Oahu 4-H - February 2006 Newsletter

On January 15, we had our third Council Meeting. I would like to thank all the clubs that made an effort to come to the Council Meeting. These past months our executive board has been working very hard to make 2006, a year that each 4-Her would enjoy. However, we can’t succeed without your voices. Please help us by making an effort to attend the council meetings; we only have two more left.

At this past meeting, the council decided that the Communications Fair and the Fashion Revue would be split into two separate days. So now the Communications Fair will be this spring and the Fashion Revue will be in the fall. The photography portion will still stay with the Achievement Banquet. At the Communications Fair, categories to enter will include speeches and demonstrations. Keep your eyes open for more information to come as Lori Arakaki irons out the details.

Everyone start taking pictures and finding your speech material, because the photos will be due the same time as the Communications Fair entries.

Recently, Brittany Chang had her County Camp meeting, and 2 cabins are reserved, and the head count is about 30 people. If anyone else would like to come to Camp Mokuleia and join in on lots of fun games and activities on March 10-12 call or e-mail Brittany Chang immediately.

The next 4-H Council Meeting is on March 19, 2006 at the Urban Garden Center. This meeting is the nominations meeting for 2006-2007. I hope that each club sends at least 1 representative to nominate your favorite candidate.

Lastly, I hope everyone has started prepping for your displays at the Food Show. Don’t procrastinate! Mahalo nui loa i ‘oukou.

New Newsletter Format/Article Deadline
From next month, the Oahu 4-H newsletter will be sent via email on a Internet link to all 4-H members and volunteers with email addresses. Those without email addresses will be mailed hard copies. Please note that we will send newsletters to only those with current forms on file.

If anyone would like anything published in the newsletter, please articles to me via email (cchang0789@yahoo.com) by the third Friday of the month, to be included in the following month’s newsletter. Also, if you have any suggestions or concerns please email me and I will be sure to figure out the best way to address the issue.

Speak Out for Military Kids Kickoff
Teens from Aliamanu Youth Center, Schofield Teen Center, and the Boys and Girls club in Wahiawa and Aliamanu are participating in the Speak Out for Military kids campaign. Each group will develop either a speaker’s bureau or media piece that will portray the life of military youth. The projects will be shared with the community during April (month of the military child). The initial training and group session took place on Wednesday, February 1, 2006, 3:30 pm at the Urban Garden Center.

Claire Nakatsuka

Oahu 4-H Volunteers Training & Dinner
Friday, February 24, 2006
Urban Garden Center – Garage
6:30 pm (start, promptly)

Featuring Chef Beau “Ikaika” Beair, graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu, Former chef at Roy’s Scottsdale, Palomino, Alan Wong’s, 12th Avenue Grill, Kahala Mandarin. Chef Beau will feature Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine.

At 7:30, the training will cover the 4-H principles of youth development, as well as how the 4-H program evolved to meet the changing needs of today’s youth.
Call Maryknoll at 453-6053 to reserve a spot.

Aloha!
Maryknoll Spotkaeff

Aloha RTM Team Members
The 4-H Read to Me Design team bids a fond farewell to team members Tyson Yamada, and Liane Koga as they pursue their academic and career endeavors. Mahalo to both for their years of dedicated service...

Claire Nakatsuka

I Want To Join 4-H!
I am a nine-year-old, 4th grade student at Nimitz Elementary School. I live in the Ewa Beach area. Will a 4-H club please invite me to join them? I am shy, but willing to learn and I want to make new friends.

For information on inviting or joining, please call Maryknoll at 453-6053.

4-H Leaders’ Conference
April 7 to 9, 2006
Hele On! Country Style Molokai!

Registration - $75 (includes Sat. continental breakfast, lunch, banquet, and workshops)
Educational Tours - $40 or
Workshops – Line Dancing, Lomi-Lomi, Luggage Tag & Business Card Making, Video Production, Femo Clay Figures, Lilikoi Butter Making, La’au Lapa’au, Preserving Memories.
Lodging – You may select Molokai Shores, Hotel Molokai or Kaluakoi.

Call Maryknoll at 453-6053 for a copy of the conference information. I may have some scholarship awards for you.

