Leader College and El Paso youth support

Leader College is this weekend and I hope you are planing to attend, if not teach, at the event. In either case a couple of reminders. Registration begins at 9:00 am and closes at 9:30 am. Everyone that attends (including county and district personnel) must register and pay $15. If you are coming and did not register plan to bring correct change or a check.

By now I'm sure you are aware of the terrible accident that occurred in El Paso involving 5 4-H members. If not, 5 youth were burned badly in an accidental fire at a 4-H food booth fund raiser.

We will be taking a collection at Leader College in support of these families as they work through this tragedy. If your 4-H clubs or county programs are bringing checks, please make them payable to the Texas 4-H Foundation and put "El Paso 4-H youth" in the memo line.

We will facilitate the deposit of the funds after the event. For those of you wishing to contribute individually, I would encourage you to go to the Texas 4-H Foundation Website and make a contribution using "pay pal".

Till next time, Take Care,
Kevin

4-H ers in NEED

There has been a terrible accident involving 4-H ers and a food booth fundraiser in El Paso Tx. 5 children were burned. 3 are in ICU at University Medical Center in Lubbock and 2 are in regular admittance at the El Paso hospital.

Information regarding the particulars of this incident are not clear at this point. What is clear, is that these 4-H families are in need and a call to action is going out state wide! One or more of the injured children are expected to be in the hospital for more than a month. This will undoubtedly cause significant hardship for their families.

As details surface regarding what we can do to assist I will share them through this blog. In the mean time there are a few things we can consider.

Families from ElPasso are displaced and carring for their children in Lubbock. They will be needing lodging and accomidations. Money sent to Lubbock can be spent on what the families need, when they need it.

Money and or gift certificates to restraunts that are in the Lubock area would be of great benifit to these 4-H families.
Please work to inform your 4-H network of this terrible situation.

Please also consider having county contributions ready to present at this weekend's leader coollege.

Our prayers and our contributions are needed.
Kevin

4-H Connect Drop Dead Day

Just a reminder - This Friday, July 31, 2009 is your last opportunity to update enrollment in 4-H Connect for the 2008/2009 4-H year. Monday, August 1, 2009 all 4-H Connect records will be set to inactive!!!!!

This has two very big implications:
1) If you enter the member/group record after Friday, it does not count for the current 4-H year ending.
2) Families will not be able to register for any District or State 4-H Events until their membership is re-activated---Think Leader College.

As always if you have questions or concerns contact me.

Kevin

Things you need to know as we move into July

• Recordbook Judging is at the Harris County Extension Center July 8, 2009. We will start at 9:00 a.m. (Please pass neccessary information along to Volunteers - Communication is not being sent from the District Office)
• Current Recordbook entries vs. Number of Judges equates to 14 books per judge to review. Come ready to settle in and get to work
• Program Planning Conference will be held on July 9, 2009 at Northwest Forest at 9:30 a.m. This is the day we plan the District 4-H Program for next year. It's good to be there.
• Leadership Institute Registration Closes Friday, July 10. Each county can send two reps plus council officers.
• 4-H Connect Enrollment Status will revert to inactive on all 4-H enrollment for 2009 on August 1. What does this mean for you: If you want credit for the enrollment in this past year, they need to be in the system before the end of the month.
• There are three significant contest areas being added to State 4-H Competition in the coming year: Food Challenge, Vet Science Skillathon, Leaders 4 Life Skillathon, and Scientific Discovery Poster Competition. (ok I lied...there are 4 new contests)
• The anticipation is building for "one day 4-H"....Start making a plan for October 10, 2009

As we plan for the new 4-H Year the schedule can become daunting. Keep in mind we will take the events one at a time and as usual we will all make these events high quality learning opportunities for youth.

As you prepare for the coming Program Development Confernce I also want you to be thinking of ways to loosen the schedule in the Spring and in June. This may mean having a contest on a weekday, or pushing back Leadership Lab to the end of June. There may be many other solutions. Together I am confident we can come up with a workable plan and incorporate 4 new contests.
Kevin

Ambition

It is invigorating to read the goals and aspirations of our youth. It reminds us of a time when the sky was the limit. Strange how age and mileage can dull your urge to chase your dreams.

If you need a pick-me-up in the dreams department, take a look at what your 4-Hers are dreaming about.

The following link will take you to a google doc in which Leadership Lab Participants are telling us about their future career aspirations.

It's a refreshing read.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=rc9iByrUk72t7VLWk0pVCAw

Leadership Lab....and everything else in June

This is the first of what may turn into many reminders concerning Leadership Lab and everything else we have going during the month of June.

First let me say I would rather be given two brand new events to run, rather than cancel one well established event. June is challenging enough without squeezing in a judging contests.

Here goes my attempt to keep things from slipping by any of us:

District Horse Show:

• All entries are due by May 22.
• If the horse is not validated then the horse can not be entered
• If two children are riding the same horse, then the horse must be entered twice, and the Ground fee must be paid twice
• Entries for the Horse Show will not be confirmed at the District office until after May 22.

Leadership Lab:

• Registration is due May 29
• Officer applications are also due on May 29
• Those running for office will serve as teen leaders and teen leaders will be expected to come to Sam Houston on June 19 to participate in Pre-Leadership Lab
• Chaperoning is imperative in this new format. If you are sending kids you should plan to attend Lab. If you cannot attend then you should make individual arrangements with another CEA to be a point person for your youth.

State Roundup

• Be Flexible!!!!!! The schedules have changed and may change a few more times prior to your event. Check the online schedules frequently and be ready to change your plans
• This will be a great event, but it will not be the same event as we've had in the past.
  
• Wednesday contests will have award ceremonies in various formats and these formats may change based on communication from the Superintendent. All we are guaranteeing is first through third will be announced at the big assembly.

Multi District Judging

• All Multi-District Judging contests will occur on June 12, 2009
• These contests are open to Juniors and Intermediates Only
• Contestants must re-register for the event.
• All fees previously paid for Multi-District Judging will be refunded

Leadership Institute

• Open to two youth from your county in addition to all District Council Officers
• Registration will be $150
• Registration is due July 6, 2009
  
• Location is still not confirmed but Texas State University in San Marcos is under strong consideration

Questions?????
I feel like there must be at least some questions out there. If you have one, please ask it here for everyone's benefit.

For tracking sake I will try to post updates and concerns to this site as they come in....

Summer is definitely upon us.
Kevin

Horses and Leadership

What do horses and leadership have in common...... Both involve events that just opened on 4-H Connect for District 9 4-H. Check it out: The Horse show is available for registration through May 22. Leadership Lab is open through May 29.

Both events have late registration available, but participants wont like the price.

Go to the D9 Web site for promotional brochures and rules.

Assuming I can surmount the technical difficulties we might market Leadership Lab directly to 4-Hers old enough to attend. Let me know what you think.

Kevin