tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29429455000769233212024-02-20T18:58:23.726-06:00District 12 4-H BlogA forum for 4-H members, leaders, volunteers and agents...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-43711930653817285572011-11-10T18:14:00.001-06:002011-11-10T18:15:33.041-06:00Ammunition May Be Defective<p>An incident has been brought to my attention concerning the malfunction of .22 caliber ammunition involving multiple target rifles on a single 4-H range. This initial incident occurred in Val Verde County with their 4-H Shooting Sports program run by volunteer Gary Humphreys. The Eley Sport .22 rimfire ammunition caused damage by minor explosions to multiple rifles while being shot. No human injuries were sustained. A similar incident occurred in Kinney County. The Eley Sport ammunition involved came from lot numbers 031209011 and 061209008purchased in October 2010. Gary Humphreys is currently in contact with Eley Ammunition in San Antonio. Eley is picking up all of the remaining ammunition from the lots in question to test for malfunctions. We plan to hear from them following their investigation and will pass that information along when it becomes available. Gary Humphreys is running point on this incident since it occurred on his range. He welcomes any contact if anyone has questions concerning similar issues with the same brand of ammunition (830/703-0826; gary@humphreysgunshop.com)</p><p>In the meantime, the State 4-H Office is asking any 4-H program that may be using Eley Sport .22 caliber rimfire ammunition (especially ammunition from the lot numbers listed above) to cease use of that ammunition until further information is available from the manufacturer. It is further recommended to cease use of other Eley ammunition if similar incidents have occurred within a program and to take seriously any type of ammunition malfunction and not to disregard it as merely a single incident. Keep track of ammunition and firearm malfunctions to be able to recognize a pattern and head off any greater potential mishaps. In regards to other brands of ammunition used, it may be advisable to contact the manufacturer of your ammunition to inquire about any recalls or issues with that specific ammunition in use by a 4-H program. This type of contact may also be advisable to the manufacturer of rifles used in a 4-H program to determine the same.</p><p>Please do not hesitate to contact the 4-H Natural Resources Office if questions or concerns arise at 979-845-1214. As it is with you, the safety of our 4-H’ers and adult leaders across the state is paramount in the 4-H Shooting Sports program. This is no small incident and as such is taken very seriously.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-4022337295319697572011-11-04T10:37:00.002-05:002011-11-04T10:41:57.026-05:00New Record Book Training VideosThe Record Book process for 2012 has changed. Over the last 30-60 days, there have been training opportunities for agents on the new Online Record Book System (<a href="http://www.4hreports.com/">www.4hreports.com</a>). In an effort to support this exciting change, an 11-part series of videos have been posted to the <a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/learning-resources/">D12 4-H website</a>. You can share these with your 4-H families to give them the opportunity to get an early start on the 2012 4-H Record Books. <p class="MsoNormal">This series was developed from a CENTRA training provided to agents of the changes to the Record Book program and an online tour of the system. <b>Special recognition is extended to Jodi McManus and Derrick Bruton</b> (Extension 4-H Program Specialists) for conducting the CENTRAs used for this series and their leadership in the new Record Book system. The videos have been arranged in a “playlist” on the <a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/learning-resources/">D12 4-H website</a>. To browse through the list, click on the <b>icon</b> in the player control to display the entire series (see red arrow below) in order to select the video of choice.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/files/2011/08/playlist_img.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 560px; height: 77px;" src="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/files/2011/08/playlist_img.png" alt="" border="2" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here is a breakdown of the 11-part series:</p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Changes (1 of 11)<i><span style="color:#00B050;"> 3:37 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Project Forms (2 of 11)<i><span style="color:#00B050;"> 15:02 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book - 4-H Story & Photo Portfolio (3 of 11) <i><span style="color:#00B050;">2:25 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Age Transitions & Evaluating Record Books (4 of 11)<i><span style="color:#00B050;"> 5:32 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – Overview & Login (5 of 11) <i><span style="color:#00B050;">6:37 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – Personal Information (6 of 11) <i><span style="color:#00B050;">4:05 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – Jr. Report Form (7 of 11) <i><span style="color:#00B050;">9:42 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – Int. Report Form (8 of 11) <i><span style="color:#00B050;">4:04 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – Sr. Report Form (9 of 11)<i><span style="color:#00B050;"> 8:08 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – 4-H Story & Photo Portfolio (10 of 11)<i><span style="color:#00B050;"> 5:10 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;" ><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>4-H Record Book – Online Interface – Printing & Deleting (11 of 11)<i><span style="color:#00B050;"> 2:22 min</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is also important to note that there are also some training videos on the <a href="http://www.4hreports.com/">www.4hreports.com</a> website. