Are you interested in implementing Character Counts! into your school system but are having trouble getting school administrators to buy into the program? Check out this web link for the correlations to the SOLs: http://ext.vt.edu/topics/4h-youth/leadership/character-counts/index.html

Schools are very much focused and driven by SOL testing and are much more inclined to “buy in” to a program that is correlated to them. Therefore, the State Character Counts! leadership team has worked hard in reviewing the Character Counts! program and correlating it to the Virginia SOLs. On the website you will find the correlations for each pillar and grade level. It is our goal to have Virginia 4-H actively engaged in implementing the Character Counts! program in all schools. Research indicates that the Character Counts! program fosters a positive environment that helps improve overall attendance and test scores and has reduced negative behaviors such as bullying and disciplinary referrals. We hope that by having these correlations you will have an easier time getting your school system to buy into this program. Should you have any questions about these correlations or the Character Counts! program in general, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Tonya Price.

These correlations would not have been possible without the tireless work of the State Character Counts! Leadership Team! Special thanks goes out to: Karen Baker, Dara Booher, Sonya Furgurson, Brian Hairston, Jeremy Johnson, Jocelyn Pearson, and Glenda Snyder.

April is the Month of the Military Child and today is Purple-Up for Military Kids Day!  Virginia is home to more than 108,000 children with  a parent serving in the military.  These youth face many challenges that are unique to their situation, such as having a parent deployed, frequent moves, new schools, and leaving friends.  4-H works to provide a community for these young people to connect with other youth and caring adults.  In Virginia, there are 11 military installations with 14 youth sites, that conduct 4-H programming through the 4-H Military Partnership.  These youth represent the Army, Navy and Air force branches of the military.  In addition, 4-H clubs across the Commonwealth embrace military connected youth whose parents may be in the National Guard or Reserves.  The latest enrollment data shows that more than 1,600 4-H members in Virginia are military connected.  Take a moment to thank a military child  for the sacrifice that they make each day.  Thanks also to the many 4-H Agents and  Volunteers who take time to make a positive difference in the lives of these youth.  For more information on how Virginia 4-H Programs for military youth go to: http://www.ext.vt.edu/topics/4h-youth/military-partnership/index.html

I hope you will take advantage of the 25% off curriculum sale that is taking place till April 30 through the 4-H Mall and order some of the below healthy living curriculum. This curriculum is excellent, so if you haven’t checked it out, I hope you will do so.

An issue facing younger generations, and especially teens, is the over-use of technology.  Younger generations, unlike their parents, often socialize, hang out, and communicate online, rather than in person.  They prefer to text rather than talk on the phone, and often prefer to socialize on Twitter, Snapchat, or Facebook than in a social setting.  Some of our youth are spending up to 20 hours a day, seven days a week, online, perusing the Internet or gaming.  Spending this much time in front of a screen can interfere with a young person’s emotional, physical, and intellectual development.  Due to this issue, I’m sharing the below information with you.  May 2-8, 2016 is Screen-Free Week and encourages youth to unplug and play.  The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth has put together a free toolkit inclusive of active, fun alternatives to screen time that we can use to help address the issue of over using technology.

– See more at: http://vfhy.org/obesity/healthy-people/less-screen-time

I wanted to share with you the recording of a presentation I created regarding the 4^th H for Health Challenge.  I gave this presentation as part of the April First Friday discussion and at In-Service to the FCS agents during their update but wanted to share as broadly as possible.  This challenge is a great way to get your 4-H clubs involved in eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, and being more physically active in the club meeting setting.  Once you have had a chance to view the recording, please email me if this is something you’d be interested in implementing in your locality.  This challenge is a great and fun way to engage youth in healthy living behaviors that will hopefully last a lifetime and I hope you will consider incorporating it into your programming efforts.

Tonya Price wants to share this WebEx recording with you.

Tonya Price’s Personal Room-20160210 1503-1 Wednesday, February 10, 2016 10:16 am | Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00)

PLAY RECORDING ( 10 min) https://virginiatech.webex.com/virginiatech/ldr.php?RCID=06a0e50a4f6c37e9d28d795c26f200c5

Please check out the resources below.  Even though this is designed for the summer meals  program, these resources could be used with almost type of summer program or activity targeted at healthy living.  Feel free to use as you deem appropriate.