Tractor Supply - Best 4-H Memories Contest

Tractor Supply Company's Out Here magazine is giving away $1,000 for the best 4H memories story! Check it out on their website:
http:// www.tractorsupply.com/content/storeevents/4h_contest

Win College Scholarships and Money For 4-H!

National 4-H Council is pleased to announce a new opportunity, through the partnership with JCPenney Afterschool, which can immensely benefit both National 4-H Council and local 4-H youth. Through the “Care, Share, WIN!” promotion, JCPenney will distribute $1 million through a month-long Facebook campaign; offering the opportunity for students ages 13-18 to win a grant for their favorite charity and a college scholarship for themselves, from September 20 to October 3, 2010.

The campaign will have a two-pronged approach:

1. Customers will help allocate $500,000 to one of four after-school charities (Boys and Girls Club of America, The Y, National 4-H Council, and FIRST) by voting for their favorite charity. The winning charity will receive $250,000; second place $150,000; third place $75,000; and fourth place $25,000.

2. Youth will be invited to share their personal community service stories, to enter for a chance to win college scholarships and grants for their charity (must be a qualified 501c3).

a) Students will submit a 250-word essay about their community service along with a photo to be eligible for the contest. Entries will be collected for approximately two weeks. The top 50 semi-finalists will be identified and posted on Facebook for fans to vote for the top three finalists. The top three finalists will then be posted and voted upon to identify grand prize winners.

b) Each of the 50 semi-finalists will receive a $3,000 donation to a charity of their choice and a $3,000 college scholarship. The grand prize winner will receive a $50,000 donation to a charity of their choice and a $50,000 college scholarship. The second place winner will receive a $30,000 donation to a charity of their choice and a $30,000 college scholarship. The third place will receive a $20,000 donation to charity and a $20,000 scholarship.

Timeline:

• September 20: Campaign launches; voting begins to allocate $500,000 to after-school charities (voting remains active throughout entire contest period); students submit entries to the contest
• October 3: Last day to submit entries to the contest
• October 4-7: Fulfillment agency and JCP Afterschool identify top 50 semi-finalists and verify all eligibility requirements are met
• October 8-17: Top 3 finalists are posted online and voting for grand prize winner occurs
• October 21: Winner announced in conjunction with national Lights on Afterschool event

Please visit JCPenney’s Facebook page to learn more http://www.facebook.com/jcpenney (you must first click “Like” on the JCPenney page in order to vote and enter the contests)

Additional information about this promotion is located at http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/promotional-toolkits/detail/default.aspx?id=2002

The partnership between 4-H and JCPenney offers many avenues for raising awareness, support, and dollars for local 4-H programs. We appreciate your time and hope you will spread the word about these contests so we can continue to raise significant dollars in support of 4-H!

Fort Worth Stock Show Calf Scramble

The Fort Worth Stock Show will host its annual calf scramble in January. If you are 14-17 years of age (as of January 1 ,2011) and interested in participating in this event please contact Cory (cmtalley@ag.tamu.edu). Participants that catch a calf will be awarded a $500.00 calf scramble certificate to be used to purchase a registered beef or dairy heifer.

TCYS Rabbit Validation - Location Announced

For those who will be entering rabbits at the Travis County Youth Show - Validation will take place on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at the Lanier High School Ag Classroom; 9:00a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Service Opportunities

Discover 4-H has a service project the evening of October 9th for those that may be busy during the morning. Contact Matthew at the email below if you are interested.

If you are looking for some community service opportunities, please contact Matthew Evans at matthew@discovergreenYEL.org. The Discover Green organization in which he founded, has several opportunities available.

One Day 4-H - T-shirts

The deadline for 4-H clubs and groups to order the 2010 one day 4-H t-shirts is this Sunday at midnight (September 19th). The t-shirts are only $5.75 each and can be ordered individually or in large numbers. The deadline for ordering ensures delivery by Saturday, October 9th.

one day 4-H t-shirts can be ordered from the Texas 4-H Store at: http://www.texas4hstore.com/.

Although the One Day 4-H event is scheduled for October 9th, the county wide event will take place on October 2, 2010 with the NAMI Walk.

If your group has scheduled an event/activity for the 9th, please continue to go with that. If you are unable to make your club event/activity, email Cory that you would like to take part in the event of supplying doggie water bowls for the NAMI Walk.

Shirts can be ordered for those who wish to buy them. Go to the following website for more information: http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/oneday/index.php.

2011 Swine Tag Order Form

If you plan to exhibit Swine at the Travis County Youth Show or at any of the major shows, validation tags need to be ordered. The form may be found at www.travis4h.com. (look under the tab "4-H Livestock Information"

The form and payment is due to the County Extension office by September 30 ,2010. Tags are
$9.00 each.

