Almost without exception, I notice that their faces light up as they speak of the great and varied experiences and opportunities that 4-H provided during their youth. Each story is unique, as is each individual, and I find great interest in what is being expressed. There are some common threads--I often hear about their 4-H projects, trips away from home, 4-H camps, 4-H All Stars, the confidence and leadership skills learned, and a variety of other exciting and life-impacting differences that 4-H made. Smiles appear, voices become excited, and often expressions of enthusiasm seem to flow with every word. Each time this occurs, it makes me realize that 4-H helped these individuals to have happy childhoods. Four-H also provided learned skills that helped these alumni to become contributing members of society.
It is an awesome opportunity and responsibility we all have during our tenure as 4-H professionals and volunteers to make a difference in the lives of young people in our respective units. What will the youth that you influence say about their 4-H experiences in the years to come? Will they reflect positively about the volunteers who work with them? Will they enthusiastically speak about all the opportunities and experiences that 4-H afforded them? Will they warmly remember their 4-H agents, specialists, volunteers, or state 4-H staff? And, even more importantly, will they state that 4-H made a major difference in their lives by preparing them to face adult responsibilities?
As we prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of 4-H in 2002, and conduct local conversations with youth in our respective units or clusters as part of the National Conversations, it is important to reflect on the questions posed in the preceding paragraph. We can and do make a difference--the choice belongs to each of us as to what difference you and I will make in the lives of 4-H youth throughout the Commonwealth.
(Bob Meadows)
Participants are encouraged to come prepared to have an eye-opening experience! For more information, contact Joan Elledge at jelledge@vt.edu or (540) 231-6393 or contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
Barry Garst (Chair) (540) 231-6373; bgarst@vt.edu
Betsy Campbell (804)733-2686; fecampbe@vt.edu
Ellen R. Powell (757) 566-1367; elpowell@vt.edu
Lance E. Johnson (540) 635-7171; lajohns4@vt.edu
Dr. Eleanore Schenker (540) 231-5686; schlenkr@vt.edu
Dr. Angela J. Huebner (703) 538-8491; ahuebner@vt.edu
Tim Roberts (540) 231-3464; robertst@vt.edu
John W. Kirby (804) 524-5849; jkirby@vsu.edu
(Barry Garst)
Each track will consist of 16 or more hours of programming designed to provide not only a solid knowledge base, but also to include an element of practical application of that knowledge based in the "real world" environment. For more information about Master 4-H Training, look for additional information through emails and in upcoming 4-H Newsletters. If you have questions about this event, contact Barry Garst at bgarst@vt.edu or (540) 231-6373.
(Barry Garst)
These are central questions in the role-playing (simulation) activities of The Reality Store, an educational activity for teens that many 4-H and FCS units across the country have found to be worthwhile. Entire schools can engage in this hands-on experience!
Educational Role-Playing for Teens
What careers will our teens end up with if they don't prepare themselves? What if careers and lifestyles are assigned instead of planned?
These are central questions in the role-playing (simulation) activities of The Reality Store, an educational activity for teens that many 4-H and FCS units across the country have found to be worthwhile. Entire schools can engage in this hands-on experience!
In these activities, teens are assigned careers and lifestyles randomly. One teen might be a single parent, with a limited income, and forced to make difficult budget decisions about childcare and health insurance. Another teen might be assigned a career as a physicist, and then has to decide whether to pursue higher education or save for a home. All teens come away from the event with a realization that economics and careers are full of tough decisions.
Virginia 4-H will hold a train-the-trainer program, for FCS (Management, Housing and Consumer Education Specialty primarily) & 4-H teams, at the Sheraton Richmond (former Hyatt on West Broad), on October 10th, 9:00 a.m. - noon. Dana Anderson, who has used this program successfully in Kentucky Cooperative Extension, will lead the training. Recommended are 3-4 person teams from your unit. Agents, adult volunteers, school guidance counselors, chamber of commerce leaders, women's business organization representatives and local business leaders would all make great team members for this training, and subsequent organizers of this activity in your community.
How much does it cost?
State 4-H will cover the registration costs (includes continental breakfast and educational materials. Travel expenses will be the responsibility of participants.
What am I committing to?
Training is October 10th, 9:00 a.m. until noon. It is expected that each district team will 1) pilot this activity in your unit and 2) conduct at least one subsequent district-wide team-training.
How do I apply?
