4-H actors star in upcoming stewardship video!

 

Jordan Henderson, Norm Vat, Kathy Thi Thach, Kevin Kop 

and Milton "Chino" Celedon-Perez.

Click on photo for larger format.

Tacoma, Washington's 4-H Network News team brought their acting and comedic talents to the table for an upcoming video about stewardship on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. This team of videographers works weekly with 4-H Technology Program coordinator, Jennifer Johnson of WSU Pierce County Extension. Pamela Roberts, Jefferson County 4-H coordinator visited to coach the video production process. Chino led the team in planning this comedic drama, featuring Jordan's slick card game, Kathy and Norm's news commentary, Kevin's hilarious puppets and Chino's dramatic physical comedy.

This video is being produced in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service and features footage of:

• a salmon carcass "fish fling," showing 4-H youth returning dead salmon to the Skokomish River to increase the nutrient value in the riparian zone;
• a helicopter flying in loads of trees complete with roots into the Skokomish River to build up "log jams" to slow the river flow down and create deep pools for salmon to thrive;
• 4-H trail builders maintaining trails for public use in the Olympic National Forest; and
• restoration of elk forage by replanting open areas and decommissioned roads in the forest.

Ingenious Diagnostics Combat Global Plant Disease

Plant pathologist, Dr. Naidu Rayapati, is using a deceptively simple technology to help diagnose crop diseases in developing countries.
Small FTA Classic cards are used in the field to obtain plant samples, which can be easily transported to Washington State University for diagnosis using state-of-the-art lab equipment. His work offers hope for millions of people for whom crop failure can mean poverty and starvation.

The LEGO Kid

Warren Seely tore apart his first tractor engine when he was six. When he was about 12, he started making farm equipment out of LEGOs. Warren's LEGO equipment works just like the real thing -- only smaller.

ONLINE WEBINAR: Advancing Positive Youth Development Through Advocacy and Policy

CYFERnet and Building Partnerships for Youth are pleased to invite you to the following webinar:

Advancing Positive Youth Development Through Advocacy and Policy

January 20, 2011, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time


Presenters: Elizabeth Gaines, Forum for Youth Investment


Danielle Evennou, Forum for Youth Investment

Webinar participants will have the opportunity to learn how they can impact directly impact youth through advocacy and policy efforts that advance positive youth development. The Forum for Youth Investment is a nonprofit, nonpartisan "action tank" dedicated to helping communities and the nation make sure all young people are Ready by 21®: ready for college, work and life. Informed by rigorous research and practical experience, the Forum forges innovative ideas, strategies and partners to strengthen solutions for young people and those who care about them. A trusted resource for policy makers, advocates, researchers and program professionals, the Forum provides youth and adult leaders with the information, connections and tools they need to create greater opportunities and outcomes for young people.

Presenter Information

Elizabeth Gaines
Elizabeth Gaines is Director of Policy at the Forum for Youth Investment where she oversees the Forum’s work related to state and local policy and manages various national partnerships and networks of executive leaders, legislators, advocates and youth councils. She coordinates the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet Network and is the primary contact for a partnership with NCSL and focuses on building the Forum’s relationships with both executive and legislative policy makers interested in improving youth policy.

Danielle Evennou
Danielle is Policy Associate at the Forum for Youth Investment. She supports the development of the Forum's federal, state and local policy work, including America's Youth Councils Network and Children's Cabinet Network.

To register or for more information, click on:

http://cyfernet.ces.ncsu.edu/mn/training/user.php?r=107

4-H challenge course first in an urban setting

Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010
By Betsy Fradd, WSU Extension 4-H

PUYALLUP - The first WSU 4-H challenge course in an urban setting will be built at Camp Long in West Seattle.

A memorandum of agreement between WSU Extension 4-H and the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation will provide outdoor facilities for youth to experience hands-on activities designed to help them develop decision making, teamwork, and leadership skills.

Scott VanderWey, WSU 4-H adventure education director, said the activities will help increase the teens’ self confidence and positive risk taking.

