TENNESSEE 4-H IDEAS

VOLUME 04 - Issue 15
April 8, 2004

Baker Center For Public Policy
Don’t Forget To Report Youth-Adult Partnership Trainings!
Enrollment Update: More Frequently Asked Questions???
New Voting Resource Available: First Choice 2004
"Open Call" For The 4HUSA Web Crew
PYLI... Going Once... Going Twice...
Report Your National Youth Service Day Projects
Sheep Conference Information Available On Web Site
Sheep Conference Promotional Artlice In Web Packet

BAKER CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

Recently some of the state 4-H staff had the opportunity to meet with Alan C. Lowe, Executive Director and Nissa Dahlin-Brown Assistant Director of the Baker Center for Public Policy located on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus. The permanent location for the Baker Center will be located at the University of Tennessee on the corner of Cumberland and Melrose avenues. Currently the center is located in Hoskins Library on campus.

The Baker Center facility will contain:

The Baker Center will maintain, make available and promote research in the papers of Howard Baker and other political collections and host a wide variety of public programs on issues of local, regional, national and international significance. It will create programs specifically for various age groups, all with the goal of not educating the students about specific topics, but instilling in all people an understanding of the responsibilities and rewards of public service and the significance of each citizen’s active and place special emphasis on outreach through the Internet.

Mr. Lowe and Ms. Dahlin-Brown are interested in working with us as we advocate for youth voice/youth governance and civic engagement. The Baker Center is an excellent resource especially for groups of 4-H’ers who come on campus. We hope to utilize this resource in our civic engagement, citizenship, youth voice and youth governance initiatives.

Alice Ann Moore
Assistant Director, 4-H
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DON’T FORGET TO REPORT YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIP TRAININGS!

Remember that if you, your 4-H members, or your volunteer leaders are using ANY component of the Youth-Adult Partnerships: A Training Manual curriculum, you should be reporting these trainings to the state 4-H office. This project is funded under a grant program with USDA and National 4-H Council. It is imperative that we document the number of youth and adults that receive training in youth-adult partnerships.

To report your training, simply visit www.utextension.utk.edu/4H/youthaldprt/ and click on “report form.” If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Patrick Hamilton or Carlos Parrilla at 865-974-2128.

Patrick Hamilton
Extension Assistant, 4-H
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ENROLLMENT UPDATE: MORE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS???

How do I document group enrollments?

Jill Martz
Extension Specialist, 4-H
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NEW VOTING RESOURCE AVAILABLE: FIRST CHOICE 2004

Know WHAT you want before you choose WHO you want! Voting is an important part of civic engagement. Even though most 4-H’ers are too young to cast their ballots on election day, their understanding of and participation in the election process are important. Public Agenda, a nonpartisan opinion research organization, has developed some new resources to help with this.

Many citizens, especially young people, say they don't feel knowledgeable enough to cast an informed vote. Public Agenda's new unbiased, nonpartisan voter guides are designed to help people think through some of the toughest issues facing our nation so they can proceed to making decisions about who to support in the upcoming elections.

Available online now and through November, First Choice 2004 election guides help readers decide what they want, before deciding who they want. First Choice 2004 guides on terrorism and foreign policy, health care, race and affirmative action, gay rights, paying for college, the environment, jobs and the economy, taxes and the deficit, and immigration are designed to help all voters, but especially young people, better understand tough issues from multiple perspectives.

You can check out the issue guides at publicagenda.org/firstchoice2004/index.cfm.

First Choice 2004 is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and has project partners in the following organizations:

Lori Jean Mantooth
Extension Assistant, 4-H
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“OPEN CALL” FOR THE 4HUSA WEB CREW
(Source: Clover Corner News - April 6, 2004)

Overview:
The “4HUSA Web Crew” is being formed to redesign, supervise, manage and market the Web site–http://www.4husa.org–as a site exclusively for, by and about the young people of 4-H across the country. The purpose of the site redesign is marketing-focused in order to enhance and more accurately reflect the national image of 4-H. The site will reflect the message, “4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.” It will feature timely and interactive elements and demonstrate the size, diversity and value of the 4-H adventure. It will be a “one-stop” website for 4-H.

Eligibility/Criteria:
Candidates for the Web Crew may be nominated or self-nominated. State 4-H leader and/or county 4-H agent recommendation or statement of support for nominees is required. Candidates will be 4-H members (13-20 years-old) with demonstrated expertise in Web site design and management. A selection committee of 4-H’ers who are involved in technology and the Internet will choose a team of 12 members. While the 4H-USA Web Crew will be developing a site for marketing and promotion purposes, members of all 4-H tech teams are encouraged to be candidates.

