CONGRATULATIONS



CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations! It's really an honor to be selected by your friends in 4-H to serve as a 4-H officer. With honors come certain responsibilities. As you assume your 4-H office, much of the responsibility for the success of your club will depend on you and the other officers.

You are now a member of a team that includes the other officers and leaders of your club. This leadership team can make the difference between a "fantastic club" that everyone wants to be part of and a "hum-drum club" that most people could care less about! Which kind of club do you want? The choice is yours -- the success of the club depends on your leadership team.

GOOD OFFICERS ARE ...

Enthusiastic, tactful, loyal, honest, friendly -- that's one way to describe good 4-H officers. They let the members of the club help decide what the club will do and give everyone a fair chance.

|Officers of 4-H Clubs are representatives of the local club and of the entire 4-H program of the state. Can you answer "yes" to these |

|questions? |

|_____ |Do I know the duties of my office? |

|_____ |Am I willing to improve myself so I can be a better officer? |

|_____ |Am I friendly? Do I work well with other members of the club and they with me? |

|_____ |Do I willingly accept responsibilities assigned to me? |

|_____ |Do I enjoy doing more than just what is required of me? |

|_____ |Am I willing to give credit to others for work well done? |

|_____ |Am I prompt in arriving at meetings? |

|_____ |Does my appearance inspire confidence and respect? |

|_____ |Am I kind, tactful and courteous? |

|_____ |Do I use "please" and "thank you" when I should? |

|_____ |Am I always fair in my decisions? |

|_____ |Do I appreciate my parents and 4-H volunteer leaders for their time, effort and devotion to club work? |

|_____ |Will I attend a 4-H officers' workshop if it is offered for our club or county? |

|_____ |Will I participate in a county 4-H council? |

EXPECTATIONS

Officers are expected to attend a minimum of 75% of Club Meetings and a minimum of 75% of Planning Meetings. If you can not fulfill your obligations to the club you may resign your duties and recommend a replacement. If you resign your position at any time during the 4-H year you must notify the President and the Leaders of the club.

_____________________________________ ______________________, 20___

4-H Member Signature Date

_____________________________________ ______________________, 20___

Parent/Legal Guardian Signature Date

YOUR JOB AS RECREATION LEADER

Your job as recreation leader is to help everyone become a part of each 4-H meeting or activity. Your job is to help people have fun.

As your club's Recreation Leader, you will ...

• Make recreation a vital part of club meetings.

• Lead games when asked.

• Help others learn to lead as well as play games.

• Work with other 4-H members and officers in planning programs.

• Help plan parties and other events with other club members.

• Be a real "spark" of enthusiasm and inspiration to others.

TIPS FOR THE RECREATION LEADER

• Show enthusiasm!

• Plan your program so it is appropriate for your club.

• Keep your head -- planning develops confidence.

• Know your games -- have equipment ready.

• Explain briefly -- demonstrate.

• Speak clearly -- stand where everyone can see you.

• Get attention -- use definite signals for starting and stopping.

• Overlook mistakes -- games are for fun.

• Know when to stop or change games -- stop while everyone is still enjoying.

• Enlist help of others to share responsibilities.

4-H LEADERSHIP TEAM

As a 4-H officer, you are an important part of the 4-H Leadership Team. Let's see how the team shapes up.

President The 4-H President's job is to help everyone in the club work together. The president presides at meetings, assigns responsibilities to club members, and works closely with the other 4-H officers, volunteer leaders, and county extension agents.

Vice President The 4-H Club Vice President takes the place of the president if that member resigns or is not present. The vice presidents' biggest and most important job is acting as co-chairmen and helps plan 4-H meetings and events.

Secretary The 4-H Club Secretary is one of the most important officers in the club. The secretary is responsible for keeping a record of a 4-H club's membership, participation and meetings in the 4-H Secretary's Book. All correspondence of the club is the responsibility of the secretary.

Reporter The 4-H Club Reporter has the opportunity and responsibility of telling others about 4-H work. Writing announcements and reports for the local newspaper, keeping a scrapbook of club publicity, and serving as chairman of the publicity committee are important jobs for the reporter.

Treasurer The 4-H Club Treasurer is responsible for maintaining complete accounting records for the club. He/she is responsible for writing checks, making deposits, maintaining a complete and accurate check register and giving itemized account information at any time upon the request of members for leaders.

|Officers |President |________________________________________ |

|  |Vice President |________________________________________ |

|  |Secretary |________________________________________ |

|  |Reporter |________________________________________ |

|  |Treasurer |________________________________________ |

PLANNING RECREATION

As you plan recreational activities, be sure to consider these things:

• Facilities (size of room, chairs bolted down or moveable, electrical outlets, lights, etc.)

• Size and age of group

• Gender (boys and girls, all boys, etc.)

