Deanna K. Roby received a M.Ed. from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her studies there focused on human resource development. Roby also holds a B.S. in communications, with an emphasis on corporate and organizational communications from Northern Illinois University. She also completed a minor in business administration at NIU.

Roby has been with University of Illinois Extension since 1993. Her first role was a community worker for 4-H, youth and family in the DeKalb County Unit. After one year in DeKalb County, Deanna spent six years in Kendall County and three years in DuPage County. Roby is currently the Unit Educator for 4-H Youth Development in the Kane County Unit.

Her professional affiliations include the National Association for Extension 4-H Agents, where she has served as the North Central contact of the public relations and information committee. In the fall of 2000, she received the Achievement in Service award from NAE4-HA. Roby is a member of the Illinois Extension Professionals for Youth Education, where she has served in a number of leadership roles. Deanna is also active in the Northern Illinois Camping Association, serving on the program committee. She has also been very active on the regional and state levels for Extension. She has served on the State 4-H Advisory Committee; State Fair Junior Department Advisory Committee, Reading Project Committee, Northeast Regional Advisory Committee, statewide Affirmative Action Committee and the state 4-H Recognition of Excellence Committee.

Deanna's youth development assignment includes providing local program leadership, involving community club programs, school enrichment, after-school groups, and other youth development programs; volunteer recruitment, training, support, and recognition; collaboration with other Unit Educators to support interdisciplinary programs; and, networking with community organizations and agencies to enhance the quality of life for youth in Kane County.

COLORS

Diversity ? everyone is different! Each person has strengths and weaknesses ? it is those traits that make you who you are. The National Curriculum and Training Institute has developed a program called COLORS. COLORS is a personality style program based on Meyers Briggs. This program will help youth and adults gain a better understanding of themselves and those around them. It also helps when working with groups to understand the diversity within that group.

4-H Focus on Character

"Character is who we are when no one is watching!" Trustworthiness.... Respect.... Responsibility.... Fairness.... Caring.... Citizenship.... These are characteristics everyone needs to possess to be a person of character. Many parents and youth leaders want today's youth to have these core traits, but seldom do they sit down and plan how to help young people develop them. 4-H Focus on Character provides an opportunity to include character-building activities and learning experiences for youth and families.

4-H Cloverbuds

4-H Cloverbuds is designed for youngsters ages 5 - 7. The 4-H Cloverbud program offers hands-on learning activities that promote personal development, healthy lifestyles, and a sense of citizenship. Kids can explore art, plants, animals, science and their environment. The learning activities are based on sound child development principles, fostering basic values like cooperation, teamwork, and communication. The 4-H Cloverbud program can be used in a 4-H club, day care or school setting.

4-H Volunteer Training Programs

A variety of volunteer training programs are available. Topics can be selected based upon completion of the leadership development inventory for organizational, project, and Cloverbud volunteers. The inventories help volunteers identify the skills they need to be successful in their role. Topics range from volunteer management to club program management, from family involvement to making meetings fun, from involving youth to behavior management, from project learning to communications to understanding youth. Workshops range from 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

Youth/Adult Partnerships

This training is designed for teams of youth and adults who will be working together. The overall purpose is to increase the participants' ability to work as partners in determining the direction and nature of work that they will do with other youth and adults in their community. The goal is to help youth and adults understand the need to work in partnership in making decisions about programs that affect them and to develop strategies to work together in their community. Separate workshops for youth and for adults are also possible.