April 15 -- On-line web registration for Galaxy III Conference will open via Purdue University Division of Conferences. Registration fees for Galaxy III will be $395 from April 15-June 15.

Fees will increase to $495 from June 16-August 15. Hotel reservations are required in order to register at this cost. Designated hotels by association are:

Marriott – ANREP; NAE4-HA
Hyatt – ESP; NACDEP
Westin – NACAA; NEAFCS

The Call for Volunteers is also available on the Website. August 15 is the registration deadline for volunteers—needed for many activities! --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu

HOW DO WE GROW 4-H?
As announced at the January Partnership Meetings, a unique opportunity awaits you when, as a system, we take a look at "How Do We Grow 4-H?" on April 23 in Great Bend.

You may be wondering what is this all about and why is this considered a unique opportunity for you? Why should you want to come? The topic for the day focuses on the future of a viable Kansas 4-H Youth Development Program. A viable program is one that is vibrant and growing. A viable program turns trends statewide to where a growing number of youth are engaged in the experiences brought forth through 4-H that are shown to increase capacity in citizenship, leadership and life skills as they become young adults in our society.

To prepare for this meeting, you are encouraged to review information posted on the website,  www.kansas4h.org/events/GROW , which includes Census Data for Kansas (and your specific county), Kansas 4-H Statistical Reports (2003-06), a summary of the 2006-07 Kansas 4-H Delivery Mode Enrollment and an invitation letter as well as a flyer.

You may also want to review the enrollment data for the past 10 years in your county/district so as to assess trends that your program has been experiencing.

Open Space Meeting Technology will be used for this gathering of extension professionals. Some of you may recall that this technology was used at the September 2003 Kansas 4-H Camp Meeting at Rock Springs. You will be engaged in large group and small group discussions. At an open space meeting, every issue of concern to anybody will have been raised, if they took responsibility for doing that. All issues will have received full discussion, to the extent desired. Summarizing and agreeing to next steps will follow the open space meeting.

Daryl Buchholz has put this on his calendar as a priority. In fact, Daryl will serve as the facilitator for the meeting.

A number of key partners have a passion for the future of the 4-H program and want to see it grow because it provides experiences to develop capacities of young people. From their perspective of successful business owners or CEOs of successful corporations in the competitive marketplace, if their business or company isn't growing, it is dying. Transferring that perspective to the Kansas 4-H program --- in the competitive marketplace of youth development, if our 4-H program is not growing, it is dying.

Important details for you to know: "How do we Grow 4-H?", Wednesday, April 23, at the Highland Hotel & Convention Center in Great Bend. Gathering at 9:30 a.m., the meeting will take place from 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. On-line registration available at www.kansas4h.org   is open until April 15th, with a $10 registration fee (includes lunch). A block of rooms at the Highland Hotel for April 22nd will be held until April 1, with a rate of $60 per room (no matter the number of occupants in the room); 620-792-2431 or 1-866-212-7122.

See you there! --Pat McNally pmcnally@oznet.ksu.edu

4TH ANNUAL HEALTHFEST! - APRIL 18-19 AT ROCK SPRINGS 4-H CENTER
HealthFest is an opportunity for teens and adults to learn health promotion skills, be active and have some fun in the great outdoors of the Rock Springs 4-H Center.

HEALTHFEST - HEALTH ROCKS! (Teens)
This year, HealthFest! will feature the National 4-H Council's "Health Rocks" health promotion leadership program which prepares teens to teach others to make healthy lifestyle choices. Health Rocks training is fun, active, and informative. Teams of 2-3 teens and adult sponsor are encouraged to attend. Health Rocks training begins Friday, April 18, at 4 p.m. and ends 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 19. Overnight stay, meals and materials costs is $80/person. Registrations should be made through the Kansas 4-H online registration not later than April 4.

Register at www.kansas4h.org , or call Robin Curry, Kansas 4-H, 785-532-5800 or Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu , 785-532-2770.

HEALTHFEST! - YOU and YOUR COMMUNITY (Adults)
For adults, HealthFest! offers sessions in

a) Communication/marketing for small towns with Ron Wilson and Linda Craghead (Friday), and

b) The health impact of our friends, family and co-workers with Dr. Jared Anderson, K-State School of Family Studies and Human Services (Saturday).

The sessions begin at 4 p.m., Friday, April 18, with physical activity and concludes Saturday, April 19, by 2 p.m. with Celebration.

Overnight stay, meals and materials costs $80/person. Registrations should be made through the Kansas 4-H online registration not later than April 4.

Register at: www.kansas4h.org , or call Robin Curry, Kansas 4-H, 785-532-5800; or Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu , 785-532-2770.

HEALTHFEST! - EVERYONE GET ACTIVE!
An added benefit is physical activity sessions for all HealthFest celebrants with Dr. Gayle Doll, K-State Center on Aging (Saturday).

HealthFest dress is casual and fun is expected. Invite your friends and join us at Rock Springs, April 18-19!

For more information, contact:

Elaine Johannes, 785-532-7720, ejohanne@ksu.edu
Connie Hoch, 785-532-5840, choch@ksu.edu
Carol Fink, 785-532-5800, cfink@ksu.edu

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY LOANS AND GRANTS
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer recently announced that USDA will accept $220.9 million in loan and grant applications within USDA's Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program.