Teams will be accepted on a first-come, first serve basis. One team for each of the six Extension districts will be selected. You can commit to participation with an email or phone call to Dr. Ann Lastovica at Virginia State (804 524 5253), alastovica@vsu.edu
(Ann Lastovica)
(Barry Garst)
The trip will emphasize mountain and stream ecology, plant and wildlife identification, and turn of the century mountain homestead lifestyle. Participants will hike to the Hensley Settlement, an abandoned mountain top community, now managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Southwest 4-H Center will serve as the arrival and departure point.
This program is limited to 30 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Deadline is for registration is Sept 10, 2001. Full payment must accompany registration to guarantee a place. A 15-passenger van will depart Virginia State University on September 20th to pick up participants along the Route 460/ I-81 corridor. Attachment with more details is included.
(Barry Fox)
The annual Curriculum Event is scheduled for October 8th and 9th in Richmond, Virginia. If you haven't committed to curriculum committee or sub-committee work this year, it is not too late to contact the Chairs to be invited to the Event. It will be two days of learning, planning, creating, and enjoying the company of great people. We will have new members from the field, industry, the Foundation Board, and local community agencies. Some of the agenda items include creating a web presence, evaluating curriculum materials, taking charge of the direction of curriculum development in Virginia. We are fortunate to be in a state that encourages creative expression and collaboration while supporting individual thinking. Let's leave our mark by creating a top national curriculum system! (Contact Marjorie Wright for additional information: mawright@vt.edu; 540-763-6373).
The 4HCCS Product Premiere will be held on October 20th and 21st in Bismarck, North Dakota. If you plan to attend the NEA-4HA Conference and plan to arrive by Saturday or Sunday, you could attend the premiere as part of the Virginia State Curriculum Team. The registration cost of $100 will be paid for up to five members. We still have two spaces on the team. The payback will be to present a workshop at a district or state level for others to experience the new or newly revised curriculum materials from National 4HCCS. You may choose to attend the Saturday night "Skillathon" which begins at 6:00PM, choices from the twelve workshop sessions on Sunday from10: 15AM to 3:50PM, the training session on experiential learning with Tom Zurcher from 9:00AM-10: 15AM on Sunday, or any combination of the above. Breakfast and Lunch will be served on Sunday. Beverage breakouts will be offered on Saturday and Sunday. There are four new curricular areas and seven revised areas of curriculum. It promises to be an exciting event and is under the leadership of Virginia through Kathleen Jamison, 4-H Curriculum and Learning Specialist. (Contact Kathleen Jamison, jamisonk@vt.edu, 540-763-6373 for more information).
Enjoy the shift of children in school and volunteers flocking to your doors!
(Kathleen Jamison)
One kit will be made available to each unit for use in their 4-H animal science program. Joe Hunnings will distribute the kits and do a brief training concerning this effort at each of the next quarterly 4-H agent meetings.
(Joe Hunnings)
Each team designs, constructs and programs a LEGO MINDSTORMS robot to perform a task posed by FIRST LEGO League as a nation-wide challenge. Teams demonstrate their robot's ability to perform the challenge in head-to-head competition at statewide tournaments. Last year, kids built and programmed robots to save a scientist stranded on a volcano. This year, teams will face a new challenge, Arctic Impact!
Besides the information packet that was sent the several weeks ago, there will be a 4-H/FLL Orientation session on September 4th, 1pm via Symposium. Contact your AIT right away if you are not sure how to be part of a Symposium session. We are using technology to talk about our technology program.
(Joe Hunnings)
On our 4-H Virtual Farm virtual reality tour you can visit five different Virginia farming operations. Experience what it is like to see an egg hatch and a cow give birth. Test your skills at managing nitrogen on the farm, selecting a great steak and growing fish. Our biotechnology exhibit will explore the world of DNA. You will actually learn how to extract DNA from strawberries and take a sample home with you.
The 4-H/ FIRST LEGO League robotics display will demonstrate an exciting new program for elementary and middle school students. Learn how a FLL team designs, constructs and programs a robot to perform a challenge in head-to-head competition at regional and statewide tournaments.
(Joe Hunnings )
Who can participate in 4-H Youth Master Gardener Program - Any youth in grades 3-5! How? Through existing 4-H clubs, other youth organizations, after school programs, public schools, and home school groups. The 4-H Youth Master Gardener program is designed to be a flexible program that can be used by many different groups.
