Under the direction of 4-H YD Educators each county is engaged in collecting data this spring and summer in preparation for fall reports. Please review carefully the Task List for each study that has been posted to the Portal under Evaluation. Note the tasks that can be completed now while we wait for IRB approval. DO NOT communicate details of the study to 4-H members until after we have IRB approval. It is critical that appropriate research methods are used in collecting and handling data. Look to your 4-H YD Educator for guidance.

Educators – task lists, overview slides, team meeting recordings, sample impact documents, and supporting research references have been posted for your use as you plan with Unit staff.

Thank you everyone for your assistance. This is an exciting statewide endeavor that will benefit everyone as we strive to tell our impact story locally and statewide.

Keep an eye on the 4-H Council Professional Development Calendar for upcoming webinars on a wide range of topics: http://www.4-h.org/professional-calendar/ If you aren't able to attend at the scheduled time, archives of the webinars can be accessed on the 4-H Council website as well.


See the following topics related to robotics:

Recruiting Volunteers and Community Partners 4/3/12 2:00-3:15

4-H Robotic$!4/18/12 2:00-3:15

WeDoRobots, What are they and what can 4-H do with them 5/2/12 2:00-3:15

Introduction to Robotic Opportunities for 4-H Programs 5/23/12 2:00-3:15

All About FIRST Competitions 5/30/12 2:00-3:15

4-HMindstormNXTRobots 6/20/12 2:00-3:15

4-H Junk Drawer Robotics7/18/12 2:00-3:15

Implementing the 4-H Robotics Platforms 8/15/12 2:00-3:15

Robotic Opportunities for 4-H Programs 9/5/12 2:00-3:15

4-H Robotics Programming– All Year! Every Year!9/12/12 2:00-3:15

Planning Robotics Trainings and Professional Development11/14/12 2:00-3:15

Robotics Summer Camps – making it happen 12/12/12 2:00-3:15

The Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team is starting to recruit older Illinois 4-H members and recent 4-H alumni to apply and interview for the 2012-2014 term. We are looking for 4-H teens who have demonstrated leadership abilities and are willing to step forward and assist with programming on the statewide level.

Information regarding the Youth Leadership Team and their activities, along with the YLT application, is available on the Youth Leadership Team page of the 4-H website: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/members/leadership_sylt.cfm. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age by September 1, 2012 (and no older than 19 by that date) in order to apply. We will be interviewing to fill 3-8 positions on the team from teens from across the state.

Applications are due at two times during the summer, depending on when the members wants to interview. Interviews at the Illini Summer Academies require applications be sent to the State 4-H Office no later than June 15. Interviews will be conducted June 24, 25 or 26 during meal and break times. Youth do NOT need to be attending ISA in order to interview on those dates, but they will be required to come to Champaign/Urbana for the interview.

For interviews during State Fair (August 10-14), applications are due by August 1. Interviews will be held on the State Fairgrounds.

If you would like a promotional piece to give to your teens, you can run a copy of the YLT brochure at your office. It is designed to be run on the 4-H marketing 3-segment brochure paper. If you don't use this paper, you will have large blocks of "white" on your copies of the brochure.

We are pleased to announce that the 2012 General 4-H Exhibit Rules for the State Fair have been posted on the portal, with changes marked in red for your convenience. (4-H Contacts = Events = Statewide = Illinois State Fair = SF 4-H General Exhibits = 2012 General 4-H Exhibit Rules - Changes Marked)

However, please note that the Premium Information has not been posted. We are waiting for a release of information from the Illinois State Fair, so that information is still 'to be determined" and we will provide that information to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience as we have been working through several issues related to this year's fair.

Staff have started requesting an overview of State Fair Online that they can include in their county fairbooks. The following can be used for this purpose, and also shared on your website or other communication with 4-H families. If you have any questions, please let me know! - Lisa

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2^nd Annual 4-H State Fair Online

An additional state-level judging opportunity and chance to share what you've learned in 4-H with the broader public!!!

• Contribute to a collection of videos and maps on the internet that show the broader public what 4-H youth are learning and doing in their communities
• Practice your technology skills and prepare to participate in a tech-infused workplace
• Qualify for exciting prizes! All participants will receive ribbons, as well as feedback and recognition on the 4-H State Fair Online website.

