- Posted By: Darlene McIntyre
- Written by: Darlene McIntyre
LCORT
7th, 8th and 9th grade members that are wanting to attend LCORT this year; the applications are available on line on the Merced County 4-H website at and in the 4-H office. The cost for members is $75, the price includes a T-Shirt. LCORT will be held January 27-29th at Wonder Valley in Sanger. Applications are due by December 1, 2011.
CAMP STAFF
10TH 11TH and 12th graders’ and 9th grade apprentices if you are interested in being on camp staff it is time to apply. We are getting an earlier start this year. Applications are available in the 4-H offcie. It is due into the office by Monday November 28th. Interviews will be Saturday December 3rd in the 4-H office. Make up interviews will be Wednesday December 7th. We will also have copies of the application in the office and on the Merced County 4-H website. If you have any questions call 385-7418.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE
UC Cooperative Extension and Merced County 4-H will be participating in Operation Christmas Toy Drive. We will have a toy collection barrel in the lobby of our office. If you would like to contribute toys please bring them by the office at 2145 Wardrobe Ave, Merced.
ROBOTICS PROJECT
The next countywide robotics project meeting will be November 10th from 6:30-8:30 in the classroom at the 4-H office. Future meetings are scheduled on December 1st, December 15th, January 5th and January 19th from 6:30-8:80 in the 4-H classroom.
GARDENING PROJECT
The next meeting for the countywide gardening project will be December 3, 2011 from 9:00-11:00. This meeting will be held at Migliazzo’s Dairy 4520 N. Fox Road, Merced. Please see attachment for the complete schedule.
Emerald and All Star Projects
If any member is interested in doing an Emerald or All Star project please fill out an application and turn it into the 4-H office. The applications can be found on the Merced County 4-H website or picked up in our office. Ideas for All Star projects are planning a county event such as 4-H Expo, Food Fashion and Fun Day, Communications Day, Mechanical Skills Day, Merced Focus. If you have other ideas for an All Star Project please let me know. All Star applications are due by January 1, 2012. Emerald Star project applications can be turned in anytime as long as there is time to complete the project. It is not too early to be getting started on a project.
California 4-H Revolution of Responsibility $1,000 for 1,000 Service Learning Projects
Funding up to $1,000
Review dates of October 15, 2011, January 15, 2012, and April 15, 2012
In support of this community development work, the CA State 4-H Office will consolidate the Requests for Funding (RFP) for Service-Learning, Healthy Living, SET, and Legacy into one application. Chartered 4-H clubs/units can apply for funding up to $1,000 to support service-learning projects related to their club or project activities by submitting the proposal linked above.
you have questions please call me at 385-7418.
We would like every club to participate.
Online Record Books
The new online record books have been launched. Once you are re enrolled you will have access this site. Enrollments will be completed in November.
Highlights of the 4-H Online Record Book
- Uses 21st century learning technology to help youth learn recording keeping within a social media learning community.
Online learning is the wave of the future! - Provides opportunities for volunteers to mentor youth on a daily basis in a protected social networking site.
Only enrolled 4-H members and volunteers have access to ORB. - Ability to export forms and print to include in Record Book reviews and competitions.
4-H members can fill in forms in ORB and then print the forms at the end of the year for county judging! - Built-in reporting systems that will improve staff and volunteer efficiencies.
For example, the system will calculate total number of community service hours! - Intentional, standardized measures of success that will demonstrate the impact that 4-H youth and adults make locally and statewide.
The system collects indicators of youth thriving through "sparkle" surveys. County staff will be able to access this data upon request! - System is secure
To learn more about security protocols of ORB, please visit http://www.ca4h.org/files/121078.pdf
Information You Should Know About ORB in relation to 4-H Members and Volunteers
Only those enrolled in the 4hOnline enrollment system have access to log into ORB. Those that are 'pending' may access ORB, but are prevented from the social connection and will only see their own information. Those that are 'active' have access to the full social sharing feature.
- Every youth and adult entered in 4hOnline in a Community Club will receive a Welcome Email from ORB with instructions on accessing ORB.
- Parent consent and youth assent are collected to determine whether parents and/or youth will allow their information to be used for research (to help improve the 4-H program and field of youth development). Parental consent is collected primarily in 4hOnline (though sometimes in ORB) and youth assent is collected when the young person logs into ORB for the first time.
- The social sharing feature only shows information for members/volunteers in the same club, the county admin, and state admin. For example, Laura and Johnny, who are in different 4-H Clubs, will not be able to view each other's information.
- Members (and parents of members) and volunteers may elect to turn off their own social sharing feature.
- All users must agree to the community expectations (ground rules) before being allowed to use the system.
- The Record Book support group continues to be quite active. Anyone may access archives or join the group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ca4hrb/ (note: posts are moderated)
Hardcopy Forms
For those in geographic areas with limited Internet connectivity, the hardcopy paper Record Book forms are still available. The 4-H Record Book Manual has been updated which includes minor modifications to the Personal Development Report (PDR), Annual Project Report (APR), and the Junior and Teen Leadership Development Report (JTLDR). You can find the new forms at http://www.ca4h.org/Resources/Members/RecordBook/. The major revisions include:
- Asking for the number of hours for all activities in the PDR and APR. Instructions about hours are outlined on page 8 of the manual.
- Modifications to the prompts on the JTLDR.
- Revisions to the opening text; for example, including language about 4-H Thrive.