“Our learn-by-doing method engages teens so they understand what it’s like to make healthy decisions for themselves and their peers,” said VanderWey. "The research based approach, known as social emotional learning, is proven to increase student motivation, student attendance, mastery of subject material, and a more positive school climate."

Seattle Parks and Recreation and WSU Extension have been partnering for almost three decades to serve youth and adults through 4-H clubs, Master Gardener programs and community outreach. City of Seattle naturalist Christina Gallegos has advocated for a challenge course on Seattle park property since the early 1990s.

“As a challenge facilitator, I am convinced that there is no better method to help connect youth with nature, leadership and problem solving skills,” she said.
Since 1980 WSU 4-H has run adventure education programs in 19 of the state's 39 counties. Camp Long will be the state's ninth 4-H challenge course.

Other courses are located in North Bend, Chelan, Leavenworth, Yakima, Gibbs Lake in Jefferson County, Pan Handle and Saint Pete’s in Thurston County, and Twin Lakes in Ferry County on the Colville Indian Reservation. More than 250,000 youth have participated in the challenge program.

Groundbreaking for the challenge course at Camp Long is set to begin in spring 2011, and the facility is expected to be open to the public in the fall.

For more information on the WSU 4-H Adventure Education Program visit:
http://4h.wsu.edu/challenge/index.html

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Allen gift launches $1B fundraising campaign

 Paul G. Allen with WSU President Elson Floyd.

SEATTLE - Paul G. Allen, investor, philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Inc., has made the largest gift to WSU in the school’s history, $26 million to support programs and fund construction in the School for Global Animal Health.

The gift was announced Thursday at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center during the kickoff event for the public phase of The Campaign for Washington State University: Because the World Needs Big Ideas.

Begun in July 2006, the campaign’s goal is to raise $1 billion by 2015 to coincide with the university’s 125th anniversary. To date, $532.2 million has been committed.

Read more

WSU's Jefferson Extension leader Baril to retire

By Charlie Bermant Peninsula Daily News

PORT HADLOCK -- Jefferson County will lose one of its most vocal supporters of agriculture, education and social programs when Washington State University Extension Executive Director Kathryn Baril retires at the end of this month.

In a letter announcing her resignation Tuesday, Baril said she was excited about the future.

"The time has come for me to move on to pursue some other interests; to devote more time with my family, friends and garden; to weigh and embrace other offers and opportunities that are before me now," she wrote.

"I'll be changing the shape of my days and the scope of my focus, but I'll be staying in our community."

"It's really time right now," Baril, 63, said of her decision.

"You know when you have done really good work, and I have accomplished many of my goals, teaching people how to feed and support their families."

The extension office, which was the first of its kind in the state, does this in two ways.

It supports agricultural programs like 4-H and teaches sustainable agricultural techniques to county residents. 

Read More  

"LIKE" Jefferson County 4-H on Facebook today!

"LIKE" Jefferson County 4-H on Facebook today!
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WSU Extension has its own App!

WSU Extension has recently begun including Microsoft Tag codes on many of their community education materials in an effort to expand client and stakeholder access to their world class research and educational resources.

To download the free app and begin accessing these enhanced resources, visit http://gettag.mobi from your compatible web-enabled smartphone.*

Then simply scan the codes on specially Tagged materials for access to related web content, maps, and author contact information.

For a complete list of compatible devices, visit:

http://tag.microsoft.com/resources/mobile-support.aspx

Allen gift launches $1B fundraising campaign

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010
By James Tinney, WSU Today

SEATTLE - Paul G. Allen, investor, philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Inc., has made the largest gift to WSU in the school’s history, $26 million to support programs and fund construction in the School for Global Animal Health.

The gift was announced Thursday at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center during the kickoff event for the public phase of The Campaign for Washington State University: Because the World Needs Big Ideas.

Begun in July 2006, the campaign’s goal is to raise $1 billion by 2015 to coincide with the university’s 125th anniversary. To date, $532.2 million has been committed.

Read More