Who: Open to all Illinois 4-H members who meet state fair age requirements (at least 10 years of age by September 1, 2011). No county-level selection process is required.

When:

• All exhibits must be posted online by noon, August 1, 2012
• Exhibit judging will be conducted online through interactive website (Aug. 1-10th)
• Winners announced on Saturday, August 11^th, at the Illinois 4-H Family event on the fairgrounds in Springfield, IL.
• Entries will be made available for public viewing in the Exposition Building on a daily basis

Entries from the 2011 Illinois 4-H State Fair Online can be viewed at: https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/4hstatefaironline/ Updates on the 2012 event will be posted on this website later this spring. Details on 2012 entries can be found in the 2012 General 4-H Exhibit – Illinois State Fair guidelines. Related classes include My 4-H Project Video (#50295) and My 4-H Project Map (#50125).

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Additional Notes on Filmmaking Classes 50290-50294 - this same information is in the 2012 State Fair Exhibit guidelines:

• Enrollment in the video project is required
• Each county may submit two entries within this group of classes, however no more than one entry may be made in an individual class
• All exhibits must be posted for on-line judging on the "Illinois 4-H State Fair Online" website.
• Judges will be available for in-person feedback and recognition on regularly scheduled county judging days
• Entries will be made available for public viewing in the Exposition Building on a daily basis

NGCP (National Girls Collaborative Project)
Webinar Finding Funding and Resources to Support Your Program
March 28, 2012
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific

The April-May issue of the Illinois Leader has now been posted to the Portal under Groups: 4-H Contacts: Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It has also been sent to our web folks to post on the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. Please consider a variety of methods to share this information with your 4-H leaders: print copy in newsletter, link on your county 4-H web site, email file to leaders, distribute copies at face-to-face meetings.

The handouts and PowerPoint from the 4-H 101 Recognition for Excellence Part 1 Webinar have now been posted to the 4-H Contacts portal under Staff Development = Webinars = Recognition & Awards.

The link to the recording of the Webinar has also been posted at that location.

Please let me know if you have any questions related to the Recognition program. Remember that the Competition level and the Club/Group information on Recognition for Excellence will be covered at the 4-H 101 Webinar scheduled for Thursday, April 12. You can register for Recognition for Excellence Part 2 and other 4-H webinars at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=6575.

We are excited to announce a spring Speaking for Illinois 4-H (SFI4-H) Training has been scheduled for Saturday, May 10 in Woodstock at the McHenry County Farm Bureau.

All promotional materials are available on the 4-H contacts portal under Youth & Adult Volunteer Opportunities = Speaking for Illinois 4-H. An updated promotional brochure, fact sheet, and registration link will be posted to the Illinois 4-H webpage shortly: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/members/leadership_sfi4h.cfm.

With the uncertainty of the state budget, now is the time to recruit our older 4-H members to help us tell the 4-H story - to county board members, to state legislators, to potential donors. SFI4-H provides training to members in the basics of Postive Youth Development, BIGM, 4-H statistics, telling your 4-H story, and more to help Extension staff in getting the word out about their outstanding programs.

Check out the materials on the portal and then starting recruiting members age 14 and above for this leadership opportunity. SFI4-H members join Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team members in helping at the State Capitol for our 4-H Legislative Connection events.

Register for upcoming 4-H 101 webinars via the updated registration site.These training opportunites are appropriate for 4-H staff, office support staff and county directors since each staff role has a unique part in supporting the Illinois 4-H program.

Once completed, 4-H 101 Webinarrecordings, powerpoints with notepages, and related documentswill be archived on the Portal; 4-H Contacts; Staff Development; Webinars.

Registration is open for these upcoming webinars:

Monday, March 12, 2012 - 1:30 PM - Think Green
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - 1:30 PM - 4-H Fiscal Issues
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - 10:30 AM - 4-H Shooting Sports
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 10:00 AM - SPIN Clubs
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 1:30 PM - State Fair Online
Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 1:30 PM - Recognition, Part II
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 1:30 PM - PYD BIG-M, Part I
Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 1:30 PM - PYD BIG-M, Part II
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 - 1:30 PM - State Fair Update


Click here for more information or to register: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=6575
NOTE: A confirmation for each 4-H 101 Webinar will be sent to your email account when you register. Save all email confirmations so you do not duplicate your registration.

