April 2008 Issue

Greetings Grange Youth! I hope you are planning a great Grange Youth Month! This month provides an opportune time to celebrate the accomplishments of the youth program with youth themed meetings and events. If your Grange hosts a youth activity, please pass it along so we can promote it through the newsletter, The New Grange, and on the National Youth Website.

While for the time being I have named this newsletter “The Cultivator” however I am open to ideas. The name was selected because of the mission of the Youth Program to cultivate the Grange leaders of today and tomorrow. If you have a better suggestion for a name, please let me know. I would love to hear it.

I would like to extend congratulations to Emily Thomas of Albany, N.Y. for completing the Gold level of the ITSPY ( Ireland, Trimble, Thompson and Saunders) Achievement Award. The gold level of the award is achieved by developing a brochure, table tent card or display for your Grange or by developing Website or PowerPoint presentation promoting your Grange. Emily completed the award by designing a website for the Bethlehem Junior Grange. The website is: www.bethlehemjrgrange.wetpaint.com.

Keep those Achievement Awards coming! I enjoy seeing what you have been working on

While the deadlines for competing in the National Grange Youth Contests seem far off, I like to encourage Grange youth to start looking at the contests in order to get things completed by the stated deadlines. All of the information is located on the National Grange Youth Website (www.nationalgrangeyouth.org) under the programs tab. Also, all Grange youth who complete all levels of one Achievement Award will also be recognized. The Achievement Awards are listed under the awards tab.

Ever wonder what it would be like to march into the National Grange Session, wearing one of the National Officer sashes and represent your state? If so, the National Grange Youth Officer Team is for you.

On Friday morning of the National Session, a full youth officer team will present an opening/ seating drill, open the session, present honored guests and end with a closing drill. All speaking parts must be memorized. To compete, applicants must be between the ages of 14 and not older than 29 by national session. Other qualification highlights include earning a minimum of two achievement awards between Aug. 31, 2007 and Sept. 1, 2008 and a letter of recommendation from a member of their local Grange. However, if you are participating in the Horizon Leadership Program or the John Trimble Youth Legislative Experience you will not be eligible for the National Youth Officer Team.

For the full rules, application and a copy of the Frances McDowell Trivia and Current Events Achievement Award go to: http://www.nationalgrangeyouth.org/Programs/programs_ngyot.htm.

Youth Idea of the Month: QuakerValleyHigh School Senior Raised Money in Memory of a Grange Friend

Brittany Hetzell of Sewickley, Pa. is a senior at Quaker Valley High School. She is a Youth Member of Mt. Nebo Grange and attend both Pennsylvania Junior and Youth Camps throughout the years.

Through her participation in Grange Camps, she met and became very close friends with Jonathan Sattazahn, another Youth Grange member from Berks County. Unfortunately, Jonathan passed away on Oct. 18, 2007 as a result of a vehicle crash while on his way to work.

Jonathan had been extremely active in both Junior and Youth Grange camps over the years and had served as the 2004-2005 Pennsylvania State Grange Junior Prince while Brittany was the Junior Princess. He also served as a Youth Ambassador from 2006-2007. He loved attending camp every year and renewing his friendships with other young Grangers from around the state.

As part of her graduation project, Brittany is writing an informational paper on the Grange and has decided to raise funds for the Pennsylvania State Junior Grange Camp in Jonathan's name. The fundraiser was a Walk-a-Thon at the Quaker Valley High School track on April 5. All proceeds will be presented to Pennsylvania State Grange Junior Grange Directors Janet and Michael Pratt for use at this summer’s Junior Grange Camp.

Have an great youth idea or story? Other Grangers would love to hear it, e-mail your Youth ideas to me at youth@nationagrange.org

Once challenge issued to me by National Master Ed Luttrell was to organize an official home for the National Grange Youth on both Facebook and MySpace. While I have officially registered on both sites, I need some help to design and organize the official sites. I am looking for someone who is more technologically savvy to assist me with their design and use. My goal is to have a site that is professional looking for both our members and others who might visit.

Once online, we will use the site as an additional link-up to Youth information and the latest newsletters.

Anyone interested can e-mail me or contact me by phone at (717) 361-2844. Please call before 10 p.m. EST.

The goal of the site is to provide an official location for Grange Youth discussions to take place.

I will close for this month. I hope to hear from you all in the near future. Also keep posted for upcoming Youth events. In the near future I hope to host a Teamspeak teleconference. I will be speaking with the National Youth Committee this month to start organizing a schedule.

Until our paths meet again. Take care, have fun and see you at an upcoming regional youth conference.

Fraternally Yours in Grange,

Charlene

Charlene M. Shupp Espenshade

National Grange Youth Director