrollment in the LifeSmarts competition is free. Simply have your students or 4-Hers enroll on-line, practice on-line, and compete on-line. Information and study materials and assistance are available through the LifeSmarts website (www.lifesmarts.org).
For Rounds 1-3, the student competes individually through the website. Each student must successfully complete 3 rounds comprised of 20 questions each to compete in the State Championship. Coaches (you) are sent the names of the students who successfully completed Rounds 1-3. You then create teams of 4 (plus 1 alternate if desired) to travel to Richmond for the State competition. Students are eligible for unlimited practice rounds on-line, but they must compete in Rounds 1-3 by January 25, 2002.
The State Championship is a single-elimination competition. Each round consists of 3 phases: Phase 1 is the individual round, where each team member is asked one question and he/she must answer with no help from the rest of the team. Phase 2 is the team round, where each team is asked a series of questions - team members can confer with each other in this round. Phase 3 is the "lightning round" - the first person to buzz in must answer the question. It's a great way to compete in a fun, low-pressure, educational game where all teams exhibit a high level of sportsmanship!
LifeSmarts is sponsored by the National Consumers League, and administered in Virginia by the Virginia Council on Economic Education and VCE.
www.lifesmarts.org
For more information, contact:
Alex White, Extension Specialist, Family Financial Mgt.
Dept. of Near Environments (0410)
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Office: (540) 231-4368
FAX: (540) 231-1697
email: moneyguy@vt.edu
(Alex White)
To Table of Contents...
School Garden Programs List for Virginia
A new section of the National Gardening Association web site allows you to search to see what schools are doing in gardening across the country. It lists all the schools that have registered with them (National Gardening Assoc). Certainly, this won't be all schools that are gardening, but it is a great start! If you select Virginia and the types of gardening programs you are interested in, you will get a list of those school programs that are registered. Click on the school and it gives you the contact person, address,etc.
You might wish to use this list to contact these schools to introduce them to the 4-H MG program. The web site address is: http://www.kidsgardening.com/School/searchform.asp
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
2002 State Envirothon Contest
The 2002 State Envirothon Contest will be held at the State Arboretum (Blandy Farm) near Winchester, VA, May 19-20. The Current Issue will be "Introduced Species and Their Effect on Biodiversity." Complete information can be found at: http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/environment/envirothon/
Envirothon is an outstanding program for high-school aged youth, sponsored by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and endorsed by the Virginia 4-H Program.
(Jeff Kirwan, Ph.D.)
To Table of Contents...
4-H International Programs
We are pleased to announce that Mary Alice Formo has been accepted to serve as one of the Virginia 4-H Japanese Exchange Volunteer Assistant Coordinators. Mary Alice is a schoolteacher from Amherst County. She has been a 4-H member, 4-H Volunteer Leader and has hosted LABO delegates and chaperones for 4 years. The Assistant Volunteer Coordinator will assist Judy Ann Fray (State Volunteer Coordinator) with numerous tasks, including host family and delegate recruitment and orientation. We welcome Mary Alice to her new role with Virginia 4-H!
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
4-H Aerospace Education Website
(excerpt taken from Montgomery County 4-H Bugle - Joyce Martin/Lisa Miller)
Alabama 4-H is the national home of the 4-H Aerospace Education Website www.aces.edu/dept/4Haero/ which was recently selected as a "Best Bet" website by USA Today Education. Young people, volunteers, and teachers across the country are provided with access to aviation and space education resources through the 4-H Aerospace Education Website. With the USA Today exposure, more than 25,000 teachers and other visitors from throughout the country will be introduced to 4-H. This recognition is another step for 4-H and its efforts in building collaborations in youth development, science and technology, and especially in aerospace education. Other aerospace related collaborations include a 4-H partnership with Space Day www.spaceday.com/ , the National Coalition for Aviation Education www.aviationeducation.org/ and most recently NASA's Space Place http://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/
Virginia is now a member of the NASAžs Space Place. If units have aerospace programs and would like monthly lesson plans, the State 4-H Office can provide them to you. Call Marjorie Wright (540-231-6086) or email mawright@vt.edu and request the monthly space lesson.
(Kathleen Jamison)
To Table of Contents...
