• July 13-Aug. 11: Colorado/Japan month-long summer exchange (outgoing)
• July 25-Aug. 20: Colorado/Japan month-long summer exchange (incoming)
• Aug. 16-Sept. 7: Colorado State Fair, Pueblo

Programs of Distinction

Hat's off to Jan Miller-Hyle of the Dare to be You project in Cortez and Tom Mason in Jefferson County for being published in the Programs of Distinction on the National 4-H Headquarters website. Go to the following link to read about the positive results of the Dare to be You Program and the Eagle's Nest/Owl's Roost Environmental Discovery Day Camp: www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/about/pod.htm

There is also information on this website on how Extension agents can submit their educational programs to this national database of programs.

Good job Tom and Jan and all the people who are involved in these two programs! I encourage others to submit their work to this venue of recognition and idea sharing. - Jeff Goodwin

Permission to Display for Silk Garments

Attached as a PDF file is a "Permission to Exhibit Form" for silk garments in the 4-H clothing division at Colorado State Fair. Please have the 4-H member who exhibits the top silk garment at your fair complete this form and attach it to the record book. Completed forms must be attached to the record book at time of entry at state fair or the garment will not be displayed.

We take these precautions as we have had some silk garments fade while on display in the 4-H Building, much to the distress of the member and their family. - Connie Cecil

2005 Colorado State Fair Teen Clerks and Adult Volunteers

Committed adults and teen clerks are once again called upon to help out at the state fair, 4-H Camp Tobin. Please refer to the April 22 issue of 4-H Update on our 4-H web page for the following teen clerk forms.

• 2005 Colorado State Fair teen clerk application forms
• health forms
• dormitory rules and regulations
• teen clerk information sheet
• state fair adult volunteer forms
• adult information sheet
• dormitory rules and responsibilities for chaperons and adults
• 2005 Colorado State Fair 4-H calendar

Please recruit immediately and mail all applications to me at: State 4-H office, 134 Aylesworth Hall NW, Fort Collins, CO 80523-4050 or fax them to 970.491.5108. Thank you! - Susan Cuckler

Lights on Afterschool!

Lights on Afterschool! will be held on Oct. 13, 2005. Plan now to join the Afterschool Alliance and afterschool programs across the country in rallying community support for afterschool programs. This is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool. It is intended to demonstrate how afterschool programs keep kids safe, help working families and improve students' academic achievement. - Jan Carroll

Policy for Cloverbuds at Fair

With fair season just around the corner, I wanted to remind everyone of the policy for Cloverbud participation at fair. The Cloverbud Project (individuals five- to seven-years of age) is a non-competitive opportunity. Members are to be recognized for participation only and should not be awarded recognition based upon competition. Cloverbuds can take their "projects" to fair/exhibit day, go through an interview process if they feel comfortable with it, get a participation ribbon and have their projects put on display. They simply cannot be evaluated using either the Danish or American ribbon system.

Cloverbud members are not to participate in or show any livestock (cattle, beef, horse, swine), small animal projects, shooting sports projects or activities, or any other state or county project. They are to enroll and participate in only the Cloverbud project and activities. Please see page 3.4 of the Colorado 4-H Youth Development Handbook for further information.

The Cloverbud policy was developed based upon developmental research and knowledge and is intended to protect the young member from potential serious physical injury and unnecessary emotional stress. - Connie Cecil

New Monograph on Parent-Child Connectedness

For those of you interested in the broader field of youth development, as well as technology education, you might be interested in this monograph.

ETR Associates is pleased to announce the release of its latest publication on parent-child connectedness titled: "Parent-Child Connectedness: Voices of African-American and Latino Parents and Teens."

This latest report summarizes findings from an ETR focus group study conducted in 2004 with a total of 135 African-American and Latino parents and teens living in low-income neighborhoods. A total of 16 focus groups were conducted in San Diego, Sacramento, Baltimore, Miami and Long Island. To download a free PDF version of this report, please visit the Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention website (ReCAPP) at: www.etr.org/recapp/research/PCCFocusGroupReport.pdf.

A soft-bound copy of the report is also available from ETR Associates for $15. For more information about ordering this version of the report and to access an order form, please go to the ReCAPP "Products for Sale" page at: www.etr.org/recapp/products/products.htm.

In 2004, ETR published a comprehensive literature review on parent-child connectedness titled: "Parent-Child Connectedness: Implications for Research, Interventions and Positive Impacts on Adolescent Health." This document can also be downloaded for free from ReCAPP at www.etr.org/recapp/research/litreview.pdf. A print version of this report can also be ordered via ReCAPP's Product's for Sale page for the same price of $15. Funding for both documents was generously provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. - Jan Carroll