2009 - 2010 Florida 4-H State Council Officers
Meet the officers! Click on the position titles to read a message from each officer.
President
Mr. Sean Russell, Sarasota County
Hey Florida 4-Hers,
I am entering my 9th and final year in 4-H. This year, I have the honor to serve as your Florida 4-H State Council President. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Florida 4-H, I am excited about the incredible opportunity we have to set the precedent for a new century of the Florida 4-H Program. I look forward to working with all of you to ensure a successful future for the Florida 4-H Program.
As president, one of my main goals is to build participation levels at our state events, and continue to develop events and programs that promote 4-H to the public. This year, the Florida 4-H Communications and Council Support Committee will be working on participant recruitment strategies for each state 4-H event, and will dramatically increase the use of technology to educate 4-H members on new opportunities they can get involved in. As the 4-H program and its members are faced with tough economic times, I will be working with my fellow State Council Officers this year to develop a state 4-H events scholarship fund. This fund will allow us to provide financial assistance to youth who otherwise might not be able to attend state events. As a final way to build participation in 4-H events and programs, I have made it a priority to build the leadership potential of younger 4-H members by expanding opportunities for Junior and Intermediate 4-H’ers to participate in state events such as Intermediate State and 4-H Day at the Capital. By training these younger 4-H members, we are truly developing the leaders who will ensure the success of Florida 4-H
As we build the future of Florida 4-H, it has become increasingly important to promote 4-H to the members of our community, and to our government officials. This year I plan to work with the Constitution Committee to build on the success of 4-H Day at the Capitol 2009. Together, the state officers and I have set a goal to have 1,000 4-H’ers converge on our state capitol on April 22nd for 4-H Day at the Capital 2010. Throughout the year, my fellow Council Officers and I will also be working to ensure that local 4-H members maintain constant communication and a working relationship with their local County government officials. Finally, we will reach out to the community with the message of Florida 4-H, through promotional displays and partnerships with community organizations.
As we reflect on the 100th anniversary of Florida 4-H, I feel it is important that we also reflect on 100 years of 4-H members making a difference in the lives of others. That is why I will be working with the State Project com-mittee to launch an all encompassing service project in January 2010, called, “A New Century of Citizenship.” This exciting project will involve 4-H members across the state in efforts that give back to their communities through projects that focus on the concepts of head, heart, hands, and health.
Finally, this year I will be working with the Florida 4-H Ways and Means Committee to strengthen our coun-cil’s fundraising programs. Together, we will work to involve youth in direct fundraising efforts with donors and corporations, as we seek private support to help subsidize the cost of state 4-H events and programs. We will also continue to build on past fundraisers, and create new innovative fundraisers during our events. A final fundraising goal for the year will be to revitalize and increase participation in Change Wars.
Fellow 4-H members, this truly is an incredible time to be a member of the Florida 4-H Program. This year is our chance to ensure a successful future for Florida 4-H. Together, we must enter a new century of youth success with a renewed dedication to, “Making the Best, Better!” I look forward to working with all of you this year. If you have any questions or ever need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’m confident that by working together we can accomplish and even exceed all of our goals this year as we build on the past for a greater tomorrow!
Vice President
Ms. Dominique Meyer, Orange County
Hey Florida 4-H’ers!
My name is Dominique Meyer, and I am your new State Council Vice President! This will be my second year on the council, and I'm very excited to see what more we can accomplish this year.
I’ve been a member of Orange County 4-H for almost ten years, involved primarily with the public speaking, citizenship, and leadership programs. Through 4-H I have had some of the most valuable experiences of my life- both educationally and otherwise, and I am still amazed by the fantastic im-pact this organization has on the youth involved. This year, I encourage every 4-Her to delve deeper into the program and get the most out of everything 4-H has to offer through projects, activities, and events.
In addition to serving as Vice President this year, I have the pleasure of chairing the State Legislature Planning Committee. This will be my third year as a part of the committee, and I know that with a little hard work and a lot of fun, we can make the 2010 Legislature the best yet! One of my main goals for the committee is to increase participation to over 200 attendees. By utilizing advertising oppor-tunities and communication tactics, and by ensuring that the cost of attendance is kept low, I'm positive that this goal will be attainable.
I am committed to helping the Council and the Executive Board achieve their goals and can't wait to get the 2009-2010 year started. Let's finish off the second half of 4-H's Centennial Celebration with a bang!