For more information contact any member of the Plant and Soil Science Curriculum Committee or Joe Hunnings. Agents - remember to copy your enrollment information for any 4-H Master Gardner Clubs to Joe.
(Joe Hunnings)
This is a great tool for those individuals looking for assistance in how to initiate character education program. Be sure to share it with school administrators, teachers, youth organization leaders and community leaders.
(Joe Hunnings)
Programs involving at least 15 children between the ages of 3-18 years are eligible, with consideration given for educational, social, or environmental programming; innovative garden community support; strong leadership; need and sustainability.
"America is rediscovering youth gardening as a way to grow healthy kids who are connected to the natural world," reports Jim Flint, Director of the Youth Garden Grants Program for the National Gardening Association- "Gardens designed by and for kids provide schools and community groups with opportunities to work together planning projects, planting seeds, harvesting fresh pro-duce, and leaming lifelong skills."
To obtain an application form, visit NGA's Web site at www.kidsgardening.com, call 800-538-7476 extension 205, or write to: Youth Garden Grants Program, National Gardening Association, 1100 Dorset St., South Burlington, VT 05403. The deadline for completed applications is November 1, 2001. (from the Virginia Master Gardener Leadership Development Newsletter)
(Joe Hunnings)
For a free copy of the April 2001 issue, contact: National Gardening Association, Dept. MP, 1100 Dorset St. South Burlington, VT 05403; Phone: 1-800-538-7476 ext. 204; e-mail: inquiries@kidsgardening.com; website: www.kidsgardening.com. (from the Virginia Master Gardener Leadership Development Newsletter)
(Joe Hunnings)
(Jeff Kirwan)
Suggested Activities for 4-H Forestry and Wildlife Club Meetings
September- tree identification (demonstrate leaf characteristics used for identification and have youth collect leaves from home and bring to the next meeting), hawk migration, collect and send acorns to DOF for riparian plantings (refer to "10 most wanted" trees), Save-Our-Streams activity (SOS).
October- tree identification follow-up (identify samples collected from home), big tree search, outdoor adventure activity, field trip to harvest chestnut seed nuts, hunter safety, SOS.
November- deer hunting, aging a deer from deer jaws, hunter safety, SOS.
December- feeding birds, Christmas bird counts, Project Feeder Watch, order pine seedlings
January- Envirothon and Holiday Lake judging weekends, tapping maple trees, tree measurements, compass and pacing.
February- practice envirothon/forestry/wildlife judging skills, plant chestnut seed nuts indoors
March- distribute and plant pine and/or chestnut seedlings, continue envirothon/forestry/wildlife judging skills, SOS
April- spring wild flowers, bird migration, continue practicing envirothon/forestry/wildlife judging skills, SOS
May- bird migration, state envirothon/forestry/wildlife judging contests, fishing and/or aquatics, SOS
June- forestry camp at Holiday Lake, EENR activities at State 4-H Congress, measure seedlings, fishing, SOS.
July- Conservation Camp at Va Tech, outdoor adventure activity, fishing and/or aquatics, Costa Rica exchange, SOS.
August- outdoor adventure activity, fishing and/or aquatics, promote hunter safety course, SOS.
September- same as above, but also to include seedling survival reports for pine seedlings and chestnut
(Jeff Kirwan)
Barry W. Fox, Extension Specialist,
4-H Marine/Aquatic Education
Box 9081
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA 23806
804-524-5848
FAX: 804-524-5057
Email: bfox@vsu.edu
(Barry Fox)
At that time, the figure that I encouraged each of you to use to calculate the value of volunteer time was $14.83 per hour.
It has come to my attention this week that there is an updated figure. According to INDEPENDENT SECTOR, a nonprofit, non partisan coalition of more than 700 national organizations, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs, collectively representing thousands of charitable groups in every state across the nation, the value of volunteer time has increased from $14.83 per hour to $15.39 per hour.
So, when conducting a tabulation of the value of your volunteers, please use the updated figure of $15.39 per hour to determine this. This is the updated figure that VCE is using to determine the value of volunteer time.
