September 4th, 2014

In this issue:

1. San Benito Co. Fair 4-H Building Assignments and Sign-Up

2. LCORT 2015 Registration

3. State Leaders Forum 2014

4. Looking for 2015-16 All-Star Candidates!

5. Council Committee Information and Sign-Ups

6. Jessica Ward Emerald Star Project- Photos Needed!

7. Revolution of Responsibility Project- Donation Deadline Extended!

8. Erica Leung Emerald Star Project- Event Coming Soon!

9. Cornell Lab of Ornithology BirdSleuth Workshop- A Message from Lynn

1. SBC Fair 4-H Building Assignments and Sign-Up Sheet

Club Leaders and members- SBC Fair is just around the corner and the ladies in charge of our building need volunteers from each club to watch over our members exhibits and to greet fair attendees!

Please take a look at the attached Building Assignment Sheet and Sign-Up Form to see when you can volunteer! Each club has shifts and spaces for the names and contact information of the people that would like to volunteer for a particular time frame- this will help reduce confusion over who should be arriving for the next shift and will help our building run smoothly!

If there is a time that you would like to volunteer please let your Club Leader know so that they can give the final list of names and contact information to Jenny at jkgomer@ucanr.edu as soon as possible.

2. Leadership Conference of Regional Teens 2015

Its that time of year again to start thinking about LCORT Registration!

Do you want to attend? Dont know what it is? Well here are some of the basics-

Who: 7th-9th Grade 4-H Members

What: Exciting conference aimed at expanding the leadership abilities of our youth. Last year some of the work shop topics included Public Speaking, Parlimentary Procedure, Ice Breakers, All-Star Interviews, and many more!

When: Jan 23-25, 2015

Where: Wonder Valley Ranch in Sanger Ca

Remember that if you would like to attend and apply for council funding you need to follow the steps below:

1. Complete the attached Youth Registration Packet including the Treatment Authorization and Code of Conduct

2. Complete the Travel Funding Application

3. Turn in The above forms to the office by November 5th, 2014

**Note: This year the conference coordinator has decided that there will be no late registrations! So please sign up early and dont miss out on this amazing opportunity!

***If you are an approved adult volunteer and would like to volunteer as a chaperone please contact the office

3. State Leaders Forum 2014

When: November 14-16, 2014

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel in Sacramento

Theme: "101 WAYS 4-H THRIVES"

Leaders! Are you looking to meet other leaders throughout the state? reinvigorate your project? get some new ideas? If so then you might like to attend SLF this november! The 2014 California State Leaders' Forum aims to rekindle our capacity for inspiration and innovation. 4-H volunteers and staff from throughout the state, involved in all parts of 4-H, are invited to be inspired and strengthen our vision for the future of 4-H. State Leaders' Forum is a networking opportunity and a fun weekend too. Join us to refresh your 4-H commitment!

Check out the Registration Packet attached below along with the workshop list to see if this is the right event for you!

If you would like to apply for council funding please remember to complete the following steps:

-Complete the Registration form: Mail the original to the conference (address included in packet) AND provide a copy to the office

-Make hotel reservations through the following link: Hotel Reservations then provide a copy of your reservation and bill to the office

-Complete the Travel Funding Application attached below to apply for council funding

--Complete the above steps and submit necessary copies and forms to the office no later than November 21st, 2014

If you have any questions about the registration or funding process please contact the office- we would be more than happy to answer your questions!

4. Calling all members interested in becoming All-Stars for the 2015-16 Program Year!

All-Stars are an integral part of our 4-H Program- they help plan county wide events, attend leadership conferences, and demontrate how amazing 4-Hers are! And thats only part of it!

If you are at all interested in becoming an All-Star check out the attached application and checklist to give you a better idea of how to apply and how to go about planning your service project!

**Hint Hint- Being an All-Star is a great experience to share with your friends- see if you can get a group together and make it even more fun! I also have plenty of project ideas rattling around in my head so let me know if you need any suggestions!

