4-H UPDATE – GOVERNOR INSLEE’S VACCINATION PROCLAMATION
Announcement Revised September 7, 2021
Governor Jay Inslee issued a health and safety proclamation on August 20, 2021, in response to a continued state of emergency that exists in all counties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The health and safety proclamation, as ordered by the Governor, includes employees, contractors and volunteers engaged in activities with state agencies and in educational settings. Therefore, WSU (including WSU Extension and the 4-H program) is required to comply with Governor Inslee’s recent vaccination proclamation directives.
With regard to volunteers, below are a series of references, deadlines and explanations that provide further details.
- The Proclamation (21-14.1) can be found HERE.
- Deadline: All current WSU Volunteers are required to be fully vaccinated or exempted by October 18th. Volunteers who are not fully vaccinated or who do not have an approved exemption on file by October 18 will be put on inactive status. They will not be able to engage in any volunteer activities with WSU Extension until proof of full vaccination can be observed or until an exemption request has been reviewed.
- Proof of vaccination: WSU Extension will announce a county-level process for observing & recording documentation of vaccination status for volunteers.
- Exemption process: WSU Extension will seek to implement a state-level exemption process (for religious or medical reasons) for volunteers and will announce details on that process shortly.
More information on WSU’s Vaccination Policy is available on the web at https://extension.wsu.edu/vaccination-policy/.
Questions regarding WSU’s Vaccination Policy can be directed via e-mail to extension.vaccinepolicy@wsu.edu
COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
All other protocols for health and safety remain in effect and should be followed.
The Washington State 4-H Youth Development Program policy is referencing requirements set forth by the Washington State Department of Health’s K-12 COVID-19 Requirements for Summer 2021 and the 2021-2022 School Year document. WHILE INDOORS, EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO WEAR MASKS, REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS. This policy is required to protect the safety of all and to model the behavior for youth, who are still required to wear masks.
If an activity is conducted outdoors, it is now required that masks be worn in any outdoor setting involving 500 or more people. People should continue to practice physical distancing of at least six feet whenever possible.
Your county may have more protective protocols in place. County protocols supersede the information presented here. Please contact your local County Extension 4-H Office with any questions.
The Washington State Department of Health released a recap of recent COVID-19 news and updates on September 7, 2021. It is available by clicking HERE.
State 4-H Dog Committee Zoom Meeting Set For November 7
The State 4-H Dog Committee meeting is scheduled for Sunday, November 7th at 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be conducted via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 982 0835 9665
Date & Time: Nov 7, 2021 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://wsu.zoom.us/j/98208359665__;!!JmPEgBY0HMszNaDT!-caVcHCMZpM2K-fOlDRlGElzvmAoaku5u7kR-zo1NO9Rf370jYAMp7VS2vtF$
Please refer to this guide on Joining WSU Zoom Meetings before trying to join the meeting:
https://confluence.esg.wsu.edu/display/KB/Zoom+-+Joining+Meetings+and+Best+Practices
Important Note: Both internal and external WSU meeting attendees must be signed into Zoom to join the meeting.
Phone Call (long distance)
+1 253 215 8782
+12532158782,,98208359665# US (One Tap Mobile Call)
From National 4-H Council….
Computer Science Pathway Update
1.4M KIDS IN, 55M TO GO
Thanks to support from Google.org, 4-H created The Computer Science Pathway to overcome inequity in CS education. This program is designed to teach students from all backgrounds critical CS skills. Together we exceeded our goal of educating one million students a full year early. In the process, we discovered the blueprint for a best-in-class computer science curriculum. Stay tuned for a webinar later in the year to review these resources and learn more about the program.
Explore 4-H! – All Aboard for Model Railroading!
Model railroading is actually several hobbies tied together by the objective of creating a miniature railroad. Yes, model railroading can be part of your 4-H activities, such as woodworking, model building, electronics, artwork and photography. Do you have a train set that was set up under your holiday tree? Did you know November is National Model Railroad Month? Celebrate by Joining train enthusiast Tony Dell to learn about this unique activity that you can start with a minimum amount of skill, resources and knowledge of the subject and continue to learn and enjoy for a lifetime.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://wsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvfuGurDIjHNbzZq0kBIvfguJanX7tI8js
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
State 4-H Ambassadors Announce 4-H Youth of the Month for October!
The Washington State 4-H Ambassadors are recognizing youths for their hard work throughout the year. The honoree for the month of October is Wyatt from Yakima County! The Ambassadors will be expanding the program to highlight various youth monthly throughout the year!
Save the Date! 2022 Washington State Junior Horse Show
The 2022 Washington State Junior Horse Show is now scheduled! Watch The Yakima County 4-H Horse Event page for updates at https://extension.wsu.edu/yakima/4-h/4-h-events/4-h-horse-events/
Teen Advocates Needed for Suicide Prevention Task Force!
Are you a teen interested in becoming an advocate for suicide prevention? Join our WSU 4-H teen task force!
See the flyer linked below for details. All 4-H youth aged 13-18 are welcome to apply. If you are interested in applying to the task force, you can do so here (https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bCratMSux2hfmxE)
Suicide Prevention Taskforce Flyer Link
Results of the Washington State COVID-19 Student Survey are Now Available
Results of the Washington State COVID-19 Student Survey are now available. The COVID-19 Student Survey was an anonymous online survey administered to students at participating Washington schools in 6th through 12th grades in March of 2021. The survey was developed to capture the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of students during the COVID-19 pandemic to help school leaders in their planning and student support programming (particularly for Fall 2021).