4-H State Congress Mission and Goals
The state 4-H staff has been working on a State 4-H Congress mission statement, goals and objectives. There are a number of reasons for doing this. There are many new agents and specialists with some unfamiliarity of Congress. There are some questions by agents about various facets of Congress. Lastly, it is healthy to review and renew occasionally.
So we invite all agents and volunteers to engage in the development of this work. Please provide comments to any of the state staff. A draft copy of the Mission of Virginia 4-H State Congress is attached.
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
4-H Technology
Joe Hunnings and Mark Sumner are very thankful for the creativity of the Curriculum Committees that developed ideas for the future web-based interactive "hooks." This process that was held at the recent Curriculum event in Richmond resulted in some excellent ideas that we hope will be incorporated into a new 4-H public web site. The ideas were fun, interactive, motivating and educational and will do a wonderful job in exhibiting the many hands-on learning experiences that 4-H has to offer.
All Committee chairs are reminded to send the one-page synopsis of their concept to hunnings@vt.edu.
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
4-H/Character Counts! Conference Mailing Lists Needed
A committee is now working with the Donaldson Brown Conference Center staff to plan the 2002 CHARACTER COUNTS!sm Conference. The Conference will be held in February in the Richmond area. Michael Josephson is tentatively booked to be workshop leader and keynote speaker. As soon as a date and location are confirmed, post cards will be sent to potential participants. Registration information will be sent at a later time.
Mailings will be sent from the Va Tech Continuing Education Staff, but they need a mailing list. Please send to eschrode@vt.edu in Excel by October 15, 2001 the following information in the order listed:
UNIT __, FIRST NAME__, LAST NAME__, TITLE__, EMPLOYER__, MAILING ADDRESS__, CITY__, STATE__, ZIP CODE__.
Some people to consider putting on the mailing list include 4-H volunteers, school administrators, principals, guidance staff, police, churches, teachers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, YMCA, ELC and other Extension Advisory Groups, Juvenile Courts, Parks and Rec departments, etc.
The 2001 conference was very good, and we are looking forward to a bigger conference in 2002. Thanks for your help! Note: Please keep copies of the list that you send for your records.
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
VCE 4-H CHARACTER COUNTS! Implementation Survey
Mike Lambur and Joe Hunnings are beginning the process of evaluating the VCE 4-H/ CHARACTER COUNTS! Program in schools throughout Virginia for 2001-2002. As a first step, we need to document the scope of implementation of 4-H/CHARACTER COUNTS! in school systems throughout the state.
Agents are asked to please provide the following information for each school where CHARACTER COUNTS! is implemented in your county or city. We will be sending the school contact person a survey to document implementation of CHARACTER COUNTS! Besides evaluation, this information will help us document how the 4-H/CC! Program has grown in the past several years. Thanks very much for your timely assistance. The information that is needed for each School contact person is: Name of school; Name of school contact person; Complete mailing address; Telephone number; Email (if known).
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
4-H Horticulture Program Survey
Be on the lookout for a survey concerning unit efforts related to 4-H/Youth horticulture programming. The survey is being sent to all 4-H Agents, Environmental Horticulture Agents and Master Gardener Coordinators. The survey has been developed by Liz Phibbs, Joe Hunnings, Diane Relf and Kathleen Jamison. Liz is a graduate student who is serving as the new 4-H/Youth Horticulture program coordinator under the guidance of these three specialists. She will be coordinating the survey project.
The survey is a critical first step in assessing unit needs related to our 4-H/Youth horticulture programs. Please take a few minutes to complete and return the survey promptly. Thanks.
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
Update - 4-H Master Gardener
4-H agents are reminded to copy enrollment forms for leaders and members of "new" 4-H Youth Master Gardener clubs. This information is needed to comply with our partnership agreement with Texas Cooperative Extension.
The PowerPoint presentation that was used for the Agent and Volunteer leader 4-H Maser Garderner training last spring is available on-line. Go to the Plant and Soil Science/Gardening curriculum page and look under the Support materials list.
Chapter record sheets are available from Joe Hunnings (hunnings@vt.edu) if you need copies. The sheets will soon be made available on-line at the same site listed above.
(Joe Hunnings)
To Table of Contents...
National 4-H Conference, 2002
April 7th-13th
Theme: Building a Global Community, The Power of Youth.
Daniel Salatin, Conference Delegate from last year and part of the 2001 planning team writes the following description.