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">There will also be a record book training as part of the Volunteer Workshop scheduled for January 10<sup>th</sup> in Freer. However, volunteers would benefit greatly from reviewing this information prior to that training. This will allow us to dig deeper into the new system and provide a much richer experience for volunteers in January. Please share as appropriate.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-63258337013546147032011-11-03T15:04:00.002-05:002011-11-03T15:09:39.746-05:00D12 Announces Training For VolunteersThe District 12 4-H program announced today that a workshop for volunteers has been scheduled for January 10th in Freer. The Workshop features 9 sessions for leaders to choose from with the opportunity to attend several. There s a minimal fee to cover program costs, but leaders will find that the workshops will be well-worth the investment.<br /><br /><ul style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);"><li>Effective Club Meetings</li><li>Online Recordbook System</li><li>Shooting Sports - Shotgun</li><li>Shooting Sports - Archery & Rifle</li><li>Sheep & Goats</li><li>Dog Project Development</li><li>Fashion Storyboards</li><li>2013 Steer Classification Changes</li><li>4-H Scholarships</li></ul><br />There is a stellar cast of workshop presenters and leaders will not be disappointed. Leaders can register starting November 15th through 4-H Connect. Registration fee is $13 per person. Contact your county Extension agent for more information and details.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-39446209671851369062011-01-18T10:00:00.001-06:002011-01-18T10:01:53.458-06:00D12 4-H Council Adds 2 New Officers<p jquery1295366512245="190">The District 12 4-H Council had its annual winter meeting this past Saturday in Freer. The big-ticket item on their agenda was the proposed amendments to their Standing Rules that were proposed during their meeting on December 4th in Falfurrias. The amendments passed unanimously to effectively add two new officers to the slate of officers that currently serve as the Executive Committee (EC) for the Council. Specifically, they added a Health & Safety Officer, and a Youth Advisor. This takes the EC from eight to ten officers, expanding the opportunities for 4-H members across the district to get involved at the district level. In addition to this change, the EC also presented new opportunities for 4-H members to serve as Election Officials during the annual Election Convention. The Election Convention is an annual event used to highlight candidates interested in serving as officers of the District 12 4-H Council. The election has changed to mirror many public elections and the Election Officials is another part of this important process. Information about these new opportunities should be posted online within the next couple of weeks. The leadership the EC provides council continues to serve as a model for others and also inspires 4-H members to demonstrate their own skills. A great meeting!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-19732657782819391942010-10-01T16:40:00.005-05:002010-10-01T16:51:55.889-05:001st Annual District 12 4-H Shooting Sports Postal League<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="color:red;"> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><b><i><span style="color:red;">NEW!</span></i></b><span style="color:#000000;"><b> District 12 4-H Shooting Sports Postal League</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Times;color:#000000;"></span></o:p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="color:#000000;"></span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;"><span style="color:#000000;">The District 12 4-H Shooting Sports Committee is pleased to announce its</span><span style="color:#000000;"> <b><i><u>1<sup>st</sup> Annual 4-H Shooting Sports Postal League</u></i></b>. </span><span style="color:#000000;">In an effort to provide additional opportunities for 4-H members across South District 12, this new event will allow both smallbore rifle and archery enthusiasts the opportunity to engage in a new competition. By nature of this event being a postal league, it will take place locally with scores mailed and submitted by the due date. Participants will register online, shoot the specified match within the specified timeline, and submit scores.</span></span></p><p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;color:#000000;">Awards will be provided for each discipline and presented during the District 12 4-H Rifle Match scheduled for May 14, 2010 in Duval County. Awards for rifle will include team awards, individual high-point, and a special county award. Awards for archery will include individual awards and a county award. Rules for these events will follow Texas 4-H 3-Position Rifle Rules and Texas 4-H Archery Rules as well as the guidelines provided </span><a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/events/shooting-sports/"><span style="font-family:Times;">online</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Times;"> in support of this postal league event.