All new 4-H advisors / volunteers will need to complete the volunteer screening process. A potential 2015 volunteer is defined as “new” if he or she was not enrolled as an advisor / volunteer in the 4-H program for 2014.  A checklist for completing this process is listed below:

• Receive or pick up a position description / application packet from the Extension Office
• Complete the new volunteer application and return it to the Extension Office
• Submit two reference forms from non-family members to the Extension Office
• Successfully pass the criminal history fingerprint background check
• Complete a new volunteer training session and interview with 4-H Educator Doug Foxx. These are scheduled for April 15^th, April 21^st, and May 14^th – all three sessions will be held at the Extension Office.  They will be conducted in two parts.  Part 1 will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will be the OSU Required Training on Recognizing and Reporting the Signs of Child Abuse & Neglect.  Part 2 will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be the New Volunteer Orientation / Interview.  Anyone that attended one of the February volunteer trainings does not need to attend Part 1.  Please call the Extension Office at 330-264-8722 to register.
• Agree to and sign the Volunteer Standards of Behavior form.
• Receive a letter from 4-H Educator Doug Foxx indicating that they are approved to serve as an Ohio State University Extension 4-H volunteer.

Due to the need to complete the process (which takes approximately 6 weeks) before a volunteer begins working with the 4-H program, new volunteers will only be accepted from November 1st through April 1st each year.

If you have or are recruiting new volunteers for your club, please have them come to the Extension Office to pick up a packet which contains all of this information. A packet must be picked up by April 1st by any potential new volunteer.  Please note: New volunteers are welcome to attend the February Advisor Trainings, but must still attend one of the new volunteer trainings in April or May.

Remember, project updates and guidelines are included in the member project books, in the organizational advisor’s club packet, and will be on our website in early February.

Enrollment forms must be signed by the youth, a parent/guardian, and a club advisor.  Enrollment forms must be turned in to the Wayne County Extension Office no later than April 1, 2015 at 4:30 pm.  Projects enrolled after this date will not be eligible for exhibition at the 2015 Wayne County Junior Fair!

• 4-H Online Training – presented by Stephen Heppe:  This session will teach club advisors how to log in and access their club in the 4-H Online database.  Participants will learn how to enroll youth and advisors in the club and create, view, and print useful reports such as club member directories, project reports, and more.  Advisors will also learn how they can use the 4-H Online database to send e-mail and text messages to their club members and advisors.

• Making Club Meetings Fun – presented by Barry Jolliff:  Participants will learn about a variety of games and techniques to make club meetings more fun and engaging for members, parents, and advisors.  With all of the organizations and activities competing for our 4-H youth and volunteers’ time it is important that we remember to keep our club meetings fun!

• Food Safety for 4-H Clubs and Events – presented by Melinda Hill:  Does your club serve refreshments, do a bake sale, or any other activity involving food.  Every club should have at least one advisor attend this session. Melinda will provide an overview of the importance of food safety and will explain the new Occasional Quantity Cooks certification program developed by OSU Extension.  All Ohio 4-H clubs are now expected to have at least one advisor complete the Occasional Quantity Cooks certification.

• Working with Cloverbuds – presented by Dr. Scott Scheer:  Looking for fun and interesting age-appropriate activities and new ways to engage your 4-H Cloverbuds then this is the session for you.

• Working with Club Officers – presented by Doug Foxx:  Come learn about resources to help train club officers, ways that officers and advisors can work together, and explore various county, state, and national 4-H teen leadership opportunities.

• Public Speaking and Demonstrations – presented by Dr. Judy Villard Overocker:  Learn more about ways you can help teach the kids in your 4-H club to be effective at public speaking and giving demonstrations during club meetings.  Participants will also learn more about the state 4-H demonstration contests and opportunities for our Wayne County youth to participate.

• 4-H Shooting Sports and STEM Activities – presented by Kathy Blackford:  Come learn about the opportunities available to youth and volunteers through the 4-H shooting sports program and fun science related activities you can do with your club.

• Ag Science Activities for 4-H Clubs – presented by Dr. Bob Horton:  Participants will learn about several fun and interactive activities they can do with their 4-H club available through the Ag in the Classroom curriculum.

Have you or any of the youth in your club ever wanted to preview a project book before deciding if it would be a good project to take.  Well now you can do just that!

The 4-H Project Central website just launched. Anyone can preview the 4-H project books offered by Ohio 4-H.  You can also rate projects you’ve taken in the past to let other youth and advisors know how well you liked the project and to provide feedback to Ohio State University Extension professionals who will consider your feedback in future revisions and updates to project books.

Project Central allows users to browse projects by skill level, topic area, and to search by keyword.

To access Ohio 4-H Project Central simply enter the following URL:  projectcentral.ohio4h.org.

Project Central also allows you to share your project ratings and comments with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

The January / February 2015 Link 4-H Newsletter is now available on the Extension Office website.  Below is the message on the first page from 4-H Educator Doug Foxx.

Dear 4-H members, parents, and advisors / volunteers,

Happy New Year!  I am excited and looking forward to working with all of you to have a great 4-H year in 2015.  We are blessed in Wayne County to have a strong and thriving 4-H and Jr. Fair program and that is because everyone works together to make our program stronger each year.

We congratulate 4-H program assistant Mel Rehm and her husband Ben on the birth of their daughter Kendra Rehm born on November 1, 2014!  Mel has decided to resign from her position as 4-H program assistant.  Her last day with our office will be on Friday January 30, 2015.  Our office sincerely appreciates Mel’s contributions to OSU Extension and Wayne County 4-H over the past several years and we look forward to continuing to work with her as a 4-H volunteer.

This edition of The Link features many important stories about upcoming events, deadlines, and programs.  Please read it carefully and contact the Extension office if you have questions.  Reading The Link newsletter thoroughly and keeping it on hand to refer back to throughout the month will serve you well as various dates and deadlines approach.

I am looking forward to visiting with all of our 4-H advisors and volunteers coming up during the new Required Advisor / Volunteer Trainings in February.  Please be sure to see page 3 of this edition of The Link for more details about the training sessions.