Be aware that webinar times and days of the week vary and note those dates and times on your calendar.You are encouraged to register at least five days prior to each webinar as topic-specific information may be shared with participants prior to some sessions.

The IL 4-H Shooting Sports program will be holding an adult certification training May 18-20 at the 4-H Memorial Camp, Monticello, IL.

Adults, aged 21 and older, who are interested in becoming trained in the disciplines of archery, rifle (air and small bore), shotgun and coordinator can become certified to teach by attending this training. The training is scheduled from Friday the 18^th from 6:00 p.m. to Sunday the 20^th ending at 2:30 p.m. Cost for the training is $115.00, which covers all meals, 2 nights lodging, curriculum manual and all expendables, including ammunition.

Currently, 73 of Illinois' 102 counties are 'eligible' to deliver the program in their respective counties, and have trained 351 adults statewide. For counties that are not yet eligible to participate we are looking for adult volunteers interested in starting the program. Please contact your local Extension office for further information or contact Dan Dawson dddawson@illinois.edu State Coordinator, for additional information.

Colleagues,

Thanks to those staff that were able to participate in the 4-H APF webinar on February 28. It seems there is quite a bit of confusion centered on 4-H Fairs and Exhibitions. Based upon questions I received during the webinar earlier this week I have posted the following resource documents to the portal. I encourage staff to refer to these as they prepare their 4-H Showbook for the upcoming fair season. The documents include:

• 2011-12 4-H Exhibition Guide identifies each of the Illinois 4-H projects that must have an exhibit opportunity provided for members enrolled. This resource also identifies the projects that do not have a State Fair exhibit opportunity. To help newer staff there is a sample exhibit class description provided for your use or adaptation. Simply using the State Fair changes released in January does not provide all of the necessary information that must be in a County 4-H Showbook.
• Illinois Department of Agriculture "Disclaimer Statement" is a statement that Counties need to publish in their 4-H Show/Fair Book.
• Exhibition Request Form to be completed and submitted at least 3 weeks in advance of your shows. There are two versions of the form, one is a Word version that can be printed off and completed. The second version is a pdf version that is writable and if saved to the local office hard drive can streamline the process when appropriate.
• Evaluating 4-H Show/Fair Book Form is a handy checklist for staff to use in evaluating their county information going out to 4-H families.

These items are located on the portal: Groups/4-H Contacts/Agricultural Premium Fund

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this information or related to your 4-H Showbook or Exhibitions.

Bill

Registration for the 2012 Illini Summer Academies opened today, March 1 and we already have several youth who have registered for the event.

Please check out the ISA page on the Illinois 4-H website, http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/events/summeracademies.cfm, and The Leaflet blog entry from February 18th for information regarding promoting the Academies and registration opportunities!! Staff members should also check out the ISA Staff Fact Sheet that is posted on the 4-H Contacts portal for staff information on the program, chaperone responsibilities, and more.

Registration is open until May 23rd or an Academy is full. We are offering an Early Bird Discount through April 15.

Because of the growing attendance at the Annual 4-H State Robotics Competition, we would like to take advantage of the opportunity to expose these youth to a range of research advances in robotics and possible future college/career pathways.

Prior to the April 14, 2012 competition, and concurrent with the registration time for teams, several booths with hands-on activities and demos will be setup for participants to explore. These will include both campus/research and industry/workplace examples of robotics. In addition, there will be a crop science table of hands-on activities that connects to this year's "FarmBot" challenge.

Date: April 14, 2012
Location: Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), 201 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820

Time: 11:30am-12:30pm

This event is open to the public. Participants are invited to stay and observe the 4-H Robotics Competition that begins at 1:00pm.

For questions or more information, contact:
Lisa Bouillion Diaz
lbdiaz@illinois.edu
217-333-0910 

Due to some miscommunications between State Fair, the Dog Show Superintendents and myself, we have had different dates posted for the State Fair 4-H Dog Show. Originally set for Sunday, August 26, the judges were hired for Saturday, August 25 and can no longer change their date.

So the 2012 Dog Show will be on SATURDAY, AUGUST 25 at the Exposition Building at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

My sincere apologies for earlier communications with the August 26th date and for all the confusion this may cause. Please inform your 4-H Dog exhibitors and trainers of the correct date. Thank you.