</span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;color:#000000;"><p>Registration for these events will take place on <span><a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/">4-H Connect</a> by selecting the “D12 4-H Shooting Sports Postal League” event. The registration period will begin October 1st and conclude on December 15th. Registration and fee information is also provided online for your reference. Only registered adult volunteers can complete online registration.</span></span> <p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times;color:#000000;"></p><span style="color:red;"><span style="font-family:Times;color:#000000;"></span></span>An announcement flyer is also available to assist you in marketing this opportunity locally and among other 4-H shooting sports members across the district. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the District Office at 956-968-5581 or via email at </span><a href="mailto:d124h@ag.tamu.edu"><span style="font-family:Times;color:#0000ff;">d124h@ag.tamu.edu</span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Times;">. Good luck and happy shooting!<o:p></o:p></span></span> <p></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"></span></p></o:p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-22321760486767494252010-09-24T10:39:00.001-05:002010-09-24T10:39:56.038-05:004-H Billboard CampaignTexas 4-H has partnered with Lamar Advertising Company to promote 4-H across the State of Texas with it's "poster panels" affixed to it's statewide network of outdoor advertising billboards. Keep a watchful eye for these in your area and report any sightings to us <a href="mailto:d124h@ag.tamu.edu">d124h@ag.tamu.edu</a> .Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-34837500782567993102010-09-21T08:56:00.003-05:002010-09-21T09:12:03.147-05:00Changing Times Call for Changing StrategiesBy Luis H. Saldaña (<a href="mailto:l-saldana@tamu.edu"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>l-saldana@tamu.edu</em></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>)</em><br /></span><br />Winston Churchill was recorded as stating, “<em>There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction</em>.” While some change slips in by cover of darkness, it is the more obvious change that grabs our attention. Some jump in with both feet while others are dragged into change, kicking and screaming. Changing demographics, economic challenges nationally and statewide and even locally can have a great impact on our 4-H program. It is those that take change and find those unique opportunities to turn them into growth and improvement that make them special. A recent report on 4-H enrollment in District 12 reflects that 4-H club membership grew 11% and other 4-H youth programs grew 10%. That is certainly change in the right direction, despite all those other challenges. This is a testament to the quality of 4-H programs across the district, and you are the reason for that change. The quality of 4-H members, parents, volunteers and county Extension agents is fundamental in the success of your program. People want to be associated with a great program, a successful one, and one that builds young people into true leaders…not for the future, NOW!<br /><br />Over 58,000 youth, including over 4,800 4-H club members, across the district are what makes your program GREAT! The volunteers, parents and county Extension agents are what keep it moving which speaks volumes for what each contributes to its success. Changing times call for changing strategies and you have found those things that work <strong><em>To Make the Best Better</em></strong>!<br /><span><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:130%;color:#99ff99;"><em><strong>...You Rock!</strong></em></span> </span><br /><br />This is the first in a series of quarterly briefs for the entire 4-H family in the 20-county district (District 12). Changes in how we share information, learn, train, and experience the 4-H program add challenges in bridging an ever-growing need to stay connected. The 4-H program in D12 has been working with its newly elected District 12 4‑H Council officers to bridge strengthen the bridge and network across the district. The newly designed D12 4-H website (<a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/">http://d124-h.tamu.edu/</a>) has a clean look that is easy to navigate. New features include a dedicated page to community service, photo and video galleries, and a new “social networking” approach. Research shows that adults use the internet, blogs, and email to communicate. Teenagers, on the other hand, use SMS and MMS (texting), social networking, and other technologies to stay connected, but almost exclusively through phone technology. Herein lies the challenge. How do we keep everyone plugged in when they choose to use different technology to do so? Our approach is to add Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, and YouTube channels as a form of keeping connected. Follow, sign-up, register, and watch D12 4-H by any of these to stay connected…try it and let us know. Send me a note (<a href="mailto:l-saldana@tamu.edu">l-saldana@tamu.edu</a>) about any of our posts, videos, tweets, or any of our other strategies to keep you informed. We want to hear from you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-28785205527664888822010-09-15T10:53:00.007-05:002010-09-15T11:22:06.312-05:00Calf Scramble Programs Offered to 4-H<a href="http://www.fwssr.com/wp-content/themes/2010/images/calf_scramble.