As you know now I consider you all as youth educators and 4-H is a great part of your job responsibilities. I also appreciate the time you took to write down your personal contribution statement. In providing clear direction to our District 11 4-H program your personal contribution statements will help a great deal. In reviewing your contribution statements, it is also clear that you are all devoted to your chosen profession by the statements that were written.
I have scanned the statements in to PDF documents and will be sending them back to you this week. I believe that if we are going to stay focused on our priorities we must review the statements often. It is important to focus our attention to making a difference every day. These statements when used as a tool will provide us direction in achieving more participation from our 4-H members and leaders in our contests and events. I believe that we are producing great young people out of the 4-H program, but we must continue to compete with all of the other areas that take time from our members. Marketing of our program is a essential part of our success, but we must continue to find new ways to tell our great 4-H story.
Use your personal contribution statements in developing your county and district 4-H participation plan to increase involvement in your county and district and state levels. The plan should be finalized and submitted to me by August 2, 2010. The plan can be flexible and creativity is encouraged. The most important requirements is that the plan must have input from all staff members, and your personal contribution statements must be used to develop the plan. You should also build on your personal strengths and incorporate these in your plan. Target the weaknesses in your county program and plan for ways to overcome those week areas of involvement.
I again would like to thank the Fayette County staff for hosting the conference and to Creative Awards of Fredricksburg,Texas , the Fayette Beef Committee, and the three associations for sponsoring the social. It looked like everyone was enjoying great fellowship during the event.
2010 Youth and Safety Day-Austin County
On Wednesday, May 19, 2010 over 400 3rd graders from Austin County participated in the Youth and SafetyDay. The event was a collaborative effort between Texas AgriLife Extension Service of Austin County,Bellville General Hospital and the Texas Department of State Health Services. Youth and Safety Day was countywide event which focused on safety issues and concerns of youth in general. The students were able to participate in several interactive safety education presentations. The event was held on the Austin County Fairgrounds. This year’s presenters were: Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Look -A- Likes; RedCross - Water Safety; Texas Parks &Wildlife - Gun Safety; San Bernard Electric Coop - Electricity Safety;Laura Smither’s Recovery Center - Stranger Danger; Bellville Police Department - Drug Awareness; Bellville I. S. D. - Poisonous Snakes; Master Gardeners - Poisonous Plants and Bellville Veterinary Clinic - Horse Safety
This article was submitted by Michelle Allen, County Extension Agent FCS, Austin County
COLORING BOOKS FOR KIDS
San Patricio County 4-H council decided to have a county wide community service project that would keep up the spirits of kids that are sick, at Driscoll children hospital. They called it COLORING BOOKS FOR KIDS. On Friday May 22,2010 council officers got together at the office to put Texas AgriLife Extension and San Patricio County 4-H stickers on everyone of the books and colors that would be delivered that afternoon. At the hospital we saw what pain the young children were going through and it was hard at times to see kids so young going through such trama and still have the strength to smile when they got their gifts, all of our 4-H members where very touched by what they did, our efforts took the patients mind off of what was going wrong in their lives for just a few minutes and made them fell like young kids again. This 
is one of the most touching things I have been a part of since, I have been an agent. Having a two year old child my self, it made me be thankful that all is good and well with our boy and not to take anything in life for granted. The council made a commitment to visit the hospital at least four times a year and spend time with these kids and try to take their mind off of the machines that they are hook up to and all the needles that they get prodded with every day. We were not able to take cameras in to the rooms to take pictures with the kids but we got some in front of the hospital, we had a great day, as we used our Head, Hart, Hands and Health, to help these less fortunate individuals at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi.
This article was submitted by Adrian Arredondo,CEA-4-H,San Patricio County
