2016 Louisiana 4-H VolunteerAwards

Application Packet
Sponsored by the Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association

To: All 4-H volunteers and 4-H agents

Deadline: July 8th, 2016

4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. Research shows that volunteers are the key to positive youth development because of their longtime mentorship of 4-H youth. The Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association would like to recognize the hard work, dedication and service of Louisiana 4-H volunteers and agents committed to supporting volunteerism.

Each year, volunteers may submit an award application form for one or more awards. Volunteers may also nominate an agent for the Supporting Volunteerism: Agent of the Year award. Winners will be recognized at the upcoming Louisiana 4-H Youth and Family Development Volunteer Conference.

Application materials must be submitted to the Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association (LA 4-H VLA) either dropped off at the State Evacuation Shelter in Alexandria, dropped off or sent via mail, email, or fax to the State 4-H Office.All applications must be sent to one of the above locations no later than Friday, July 8th, 2016. Please read award guidelines carefully. Applications should be submitted for service completed between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

All applications being submittedvia mail, e-mail or fax, please send to:

Veronica Del Bianco

Volunteer and Leadership Development Specialist

4-H Youth Development

171 Knapp Hall

110 LSU Union Square

Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Office (225)578-2196

Fax (225)578-7847

Winners will be notified by August 1st, 2016. An announcement will be made publicly by August 15th, 2016.

Thank you,

Veronica Del Bianco

2016 Louisiana 4-H VolunteerAwards

Awards and Guidelines

Guidelines

  1. Open to all 4-H volunteers. Membership in the VLA is not required.
  2. A volunteer may not win the same award category in consecutive years.
  3. A volunteer may apply for 1 or more award categories but may only win in a single category in a given year.
  4. There will be one award winner for each category.
  5. Application form must be signed by parish 4-H agent. If parish does not have an agent, the parish chair must sign the application.
  6. Incomplete forms will not be considered.
  7. All volunteers who do not win will receive certificates of nomination.
  8. Award winners will receive a recognition certificate. Non-VLA members will receive 1 year free membership in the VLA. VLA members, who were current paid members during the year of service, will receive a scholarship to the 2016 Volunteer Conference at Camp Grant Walker September 23rd-24th, 2016.
  9. Volunteer nominees may be self-nominated, nominated by other volunteers, and nominated by their 4-H agents. 4-H agents must be nominated by a volunteer.

Award Categories (6 Awards)

Emerging Leader Award
To recognize a new volunteer who has served for less than 3 years that has shown outstanding dedication to the 4-H program.

YAP (Youth/Adult Partnership) Award
To recognize a volunteers whose outstanding efforts exemplify youth and adult partnerships which engage youth in decision-making that affect them and their world.

Excellence in Service-Learning
To recognize a volunteer whose efforts have contributed to an outstanding service-learning project or program.

4-H Spirit Award
To recognize volunteers who embodies the 4-H’s and makes a significant contribution to their program.

Program Pioneer
To recognize a volunteer who has implemented new and innovative programs or has infused existing programs with new approaches that have had a direct impact on the youth.

The Golden Clover for Outstanding Club Work
To recognize a club leader who has an outstanding club program exemplifying positive youth development.

2016Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Awards Nomination Form

Sponsored by the Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association

Applying for: (Must fill out one application per award. If applying for multiple awards, must fill out multiple applications.)

Emerging Leader Award YAP (Youth/Adult) Award Excellence in Service-Learning

4-H Spirit Award Program Pioneer The Golden Clover for Outstanding Club Work

Contact Information

Scott Lee, Vernon Parish

Last Name First NameParish

460 Ashbury Road, Hornbeck, LA 71439

Street Address CityStateZip Code

______

Home Phone Work or Mobile Phone Email Address

Current VLA Member? _x_Yes __No (Membership is not required to apply.)

Years as a 4-H Volunteer:______

Agent Signature: ______
Agent Name (Print): ______

Answer the following 3 questions and add the mandatory 1 page of supplemental material. You may use a separate page to answer the questions.

  1. Relevance: Define the importance of the issues addressed by the volunteer’s club or program and identify the target audience (ex: elementary youth, Jr. Leaders). Identify the volunteer’s qualifications for this particular award (ex: years of service).(300 words MAXIMUM)

Research shows one of the essential elements of 4-H Youth Development is a positive relationship with a caring adult, staff or volunteer. Scott Lee is that adult to more than 200 youth ages 9-19 years old in Vernon and Sabine Parish particularly but his reach is truly state wide. In addition to being overnight chaperone and authorized driver trained, Scott is a Bronze Level Master Volunteer. He serves as a club leader at both the school and parish level, as well as a SET Board Advisor and Treasurer of the Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Leader Association.

At a time when recruitment and retention of male volunteers is a noticeable problem for Louisiana 4-H, Scott serves as the male for two parishes at 4-H Summer Camp, 4-H University, Marsh Maneuvers, Central Region Leadership Board Retreat, and SET Board Retreat. Often, he is the only male staff or volunteer making the events even possible. At the parish level, he supports the 4-H program as a club leader for Pickering Jr/Sr School and an adult leader for Vernon Parish Teen Leaders. In his region he is an adult volunteer for the Central Region Leadership Board.

2016Louisiana 4-H Volunteer Awards Application Form – Page 2

  1. Response: Describe the educational programs for 4-H’ers conducted to address the issues. Tell when and where the educational activities were conducted. Identify partners and collaborators.(300 word MAXIMUM)

A high school science teacher, Scott promotes SET programming through activities such as the egg drop, exploring light (colors and properties), steam engines, and astronomy. At camp, he served as the Wetlands Track volunteer and supervised recreational time at the pond. He continued the environmental theme at Marsh Maneuvers Camp completing a service-learning project with youth where they learned about the importance of the wetlands and why they should be protected, then actually applied the techniques to relocate chord grasses in the wetlands.

  1. Results: Describe the impact this volunteer and the programs they are involved in have had on the 4-H program. Include membership and attendance numbers as well as any evaluations or assessment results. Use antidotes when available and appropriate to illustrate impact.(300 word MAXIMUM)

Scott also volunteers in Sabine Parish as an Advisor to the Sabine Parish SET Board and assists with their Pumpkin contest and other activities. He has also served as an adult chaperone for Sabine and Jeff Davis for Summer 4-H Camp and for Sabine for 4-H University. He has helped teach tracks and chaperoned campers for the past 3 years for LOST Camp. He is currently working on his Master Volunteer certification.

To recognize volunteers who embodies the 4-H’s and makes a significant contribution to their program.

  1. Mandatory: Add ONE PAGE of supplemental material to this application. Supplemental material may include, but are not limited to, pictures, newspaper articles, thank you letters, flyers, and agendas.

Supporting Volunteerism: Agent of the Year AwardNomination Form

To be recognizea 4-H agent who shows outstanding support of volunteerism in their parish, region or state.

Guidelines

  1. Open to all agents who do 4-H work.
  2. Agent may only win the award once every 3 years.

Agent Contact Information

______

Last Name First NameParish

Please answer the following. A separate sheet may be used.

What impact has this agent had on you as a volunteer? (300 words max)

List the agent’s contributions to volunteerism for the past year. (300 words max)

Why do you think this agent should be named the VLA’s 4-H Agent of the Year? (300 words max)

Nominated By:

Sign: ______Date: ______

Name (Print): ______Parish: ______