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 472px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.fwssr.com/wp-content/themes/2010/images/calf_scramble.gif" /></a> <span style="font-family:Calibri;">Every year, a number of statewide livestock shows offer “Calf Scramble” programs inviting participation from 4-H members from across the district. This email is intended to summarize these opportunities for you, and to encourage you to extend this invitation to your 4-H families. Applications are reviewed and assigned on a first-come-first-served basis so get your applications in as soon as possible.</span><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo – Austin, Tx.</span> (March 11-26, 2011)<br /></strong></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entries due to the district office by <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">September 24, 2010. </span></em></strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entry requires County Extension Agent approval and submission to be valid.</span><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><br /></span></o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><a href="http://www.rodeoaustin.com/events_detail.aspx?id=22">Forms, Rules & Performance Schedule</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Notice sent: See email on September 1</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:130%;"><strong>S</strong></span></o:p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">an Antonio Livestock Exposition – San Antonio, Tx.</span> (Feb 3-20, 2011) </strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entries due to the district office by <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">September 24, 2010. </span></em></strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entry requires County Extension Agent approval and submission to be valid.<br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><a href="http://www.sarodeo.com/livestock_show/calf_scramble/">Forms, Rules & Performance Schedule<br /></a></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Notice sent: This is the first notice</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Houston, Tx.</span> (March 1-20, 2011)</strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entries due directly to Houston Livestock Show – Livestock Office. <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">Deadline not currently published.</span></em></strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entry requires County Extension Agent approval and submission to be valid.<br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><a href="http://www.rodeohouston.com/access/calf-scramble/index.aspx">Forms, Rules & Performance Schedule</a> (2011 information not currently available)<br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Notice sent: This is the first notice</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo – Fort Worth, Tx.</span> (Jan 14 – Feb 5, 2011)</strong><br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entries due directly to Fort Worth Stock Show – Livestock Office. <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">Deadline not currently published.<br /></span></em></strong></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Entry requires County Extension Agent approval and submission to be valid.<br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fwssr.com/?page_id=78">Forms, Rules & Performance Schedule</a> (Applications available online Oct 1 or by calling 817-877-2400)<br /></span><span style="font-family:Calibri;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;">Contact your county Extension agent for more information.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-79344161838461913022010-09-10T17:48:00.001-05:002010-09-10T17:50:38.593-05:00D12 4-H Council Challenges Counties to SERVE!!!Service is one of 4-H' most visible and impactful facets represented by one of the four H's in the 4-H Pledge, "<strong><em><span style="COLOR: #008000;color:#008000;" mce_>My hands to larger service</span></em></strong>." Serving your community and serving others is a point of focus of teh 2010-2011 District 12 4-H Council Executive Committee. At their recent planning retreat last month, the newly elected Council set many goals but specifically identified "<strong><em>greater community service</em></strong>" as a priority. Service merited special communication across the district and some of the Council's projects essentially challenge counties to perform "<strong><em>greater service</em></strong>" locally. Each district activity has a service project associated with it and this post is intended to communicate a shared approach to greater service with all counties and encourage them to participate in this effort. Get more details about these projects on the <a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/" mce_href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu">District 12 4-H website </a>and look at the <a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/4h-serves/" mce_href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/4h-serves/">4-H Serves!</a> page.<br /><p>Counties should also be planning their <span style="COLOR: #663300;color:#663300;" mce_><strong><em>one day 4-H</em></strong></span> events to take place on October 9th. Resources and information about this event can be found on the <a href="http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/oneday/index.php" target="_blank" mce_href="http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/oneday/index.php">Texas 4-H website</a>. Clubs and counties across the state will be conducting in one unified effort of service across the state. Don't get left behind!!!