• Physical handicaps, if any

• Time schedule

• School or building rules

• Noise level

YOUR "4-H FUN KIT"

|Your "4-H Fun Kit" can play a big part in how well you plan and lead recreation. It can save you time and energy. Your kit will have the |

|equipment and ideas you need so you won't spend time hunting them up. |

|Start your kit today! Be sure to include an idea file and lots of equipment in your kit. A cardboard box or light-weight travel bag can be a |

|perfect container for your fun kit. You will want the kit to be large enough to be useful but not too large to take to the 4-H activities and |

|meetings. Organize your kit so you can find material easily. |

|Here are some suggestions for your "4-H Fun Kit." |

|Idea File (Your file can be a manila folder or small file box.): Keep a file of recreation ideas, activities and games you have used and ideas|

|you would like to use. Sources for ideas can be magazines, newspapers, books and extension publications. When you learn a new game or |

|activity, write it on an index card and put it in your file. Be sure to include ideas for: |

| |

|  |games |family activities |

| |decoration ideas |picnic activities |

| |songs |club recreational activities |

|Equipment -- These items can help you be prepared for lots of fun: |

|  |string |3 x 5 index cards |

| |paper |soda straws |

| |pencils |several blindfolds |

| |straight pins |CDs or tapes |

| |bean bags (which you can make) |song book |

| |whistle (to be used for outdoor activities only) | |

|Start your kit today. As you lead, direct and take part in other recreational activities, you can add more "fun" ideas. |

|  |

GAMES FOR "EARLY COMERS"

Guessing Games

Guessing games are good to use as members enter the room. It's fun to award small prizes such as lollipops or 4-H pins, etc. On a large table, have the following, with cards or instructions with each.

1. A glass jar of beans. (How many?)

2. A small ball of cord. (How long?)

3. An orange. (How many seeds?)

4. One-fourth or a newspaper page. (How many words?)

5. A stick. (How long?)

6. A large dictionary. (How many pages?)

7. Part of a deck of cards. (How many?)

8. A can of water. (Quantity?)

9. Photo of a child or animal. (Age?)

10. A block of wood (How thick?)

GET ACQUAINTED GAMES

Bumpety Bump Bump

One person is "it" in the center of a circle. The circle should be composed of from 20 to 30 people. Each person in the circle must know the name of the person to the left and the right of him. The person who is "it" points to someone in the circle and says, "Right bumpety bump bump" and quickly counts to 10. If the one to whom "it" points does not respond correctly before "it" counts to 10, then he/she is the next person to be "it" and exchanges places with him. The same procedure is used for left bumpety bump bump. (In larger circles or if the game does not seem to be moving fast enough, more than one "it" can be selected.)

Alphabet Introductions

After everyone has been introduced, so some of the names are known, one person who is "it" may go up to any player and say "D" (or any other letter), and count quickly to 10. The one pointed to must name someone in the circle whose name begins with that letter, or the person pointed to becomes "it." Also, he or she must do this before the other member reaches 10. In a large group, it is wise to have at least one "it" for every 10 or 15 people.

Drop the Blanket

This is a great way to get everyone better acquainted. Before starting, make sure visitors are introduced, so everyone has at least heard everyone else's name. Divide into two teams and have each team huddle at opposite ends of the room. Two people (neutral) hold a blanket in a vertical position, fully opened and touching the floor. Each team sends one person to stand 1 foot (12 inches) from his or her side of the blanket. When that person is ready, the blanket is dropped. The first person to say the other person's name correctly captures that person for his/her team. The game continues until only one remains on one of the teams. In case neither knows the other person's name, they are introduced and sent back to their teams.

SMALL GROUP GAMES

Alphabet Games

There are many games that can be played using alphabet cards. In groups of 25 or more, an alphabet card can be assigned to each invidual. Then the people can be asked to spell out words. If there are only 10 people in each group, then each group is given a complete set of alphabet cards. The cards can be placed on a chair in front of them. When the leader calls out a word, each individual goes up one at a time, shuffles through the cards to pick out the needed a letter, then stands in line to spell out the word. Be sure the word is spelled correctly from left to right. The inclination is to spell it from right to left, which would be backwards.

Singing Syllables

Small area needed -- group seated -- any number of players. One player (it) is asked to leave the room. Those remaining select a word, such as basketball, and divide it by syllables: bas-ket-ball. The group is divided into three sections, each given on syllable. All three sections now sing their syllable at the same time, using a familiar tune. The player (it) is then asked to return to the room and guess what the word is by walking around the listening to each group. When he or she guesses the correct word, he then selects someone else to be "it."

SUPER ACTIVE GAMES

Be sure to check space before you use these. They are noisy!

Forehead Balloon Relay

Organize the group into relay teams of couples. The first couple in each team places a balloon between their foreheads. They move to a line 15 feet in front of the teams and return to place. The next couple in line stands opposite, so they can press their foreheads against the balloon before the first couple releases the balloon. The first team finished with all couples participating is the winner.

Give Me

The leader stands in the center of the room and asks to be handed objects when they are called for -- hair pin, blond hair, shoe, belt, 10 cents, etc. Each team should choose a runner and that is the only person who can bring the item to the center. Score points for this. Variation: substitute pictures in magazines.

Fifty-Cent Relay

A balloon, a bean bag, and a 50-cent piece are needed for each team. If the group is large, run members in couples. The man holds a balloon between his knees, a bean bag on his head, a 50-cent piece in one eye, and his hands behind his back. His partner walks along beside him to replace any of the items if they should fall. She may hold them in place while he hobbles along but, if they fall, the progress must stop until they are in place again. Each couple moves to a line 10 to 15 feet away and returns to the starting point. If they group is small, participants run one at a time. The relay is more fun for the watchers than for the performers!

-----------------------

The 4-H Achievers Club

RECREATIONAL LEADER

HANDBOOK

[pic]

Name _________________________________ Date _______________, 200____

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download