Responsibilities:
The term of an assignment will be 12 months. Members who accept the responsibility of time-sensitive and time-demanding assignments, such as state news headlines and calendar management, will receive stipends. Members of the Web Crew will conduct their assignment through virtual meetings and IM. The first face-to-face meeting will be scheduled for late summer 2004. The Web Crew will be supervised by David Henderson, senior vice president for strategic communications at National 4-H Council.

Timing:
* Deadline for recommending candidates: May 1, 2004
* Email nominations to webcrew@fourhcouncil.edu no later than May 1, 2004
* Web Crew team members chosen: May 15, 2004
* Website Redesign Phases (May 15 - July 1, 2004)
    - Phase 1: Layout designs / prototypes
    - Phase 2: Refining chosen design
    - Phase 3: Finalizing design and preparing implementation
    - Phase 4: Implementation
* “New” site debut: August 1, 2004

Lori Jean Mantooth
Extension Assistant, 4-H
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PYLI…GOING ONCE…GOING TWICE…

Time is running out to attend the premier leadership training in the country! The Prudential Youth Leadership Institute will be held April 23-25 at the Clyde York 4-H Center in Crossville. Limited space is still available on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, please visit www.utextension.utk.edu/4H/ideas04/attach/PYLI_info_packet.pdf. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Patrick Hamilton at 865-974-2128 or via email at patrick@utk.edu.

Patrick Hamilton
Extension Assistant, 4-H
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REPORT YOUR NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY PROJECTS

On National Youth Service Day, April 16-18, millions of Americans will join together to make a difference in their communities. They will celebrate the power of youth through leadership, service, and activism. Several Tennessee counties – Hardeman, Lincoln, and Union – have already registered their project plans at www.utextension.utk.edu/4h/sos/NYSD/projectplan.htm. Many other groups across the state are planning to be involved in National Youth Service Day, the largest service event in the world.

If youth groups in your county are planning NYSD projects, don’t forget to submit a follow-up report to the state 4-H office at www.utextension.utk.edu/4h/sos/NYSD/report.htm. The reports will be summarized and submitted to Youth Service America as part of our Lead Agency report.

If you have any questions about National Youth Service Day or Tennessee 4-H Youth Development’s role as a Lead Agency, please contact Lori Jean Mantooth at LMantoo1@utk.edu or 865-974-2128 or visit www.utextension.utk.edu/4h/sos/NYSD/index.htm.

Lori Jean Mantooth
Extension Assistant, 4-H
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SHEEP CONFERENCE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON WEB SITE

4-H members, parents and volunteer leaders who have an interest in the sheep project should plan to attend the Tennessee 4-H Sheep Conference at the Clyde M. York 4-H Center in Crossville, May 14-15. Registration will begin at 3:30 p.m. CDT on Friday; the conference will conclude shortly after lunch on Saturday. Cost for the weekend will be $32.00 per person. Counties should let their district office know their estimated attendance by May 3. Information on the conference is available on the Tennessee 4-H Web site at www.utextension.utk.edu/4H/sheepconf/.

Highlights of the conference will be a Shepherd's Contest, Lamb Bowl, and project exhibit competition. The Shepherd’s Contest is an event testing the members’ knowledge of sheep and skill in selecting, grooming and showing sheep. Participants in the Lamb Bowl will answer questions in an quiz patterned after the TV College Bowl show. The project exhibit competition allows the 4-H’ers to share accomplishments in their sheep project with others.

The conference offers a special opportunity for 4-H members with a minimum of three years experience in showing sheep. A grooming and showing demonstration contest will be held for teams of two members. While one team member grooms the lamb, the other team member will explain the methods and procedures being used. Competition will be scored not only on how well they groom and show the lambs, but also on how well they teach the procedures.

Members will actually get to show a lamb during the Shepherd's Contest and receive tips on proper showmanship techniques. This will be an excellent opportunity for everyone to have their questions answered by the experts.

The annual meeting of the Tennessee Junior Sheep Producers Association will also take place on Saturday afternoon. New officers will be selected. Dues are $2.00 per member.

This is a great opportunity for sheep project members and their families. Please encourage them to attend and make them aware of the Web site.

Steve Sutton
Extension Specialist, 4-H
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SHEEP CONFERENCE PROMOTIONAL ARTICLE IN WEB PACKET

Check out the Web Packet service provided by UTIA Marketing and Communications for a news article promoting 4-H Sheep Conference. To access the Web Packet, go to www.agriculture.utk.edu/webPacket/. Type in your user name and password when prompted. If you wish to read an article, simply click on the link. If you wish to download an article for your use, choose which format you prefer (MS Word or Text), click on the icon provided with each article. When prompted, select the location where you wish to save the file.

Steve Sutton
Extension Specialist, 4-H
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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live one to swim upstream.
~ W.C. Fields