</p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 119px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://agrilifeweb.tamu.edu/d124h/files/2010/09/oneday4h-300x119.jpg" /><br /><p></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-52699395426073204632010-09-03T09:28:00.002-05:002010-09-03T09:47:29.424-05:00D12 4-H Website Gets New Look<p>The District 12 -H website is now on a new content management system designed to make web editing and posting easier. That remains to be seen. As technology changes, in many cases quicker than we would like, it becomes a challenge to keep up. You’re either leading the charge or dragging behind kicking and screaming. Over the years, the District 12 4-H website has evolved from a “presence” to actively posting information and resources for agents, and as more families gained broadband access the site continues to provide more for parents and 4-H members. Mobile technology allows many 4-H members to access websites, download information and communicate with other 4-H members with their cell phones. One of the biggest challenges is having a site that essentially serves three distinct groups of people in the 4-H program: agents, parents/leaders, and 4-H’ers.</p><p>The new website is an attempt to reach all three groups in different ways. Youth tend to use email less than adults, relying more on cell phones and texting. Adults use website, blogs, and email more frequently as a source of information. Agents need resources available to them at any moment, especially when they’re burning the midnight oil or trying to get the newsletter published. The new District 12 4-H Website includes some of the following features in a clean, crisp, format that is easy to navigate.</p><ul><li><strong>Design</strong> - the design is simpler to navigate and includes a search box to look for information on the site.</li><li><strong>Activity pages</strong> – the website will host unique pages for each event to collect data, letters, results and other important information about specific district events. </li><li><strong>Galleries</strong> – both photo and video galleries are gathered together to make it easier for those needing the visual “fix” by accessing that snapshop you missed or view a cool video. </li><li><strong>Service</strong> – the site co-locates all District 12 4-H Council community service projects to help counties engage locally with these projects.</li><li><span style="color:#ff9900;"><strong>Blog</strong></span> - this is currently in two different locations but will evolve to only include the native (AgriLife) blog and eventuall discontinue or RSS feed the Blogger site to this one. </li><li><strong><span style="color:#66ffff;">Twitter</span></strong> - yes, D12 4-H tweets and those can be found on the website or you can follow tweets through your mobile device. </li><li><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Facebook</strong></span> – D12 4-H is on Facebook and has a forum for anyone to post comments, discuss topics and find out what is going on with the District. </li><li><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">You</span>Tube </strong>– D12 4-H has its own Channel on YouTube where videos of events and other informational will be posted for all to access.</li></ul>While this is not the end, it is certainly not the beginning of the site’s development. Work is ongoing, but thanks to recommendation from District 12 4-H Council officers this hopefully gets us off in the right direction. If you have anything you would like to see or add to this site, don’t hesitate to Blog me, Tweet me, FB me, or Email me or simply call me. If you look off into the dark sky at night, that glow with be all the technology eminating from my kicking and screaming body. I am learning…please be patient…as I try to <strong><em><span style="color:#006600;">Make the Best Better!</span></em></strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-79750055554341575202009-06-04T06:06:00.001-05:002009-06-05T15:49:36.405-05:004-H Food Challenge, A Fresh Look at the Food & Nutrition Project<span style="color:#990000;"><span style="color:#000000;">What is the</span><em><strong> 4-H Food Challenge</strong></em></span>? Inspired by the popular television series <strong><em>Iron Chef,</em></strong> a new and fun 4-H activity has been developed for 4-H food & nutrition enthusiasts. This takes the uncertainty and excitement of anticipation from the television series and blends it with the important knowledge of food and nutrition facts. There are a few things that make this activity unique from its Food Network cousin. 4-H members are placed in teams and given a group of ingredients, some basic kicthen necessities, and some resource materials. From there they are to create their own dish, calculate costs per serving, evaluate nutritional value, and cover food safety practices in a brief presentation to a group of judges. The feedback we have received from 4-H'ers, leaders, and parents has prompted this activity to go statewide.<br /><br />District 12 will be hosting the 4-H Food Challenge at its annual District 12 4-H Food Show in the Fall. While 4-H members in this project areas will have to choose between the standard event and this innaugural activity, it is likely to result in an greater number of people involved in the Food & Nutrition project. If you are interested in learning more about the details of this event, visit the Texas 4-H website (<a href="http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/foodchallenge.html">4-H Food Challenge</a>). There are also a vast number of other activities supporting this project area. Check them out...<a href="http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/food_nutrition.html">F&N 4-H Resources</a>.