Volume 7, Issue 1
Welcome to the 2005-2006 4-H Cloverbud Year!
Fall 2005 brings the beginning of the new 4-H year and the organization
of 4-H Cloverbud groups. We hope that you and your 4-H Cloverbud
members will have an exciting and successful year ahead. We know
that 4-H Cloverbud members love to stay active!
New volunteers are encouraged to take part in the 4-H Cloverbud
Orientation and to get to know the Extension 4-H youth development
staff members. They can be a great resource for you as you plan
a successful 4-H Cloverbud experience for your members. Orientation
can help you learn more about the role and responsibilities of being
a 4-H Cloverbud volunteer with University of Illinois Extension.
New Illinois 4-H Cloverbud Leader Guide Available This Fall
A new Illinois 4-H Cloverbud Leader Guide will be available through
local Extension offices this fall. The 40 page leader guide is intended
to provide 4-H Cloverbud volunteers with accurate, accessible information.
The book explores the philosophy and objectives of the program.
It also suggests methods of enhancing the healthy development of
children ages 5 – 7. The book provides strategies for successfully
implementing the 4-H Cloverbud program and curricula and outlines
ideas for volunteer and parental involvement. The Illinois 4-H Cloverbud
Leader Guide will be distributed at the 4-H Cloverbud Orientation
sessions or may be ordered through the local Extension office.
Past Issues of The Cloverpatch on the Urban Extension Web Site
If this is your first year and first issue of The Cloverpatch,
please know that past issues of The Cloverpatch are located on the
Urban Extension Web Site and can be accessed at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/cloverbuds/index.html.
The current issue should appear first on the screen. At the end
of the issue, you can click on Past Issues and a list of all the
issues will appear. You may then choose the issue of interest to
you.
4-H Cloverbud Role Descriptions
4-H Cloverbud volunteers are encouraged to involve parents, older
teens, and other adults with their 4-H Cloverbud groups. A number
of sample role descriptions have been written and placed on the
Illinois 4-H web site. They can be accessed at
www.4-h.uiuc.edu/staff/rolesdesc/index.html.
Current youth development research suggests that each child should
have a positive relationship with three other adults besides their
parents. 4-H Cloverbud volunteers can serve in this important role.
4-H Cloverbud Curricula Offerings
During 4-H Cloverbud orientation, it is recommended that 4-H Cloverbud
groups enroll in the 4-H Cloverbud Series I or II project curricula
published by Ohio State University Extension. These two projects
come as leader guides only. The Series I curriculum is also available
in Spanish through an on-line version.
Some 4-H Cloverbud youth continue as members from age 5 through
age 7. By age 6 or 7, the children will begin to read and write
at school. Therefore, they may be ready for more advanced 4-H Cloverbud
activities. Illinois 4-H offers additional curricula geared to the
older 4-H Cloverbud members. These projects include Aerospace I,
Bicycle I, Child Development I, Health I, Step Up to Leadership,
Cloverbud Theatre Arts, and Wildlife I. Each of these projects includes
an individual member manual and a leader guide. Check with the local
Extension office for publication costs. An older 4-H Cloverbud group
might choose one of these projects to do as a group.
Borrow 4-H Cloverbud Kits
Many counties have 4-H Cloverbud kits that can be borrowed to
enhance your group meetings. The kits contain non-consumable supplies
and reading books based on the Ohio State University Extension Cloverbud
Series I and II curricula utilized here in Illinois. The curricula
and kits are based on eight different topic areas. Check on loan
availability with your local Extension office. Call early to reserve
the materials.
4-H Cloverbud Recruitment Time
The 4-H Cloverbud program for 2005-2006 is open to boys and girls
who are five years of age by September 1, 2005 and not yet eight
years of age by September 1, 2005. If you are planning to recruit
more members for your 4-H Cloverbud group, remember that many parents
decide in the early fall what activities they will let their children
participate in. So…now is the time to recruit members and
leaders. The Extension office will have recruitment materials available.
There are several new promotional items available including:
- Masters for envelope stuffers for volunteer recruitment
- Tri-fold master for a recruitment piece geared to teachers and
after-school program staff
- Two printed tri-fold parent recruitment pieces
- Printed volunteer recruitment brochure.
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