The National 4-H Conference is a week of planning, learning, work and fun! Conference is different than any other national 4-H event. The most important difference is that National 4-H Conference is youth run. Through Operations Committees, the delegates are in charge of all the activities throughout the conference from recreation, assemblies, to the Conference wide Variety Show and so on.
It is an honor to attend National 4-H Conference however, it is not an award. The delegates are ambassadors for their state, to the nation and world. Delegates need to love 4-H and want to move it forward as an organization.
Encourage senior members in your unit to apply for this Conference. Conference expenses are covered but it is the responsibly of the delegate to provide transportation. Many times transportation can be worked out with the adults attending Conference. The 4-H program needs the Power of Youth! For more info go to www.4-h.org/4hconf01
To apply, 4-H'ers should send one page with their name, address, age, gender, race, years in 4-H and a couple paragraphs discussing the following questions.
- If you could change one thing about Virginia 4-H what would it be?
- What do you think is the most important issue facing the youth of today?
- What has been the best project/ event/ activity in 4-H that you have participated in? Why?
- When you hear "Youth/Adult Partnerships", what do you think of?
- Explain how you plan to share what you learn with your community and fellow youth?
Send application (plus a reference from Extension Agent or Volunteer Leader) to
Billie Cline, State 4-H Office, 107 Hutcheson Hall, Va Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 by January 15.
(Billie Cline)
To Table of Contents...
Citizenship Washington Focus
July 7-13, 2002
Cost: $725
(CWF) is a 4-H leadership program for high school youth, ages 15-19, from across the country. Every summer thousands of young people stay at the National 4-H Conference Center, near Washington, D.C., to participate in this week-long program. For 38 years, CWF has enriched young people's lives by providing opportunities for:
- A look behind the scenes in our nation's capital, and a chance to meet senators and representatives
- Motivational speakers, workshops and assemblies that increase individual commitment to citizen involvement and build lifetime skills for success.
- Activities that encourage new and lasting friendships.
- An enthusiastic collegiate staff working daily with the youth.
- Fitness and fun!
Participants in Citizenship Washington Focus will have unique, exciting experiences that will lead to becoming "Better Citizens Today. Better Leaders Tomorrow".
Many civic and community organizations are willing to assist with tuition. Visit with them now to get into their budget for the upcoming year. Virginia has reservation for 20 youth. Let's make sure we fill all those slots.
Applications and more information will be available in January.
(Billie Cline)
To Table of Contents...
The Power Of Dreams*: Going Places, Making Choices-
Community Projects Grants
The Environmental Stewardship Program at National 4-H Council with support from American Honda Motor Company would like to announce the availability of three (3) $2,500 grants to complete a student community project based on the curriculum "Going Places, Making Choices: Transportation and the Environment" (GPMC). Examples of community projects are based on information from Unit Five of the curriculum, "A Matter of Choice: Taking Action". Sample community projects include, but are not limited to, designing an emissions-reduction program; working with your schools to improve bike facilities; and helping plant shrubs and other flora in your local communities. Activity 5b in Unit Five of the curriculum provides guidance on completing such a project. The GPMC curriculum can be accessed on the web at http://www.4hgpmc.com.
These grants will provide opportunities for young people and educators to take action on timely transportation and global climate change issues addressed in "Going Places, Making Choices: Transportation and the Environment". Youth will take the lead in the design of the project, the proposal writing process, the implementation, and the evaluation of funded projects. The objectives of these grants are:
- to increase community awareness of local and global environmental issues related to transportation and land use, global climate change, natural resource and energy use, personal values and choices,
- to enable students to expand upon their classroom learning by taking action in the "real world" based on the curriculum, and
- to offer students the opportunity to design a project, partner in the proposal writing process, and to implement and evaluate the project.
Grant proposals will be reviewed by a team of judges based on guidelines attached. DUE NOV 30.
(Bob Meadows)
To Table of Contents...
4-H Tax Checkoff Box On Next Year's Virginia Tax Form
There is a new benefit for Virginia 4-H. Beginning with the upcoming year's Virginia Tax Form, there will be a checkoff box for the benefit of Virginia's 4-H Educational Centers. Each 4-H Educational Center will receive benefit from this, and we hope this will be an annual event.
Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Jim Gardner, the 4-H Center Board of Directors, and the members of the Virginia General Assembly, the new checkoff box for Virginia's 4-H Educational Centers will allow each tax payer the opportunity to have a portion or all of his/her tax returns to go to the 4-H centers. This will greatly assist the 4-H program by keeping the costs reasonable for 4-H members to attend and participate in 4-H events at the respective centers.
I hope you will seriously consider giving a portion or all of your tax return to the 4-H centers by check the box and indicating the amount you wish to give on your new tax return form. Please send this information to your 4-H volunteers, supporters, and friends of 4-H within your unit. This will help make the best better for the youth of the Commonwealth. Thank you for your consideration on this matter.
The check-off for this benefit for Virginia 4-H will be in effect for five years, at which time legislation will have to be passed to extend the check-off program.
(Bob Meadows)
To Table of Contents...
Southern Region 4-H Leaders Forum
What a terrific time we had at the Southern Region 4-H Leaders Forum at Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Georgia! The event was conducted October 4-7, 2001, and eleven leaders represented Virginia among the 714 who participated from throughout the Southern states.
Virginia has set a goal of 40 to represent us at next year's event, scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, October 3-6, 2002. We hope to provide partial assistantships for six adults (volunteers, agents, or program assistants) for each of the six districts.
Request for Workshop Proposals for the 2002 meeting will be available after Nov 15 on the following website located under Southern Region Leaders Forum. http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/volunteers.html
North Carolina will be hosting us next year at Rock Eagle, and the proposals for workshops are due by February 1, 2002. Hope to see many of you there next year, and hope you will seriously consider conducting a workshop for next year's event.
(Bob Meadows)
To Table of Contents...
University Van Safety Changes
Recently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that 15-passenger vans have a much higher rollover rate if they are weighted down with more than 10 passengers. The National Transportation Safety Board came to a similar conclusion. Based upon these findings, we feel that it is in the best interest of our faculty, staff, and students to follow the same course as a number of other colleges, universities, and agencies and restrict vehicle load to 10 passengers (which includes the driver) in all of our large vans (both 15 and 12 passenger vans). The restriction is effective immediately. Accordingly, the last row of seats will be removed from our current 15-passenger vans. Many of the accidents involving 15-passenger vans have resulted from inexperienced drivers not being familiar with the driving characteristics of a large van. For those reasons we have added requirements for all the large van drivers (both 15 and 12 passenger vans):
- At least 2 years of automobile driving experience.
- No serious violations in driving record within the last 12months.
- Additionally, we strongly recommend new drivers take a test with the Motor Pool if they have no prior experience driving large vans. We have outfitted one of our vans to the approximate weight of a loaded van for the purpose of driver education and awareness. Motor Pool personnel will accompany drivers of this van. Appointments can be made through the Motor Pool office.
The following general guidelines are established for all large vans:
- The maximum number of passengers is limited to 10.
- Speed limits should never be exceeded.
- All drivers must realize that a loaded van has a higher center of gravity, which makes steering sensitive.
- Loaded vans need more distance for braking and stopping due to weight.
- Lane changes should be made carefully and planned.
- All passengers must wear seat belts.
- Cellular phones should not be used while operating the vehicle.
The department requesting the vehicle will be responsible for ensuring that all the guidelines are followed when using a large van. These guidelines apply to ALL vans operated by Virginia Tech personnel...this also includes rentals from outside vendors.
(Bob Meadows)
To Table of Contents...
Dealing with Stress and Tragedy
(developed by Penn State Extension)
http://agexted.cas.psu.edu/fcs/dp/Grief.html
(Barry Garst)
To Table of Contents...
New 4-H Clip Art Available from the University of Florida
Visit the recently expanded Florida 4-H Clip Art Gallery. Images have themes including; National 4-H Week, 4-H news, upcoming activities, animal science, public speaking, 4-H is awesome, the centennial, rocketry, the power of youth and more. Both high and low-resolution files are available in many cases on the new pages, as well as black and white and color images. Much of the artwork was designed by graphic designers from the
University of Florida's IFAS Communication Services. Visit the gallery online at: http://4h.ifas.ufl.edu/newsandinfo/ClipArt/ClipArtGallery.htm.
To Table of Contents...
Director's Letter
Calendar of Events