Texas 4-H Veterinary Science Skillathon

Texas 4-H is pleased to announce the release of the 2011 Texas 4-H Veterinary Science Skillathon Invitational Contest Rules & Guidelines and Application. The contest is scheduled to be held at Texas 4-H Roundup on Thursday, June 16, 2011. Applications to participate are due on Friday, March 18, 2011 and applicants will be notified of acceptance by April 1.

In order to make sure that all participants have a good and safe experience in the contest, please note a few requirements of the contest:

- Be a current Texas 4-H member in the Intermediate or Senior age division.

- Be actively enrolled in a structured veterinary science project using curriculum.

- Have completed at least one full year in a structured veterinary science project using curriculum.

- Certification by the County Extension Agent

4-H members in the Veterinary Science Project need to talk with Cory if interested in this activity to receive more information.

Canine Camp and Clinic

For those interested in the dog project. A camp/clinic is being conducted in Montgomery County, Friday October 15-17, 2010.
Check out the flyer and registration form at the travis4h.com website.

Central Texas 4-H/FFA Day

Livestock Project Day - Come on out to Callahan's to gain some insight into your livestock projects. Topics of discussion include; how to pick a great livestock animal, feeding your livestock and vet medicine and care of your project.

September 11, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Callahan's General Store
501 U.S. Hwy 183, Austin

Opportunities to win cash prizes and gift certificates. The 4-H Club or FFA chapter with the most attendees (youth, family and friends - present) will win a $500.00 cash prize.

Donuts, coffee and drinks will be available.

Equine Science for Kids

For those interested in the horse project click on the link below. Great resource for young kids.
Check it out at www.esc.rutgers.edu and click on Equine Science 4 kids.

4-H Healthy Lifestyles Board - Accepting Applications

The Texas 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Advisory Board is pleased to announce a call for applications. Youth, adult volunteers and County Extension Agents are welcome to serve on the committee. The purpose of the advisory board is to promote the purpose and goals of the 4-H healthy lifestyles program, providing leadership and oversight to 4-H healthy lifestyles projects (food and nutrition, health and safety). Members of the advisory board also ensure relevancy of the 4-H healthy lifestyles program by giving youth and volunteers the opportunity to provide vision for the future of the 4-H healthy lifestyles program, including project materials, activities, and recommending program direction, special activities, new materials and competitive events.

To be eligible, youth must be classified as a senior 4-H member at the time of application submission. Seniors are classified as youth who have passed their 14^th birthday, but not their 19^th birthday, as of August 31, 2010. Members will serve a two-year term, with terms beginning in January of each year.

More information and an advisory board application is attached and available at the Texas 4-H and Youth Development website (under the Youth - Leadership Opportunities link). Applications are due to Mrs. Courtney Dodd at the state 4-H office by October 1, 2010.

Texas Sea Grant Program- Ocean Education Diversity Videos

Texas Sea Grant is seeking energetic and creative young filmmakers to take part in the inaugural Ocean Education: Diversity in Videos (OEDIV) contest. Teams comprising students in grades 6-12 are invited to submit videos, no longer than 5 minutes, that convey clear and important messages about the ocean in terms the general public can understand.

Student teams must include at least two and no more than five students and be supervised by an advisory teacher. Entries can be in English, Spanish or both. Contest registration opened Sept. 1, 2010. Registration forms can be downloaded from the Texas Sea Grant website. All videos, in the form of a DVD disc, must be received in the Texas Sea Grant office no later than Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010. The judges' decisions will be announced by January 15, 2011.

The first and second place winners will be invited to the NOSB Loggerhead Challenge on February 5, 2011, in Corpus Christi and the NOSB Dolphin Challenge on February 26, 2011, in College Station, for screenings of their videos. NOSB audiences include scientists, graduate students, teachers, and the many high school students who compete in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl.

For more information about Texas Sea Grant's marine education programs, including OEDIV or NOSB, contact Liz Turner, Marine Education Specialist.

Volunteers Needed for NAMI Walk

Last year, Travis County 4-H partnered with the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)Walk and supplied the dog watering bowls for the annual event. We have been asked to help out again this year. I am need of some volunteers to help keep the dog water bowls filled and stationed at a couple of locations before, during and after the walk. The walk will take place on October 2, 2010 at Auditorium Shores.

Arrival Time: 8:00 a.m.
Walk starts at 9:00 - ~10:30 or so

Great opportunity for community service! Please contact Cory at cmtalley@ag.tamu.edu if interested in helping.

