Keynotes

Winter 2007

WHAT’S INSIDE

HOLIDAY GREETING
KEY DATES
4-H NATIONAL GRANT
NEW COUNTY CED STARTS
NOTE OF THANKS
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
TUFTS YOUTH STUDY
YOUTH OUTDOORS UPDATE
VOLUNTEER AWARDS SALUTE
GO GREEN!! TIPS
DEVELOPMENT FUND NOTES
CLOVERBUD CORNER

... to all our 4-H members, parents, advisors, friends, and neighbors Throughout Cuyahoga County and the “world wide web,”

We wish you a season, and countless days ahead, filled with joy, happiness, wonder, love, friendship, and hope.

KEY DATES AHEAD

January
1 New Year’s Holiday—Office closed
8 Jr. Fair Conference Columbus
19 & 26 Ohio 4-H Horse Advisor Training, Columbus
21 Martin Luther King Birthday Holiday
22 Ohio 4-H Award & Scholarship applications due to County Office
31 Junior Fair Committee, 7:00 p.m., Fair Board Office, Berea

February
4 4-H Teen Conference Registrations & State 4-H Award & Scholarship Applications due in Columbus
5 4-H Horse Committee, 7:00 p.m., Fair Board Office, Berea
6 Youth Philanthropy and Service Conference, Holiday Inn, Independence, 9:00 a.m – 3:00 p.m.
12 4-H Animal Science Committee Fair Board Office, 7:00 p.m.
15 Ohio 4-H Volunteer Conference Registrations due
16 OHIO 4-H TEEN CONFERENCE, Columbus
19 4-H “Career Decisions” Tour, O.S.U. Campus, Columbus, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
29 Junior Fair Committee, 7:00 p.m., Fair Board Office, Berea

March
3-8 OHIO 4-H WEEK
4 4-H Horse Committee, 7:00 p.m., Fair Board Office, Berea
8 OHIO 4-H VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE & BOB EVANS FARMS RECOGNITION LUNCHEON, Columbus
11 4-H Animal Science Committee, Fair Board Office, 7:00 p.m.
29 Ohio 4-H PET Pals Leader Training, Columbus

Click here for the complete 2008 Cuyahoga County 4-H Calendar:

CUYAHOGA 4-H TO RECEIVE MAJOR NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP GRANT

Exciting news arrived at the 4-H Office recently from the National 4-H Council. Cleveland has been chosen as only one of three cities in the United States to receive a National 4-H Council/New York Life Insurance Foundation Youth in Governance Partnership grant for 2008. Cuyahoga County 4-H will receive $92,000 per year for the next three years to develop more 4-H Clubs for underserved urban audiences, and involve young people in decision making and civic engagement efforts to develop life skills. As part of the program, 4-H will also sponsor a delegation of the new 4-H members to attend the 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus program in Washington, D.C. each summer.

4-H Youth in Governance Clubs are currently active in Clarke County, Georgia (Athens), and Tompkins County, New York (Ithaca). Other sites selected for 2008 are Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York City. Additional details are expected to be available in early 2008.

NEW COUNTY EXTENSION DIRECTOR TAKES HELM

On December 3rd, OSU Extension Cuyahoga County welcomed a new County Extension Director to our team.

Marie Barni comes to us from Cuyahoga County, where she worked as an administrator with the county’s Invest in Children initiative. A Cleveland area native, Marie’s career has also included stops as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service, community development administrator for a regional housing authority, and an alternative school principal in Alaska. During her twelve years in the “land of the midnight sun,” she also served as a 4-H Horse Advisor on Kodiak Island. She looks forward very much to finding out more about our 4-H activities and meeting volunteers, members and parents. We look forward to working with her!

AND A NOTE OF THANKS…

As Marie Barni takes over, 4-H would like to thank Marisa Warrix for all her efforts in support of 4-H during her service as interim CED. Marisa took over for a while when Jack Kerrigan assumed the North Central Regional Director role for Extension on April 1st. We appreciate Marisa’s advocacy and collaboration on several programs to expand 4-H programs to reach new audiences.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR TEENS AND ADVISORS

The weeks ahead will offer opportunities for special experiences and benefits to both teens and adult leaders active in Cuyahoga County 4-H.

For Teens: The Mandel Institute Youth Philanthropy and Service Conference takes place on February 6th at the Holiday Inn in Independence. This out-standing conference brings together youth from across northern Ohio with an interest in developing their leadership potential through serving others. Cost is $45 ($55 at the door). The event will feature a keynote speech by Cathryn Berger Kaye, author of The Complete Guide to Service Learning, as well as other breakout sessions offered by area youth developers and teens. A limited number of sponsored registrations is available through the Cuyahoga 4-H Development Fund.

