Leader and Youth Leadership Opportunities

North Central Regional Volunteer Forum

"Realize, Energize, Visualize ……...

Unlimited Potential" is this year's theme for the 2008 North Central Regional Volunteer Forum, November 6-8, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio at the Ramada Plaza Hotel.

Launch pad events are: tours of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Longaberger Basket Company, Anthony Thomas Candy Company, American Whistle Factory, Graeter's Ice Cream Factory, Franklin Park Conservatory and more. Not only do they offer outstanding tours, but many great workshops that have great information for club meetings, project meetings or county events.

Early bird registration is $225.00 on or before September 12. For further information or registration please go to www.ohio4h.org/ncrvf.

Calling All Volunteers - Adult and Youth

It is more important now than ever for us to be using the capable skills and abilities of our 4-H volunteers and members in our county. People who are interested in making a difference and are willing to put in a couple of hours here and there to help create an event (large and small), and would like to see some fresh smiles, are in need and very welcome.

If you are someone who has been interested in making a difference (and is willing to put the time in, not just be a name on a piece of paper), but weren't sure where to turn, look our way and give us a call or send an email. We could use some aid for fair, on the Expansion & Review Committee (at this time, 2 adults and 1 youth), the new Food Committee, MCYTT (McHenry County Youth Tech Team), McHenry County 4-H Youth Foundation, Project Workshops, and more! No experience with the subject matter is necessary. We are all about hands-on learning…what better place to learn as you go?!

We hope to talk to you very soon!

Marketing 4-H

McHenry County celebrates National 4-H Week through club window displays. Not all clubs participate in the contest but many individuals are very creative and have expressed a desire to participate on an individual basis. In addition to the usual window display this year we are offering an individual poster contest that would reach many additional youth throughout the county. A committee of youth and adults are needed to create guidelines for this project. Please contact the Extension Office if you would be interested in serving on a committee to market 4-H.

4-H Info Night

4-H Information night will be held during the last week of August (Date and Time to be Announced). The main focus for this event is to allow families to get a taste of what 4-H is all about and how to find a club in their area.

If you would be interested in assisting in the planning for this meeting, please contact the Extension Office.

HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

McHenry County 4-H will offer a Holiday Workshop on December 6. Youth will be invited to come and create holiday gifts for their family and also to explore new areas.

If you have youth who have attended these workshops in the past, you know how much fun they are. We are in need of a leader and committee to organize this event. Many donations have been received so far and now all we need is input on the different directions in which these items can be used.

COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

McHenry County 4-H program has received a generous amount of Valentine cards for an all County community service project. Volunteers are needed to find monetary sources to finance the mailings along with locating military sources and nursing homes for these cards to go to. Cards need to be sorted now so that clubs can receive them in November in order to process the mailings to nursing homes and to military serving overseas in time for Valentines Day.

Please contact the Extension Office if you can help out this program.

GO ONLINE NOW!!

You will start seeing more online registrations for a majority of the programs (if not all) that University of Illinois Extension – McHenry offers. Though for some this might be inconvenient, for many this will not pose a problem.

There are many reasons to move towards solely doing online registrations: 1) funding issues; 2) administrative time saved; 3) saving a tree or two, likely, way more; and 4) accessibility of the Internet not only in most homes, but also in libraries and schools (or you can come in and use our kiosk to register too).

Much is changing, but we appreciate you moving into the 21^st century with us!

Free!!!

Interested in pouring your own ceramic green ware? Many molds are available and they are free. Please contact Jim Eigenschenk in the evenings at 815-356-9520.

Debbie Winn has ceramic tools and supplies to be given away. If you can use these please call her at 816-648-4401

Preparing for 4-H Fair/Show Exhibits:

4-H Fairs or shows are often the highlight of the 4-H year. Shows provide opportunities for 4-H members to demonstrate new knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes. Fairs provide a showcase for recognition of youth and allows for an avenue for youth to practice life skills through teamwork, cooperation, communication, sportsmanship and pride of one self along with club pride.

What are the youth responsibilities?

Throughout the year youth have established a timeline to work on their 4-H projects through setting goals of accomplishment and completion dates. Youth should read all the general rules and guidelines found in the fair book. It may be helpful to put tabs on the pages for your projects. If more than one child is showing you might want to use different colored tabs for each child. Please be sure to read the dates and times for each judging event. Copies of judging score sheets and conference judging fact sheets may be found online at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/mchenry/4hyouth131.html then click "Judging Score sheets." Youth, please remember that parents and leaders are there as references and support to help you achieve the life skills you have set at the beginning of the year.

Parent Responsibilities:

Parents are encouraged to help 4-H members obtain the materials and resources needed to complete their 4-H projects. Parents are encouraged to answer questions, demonstrate skills, and offer guidance on project work but at no time should a parent do the work for a child. Parents too, are asked to read the fair book general guidelines and judging schedules. Parents may offer encouragement as young people prepare for conference judging by asking youth the steps they have taken to prepare their fair project, what did the child learn, what was the biggest challenge for them to accomplish, etc.

Volunteer Responsibilities:

4-H leaders are the link between the Extension Office and 4-H families. 4-H volunteers will be sure that 4-H

families have the materials the youth need (project manuals, fair book, entry forms and newsletters). Remember that the youth must attend meetings or make arrangements for the materials. Volunteers are not expected to make house calls. Leaders, project leaders, junior leaders, and fair superintendents can also answer questions and help members prepare their exhibit.

Club Responsibilities:

Clubs are encouraged to hold a meeting where projects that are going to be exhibited at the fair are brought in to share - with possible mock judging. This allows the member to practice the "question and answer" period of conference judging. This also allows the parents and leaders to see the projects before the fair. Many clubs showing livestock do farm tours to help the animals adjust to the many people that will be around them.

4-H members are encouraged to try something more challenging each year and to practice good sportsmanship. Exhibiting is designed to be an enjoyable, educational experience not just a contest. Enjoy the fair experience!