The aggregate statewide summary of results from participating schools/students is available in a statewide middle school report and a statewide high school report. Topic summaries have been prepared across several important domains of student functioning and are intended to provide an insight into how different demographic groups were affected during the pandemic. These summaries are available for middle school and high school students separately. These reports include worries related to COVID-19, substance use and mental health, and school experiences.
Links to the aggregate summaries, as well as the topic summaries, can be found by clicking the following link:
Tools For Supporting Emotional Wellbeing in Children and Youth Are Now Available from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
While fewer children and youth have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, the COVID-19 pandemic has still had a major impact on their lives. Though typically resilient to everyday stressors, children and youth are dealing with new challenges due to COVID-19, like social distancing, changes to their routines, and a lost sense of security and safety, making them especially vulnerable to feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has developed tools to support emotional well-being in children and youth. The tools on the webpage were created to teach skills that can help children and youth cope with some of the challenges associated with the pandemic, such as:
- Changes in their routines
- Breaks in continuity of learning
- Breaks in continuity of health care
- Missed significant life events
- Lost security and safety
The tools can be accessed by clicking the following link: https://www.nap.edu/resource/other/dbasse/wellbeing-tools/interactive/?ct=t(wellbeing-tools-announcement)
4-H International Exchange Program Begins Recruitment for Summer 2022 Season
The States’ 4-H International Exchange Program is beginning the new Outbound recruitment season for summer 2022, and they have partnered with seven amazing countries (Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Korea, Norway, Romania, and Taiwan), who are ready to share their homes and culture with our youth! After the lull in 2020 and 2021, with delegates unable to travel due to the pandemic, States’ 4-H is hopeful the summer of 2022 will be a dynamic and immersive experience for all.
A general flyer describing the program with country information can be found by clicking HERE. An information sheet with dates and program cost breakdowns can be found by clicking HERE. Families can apply directly for the Outbound Program from the following link: https://smr.to/p71518 . This link can also be found on the Outbound Program Information and cost PDF documents.
Informative flyers Have been created for each host country. Contact your County Extension 4-H office, or International Exchange Coordinator Sadie Williams at sadie.williams@wsu.edu for more information.
The vaccination policy for States’ Exchange is posted below. This policy is ever changing and fluid, which means it could be updated at any time:
States’ 4-H strongly recommends that all students and chaperones receive vaccinations, but that at this time COVID vaccinations are not required by States’ 4-H. However, this policy could change in the future and either States’ 4-H, airlines, or international partners may require vaccines to travel/participate in the future.
- Coronavirus health and safety guidelines will continue to evolve throughout the year, and are subject to local, state, and national health policies and restrictions
- We are having ongoing discussions with international partners to establish COVID-19 policies and procedures that prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of our travelers throughout their international exchange. These full guidelines will be shared later this Fall.
- States’ 4-H follows travel guidelines and recommendations issued by the Center for Disease control and U.S. Department of State.
States’ 4-H International will also be hosting students through the summer Inbound Program. Information and flyers regarding the Inbound Programs will be shared soon for any families interested in hosting an exchange student.
The States’ 4-H Exchange Page with more information can be found here: States’ 4-H International Exchange Programs (states4hexchange.org)
We hope this will be a very exciting summer where travel will again be a safe and fun experience!
Join the 4-H Fair Board! Apply by December 1!!
It was a warm Sunday afternoon with a slight breeze. The public presentation about how to clean a saddle had just ended and the annual 4-H Fashion Revue was about to begin. You could hear the sheep bleating in the distance and the cows mooing. Record times were being displayed as the horse gamers completed their runs.
These are just a few of the activities put together by the State 4-H Fair Board under the leadership of Tom Gwin, 4-H Fair Manager. The State 4-H Fair operates within the Washington State Fair in Puyallup every year during the month of September. The fair board works all year to provide our youth a venue to showcase the results of their year-long efforts and hard work with their 4-H projects.
The Fair Board’s goal is to provide a memorable and positive experience for all our state 4-H youth. Putting on a successful fair is a huge undertaking, and this year was particularly challenging with COVID and the constantly changing policies to keep our youth safe. But seeing them reach their goals and feel the reward of achievement made it all worthwhile!
If this kind of challenge and undertaking sounds interesting to you as a volunteer or leader, consider joining our board either as a one-year appointee or a full three-year member. Applications may be found on our WSU 4-H website. Applications are due by December 1 to the Washington State 4-H Fair, PO Box 1225, Puyallup WA 98371.
Join the State 4-H Advisory Board!
The State Advisory Board is a place to share ideas in the 4-H world. Adult and teen positions are available in all four districts around the state. Applications for appointment to the board are accepted through December 1st.
Applications can be found here: https://extension.wsu.edu/4h/state-advisory-board/
APPLY TODAY!
COVID-19 RESOURCES
A Reminder: COVID-19 Resources Available from WSU Extension
WASHINGTON STATE RESOURCE GUIDE
FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS:
Caring for Your Family During COVID-19
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families has created a
resource for parents during COVID-19. The WASHINGTON STATE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS: Caring for Your Family During COVID-19 was developed to help parents and their families navigate the pandemic and the days to follow. The publication is available at
https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pubs/FS_0039.pdf