MetLife Awards of Excellence - National 4-H Council

Programs: MetLife Foundation Awards of Excellence

Apply for the 2008 MetLife Foundation Awards of Excellence

National 4-H Council and the MetLife Foundation are proud to offer four (4) $1,500 cash awards to 4-H programs that exhibit excellence in Citizenship programming in an Afterschool/out-of-school environment.

Acceptance to the programs of Distinction is a requirement to apply for the MetLife Foundation Awards of Excellence. For more information regarding the Programs of Distinction application,
visit http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/about/pod.htm

Once approved through the Programs of Distinction, an independent committee will select the recipients of the awards.

Awards will be presented at the Galaxy III Conference in Indianapolis, IN, September 15-19, 2008. Award recipients will also be invited to a private reception with the MetLife Foundation and National 4-H Council during the conference.

Application Deadline: May 30, 2008

2007 Award Recipients

$1,500 recipients
- Middlesex County project Gift (NJ)
  The main focus of Project GIFT is to provide local families with the opportunity to shop for free and purchase gifts for their children, thus making the holidays more affordable through a service learning project developed by 4-H members. The primary target audience of the Project GIFT program is parents of families with limited resources. Families are invited to attend the Project GIFT event. Free transportation is offered as part of the invitation. Parents that have provided information on their children are given entry tickets which allow them to select gifts.
- Youth Training Youth- Alcohol & Tobacco Decisions(MN)
  The Youth Teaching Youth: Alcohol & Tobacco Decisions program is built upon the premise that teenagers can deliver important messages about alcohol and tobacco to younger youth who will hear and take the subject more seriously. The program integrates the 4-H concept of older youth teaching research-based curriculum to younger youth during after-school hours (through cross-age teaching). Teen teachers are recruited and trained to present the three-session curriculum.
- Attitudes for Success (OR)
  The Attitudes for Success Youth Leadership Program was developed to provide opportunities for Hispanic youth who were in need for opportunities to develop life skills and community involvement. A coalition of county agencies, parents, and youth met to discuss the needs of area Hispanic families and to develop strategies to provide positive experiences for these individuals. The program consists of two parts: an annual daylong leadership/college preparation conference and second, a youth leadership board experience that provides intensive leadership opportunities on a monthly basis.
- 4-H Florida Legislature (FL)
  The Florida 4-H Legislature is a simulation of the state legislature. Participants attend Monday afternoon through Friday morning, the last week of June. Participants study the responsibilities of a pre-assigned role, then function in that role and use creative problem-solving skills within the structure of the state legislative process. Florida youth work in cooperation with adults to learn leadership skills to apply as active, responsible citizens for civic engagement. Program activities are appropriate for youth ages 14 to 18

$500 Recipients:
- 4-H WOW Afterschool (TX)
  “We got WOW” was the motto of the 4-H WOW Afterschool Teen Teachers program which inspired more than 100 middle school youth in Conroe, Texas with lessons on the “World of Work.” Six bi-lingual teens partnered with adult mentors and received 20+ hours of training to teach 4-H WOW weekly at three training sites. The results included teens and mentors demonstrating a 20% increase in workforce preparedness skills.
- 4-H Afterschool Adventures and 4-H Support our Students Programs (NC)
  Teens in Gates County, North Carolina participated in the 4-H Afterschool Adventures Program and the 4-H Support Our Students Program (SOS). Youth, parents, and volunteers worked to: (1) provide quality after-school programs for youth K-8th grade; (2) assist youth with academic achievement; (3) increase youth creative expression, science, technology, careers, and citizenship experiences; (4) provide quality leisure education activities; and (5) assist at-risk youth with improvement of self-esteem and intervention for at-risk behavior.
- Iowa 4-H Afterschool (IA)
  Youth partnered with 4-H agents, community leaders, parents, and volunteers to develop summer science day camps focusing on science skills. Youth attended summer day camps at fairs hosted in Black Hawk, Bremer, and Grundy Counties, Iowa. Iowa County Agents were instrumental in organizing workshops, trainings, and camps for youth and volunteers to use a variety of 4-H curricula including: literacy, science, gardening, photography, and healthy lifestyles.
- Delaware 4-H Afterschool (DE)
  Thirty-five teens from low-income families were trained using the Teens Reaching Youth (T.R.Y.) model developed by North Carolina State Cooperative Extension. These youth developed lesson plans for after-school audiences. Teens were responsible for collecting and reporting data to develop these plans by partnering with adults. Youth: (1) gained skills, experience and confidence needed to emerge as effective leaders of society; (2) partnered with adults in rural communities and worked with diverse community partners; and (3) participated in positive youth development activities during out-of-school time.