5. Council Committee Sign-Ups!

Are you interested in helping our 4-H community plan and implement our amazing events and programs??

Dont have any idea what our committees do?

If you answered yes to either of the questions above you should check out the attached Committee Sign up form and descriptions to see how you can contribute to our countywide programs and events!

**Hint Hint- Members! This is a great addition to any record book! And for adult volunteers this is a great way to get your feet wet and work with a team- dont worry you dont have to be an expert to join and contribute!

6. Jessica Ward Emerald Star Project- Photos Needed!

Jessica Ward will be doing a booth at the SBC Fair on the amazing leadership and educational opportunities in our program and she is desperatley seeking photos of past conferences, events, etc. for her powerpoint.

If you have photos and are willing to share please send them to jeward15@sfsharks.net

I have attached the flyer with more information below!

7. Revolution of Responsibility Project- Still Accepting Donations!

Come by the office to donate gently used sports equipment that can be used by our local afterschool programs!

See the attached flyer for more information!

8. Emerald Star Project- Event Next Weekend!

Confused by Star Rankings? No Problem! Attend this information session and absorb as much as you can!

There will also be a guest speaker- Ms. Emily Whitley as well as yummy refreshments!

Come on by and check it out!

9. Cornell Lab of Ornithology BirdSleuth Workshop

Dear 4-H and Community Partners,

Cornell Lab of Ornithology BirdSleuth Workshop

October 22 – 23, 2014 Elkus Ranch, Half Moon Bay, CA. http://ucanr.edu/sites/elkus_ranch/

Cornell is partnering with three state 4-H Programs across the county, including the University of California, to pilot test two citizen-science curricula from their BirdSleuth K-12 project; “Nature Detectives” and “Habitat Connections”.  The year-long partnership (program year 2014-15) will involve collecting information about youth development and science identity from educators implementing the curricula of their choice. Each day of training focuses on one of the curricula. Depending on which kit they plan to implement, workshop participants may choose to take part in either one or both days of the workshop.

Day 1:Nature Detectives (middle school but skews younger)

http://www.birdsleuth.org/afterschool-investigators-nature-detectives/
An easy-to-use curriculum that gets young people outdoors to explore local habitat through fun, hands-on activities. The curriculum leads young people on nature investigations and ends with a citizen-science Bird Quest.  Optimal for Out of School Time, After School, Single Sessions.

Day 2: Habitat Connections (middle school but skews older)

http://www.birdsleuth.org/habitat-connections-2/

Illustrates the importance of habitat for birds, invites young people to take action locally through habitat improvements and citizen science.  Technology access is necessary for most lessons. Optimal for Classrooms,Weekly Clubs,Ongoing Camps.

The BirdSleuth series is designed for youth development in both school and out-of-school settings while learning about birds, habitats, and ecosystems through hands-on science activities. Activities  [are intended to?]lead youth to participate in one or more of the Lab's citizen-science projects, a research partnerships in which scientists and the public work together to generate new science-based knowledge.

Participant Expectations:

1. Participation in workshop.*
2. Complete telephone interview with  Cornell University staff about:Administer pre and post-tests with youth participating in each of the curricula (Nature Detectives and Habitat Connections) to assess and track indicators of science identity and of youth development.
   1. The degree to which curricula are implemented
   2. Identification of activities conducted from and beyond the printed curricula
   3. The development of science identity in youth.
3. Work directly with youth or train others to use the curriculum with youth.
4. The entire curriculum will be implemented with youth

*Participation will include either one day or both days depending on participant's kit choice.

The two-day workshop is free and includes a free curriculum kit. Meals are included. Reimbursement is available for travel and lodging. Space is limited. To apply, link to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/4HCali

For more information, please contact:
Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty

As always please let me now if there is something that you would like to see on the blog.

Questions? Contact the office at 831-637-5346 ext 13

Sincerely,

Brenna Johns