The Ohio 4-H Teen Conference will bring together more than 800 teens to the Columbus Convention Center on February 16th to share in nearly 80 “learn by doing” sessions. Topics cover personal development, careers, leadership, and workshops related to a wide variety of personal interests. Cost for the day is $25, lunch included, with a limited number of scholarships available from the Cuyahoga County 4-H Development Fund. Registration deadline is February 1st. Contact Greg Siek at 216-429-8221. See the enclosed flyer for more details.

On February 19th, Cuyahoga County 4-H will sponsor its annual Career Decisions Tour to the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus. Thanks to the sponsorship of the Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau, the registration cost is only $10 for teens in grades 8 through 10. Participants will have the chance for an up-close, hands-on look at a variety of career areas ranging from food science and veterinary science, to fashion design and health technologies. Application forms will be available after January 10th.

Ohio 4-H offers a variety of Achievement Awards and Scholarships to teens. 4-H members can compete for state recognition based on their accomplishments in a wide variety of 4-H project work and community participation. Graduating seniors can also apply to receive one of more than a dozen Ohio 4-H Scholarships. These are different from the County 4-H Development Fund Scholarships (applications available around March 15th and due May 1st). To apply for the Ohio 4-H Awards and scholarships, members should use a special form available on the State 4-H web site (www.ohio4h.org/youth/awards). These are due at the County 4-H Office January 22nd. Some information from school counselors is also required. Contact Greg Siek for details.

For Adult Leaders: Adults working with youth are welcome at the Youth Philanthropy Conference and Ohio 4-H Teen Conference as well. An additional outstanding opportunity is the Ohio 4-H Volunteer Conference and Bob Evans Farms Recognition Luncheon, to be held on Saturday, March 8th, at the Columbus Convention Center. Thanks to the joint sponsorship of the Cuyahoga County Agricultural Society and the Development Fund, a sizable number of sponsored registrations will be available. Youth developers and volunteers attending will be able to choose from nearly 100 workshops on leadership, personal interest and project-based learning, and youth development topics.

Registrations should be in the County 4-H Office by February 11th. For additional information, see the enclosed flyer and contact Greg Siek at 216-429-8221 or Dina Allen at 216-429-8218.

link to 2008 Volunteer Conference

link to 2008 Teen Conference

OHIO 4-H ANNOUNCES SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUTH OUTDOORS AND OMK TEENS

The Ohio 4-H Foundation announced exciting news recently with the establishment of the new A. B. Graham Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program. These awards will be targeted to graduating seniors who have participated in special 4-H programs like Youth Outdoors, Adventure Central in Dayton, or Operation Military Kids. Teens with more than two years’ involvement in one of these 4-H programs are strongly urged to apply! See the Ohio 4-H web site for details.

TUFTS UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONFIRMS BENEFITS OF 4-H AND POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

4-H and similar positive youth development programs offer definite value to youth and to the community, according to a recently completed nationwide study. Led by Dr. Richard Lerner of Tufts University, the project involved more than 4,000 youth and 2,000 parents from 25 states. Among the key findings:

1. Youth development programs affect youth success by providing educational opportunities, developing skills, and promoting youth participation and leadership.
2. All youth can succeed if they are supported by mentoring, long term interaction with adults, and access to structured programs.
3. No young person is immune to the challenges present in today’s society, and can benefit by access to positive youth development programs.
4. Youth development programs reduce risk behaviors.
5. Participating youth contribute their talents for the benefit of the community.
6. Sustained youth participation creates young people who are involved in their community and prepare to take leadership roles.

More details about the study can be found on the National 4-H Council web site at: www.fourhcouncil.edu/newsroom.aspx

YOUTH OUTDOORS UPDATE

Let it snow! With the warm fall weather that seemed to last forever, Youth Outdoors provided adventures for 976 Cleveland youth since September. Outings included hiking, fishing, camping, bicycling, map and compass exploration, and horseback riding. Outdoor Odyssey exploration stations encouraged another 1,117 youth and adults to explore outdoor activities in October.

Youth Outdoors is now prepared to slide into winter with our urban clubs. Planned outings include tobogganing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sled riding and cooking over campfires.

Youth Outdoors is currently interviewing teen members who have been participating on our adventures for more than three years. With assistance from Ohio 4-H research evaluation specialist, Dr. Kristi Lekies, we look forward to finding out what has kept the teens coming back and the difference Youth Outdoors has made in their lives

COUNTY ADVISORS AND MEMBERS HONOR LOCAL VOLUNTEER AND TEEN EFFORTS

On December 1st the Cuyahoga County 4-H Program shared information on the “best of the best” for 2007 as part of the Ohio 4-H Volunteer Awards Program. A State 4-H Review Committee selects several County nominees in each category to receive special recognition at the Bob Evans Farms 4-H Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, to be held this year on March 8th. The Awards Luncheon is a notable part of the Ohio 4-H Volunteer Conference.