TCYS Youth Fair Volunteers Needed

Calling all adult volunteers!! If you would like an opportunity to help out and volunteer with the Travis County Youth Fair - here is your chance. Karen Griffin is looking for some adults to volunteer their time. This is a great way to see the ins and outs of how this huge event is coordinated and carried out each year.

Karen is also available to speak at your club meetings about the Youth fair process. If you are interested in volunteering our having Karen speak to your group, please email her at kskgriffin@yahoo.com.

Creedmoor Fall Fest

Creedmoor Fall Fest is October 16th from 9:00 a.m-8:00 p. m.
There will be arts and crafts, games for the kids, a cake walk, a safari ride, a balloon twister, petting zoo, magic show, bingo, food, rides, a haunted house, and a live auction at 6:15 p.m. following the BBQ supper.

We have opportunities for students that need community service hours either working the games or the haunted house.

For more info contact Don Burklund at 461-0650.

2011 Texas 4-H Roundup Logo and Theme Contest

Texas 4-H Roundup is the state 4-H Contest that takes place in June on the campus of Texas A&M University. Individuals and groups are encouraged to submit ideas for the 2011 theme and logo. See details below for more information.

• Deadline for all entries are due September 13, 2010

• Entries may be hand drawn or submitted in a .jpg format

• More information may be found at the following website http://texas4-h.tamu.edu/library/files/youth_roundup_logo.pdf

2011 Pedernales Electric Youth Tour

For the 29th year, Pedernales Electric is joining other electric cooperatives across the country to participate in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour program. Six winners of PEC's 2011 Youth Tour essay contest will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C., in June 2011.

For its 2011 contest, PEC is asking area high school students to write essays considering green jobs, products, and/or services. Twelve finalists will be selected to present their essays at the LCRA Redbud Center on November 20. An independent panel of judges will select six students as winners of a June 2011 trip to Washington, D.C., to tour historical sites and meet local political representatives. Six alternates will receive $100 each for their participation.

To be eligible you must meet the following requirements;
Contestants must have completed their sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school by June 2011, and their parent or legal guardian must be a PEC member or receive PEC service at their residence. Former contest winners are not eligible. Essays must adhere to the topic above; essays that are off topic are not eligible.

For more information please check out their website; 2011 Youth Tour Website

Rabbit Workshop

Thursday, October 14, 2010
Lanier High School
6:30 p.m.
Open to 4-H and FFA youth and their parents

Flyer may be found at www.travis4h.com
look under tab " 4-H Livestock Information"

Travis County Youth Show - PBR - Ticket Sales

Attention 4-H Youth Members - Are you interested in winning a belt buckle?
You have the opportunity to do so by selling tickets for the Travis County Youth Show- PBR Challenger Tour. Other prizes will be given as well. The deadline for selling the pre-purchase tickets is September 30 ,2010. All money and order forms are due to the County Extension Office by 4:30 p.m. on the 30th of September.

To retrieve a form and more information, you can find the form on the travis4h.com website (look under the tab "forms".

Cowboy Christmas Ball Donations

Clubs and or individuals are being asked to supply items for the silent/live auction items at the Cowboy Christmas Ball. The deadline for submitting donations is November 12th. Work with your fellow club members and adult leaders to come up with new and creative auction items.

2011 Broiler Order

If you plan to exhibit broilers at the Travis County Youth Show or at any of the major livestock shows in the spring of 2011, an order form must be completed and submitted to the Travis County Extension Office. The information and form may be found at www.travis4h.com , look under the tab "4-H livestock information".

Orders are due by 4:30 p.m, October 7, 2010 to the Extension Office.

Stripes Convenient Store/4-H Alliance

Although we do not have any Stripes Convenient Stores in our area, or any that I am aware of, I do want to make sure you all know about this new partnership. Many of you travel throughout the state and eventually you make a stop to fuel up or grab a snack. If you are near a Stripes stop in and purchase a paper clover. Proceeds will benefit that local county program.

"Helping Today's Kids Become
Tomorrow's Leaders"
September 6 through October 3

Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo Calf Scramble

Anyone interested in participating in the 2011 Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo Calf Scramble and meets the requirements below needs to talk with Cory by September 23, 2010.

• Must have reached your 12th birthday, but not your 18th as of August 31, 2010.
• Must not be enrolled beyond your junior year in high school.
• Must be an active member of 4-H/FFA and reside in Texas.
• Contestants must weigh at least 100 pounds and be in good physical condition.
• For those selected to participate and do a catch a calf, you will be required to purchase a heifer and show that heifer at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo during the 2012 year.

If interested, please contact Cory at 854-9600 or by email at cmtalley@ag.tamu.edu to receive additional information and the application.