Maryknoll Spotkaeff

Hawaii 4-H Alumni/Weinberg Scholarship
Scholarships of up to $1,500 will be awarded to current 4-H members who have completed at least one year of 4-H work prior to April 1 of the year the application is received. The applicant will need to be enrolled in their freshman year at an accredited college, university, technical or trade school in the fall of the year the applications are due. The application must be postmarked by March 29, 2006. Late applications will not be accepted.

Send to:

Hawaii 4-H Alumni Association
PO Box 61565
Honolulu, HI 96839

Scholarship forms can be obtained from http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/4h/forms/Weinberg Scholarship Form 2006.pdf

Ellison Onizuka Scholarship Ahaolelo Award
The Hawaii 4-H Alumni Association is offering the Ellison Onizuka Scholarship Ahaolelo Award of $200 each to up to four Hawaii 4-Hers (one per county: Kauai, Hawaii, Maui/Molokai/Lanai, and Oahu) who best meet the following requirements and criteria.

To qualify for this scholarship, you need to meet the median income assistance guideline as set forth by HUD and meet the criteria: (Check application for income guidelines).

2005 Hawaii State 4-H Livestock Show
Thank you for being so patient. However, we have not received the results for the state livestock show held in June at Kualoa Ranch. Check back with us next month.

Steve Nagano

Christopher Columbus Awards Program
Sponsored by the Christopher Columbus, Fellowship Foundation in cooperation with the National Science Foundation, the Christopher Columbus Awards program is a national competition for middle-school-age children that combine science and technology with community problem-solving in a real-world setting. With the help of an adult coach, participating students work in teams to identify an issue they care about and, using science and technology, work with experts, conduct research, and put their ideas to the test to develop an innovative solution to that problem." More information and entry forms can be obtained from http://fconline.fdncenter.org/pnd/5002087/columbusawards

2006 ESRI GIS Grant Program for U.S. 4-H
ESRI announces two grant options for the ESRI GIS Grant Program, designed for U.S. 4-H in cooperation with National 4-H Headquarters, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES)/U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support its geospatial outreach, education, and community involvement efforts. The goal of this program is to foster and support the integration of geographic information system (GIS) software in U.S. 4-H clubs.

Grant categories include an introductory grant for 4-H clubs new to GIS and global positioning systems (GPS) and an intermediate grant for those 4-H clubs that received previous ESRI 4-H grants and completed the grant requirements.

Eligible Applicants: A U.S. 4-H community or in-school club, 4-H after-school program, 4-H special interest group, 4-H school enrichment group, 4-H camp, or similar 4-H unit that meets regularly and is recognized as an authorized 4-H group within its state’s 4-H program.

Application Period: January 1–March 31, 2006

The 2006 4-H Grants are posted at and downloadable from: http://www.esri.com/grants/esri/06003_4-h_fy06.html

4-H Global Connection Project
Hello, my name is Joseph Gedgaud and I am from Clay County, Moorhead Minnesota. I am in the Oakmound 4-H club. I am doing a global connection project for a 4-H project. I want to show people that 4-H is different yet the same throughout the United States and even in Europe or any other country.

I am asking that 4-Hers to email with the following information:

     - What is your name of your club/county/state?
     - Type of club (project club or after-school program or 4-H adventures, etc.):
     - What is something special you are doing that other clubs might not do?
     - What do you do to go to the county/state fair?
     - Number of members in the club?
     - Age range?
     - How often do you meet?
     - Special projects?
     - Community service projects?
     - How is your county level 4-H run?
     - And any other special thing you want to say?

Please E-mail me back as soon as possible. My E-mail is jeffchele@702com.net

Information about 4-H around here and my club:

I am in the Oakmound 4-H club of Clay County Minnesota and we have 21 members ranging from age 7-17 with 10 families. Our club usually meets once a month. We do special things like adopt children to buy presents for at Christmas time, we cleaned up a small cemetery and planted flowers. My club also started a Happy Feet program to give gym shoes to kids who can’t afford them. Our club is active in the county fair and participates with many different projects such as horses, sheep, pets; we also do clowning, sewing, cooking, computer science and rocketry. We also usually have a few participate at the state fair. In Clay County you can qualify for a state fair trip by receiving a Grand Champion, Reserve Champion or Honorable Mention. There are only a set number of youth that can go in each project area and it varies with the project. The 4-H member can only take one project to the state fair each year even if you qualify in more then one project.

