Madison County 4-H Youth Outreach Project

As you know, Madison County is a small rural county in the northern part of District 9 and has a significant minority population. Unfortunately, the minority population is not well represented in the county's 4-H Livestock Program. However, recently interest has been generated in minority youth to exhibit livestock projects at the Madison County Fair and to participate in other 4-H activities. This interest was sparked through visits and presentations by Billy Zanolini, Madison CEA-AG/NR, at local elementary schools and visits to minority churches in Madisonville.

The challenges faced by some minority youth to participate in the 4-H Livestock Program include lack of funds to purchase the initial project, lack of facilities, lack of funds to purchase feed and supplies, and lack of parental support. To address these challenges, Agent Zanolini secured donated livestock (10 lambs, 2 goats and 1 pig) from producers in Texas, financial support from the Madisonville State Bank and the Texas 4-H Friends and Alumni Association, and the use of the Madisonville High School Ag Barn. Additionally, a local feed store is providing feed and supplies at his cost and Madison County 4-H Livestock Ambassadors are assisted the youth with their projects.

Currently, 12 minority youth are enrolled in this outreach project. The youth attend monthly 4-H club meetings, participate in livestock project clinics and showmanship clinics, and care for their donated projects twice daily. The youth will also complete the Quality Counts curriculum and exhibit their livestock at the Madison County Fair in March. Funds earned from the sale of projects will be invested in future livestock projects.

The goal for this project is to teach the youth livestock management skills, responsibility, financial management, and sportsmanship. Of course our goals are to produce productive and responsible youth and expand our 4-H outreach in Madison County. The outcomes of this project will be determined through an evaluation later in 2009.

This type of project has application in all counties in District 9. Give it a try and see the difference you can make in the lives of our youth!

Dale A. Fritz, DEA

Time to Blow Your Horn

If you don't BLOW YOUR HORN who will. Your district 4-H Association Leadership took the time to explore and share with you award opportunities prior to the Christmas break. We knew then that the award applications would hit us smack in the middle of "Stock Show Season", and here they are. We are all busy, but please take the time to invest in yourself, and submit an award application to gain recognition for the "over the top" programs you have conducted!

You can get started by going to www.nae4HA.org. Here you will find last years award program, but the information will be close enough to get you on the right track for '09, and if you wait any longer the mid March deadline will catch you off guard.

Till next time,
Kevin

Back to the BLOG

It's been over a month since I've posted a BLOG and that's too long!

This time of year information is at a premium and the faster you can digest it the better. With Major and Local stock shows in action there's no time to diddle.

Three Points of Major interest.

• If you have a semi active 4-H Horse Program, the CEA Horse News Letter is a "Must Read". Make the time. In the newsletter you'll find a letter for leaders that is ready for you to share with your adult leaders. (no better way to save time, than to have someone else write your letters).
• The District Consumer Decision Making contest will be run largely the same in '09 with one exception. There will not be an over arching story line to support the class scenarios. If you are foggy on what I'm referring to, post a response to this blog and somebody will clear the water.
• As noted in point number one, having someone else write the letter can save you time. This also applies to your monthly newsletter. I'm not suggesting you quit writing the newsletter but I am foreshadowing future State 4-H Efforts. Beginning in February the State 4-H Office will launch a newsletter for CEA's . This newsletter will be designed with "cut and paste" in mind. When you see something your people need to know, simply cut it out and put it in your newsletter! How's that for service?

With the new CEA newsletter in mind, if there are specific subjects you would like covered, share them with me. I'll make sure an appropriate author has the heads up.

Till next blog, take care,
Kevin

Something to think about

Having recently participated in an historic national election, and anticipating great change in the nation (good or bad), I thought this quote was worth thinking about.

"We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction. "
Bill Gates

A little closer to home, considering the recent administrative changes within Texas AgriLife Extension and our tendency to look for immediate results, these may be words to live by.

For what it's worth,
Kevin

Do You Need HELP?

10 TIPS to ASKING for the HELP YOU NEED
by Jim M. Allen

1. Remember, if you don’t make the request, it will NEVER happen.
Wayne Gretzky once said, “One hundred percent of the shots I don’t make don’t go in. Likewise the unasked question is never answered.

2. Don’t beat around the bush! Just ask!

3. If it’s an extraordinary request, say so. BIG requests are often the best request. Be 100% upfront and honest about what you want and what’s involved.

4. If the request is work that YOU normally (or should) do, explain why you can’t. You don’t need to provide tons of details, but again, be honest with the person you’re making the request of (and with yourself).

5. Don’t assume you know what the answer will be. Maybe they’ll say “No.” Of course, they might say “Yes”.

6. Recognize that the person *can* say “No.” You may not like it, but it will happen from time to time. Accept it and move on.

7. Make one request at a time. Asking for help, assistance, changes, etc., is fine, but don’t overwhelm a person with multiple requests all at once.

8. Make the request clear and distinct.
If there’s an exact way it needs to be done, let the person know. Give them all the information to make a good decision, but also so they can really do what you need them to do.

9. Trust the person to do the right thing. If you’ve made your request clear and the person has said that they’ll do it, expect they’ll do it correctly. Don’t follow them around and hound them about it.

10. Say “Thank You.”
(Even if they turn you down.)

Working for nothing?

To often we refer to volunteers in a flippant manner, almost like they are just an adult 4-Her, or another acquaintance. What they really are is the front line, unpaid employee of Texas AgriLife Extension Service. They are our co-workers. We do not bestow the privileged of representing 4-H and our agency to anyone. They must apply! They must be approved! they must be Hired! even if they are hired with no salary.

The development of our unpaid employees is every bit as important as the develpment of CEA's and Specialists. It's time we start thinking of them as our co-workers. we can hire 'em, we can guide 'em, we should train 'em, and on occasion we should fire 'em.

Something to think about,
Kevin

Keeping 'em safe

Inherently we know that as a professional youth educator one of our first obligations is to keep youth safe. that includes structuring a safe environment for learning and surrounding them with adults that will have a positive influence in their life. That "positive influence" maybe hard to gauge, but we have a system for gauging the converse. Texas 4-H Youth Protection Standards (volunteer screening) is our first line of defense against adults that could/would harm our children. It is also the standard we have created for keeping youth safe while under the supervision of 4-H Volunteers.

We must never let down our guard! It is with our best intentions that we make exceptions. Accepting late entries, including kids in the program that forgot to register, or reconvening the Validation committee to squeeze in one last validation. One place we can not make exceptions is volunteer screening.

Know that it takes a minimum of 48 hours for the state 4-H office to process a volunteer screening request. If today is Wednesday and a last minute change has created the need for an additional chaperon on Saturday, your only pool of candidates, are previously screened volunteers.

Be pro-active. Encourage even moderately active adults sign up as adult leaders early in the 4-H year, and turn in their screening paperwork as soon as possible.

For what it's worth,
Kevin