WA State 4-H Forum Website    Annual Council Meeting    Awards

Misc. Forum Announcements

Great Workshops!
To see the workshop choices for Forum, CLICK HERE

Overview
8/21/07 - Kevin Wright
The 4-H Forum registration and workshop information has been posted on the 4-H website at: http://4-h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/index.htm.  This year's Forum theme is 4-H: An American Tradition.  It will be held October 19 - 21, 2007 at The Holiday Inn Express and TRAC in Pasco . 

This year's Forum will include the following: Friday will be day-long track workshops, followed by the 4-H Summit , District Planning Meetings, and the Volunteer Recognition Banquet/Hall of Fame Induction. Saturday will feature Keynote Speaker Chris Blodgett, 40 workshop sessions, 4-H Alumni Reception, and the 4-H Charity Auction. Sunday will be devoted to the 4-H Council Meeting, with District elections of State Advisory Board and State Fair Board representation and committee meetings to review recommendations and discuss project issues. Nick Jasper, 4-H Alumnus will be our Capstone Speaker. All in all a packed weekend!

Full time registrants will get three lunches and two dinners. Hard copies of the registration brochure will be sent to county offices. You can download registration information at the 4-H website, http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/index.htm.

If you would like the Forum registration packet emailed or mailed to you, please contact Kevin Wright at wrightkc@wsu.edu. Be sure to register by September 29th!

Council Meeting Deadline Approaches
8/21/07 --Kevin Wright
The deadline for recommendations to the Washington State 4-H Council is September 1, 2007. Recommendation forms may be obtained from your County Extension Office or online at http://cru84.cahe.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/pubs/C0985.html. Recommendations are a way for 4-H volunteers to suggest changes and improvements to the 4-H program. Recommendations should go through a process at the county to refine and approve them before being signed by County Council Presidents and 4-H Staff. Please mail completed recommendations, postmarked by September 1, 2007, to Nancy Mordhorst, 601 Johnson Tower, PO Box 644852, Pullman, WA 99164-4852.

The Council meeting is a chance for 4-H youth and volunteers to discuss issues critical to 4-H, suggest changes in the Washington State 4-H Youth Development Program and elect representatives to the State Advisory Board and State 4-H Fair Board. All youth and adults may participate in the committee meetings. Registration material for the Council meeting will be included with the State 4-H Forum registration brochure. A complete agenda and copies of submitted recommendations and applications will be sent to county offices prior to the Council meeting.

The State 4-H Council Meeting is made up of 3 parts: District caucuses, committee meetings, and a general council session. During the District caucuses representatives are elected to the State Advisory Board and State 4-H Fair Board of Trustees. Voting delegates will only elect representatives from their own district. This is also an opportunity to discuss and plan District programming for the future.

The committee meetings are a chance to discuss recommendations from the counties for improvements to the 4-H program. If a committee doesn't have many recommendations or finishes early, it is a great chance to discuss project issues and plan for the upcoming 4-H year.

At the general session each of the committee actions on recommendations are accepted or rejected. The accepted recommendations then go on to the State 4-H Fair Board, State Advisory Board, statewide committees, or State 4-H Staff for approval. The State 4-H Program Leader has final approval of all recommendations. In general, approved recommendations will be implemented October 1 of the next year.

Forum Auction
Kevin Wright 
Once again this year the State 4-H Forum will feature both live and silent auctions. The live auction will take place on Saturday evening, October 20th.

Be sure to fill out the form completely and mail or email it to the Franklin County Extension Office. DO NOT mail the auction item to Franklin County - bring it with you to the Forum. The Auction Form can be found on the State Forum website: http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/index.htm

The auction is a great way to make money for your county 4-H program. The profits from the auction are divided between the 4-H entity that donated it and the State Advisory Board. More details about this division are on the donation form. Be sure to mail in your donation forms by September 30, 2007, so that your items may be included in the auction catalog.

State Award Nominations
Kevin Wright
Nominations for Annual 4-H Awards must be postmarked by September 1st.  The awards include Friend of Washington, Alumni of the Year, the Volunteer's Staff Award and the Volunteer Excellence Awards.  Winners of the Volunteer Excellence Awards (Lifetime Achievement and Less than 10 Years) will be sent on for National Competition. 

Nomination forms may be downloaded from the Forum website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/awards.htm.

Outstanding County Volunteer Awards
Kevin Wright
Each county may submit an outstanding volunteer to be honored at this years’ Forum. Counties are encouraged to send a poster or display about the volunteer. Please submit the Outstanding County Leader form and electronic picture of the volunteer no later than September 15th.  Forms can be found on the 4-H website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/awards.htm.

Heather Rider Leadership Award
Kevin Wright
During the Spring 2006 Washington State 4-H Advisory Board meeting, the Heather Rider Leadership Award was created in honor of Heather Rider, a Cowlitz County 4-H member who was elected to serve as a State Ambassador and to the State 4-H Advisory Board. Heather was an exceptional young woman who touched many lives in her 4-H career, before her life was cut short in the fall of 2005.

This award seeks to recognize a young person that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and service to others through their 4-H involvement, past and present, at the club, county, regional, state and/or national levels. The nominee is to be 18-21 years of age at the time of nomination and have a genuine passion for 4-H.  The nomination form can be found on the 4-H website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/conferences/Forum/awards.htm. 

State Board Positions Looking For Nominees
8/21/07 --Kevin Wright
There are positions for teens and volunteers from every district on the State Advisory Board and State 4-H Fair Board. The Council meeting is an opportunity to elect representatives to these boards and through the recommendation process, have input on changes and improvements to the Washington 4-H program.

The applications, guidelines and background information about the Council meeting are available on the 4-H website at: http://4h.wsu.edu/council/index.htm. Please review the information carefully and be sure to have applications and recommendations postmarked by September 1, 2007.

State 4-H Fair Board Positions up for Election 

NW2 3-year term through 2010 
SW2 3-year term through 2010
NE2 3-year term through 2010
SE2 3-year term through 2010
SE3 2-year term through 2009
East Teen 2-year term through 2009

Learn more about the State 4-H Fair Board and download applications at: http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/sfb/sfblist.html.

State 4-H Advisory Board Positions up for Election

NW3 3-year term through 2010
NWTeen 2-year through 2009
SW1 1-year term through 2008
SW3 3-year term through 2010
SWTeen 2-year term through 2009
NE1 1-year term through 2008
NE3 3-year term through 2010
NETeen 2-year term through 2009
SE2 2-year term through 2009
SE3 3-year term through 2010
SETeen 1-year term through 2008
SETeen 2-year term through 2009
SAC1 3-year term through 2010

Learn more about the State 4-H Advisory Board and download applications at: http://4h.wsu.edu/volntr/sab/sablist.html.