District 8 4-H Council

The District 8 4-H Youth Development Program provides District 8 4-H Council officers many opportunities to be ambassadors for the 4-H program, practice and share their leadership skills, and assist in making District 8 4-H events run smoothly.  District 8 4-H Council members are held to a high standard of excellence which should be demonstrated by participation in the scheduled events and activities.

 

Required Forms/Information

To be eligible to run for a District 8 4-H Council Office, 4-H members must meet the following requirements:

To be eligible to run for Chairman or 1st Vice Chairman:

  • Must be between the ages of 16 and 18 on August 31st of the calendar year in which they are installed on the Texas 4-H Council.
  • Must be a student in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade for the year serving on Texas 4-H Council.
  • Must register and attend the entire Texas 4-H Council Workshop in July,  in Brownwood.
  • Review the Texas 4-H Council Informational Packet (Informational document, Delegate Information, and Standing Rules).
  • 4-H member, parent and County Extension Agent review and sign the Texas 4-H Council Required Signature Pages. (Membership Requirements, Schedule, FAQs).

Officer Positions Available:

  • Chairman (Must be 16-18 and in grades 10, 11, or 12 on 8/31/2023)
  • 1st Vice Chairman (Must be 16-18 and in grades 10, 11, or 12 on 8/31/2023)
  • Vice-Chairman (8 positions elected)

By Friday, May 24, 2024.

  • SURGE Registration. Register to attend D8 4-H SURGE on 4-H Connect including all necessary payments and forms by Friday, May 21, 2021.
  • Application.  Complete the D8 4-H Council Officer Application on 4-H Connect including required signature forms and photo. (Make it a nice, high quality photo, please! No selfies! It will be printed and shared!)
  • Digital Poster. Email single-slide PowerPoint file to megan.shaffer@ag.tamu.edu as a poster. The slide size should be widescreen (16:9). The intention is for slides to be posted on the D8 4-H website prior to SURGE and will play continuously during SURGE.

Friday, May 31, 2024

  • Interview. Participate in an officer candidate interview with a panel of 2-3 impartial judges, virtually. Business/interview attire is highly recommended.  More details will be sent following receipt of applications.

June 24-27, 2024

  • Attend SURGE.  Attend SURGE at the Courtyard Marriott in New Braunfels, and the Officer Candidate Orientation meeting before camp starts. See camp scheduled for time.  Please do not arrive late.
  • Speech.  Present a speech no more than 3 minutes.
  • Impromptu question.  Following your speech, you will draw a question prompt that you will respond to in front of the SURGE attendees.  You will have 45 seconds to collect your thoughts after drawing the question and up to two minutes for a response.
  • No physical poster will be needed.  Instead, the PowerPoint file will be used. (See above)
  • No handouts, give away items, or other campaign materials will be allowed, i.e. candy, flyers, gum, t-shirts, etc.
  • Elections will be held during SURGE.
  • “Your Turn to Lead!”  You will be assigned to a team with other officer candidates.  As a team you will prepare an ice breaker that you will lead together multiple times at the beginning of SURGE for a group of 15-30 campers. Your email address and phone number will be shared with the other candidates in your assigned team.  Officer candidates are responsible for providing any needed materials or may check with their County Extension Agent or District Office for availability.

Election Scoring Process

  • 20% of the score will be determined from the application received through 4-H Connect. Applications will be reviewed and scored by impartial judges from outside of the district.
  • 20% of the score will be determined from the interview.
  • 60% of the score will be determined from the popular vote casted by voting delegates at SURGE.

During the 2024+2025 4-H Year

The District 8 4-H Council Officer Agreement Form is a list of expectations for the 4-H member’s year as a District Council Officer.  The applicant and the parent must acknowledge the following requirements by initialing (not an x or check mark) each line (in ink; NOT computer generated) and signing at the end of the document. This document will be uploaded onto 4-H Connect during the application process. Agreement Form

  • District Training – (Tentative) Attend D8 4-H Council Officer Retreat on Saturday-Sunday, September 14-15, 2024 from approximately 1 pm on Saturday until 12 noon on Sunday. Expenses during training are covered by Council. Travel expenses are on your own. Mandatory attendance.
    Council Payment – Submit $150 payment to cover supplies that will be needed during your year as a District 8 4-H Council Officer to offset costs associated with Council which include, but not limited to polo shirt, name badge, officer retreat, and SURGE pre-conference planning. This will be due by September 30, 2024.  If this fee will cause an undue hardship for your family, please contact either your County Extension Agent or District 8 4-H Specialist. 
    Event Attendance – Attend events such as Holiday Classic (Nov), Food Show & Food Challenge (Dec), Fashion Show and Consumer Decision Making (March/April), and Roundup (April/May). The months listed are tentative. Dates may change, but expectations do not. Officers will be responsible for any expenses associated with travel to and from these events.  If an officer misses more than two (2) events, he or she will be subject to review by advisors and may not be on the “leadership team” at SURGE.
    SURGE – SURGE (June) is mandatory.  This includes arriving at SURGE the day before campers arrive for final planning and preparation.  Do not run if you know you will not be able to attend SURGE in 2025.  If you have a conflict that arises after election to your position, you must communicate this conflict well in advance with the advisors for a case-by-case approval.  This should be reserved for serious conflicts only.
    Educational Programming – District Council Officers are expected to conduct at least two educational programs in counties other than their home county by April 15, 2025.  If you have a conflict that arises, you must communicate this conflict well in advance with the advisors for a case-by-case approval.  This should be reserved for serious conflicts only.    If this minimum requirement is not met, the officer will NOT be considered part of the “leadership team” at SURGE.
    Preparation for SURGE – District Council Officers are expected to participate in conference calls for preparation and a face-to-face meeting in May/June to prepare.  Officers are expected to provide leadership to SURGE which includes activities such as workshops, vespers, dances, flag ceremonies, helping secure donors, and more.
    Leadership at Texas 4-H Roundup – The District Council Officers (specifically the Vice Chairmen) that are in attendance at Texas 4-H Roundup are expected to provide leadership to District Meetings as well as serve as spirit leaders during evening assemblies.
    Communication and Conflicts – The advisors communicate on a regular basis with all council officer via text message or GroupMe app. Participating in those conversations is imperative. It is most important to communicate ahead of time with advisors if you have a scheduling conflict.  We realize you have multiple obligations and we are much more willing to work with you if conflicts are communicated in a professional and timely manner. Each conflict will be handled on a case-by-case basis if it is communicated in advance.
    Understanding the Requirements – Should I neglect to complete all my required duties, I understand that I will forfeit the opportunity to run for District officer the following year and will be removed from District 8 4-H Council for the current year.  Being removed from District Council includes returning the polo shirt and name badge to the advisors and the member will not be eligible to list membership on the District 8 4-H Council on any applications or serve on the leadership team for SURGE.

Truthfulness and Accuracy of Information – By signing the 2024-2025 District 8 4-H Council Officer Agreement Form, I am certifying that all information provided on the application is truthful and accurate. I understand that I am only able to run for the officer positions that I have indicated on my application. I understand that I am responsible for the requirements listed in this agreement.

 

Officer Report Form

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