Secretary
Ms. Katherine Kaultenbauch, Indian River County
I'm Katherine Kaltenbach and I'm your 2009-2010 State Council Secretary! I have been in 4-H for eleven years now as a member of the Indian River County 4-H Horse Masters Club and I have been riding and showing horses for my entire life. I am also on Indian River's County Council, and the District XI Council. I'm very excited to serve you all this year and I so look forward to chairing this years State Projects Committee. Please come to me with any questions, comments or suggestions on what I can do to help make the best better. This year is going to be great!
Treasurer
Ms. Ashley Avant, Osceola County
Hea Floria 4-H'ers:
I am sixteen years old, and this is my 8th year in 4-H. I am from Osceola County which is part of District Eight. My 4-H projects include market steer, community service, public speaking and leadership. For as long as I have been in 4-H, I have tried to help other 4-H'ers at club, county, district, and state levels learn all there is to know about the Florida 4-H Program. I have served as president of my club and county. I have also served as a Florida 4-H Executive Board Member for a year. This year I have the privilege of serving as your 2009-2010 Florida 4-H State Council Treasurer. As treasurer, I will be chairing the Way and Means Committee. One of my main goals for this year is to receive corporate sponsors for the Florida 4-H program. This way we will be able to hopefully cut the cost of state events. I am looking forward to meeting and working with all of you this year! I hope you are as excited as I am about the upcoming 4-H year and our chance to make a positive im-pact on the Florida 4-H Program and on our clubs, communities, county, and world!
Reporter
Mr. Jared Padget, Sarasota County
Hey Florida 4-H,
My name is Jared Padgett and I am proud to serve this year as your State Council Reporter! I am from Sarasota County , I am 16 years old and this is my 9th year in the 4-H Program. In 4-H I am involved in many different project areas including: Steers, Beef Breeding, Goats, Cooking, Judging Events, Public Speaking, and I am very involved in Community Service. I am currently the President of 2 4-H Clubs, the President of Sarasota County, and District 9 Reporter. Outside of 4-H I am in-volved in my high school band.
This year I will be the chair of the Communica-tion and Council Support Committee and the co-chair of the State Project Commit-tee. I have many interesting and exciting ideas for this our InFOURmant this year and I hope you will enjoy them. This Committee will work to get news ideas and will work to help make other 4-H events successful by helping publicize their event to you. We will also be working on creating an online video blog so you can post videos and news articles about what is going on in your counties and districts.
This year I feel we have an awesome council and that we will succeed! If you have any questions or if you would like to submit news articles or photos to the InFOURmant, please contact me at jpcountryboy@verizon.net. This year I am looking forward to making the best even better for Florida 4-H!
Historian
Ms. Rebekah Diaz , Miami-Dade County
My name is Rebekah Diaz, I’m 16 years old, and this is my 10th year in 4-H. I’m from Miami-Dade County which is in District 13. I have served in my club, county, district, and now state level in various leadership posi-tions. When I’ m not doing something 4-H related, I’m dancing around my house, taking pictures of my friends and family, or teaching at my home school enrichment program.
As well as serving as Historian this year, I’ll be chairman of the Congress Commit-tee, where I’ll be working to make the 2009-2010 4-H Congress a great success. I’ll be happy to hear from you if you have any suggestions to make Congress a bigger and better event. I can’t wait to meet my committee and start planning!!!
As Historian, I’m going to need your help getting pictures from your district activi-ties and events as I can’t be everywhere. Please, please e-mail me any pictures you have at either 93rad@bellsouth.net.
Parliamentarian
Ms.Candice Drake, Miami-Dade County
Hey Florida 4-H!
It's Candice Drake, your State Parlia-mentarian! I'm so excited to be serving this year on State Council and can't wait to see what we accomplish to-gether! I'm from Miami Dade county and have been in 4-H for 9 years. I'm sad that this is my last year, but I'm determined to make it the best! This year, I have the privilege of serving as the Chair of 4-H Day at The Capital! My main goal this year is to have 1000 partici-pants at 4-H Day at The Capital! I know we can achieve this goal by working together to make the best better!
Sergeant-at-Arms
Mr. Parker Hudson, Santa Rosa County
Hi I’m Parker Hudson,
I am 17 years old and I have been active in Santa Rosa County 4-H for 12 years. My main project areas are Leadership, Community Service, and Shooting Sports. This is my senior year, and I am a full time student at Pensacola Junior College. My major is Computer Science. My interests are motorcycles, com-puters, and shooting sports. I am very excited to serve as your 2009-2010 Sergeant-at-Arms for Florida 4-H. As the chair of LAW committee this year, I will think out-side the box to make this the best LAW ever.
Parker Hudson
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