USDA Rural Development State Director Chuck Banks commented, "USDA's energy programs offer Kansas farmers and ranchers, along with rural business owners and public entities, the opportunity to receive funding assistance to harness the untapped renewable energy resources and achieve greater energy efficiency.

USDA will issue one grant solicitation for two separate competitions in FY 2008. For the first competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no later than April 15, 2008. For the second competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no earlier than April 16, 2008, and no later than June 16, 2008. Applications for loan guarantees, as well as those for loan/grant combinations must be completed and submitted to the appropriate USDA Rural Development State Office no later than June 16, 2008.

The Program's funding can support a wide range of technologies encompassing biomass (including anaerobic digesters), geothermal, hydrogen, solar, and wind energy, as well as energy efficiency improvements.

Under the Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Program (Section 9006), the maximum amount of a loan guarantee made to a borrower is $10 million. For renewable energy systems, the minimum grant request is $2,500 and the maximum is $500,000. For energy efficiency improvements, the minimum grant request is $1,500 and the maximum is $250,000.

Grant funds under the Program will not exceed 25 percent of the total eligible project costs. A combination of 9006 grants and 9006 guaranteed loans will not exceed 50 percent of the total eligible project costs. Other USDA Rural Development funds may be available to assist with the balance of the funding.

Individuals who have an interest in USDA Rural Development programs may contact the USDA Rural Development State Office in Topeka at 785-271-2736 or e-mail David Kramer at david.kramer@ks.usda.gov .  --Steven M. Graham sgraham@k-state.edu

DISCOVERING THE LEADER WITHIN YOU - THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE WORKSHOP
Explore your leadership style, strengths, and challenge areas by attending this in-depth leadership development workshop sponsored by the Leadership Program Focus Team. The workshop resource will be The Leadership Practices Inventory, by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.  Based on more than 25 years of research of leadership study, it has also been used as the leadership framework for many of the North Central NELD classes.  The facilitator/coach will be Susan Halbert of Susan Halbert Consulting. The workshop approaches leadership as a measurable, learnable, and teachable set of behaviors and will help you increase your capacity for these skills. This 360-degree leadership assessment tool will help individuals measure their leadership competencies, while guiding them through the process of applying Kouzes' and Posner's acclaimed Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model to real-life organizational challenges.

The workshop will be October 7-9, 2008 at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, Wichita. Registration is $200 per person and includes an on-line assessment, individualized analysis, workshop materials, breaks, and two meals. Additional information on the workshop can be found on the Employee Resources web site at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/Employee_Resources/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=206 .

This workshop is designed for those Extension professionals with three or more years experience. Registration is limited to 25 participants on a first-come, first-serve basis. --Jodi Besthorn Besthorn@ksu.edu

MARIE'S PICK OF THE WEEK
While reviewing the 2007 Project Accomplishments for items that are especially effective at helping us understand how our work can be highlighted to share outcomes, impacts, success stories, and public value, this week my picks were reported by Jeff Davidson.

There was no cattle gain difference in patch burn vs. complete burn of the Bressner pastures. Although it will require years before we know the effect of this system, a reduction in the annual burned acreage is thereby mitigating the smoke issue that the Kansas City area has with the Flint Hills each spring. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMUNITY CAPITALS
The Community and Economic Development Focus Team (CED PFT) recently met for a two-day retreat in Lindsborg and Salina. The meeting garnered much thought, discussion, and great enthusiasm. We are excited with our charge to lead professional development in Community and Economic Development for K-State Extension.

In the course of our discussions, we asked ourselves, "What would professional development look like for KSRE Community and Economic Development if we got it right?" Here, I will interject my own thoughts. In a perfect world, every Extension professional knows that what he or she does, on a daily basis, is community and economic development. A great book for helping us understand this is Flora, Flora and Fey's book, Rural Communities: Legacy and Change. In the book, the authors explore the "Community Capitals," to understand how communities function. The capitals, then, become a framework for addressing community development.

We will use this venue for the next several weeks to discuss the Community Capitals so that you may see where you fit into the context of community and economic development. We will also keep you informed of any future CED opportunities.

There are seven (7) Community Capitals: natural, cultural, human, social (my favorite), political, financial, and built. First, let us discuss, Natural Capital. It is what occurs naturally in your community such as air quality, water quality, land, water, biodiversity, scenery, and other natural resources. Many communities use their natural capital as a source of economic development. Barton County draws people who like the outdoors with its wetlands, Cheyenne Bottoms, for example. I know migrating birds certainly like the Bottoms, which brings people to see the many species of feathered flight, and the visitors (human) spend money while in the area. Think of what great natural capital that the Konza Prairie offers our great state!

It falls upon a community, state, or nation to preserve, restore, enhance, and/or conserve its natural capital especially where any CED efforts are concerned. Those actions come through awareness, planning, advocacy, and policy changes. A little financial investment may be needed, too. A healthy ecosystem has many benefits for a community’s residents. Think of what those benefits may be. Think about the natural capital in your community.

Next time, we will discuss Cultural Capital. --Debra Bolton, CED/PFT member dbolton@ksu.edu