Congratulations to Jill Rubio, Program Coordinator for Project Learning
Tree(PLT).
Jill has been accepted for a Master's program at New York University in
public
administration and service. She will be leaving Tucson August 1. Our new PLT
state coordinator is Wade Albrecht. Wade can be reached at the Coconino
County
Extension office. Welcome, Wade.
The FCS team of Darcy Dixon, Patty Merk, Marta Stuart, Lynne Durrant, Jolie
Ogg Graybill, Carol Willis, Evelyn Markee and Becki Hester finished their
first year of the Mind Matters Training grant from DES-Child Care
Administration. Thirteen 21 hour institutes on early childhood brain
development were conducted throughout the state. One hundred and ninety-one
child care staff and parents completed the program. The DES grant for
$92,862 has been renewed for a second year.
4-H Japanese Exchange: Japan is sending 15 teens and one adult chaperone
for a month long home stay experience in Arizona. Also, four older Japanese
teens will spend a year with Arizona host families for the year-long
program.
Citizenship Washington Focus: Arizona's 14 youth and three adults found
their way to Washington, D.C. June 5-12 to attend Citizenship Washington
Focus. They met with Congressmen Kolbe and Renzi to discuss issues
affecting their communities. The delegates toured the Smithsonian Museums,
Mt. Vernon, Washington National Cathedral and Arlington Cemetery, as well as
visited monuments including the new World War II Memorial and the Holocaust
Museum. In addition, they met with other states to write bills on current
issues. They had a bit of a scare as the group went to attend former
President Reagan’s processional when they were told to evacuate since a
plane had entered the no fly zone surrounding the Capitol. After running
four blocks, they were finally told they could stop running! It was 'just'
the Kentucky Governor's plane! Washington Post coverage of Reagan's
processional included a picture of Greenlee County delegate, Charles
Schoubroek, and chaperone, Sissy Fischler.
JOLT: At JOLT 2004, 105 teens and 13 semi-adults got JOLTified. Youth staff
leaders were: Anthony Campbell and Hope Engelke, Coconino; Nissa Merrill,
Maricopa; Marshall Hunt, Lauren Ortega and Melisa Teran, Cochise. Semi-adult
staff were: Bryan Chadd, Maricopa; Cindy Pearson, Graham; and Mike Hauser,
Apache. Workshop highlights included “Creating Your Image,” Lisa
Lauxman;“Bone Builders,” Eva Paz-Ono and Liz Schnoll; “Drinking and Driving,
Leadership as a Culture,” State 4-H Ambassadors and their advisor, Monica
Pastor; as well as sessions on journal telling, story telling, community
telling, poetry telling, and “Date Rape” facilitated by Graham County
Sheriff Hughe. Other features that led to a great personal and leadership
experiences were team building, trust activities and community service
activities at the Senior Center, Medical Center, local newspaper and Fire
Station. The Fear Factor had eight lucky JOLT'ers enjoying a strawberry
milk shake with sardines and pickled pig feet. That’s one memory few will
soon forget! Keynote speaker, Brad Barton, used magic to talk about the
illusions of drugs and alcohol on young people. Dr. Bill Peterson spent a
couple of days with the JOLT campers.
UPCOMING DATES:
October 29 - Touchstone Energy AGCAT OPEN Homecoming Golf Tournament, El
Conquistador Golf Resort. More information will follow.