Volunteers and teens nominated for special recognition this year are:
Leadership Development (Adult)– Dorcus Johnson, Glenville 4-H
Leadership Development (Teen) - Berea Country Kidz ‘n’ Critterz 4-H Club
Innovators’ Award - 4-H Youth Outdoors Horse Committee
Community Service Award - Silver Spurs 4-H Club

Also submitted as nominees at the County level were: Austyn Schuler and Michelle Heinz (Leadership Award, Teen); Korean Stevenson of the Cuyahoga County Department of Justice Affairs (Friend of 4-H); Dawn Schafer (Innovator Award, Adult); and Dave and Joyce Peth (Leadership Development, Adult); Mike Meglich (Friend of 4-H); Valerie Pinkney-Duke (Leadership, Adult). We’re proud to have such a group of dedicated individuals and Clubs sharing their time and talents with our youth and communities!

4-H GO GREEN!!! EVENT OFFERS TIPS AND DEMO KITS FOR GROUP USE

On November 5th, the annual 4-H Fall Festival celebrated ways to involve 4-H members and groups in facing the challenge of conserving our planet’s resources. Thanks to the support of the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland and the County 4-H Development Fund, 4-H can offer an “Envirothon” which Clubs can borrow to learn about wind, water, solar, and geothermal energy. The “Envirothon” includes working models of solar panels, passive solar home heat, and wind generators; an “enviroscape” to teach about water pollution; puzzle sheets; and display boards explaining important ecological concepts and conservation practices. To find out more about kit contents and how to borrow the demonstration models, contact Greg Siek at 216-429-8221.

4-H DEVELOPMENT FUND; GIFTS THAT CAN TOUCH OTHERS

Throughout the pages of this newsletter, the many ways the County 4-H Development Fund works to benefit clubs, advisors, and members is clearly evident. We encourage Clubs, families, and friends of 4-H to consider contributions to the Fund so that we can expand and improve our local youth development efforts.

Donors can contribute in a variety of ways:

✤ general giving — contributions to the 4-H Development Fund for general activities are used to support various needs identified by the Development Fund Committee, such as volunteer training and teen leadership, camperships, special awards for members.

✤ The John and Sally Ebling and Bruce Kucharski Memorial Scholarship Funds – these special funds honor supporters and advisors by offering scholarships to 4-H members moving onto college or technical training.

✤ other targeted giving — contributions can be designated for support of specific activities such as camp scholarships, volunteer training, or awards.

✤ County 4-H Endowment Fund – the County Development Fund participates in the Ohio 4-H Foundation, administered by the University in Columbus, with a special endowment account. Designated contributions are used to increase the principal of the County Fund, and a portion of the annual proceeds gained by investing the principal are returned to the County Fund to expand the range of activities supported.

All contributions are acknowledged and are tax-deductible. To find out more about supporting the Cuyahoga County 4-H Development Fund, contact Greg Siek at 216-429-8221 (siek.1@osu.edu).

CLOVERBUD CORNER

Winter is almost here! Why not grab some friends and make the most of the season. Here are some activities to get your whole club and family involved.

• Go sledding
• Make a snowman
• Have a snowball fight
• Make snow angels
• Go for a walk in the park on a snowy day, pay attention to not only what you see, but also what you hear and smell.
• Make hot chocolate together
• Make bird feeders and bird watch in your yard
• Make soup together
• Start a scrapbook and fill it with memories
• Play cards or a board game
• Work at a soup kitchen together
• Go ice skating
• Go to a basketball game

Make Your Own Snow!!

What You Need:

String
Wide mouth pint jar
White pipe cleaners
Blue food coloring (optional) Boiling water (with adult help)
Borax Laundry Detergent
Pencil How To Make It:
Cut a white pipe cleaner into 3 equal sections. Twist the sections together in the center so that you have a "six-sided" star shape. Pipe cleaners and string form a snowflake base for the crystals to grow on. If your points are not even, trim the pipe-cleaner sections to the same length.


Attach string along the outer edges to form a snowflake pattern. Attach a piece of string to the top of one of the pipe cleaners and tie the other end to a pencil (this is to hang it from). Fill a wide-mouth jar with boiling water. Mix borax into the water one tablespoon at a time. Use 3 tablespoons of borax per cup of water. Stir until dissolved, (don't worry if there is powder settling on the bottom of the jar). If you want you can add a little blue food coloring now to give the snowflake a bluish hue.

Insert your pipe cleaner snowflake into the jar so that the pencil is resting on the lip of the jar and the snowflake is freely suspended in the borax solution. Wait overnight and by morning the snowflake will be covered with shiny crystals.