<br />dfklUnknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-89236687860863235322009-05-28T16:59:00.004-05:002009-05-28T18:06:37.792-05:00D12 4-H Volunteers Provide Guidance to Project Areas District-WideAt the January 2009 meeting of Adult Leaders from across the district, seven different project areas were discussed among the various break-out groups including:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Food & Nutrtion</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Leadership</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Livestock</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Photography</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Public Speaking</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Recordkeeping</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3366ff;">Clothing & Textiles</span></li></ul>Each of the groups spent time evaluating each of these projects areas to determine how they might add value to the project experience for 4-H members across the district. The Food & Nutrition discussion resulted in several recurring themes. Some of the strategies to improve project support included<br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Leader training in the summer to prepare for Food & Nutrition projects in early Fall</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Development of good educational resources for counties to support projects locally</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Use of technology to share information, ideas, and interact with other volunteers</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Varied levels of training for youth and leaders (beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques)</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Food & Nutrition camps</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Concession stands, food safety, and proper food handling training</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Culinary Arts training</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Training for judges</span></li></ul><br />One of the most frequent comments in the Food & Nutrition discussion, as well as some of the other discussions, focused on the use of technology. Videos and other online resources seemed to be a valuable tool for volunteers. Perhaps it is more likely to serve as a more convenient method to gather resources or learn. Distance education (or using the web to deliver training and information) is not new. In fact, many colleges and universities deliver training to students via the web to students that live on the respective campus. It sounds rather strange that a student who is paying tuition, fees, and dorm fees would rather stay in their room and take a class online than go to class. Regardless, it is a reality of how some prefer to learn. This discussion may serve as an extension of this idea. Web resources give us the flexibility to access information at our own discretion and perhaps this is one way to better equip 4-H leaders and volunteers to provide valuable learning experiences for 4-H members.<br /><br />While this post focused only on the Food & Nutrition project, future posts on the remaining six project areas will be coming soon। Keep up with this blog by subcribing। Feel free to post comments to add to this post. I look forward to reading your comments. For those that are looking for Food & Nutrition resources....<strong><em>try this </em></strong><a href="http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/projects/food_nutrition.html"><strong><em>link </em></strong></a><strong><em>to the Texas 4-H website</em></strong>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-91703643544285603912009-05-27T13:03:00.000-05:002009-05-27T13:14:11.883-05:00District 12 4-H & Texas A&M Form College Planning PartnershipFor several years, 4-H and Texas A&M University have been working together to provide valuable tools for parents preparing themselves and students for college. Recently, this relationship has grown to extend district-wide. At a recent meeting with county Extension agents, TAMU College of Agriculture & Life Sciences representatives presented a proposal to formalize this relationship to better support 4-H families in the district. This Higher Education Collaborative will provide 4-H families the opportunity to get an early start on preparing for higher ed.<br /><br />"<em>What parents many times don't understand is that many scholarships are based on PreSAT scores that occur long before the student becomes a senior in high school</em>," said Rene Valdez who serves Cameron and Willacy Counties. There exist a number of valuable resources for families and the team of representatives will be working with agents, club managers, and parents across the district to get information and resources to them early.<br /><br />For more information about this collaborative, contact Luis Saldaña at <a href="mailto:l-saldana@tamu.edu">l-saldana@tamu.edu</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-6897558822629390552009-05-12T09:51:00.000-05:002009-05-12T10:02:36.857-05:004-H Study Featured on Today ShowOn March 4, 2009, 4-H was featured on the Today Show. Dr. Richard Lerner of Tufts University was interviewed by Meredith Viera about the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. Below is a link to a digital file of the segment if you’d like to take a look. Dr. Lerner does a wonderful job and 4-H is mentioned several times during the interview (notice Dr. Lerner is also wearing a 4-H pin!).