We're looking for a few good counselors...

We are looking for outstanding 4-H Camp counselors to participate in a unique camp experience this summer. The 4-H Center is proud to be hosting Camp Corral, a unique summer camp opportunity for children of military families whose parents are, or have been deployed. This camp, sponsored by Golden Corral Restaurants, seeks to provide the "week of a lifetime" for the families of military heroes.

If you have been, or will be a teen counselor at 4-H Camp this summer and are 16 or older, we want you to be part of this experience. In addition, we will provide a $100 stipend to counselors who are selected.

In order to be part of Camp Corral, just fill out the application here and have your 4-H Extension Agent complete this reference form. If you are selected, you will need to attend a mandatory training at the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center on July 10. You will also be expected to participate in the entire Camp Corral program, July 29-August 3.

We hope to see you at camp!

Cloverbud Camp!

We're excited to announce Cloverbud Camp dates for 2012. This summer, we'll be hosting a parent/child Cloverbud camp July 16-18. This camp is open to children ages 5-8, and is specially designed for them to enjoy with their parents or another trusted adult. 

For more information, download the brochure and registration form here: http://bit.ly/cloverbud12

14th Annual Charity Golf Tournament

The Front Royal Rotary Club and Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center will again be co-sponsoring its 14th Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, April 9, 2012, to benefit the 4-H Educational Center and Rotary’s Educational Scholarships. We will be having the tournament at Bowling Green County Club North. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and play will start at 1:00 p.m. The entry deadline is April 5, 2012.

Funds will benefit the 4-H Educational Center in Front Royal and the youth educational awards given by Rotary. The 4-H Educational Center provides summer camping opportunities for 18 Northern Virginia counties attended by over 10,000 youths each year. Rotary contributes over $25,000 annually to local charitable organizations and will award several scholarships to High School Seniors from its proceeds at an Awards Banquet. The banquet will be held on May 11, 2012 at the Holiday Inn.

 The support of the community enables us to help these causes each year. Without the support of the generous individuals and businesses like yourselves, it would be impossible for us to continue. Please sponsor a hole this year. If you have any questions about this golf tournament and/or would like to sponsor a hole, feel free to contact Nora Belle Comer at (540) 635-7171, Byron Pitts at (703) 409-6639, Buck Smith at (540) 247-6695. An entry form can be downloaded here: http://www.nova4h.com/storage/2012%20Golf%20Program.pdf

Assimilation

I am back at NOVA, and I am not sure where to begin. The 22^nd Annual International ACCT (Association for Challenge Course Technologies) Conference met and exceeded my expectations. I was able to network with others who do what I do, and discuss tricks of the trade such as putting a new spin on old favorites and expanding our current offerings. I was able to meet the presidents and founders of the companies whose products we use every day on the course and see the application of new technologies and their relevance to our course. It was especially exciting to meet the folks from Austria, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, and Russia and hear about the similarities and differences in how they run their programs. My “wish list” of books and gear items that I was able to browse through on display in the exhibit hall has grown exponentially.

Programming here has always focused on the growth of the individual, on leadership development through the use of challenge course programming and reflective activities. In the coming year, I feel our participants can expect a greater emphasis on the sequencing of initiatives, a more participant-driven approach to the reflective process, more activities with a focus on anti-bulling and inclusion, and better transitions between activities. I am excited to start mapping this out and training the very gifted facilitators we have currently.  

Being a part of the largest gathering of challenge course professionals in the world today was uplifting, exciting, mind-blowing, and inspiring. It is a lot of information to assimilate and I am sure it will take time.

The 23^rd annual ACCT conference? Red Rock, Las Vegas!

The Last 24 Hours...

Only 24 hours left.

This morning’s presentation, Beyond Facilitation, was presented by Jamie Barrow from Trinity Western University’s OMANDA Teambuilding program. The theme was the purposeful development of new skills in a group using a variety of learning models; about intentionally processing so that the group/individual continues to change positively months after the teambuilding program. It is very process driven as opposed seeing a task/initiative to completion.

I have two classes this afternoon. The first, The Danger of Expectations, sounds very intriguing to me. It is about the nuances of expectation; about setting boundaries without imposing on high expectations. The presenter, Jeff King, consults and trains nationally on group dynamics and social-emotional intelligence in leadership. The last class is called Managing Difficult Behavior and is presented by Sam Peitrzak, the Director at Ramapo for Children which serves children with special needs.

This evening is the closing ceremony. I have 23 hours and 46 minutes left to learn from this amazing assembly of educations, practitioners, builders, recreational therapists, directors, course managers, vendors, and facilitators.

The countdown is on. (Avery)