Dear 4-H Family:

Please read the following excerpt and consider this when setting your expectations of one another in not only your family, but also in the 4-H community.

The Average Child

I don't cause teachers trouble. My grades have been okay. I listen in my classes and I am in school every day. My teachers think I am average. My parents think so too. I wish I didn't know that 'cause there's lots I'd like to do. I would like to build a rocket. I have a book that tells you how. Or start a stamp collection; oh well, no use trying now. "Cause since I found I am average, I am just smart enough, you see, to know there is nothing special that I should expect of me. I am part of that majority, that hump part of the bell, who spends his life unnoticed in an average kind of hell.

With Love, Mike Buscemi (8th Grade Student)

So, when you read this, does it remind you of any feelings you've ever had when someone didn't expect much of you? Do you remember thinking, "I can do better than that!". Or, have you never felt this way and have a hard time relating to what this must feel like?

Well, this sort of thing does happen, and as a Youth Development Educator, I've seen it time and time again. I've seen it in the classroom when a teacher treats one student significantly different than another based on their expectations of that student. I've seen it in the 4-H program when a parent doesn't give their child enough credit and says "my child can't possibly handle doing that alone" or "there's no way my child could go away that long without me." And I'm sure I, as a youth professional have at some time set my sites too low for a youth that I have come into contact with.

I think it's important for all of us, and I'm not just talking adults, I'm talking youth too, to think about what we expect from one another. Do we look at someone and think, "Oh, they aren't very well known, so they can't possibly handle being a leader or an officer"? Do we think that because someone has made a mistake along the way that they will never be an honest or forthright person again? Don't we all make mistakes?

So, let's take a moment and think about how we determine our expectations of others and what we can do to raise those expectations. Let's raise the bar on what we think everyone around us can do and maybe all of will be better able to accomplish great things!

Peace to you and your's,

Kim

If you are taking a Forestry project and plan on making a leaf collection, the National Arbor Day Foundation has a pocket booklet entitled "What Tree Is That?" to help assist you in identification. The guide helps to identify 135 trees from the eastern and central United States. To obtain a free guide, send your name and address to: "What Tree Is That?", The National Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, Neb. 68410 for a free guide.

Make sure you have all these dates on your calendar! They are also in the Stephenson County 4-H Program Book, but we will run them in full this time:

May, 2006

1 Last chance for all new members to enroll

1 Last chance to add a project

1 Horse leases & registration papers due

1 Horse ownership deadline

15 Sheep Ownership Papers due to the Extension Office

15 Federation Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

23 Leaders Meeting, 1:30 & 7:00

24 Swine PQA Training, 7:00 p.m.

25 Extension Office closed for water repair

29 Extension Office closed for Memorial Day

June, 2006

1 Beef, Goat, Swine, and Dairy Calves and Heifers Ownership Papers due to the Extension Office

1 Dog Ownership and Lease Papers due to the Extension Office

1 Swine Ear Notch forms due to Extension Office

2 Swine PQA Training, 1:00 p.m.

3 Public Speaking and Demonstration Contest

15 Grade Dairy ID & Dairy Registered/Transfer Papers due to the Extension Office

16 Entry forms due for Dog Show, Dress Revue, Flower Arranging, Cake Decorating, and General Projects Day

19 Federation Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
23-25 4-H IL Leadership Convention (State 4-H Conference)

26-29 4-H Camp at Camp White Eagle

30 Leaders pick up entry tags from Extension Office

July, 2006

1 Deadline for required attendance at Quality

Assurance & Ethics Training

1 State Fair Livestock entry deadline 4:30 p.m.

7 Cake Decorating Show, R101, 1:00 -3:00 p.m.

10 Dress Revue, Room H201, 9:00 a.m.

11 Dog Show, Fairgrounds, 8:00 a.m.

12 Clean up and set-up at Fairgrounds

9:00 a.m. – noon

13 General Projects Day, Fairgrounds, 9:00 a.m.

14 Flower Arranging Show, R101, 2:00 p.m.

14 Deadline for State Fair Entries

15 Fair entry forms due to Extension Office

16 Federation Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

17 Cloverbud Adventure

18 Leader's Meeting, 1:30 & 7:00 p.m.

19 Leaders pick up fair entry tags from Extension Office

August, 2005

21-27 Stephenson County Fair

22 Style Show at County Fair, 5:30 p.m.

24 Parade of Excellence, 6:30 p.m.

27 Clean up 4-H club booths and building, 2:00–5:00 p.m.