Our county has an after-school program and a tech team; we have a couple project clubs such as Horse Club and Rabbit Club. We have a Board of Directors to govern and direct the 4-H program in Clay County. We have 6 young adults and 8 adults on the Board. The young adults hold the positions of President, Vice-president, Secretary, Historian/Reporter, and two Outreach Coordinators. We also have an Ambassador and Jr. Ambassador program.

Children Have a Lot to Offer
What do children and youth have to offer to their communities? How do we tap into their amazing energy and idealism in order to build a brighter and more peaceful world? I have one simple answer: Ask young people the question "How would you like to help?"

When youth believe they are valued as assets and resources, their self-respect rises, and their lives begin to soar. I have seen this personally in my 10 years of working as the President and CEO of Youth Service America, an organization founded in 1986 that envisions a global culture of inspired and engaged youth who share a common goal of lifelong community service, leadership, and achievement.

Too often, teenagers and young children are given directives not decisions. They are told what to do without any input. Yet, when they are given the opportunity to make choices and offer their services, young people (from as early as five) become excited,
engaged, and productive individuals. In fact, they become citizens.

Inspiring young people to serve their communities teaches responsibility and citizenship. Young people of all backgrounds have a lot to offer and are willing to be part of the positive changes in their communities. We just need to provide them the opportunities and ask the question "How would you like to help?"

We put this question to young people across the United States and around the world for National and Global Youth Service Day, and the response continues to be amazing.

Steven A. Culbertson
President & CEO, Youth Service America

Have Your Story Featured in the 2008 National 4-H Calendar!
National 4-H Supply Service wants to hear about your favorite 4-H project and why it is meaningful. Your story could be used in the 2008 National 4-H Calendar. Sending in a submission may even get you a free gift certificate towards your next purchase of merchandise from the 4-H Source Book!

The 2008 calendar theme is "My Favorite 4-H Project". It will be up to 4-H members, volunteers, parents, staff and partners to furnish the stories that will be featured. These personal testaments must tell the what, when, where, why, and how; so everyone can understand how 4-H projects are meaningful.

One story for each month will be featured in the calendar and the author will receive one $10 gift certificate towards a future purchase in the 4-H Source Book. Please limit your entry to 125 words due to the space restrictions of the calendar. Don't forget to include your contact information.

Please e-mail, fax or mail your stories to:

Maria Cascioli
National 4-H Supply Service
7100 Connecticut Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
mcascioli@fourhcouncil.edu
Phone: 301-961-2948
Fax: 301-961-2937
The submission deadline is April 30, 2006.

National 4-H Photography Contest
National 4-H Council needs winning photos from your state and county fairs (2001 – 2006) to create the 2008 4-H Calendar. Thirteen photographs will be selected. These original photographs will be gallery mounted and framed and a brass plate engraved with the title and photographer's name will be attached. The winning photos will be on display at the National 4-H Conference Center from September 2006 through November 2006 and also posted on our web site www.4-hmall.org. The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2006.

Lewis and Clark Essay Contest
The Lewis and Clark Youth Rendezvous is an event for students who will be high school juniors or seniors during the 2006-2007 school year. It is centered around the 200th anniversary of the Corps of Discovery and the exploration of the west and will take place August 13-18, 2006 in North Dakota.

Ten students from each state and territory will be selected to participate in the Youth Rendezvous based upon a Lewis and Clark essay competition. The event, including transportation, will be free of charge for those students with the winning essays along with two chaperones from each state and territory.

The essay will be evaluated on original thought about the Lewis and Clark expedition. It must be a minimum of 1,000 words, but not more than 1,500 words. Entries will be accepted until midnight February 28, 2006. More information is available from http://www.lcyouthrendezvous.com/

Global Kids’ Digital Media Essay Contest
Register now for the Global Kids' Digital Media Initiative's Digital Media Essay Contest, supported by the MacArthur Foundation. The essays, based on personal experiences, will be 2-4 double-spaced typed pages. Youth can write about any aspect of digital media in their lives following standard guidelines. For more information, check out http://www.globalkids.org/olp/dmec/ Applications will be accepted through early March.

4-H Clover Corner News
For additional articles on 4-H youth development nationwide, check out the National 4-H Clover Corner News at http://www.4hblogs.org/ccn/