(Bob Meadows)
(Dorothy Freeman)
State 4-H Faculty and Support Staff Responsibilities
| Dr. Robert Ray Meadows Associate Director, 4-H (VA Tech) | Ms. Debbie Price Executive Secretary and Office Manager |
| Ms. Billie Cline Public Relations Assistant [works under the supervision of Robert Meadows, and in cooperation with the 4-H Curriculum Specialist] | |
| Ms. Dorothy Freeman Extension Specialist, 4-H (VA Tech) | Ms. Tracy Sebring |
| Mr. Joe Hunnings Extension Specialist, 4-H (VA Tech) | Ms. Tracy Sebring |
| Ms. Kathleen Jamison Extension Specialist, 4-H (VA Tech) | Ms. Marjorie Wright |
| Mr. Barry Garst Extension Specialist, 4-H (VA Tech) | Ms. Marjorie Wright |
| Dr. James Gardner Extension Specialist, 4-H (VSU) | Ms. Lilly Faison |
| (Vacant) Extension Specialist, 4-H (VSU) | Ms. Lilly Faison |
| Ms. Cindy Barnett Extension Specialist, 4-H/Executive Director-VA 4-H Foundation (Richmond) | Ms. Alma deLeon |
(Bob Meadows)
(Bob Meadows)
This money will be used to support the annual 4-H operating budget which includes a variety of support items for units to support county medals for project winners, 4-H Leader Recognition Pins, 4-H For Life publictation (3 issues annually), Funding to send state winners to the National 4-H Congress event, State 4-H Ambassadors and Cabinet Meetings Support, State 4-H Congress Events and Awards, and a multitude of other very important support items. The annual budget to support these events and programs is $84,000. The remainder of the funding will be used to endow the 4-H operating budget, as well as support to endow the 4-H curriculum work of the 10 committees.
Cindy Barnett, Executive Director of the Virginia 4-H Foundation, will work cooperatively with unit 4-H agents and program assistants to share in the benefit of funding. She can be reached at the following address:
Ms. Cindy Barnett
Executive Director,
Virginia 4-H Foundation
Ms. Alma deLeon
Administrative Assistant
to the Executive Director
5601 Cary Street Road
Richmond, VA 23226
(804) 662-7290--Phone
(804) 662-7293--Fax
fourhbarnett@vt.edu
We are very pleased with this ambitious goal that the Board of Trustees has set for the year and hope to see many good things happening in the future with 4-H. The Trustees are anxious and excited about the wide variety of 4-H programming opportunities that are available for the youth of the Commonwealth.
(Bob Meadows)
4-H Leadership Council, Committee Chairs
Policy & Resolutions Committee:
Reese McCormick(mccormi@vt.edu)
(540)463-4734
Marketing Committee
Joan Elledge(jelledge@vt.edu)
(540)231-6393
Emerging Issue Committee:
Barbara Reese(bjreese@erols.com)
(703)791-5862
The Scott County team was the first from Virginia to be coached by a teen volunteer. Former state winner Chris Chapman, and adult volunteers Karen Hartsock and Earl Bledsoe coached and accompanied the team to West Virginia. The team was sponsored by the Virginia Forestry Educational Foundation. The contest was sponsored by the International Paper Company Foundation.
Congratulations to Scott County Extension Agent Patty Collier for an outstanding 4-H forestry program. Thank you to Extension Agents Jon Rockett and Jim Willis for sharing their knowledge of forestry and natural resources with youth in the Southwest District!
(Jeff Kirwan)
Contestants had to write management plans for bobcat, blue grouse, rainbow trout, hummingbirds and several other species. In addition to the contest they took time off to go rafting down the Snake River, hike Death Canyon and see a major wildfire up close and personal.
Congratulations to 4-H volunteer coaches Ann Gallus and Susan Parks, and to Extension Agent Jenny Mercer, who accompanied the team, and created an unforgettable experience for our youth. And thanks to Extension Agent Marilyn Jarvis and all the generous donors who provided logistical, financial and moral support.
(Jeff Kirwan)
(Joe Hunnings)
Care was taken to include all of the information that is on the present site while at the same time adding many new features. Some of those features include: a more comprehensive program resource list; more comprehensive curriculum area information; Educational Design Team and Curriculum Component Committee information; camping and staff development pages; a contact list of all Faculty at VT and VSU who provide support to the 4-H program.
We would appreciate your input concerning the new pages. Are there things that are missing or out of place? Are there links between pages that would be helpful or links to sites outside of VCE that you would like to see included? If you have input please email Joe Hunnings (hunnings@vt.edu) or contact any of the state 4-H faculty/staff.
(Joe Hunnings)
Director's Letter
Calendar of Events
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