<br /><br /><a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29507206#29507206">http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29507206#29507206</a><br /><br />Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-12764347598258079562009-02-04T11:10:00.000-06:002009-02-04T11:34:17.555-06:00Council & Adult Leaders Meeting in Kingsville<em><span style="font-size:85%;">by: Luis Saldaña</span></em><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></strong><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Kinsville, TX</span></em></strong> - During the most recent January 17th meeting of the South District 12 4-H Council and the Adult Leaders Association, we had a special treat...a special guest. <a href="http://shooting.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/763">Sean McLelland</a>, 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Member in Men's Skeet, came to share some of his experiences in Beijing this past summer. He credits his career having started in 4-H in Hidalgo County. His comments served as a little motivation for all of us in many different ways, I am sure. He talked about perseverance, and hard work. He talked about the need to be physically fit through good diet and exercise. Considering his experience and skills as one of the top 20 shooters in the world, his humility and down-to-earth attitude made it quite easy for all to relate to his experiences. Sean shared his experiences in 4-H and how his involvement in leadership and service were important to his success. Photos of Sean and 4-H members and leaders have been posted on the <a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/">District 12 4-H website</a>.<br /><br />One interesting thing I discovered last Saturday was that Sean appeared on the Discovery Channel's program entitled <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/time-warp/episode/episode.html">Time Warp</a>. The episode entitled "<em>Cheerleading</em>" (each episode has many segments) features Sean with the two hosts shooting skeet and helping viewers learn about shot patterns and other things related to his sport. Although I have not been able to find a video clip online, Discovery Channel does replay episodes (Season 1, Episode 14 premiered November 26, 2008).<br /><br />Other highlights of the meeting:<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Adult leaders participated in a new approach to teaching Food & Nutrition...4-H Food Challenge</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Adult brainstormed different ways to make 4-H program support better...details coming</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">4-H members discussed district events & community service projects</span></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-79849972427880861942008-08-28T11:03:00.000-05:002008-08-28T11:09:53.205-05:00Food & Nutrition Your Interest?If you are a 4-H member and you have interest in the 4-H Food and Nutrition project, here's an opportunity for you to get involved at the state level. The State 4-H office is accepting applications from both <strong>members</strong> and <strong>volunteers </strong>who may want to be part of the committee. Here is a little information for you...<br /><p><em><span style="color:#006600;">"The Texas 4-H Food and Nutrition Project Development Team is pleased to announce a call for applications. The purpose of the project team is to:</span></em></p><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#006600;"><em>Provide leadership and oversight to the 4-H Food and Nutrition Project. </em></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#006600;"><em>Coordinate events that will provide learning situations for the development of leadership and effective citizenship related to the food and nutrition project. </em></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;color:#006600;"><em>Provide educational experiences that will enable 4-H members across the state to become knowledgeable and skilled in the food and nutrition project area. </em></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Help each project team member experience personal growth and achievement, as well as be of service to others. </em>"</span></span></li></ul><br />Contact your county Extension agent...all applications must go through their office.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942945500076923321.post-74272519241812149082008-08-25T16:53:00.000-05:002008-08-25T17:21:27.247-05:002009 Leadership Lab Planned<p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Take a look at what <strong>you</strong> can be a part of next June. The District 12 4-H Council Officers are planning a fun three days... </span></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Meet new friends from all over south Texas </span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Learn teamwork and leadership</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Learn new ideas for your 4-H club</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dancing, karoake, games...and other fun activities </span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Check out the District 12 4-H website & look at the Leadership Lab video<br /></span><a href="http://d124-h.tamu.edu/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">http://d124-h.tamu.edu/</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">2009 Leadership Lab theme...</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">South District 12 4-H<br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> <em><strong><span style="color:#003300;">often imitated...NEVER DUPLICATED!</span></strong></em></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0