Adult Volunteer Leader Development (Bernalillo County)

April 21, 2008 Jumpstart New Mexico hosted 225 teachers from around New Mexico for a day of training on financial literacy for high school students. I represented Extension and presented the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) high school financial planning program to some 80 teachers. Since that event I have had many teachers follow up with me about getting their school enrolled in the NEFE program.

December 5th -7th I was on the planning committee for the Youth Practitioners summit. I presented a workshop; “Age Appropriate Actives for Mid-High Youth”. Youth program leaders from around the state attended this conference.
Dec.7th and 8th I presented two workshop at the New Mexico Integrated Services in Schools Winter Institute, Positive Youth Development and Engaging the Mid-High Student. 62 participants attended one or both of my presentations.

In April of 2008 urban 4-H began a grant with NMISSI to train afterschool staff at 5 mid-highs. Those schools are; Wilson and Grant mid-school in Albuquerque, Native American Charter School, Laguna mid-school and Gadston mid-school in Anthony New Mexico. Between the months of June and September urban 4-H (Robyn Kelley and Cindy Davies) did training at these sites in; Positive Youth Development, Behavior Management and Age Appropriate Practices and Activity. We have been training consultants for the staff of these out-of-school time programs should they have other training needs.

I again helped with training for the Albuquerque Community Center summer staff training. Some 180+ older teens, college students and adults working in the 28 Albuquerque Community Centers which run summer programs for the children in their neighborhoods. One day of the training I did 4 sessions on "managing challenging behaviors" and another day I did repeat sessions "fun, quick and easy activities to do with a group of kids".
Through out the school year I train and assist Albuquerque community center directors with new staff training and program idea for their afterschool programs. These centers have been very open to 4-H curriculum and programs.

Afterschool Ambassador, 2007-2008
The New Mexico Afterschool Alliance appointed Cindy Davies, Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Agent to take the volunteer position as the NM Afterschool Alliance Ambassador based on her outstanding 4-H afterschool program work. The Afterschool Ambassador works for a year with local and state contacts to build awareness of the need for more quality afterschool programs. Cindy is the first New Mexico 4-H agent to fulfill this important leadership and partnership role for the Afterschool Alliance.
Afterschool Alliance partners include educators, youth, youth advocates, policy makers, faith-based leaders, parents, business leaders, police and prosecutors, entertainers, and others who recognize that afterschool programs are a necessity for healthy communities. The message promoted by the Afterschool Alliance is three fold, 1) to support working families, 2) provides a rich learning environment for children, helping to improve academic achievement, 3) provide a safe place for young people to be afterschool.
Every year the Afterschool Alliance works with afterschool providers throughout New Mexico in supporting their “Lights on Afterschool” events. Lights on Afterschool is a national campaign in October to draw attention to some of the wonderful programs kids participate in after the school day is over. 4-H has long been a leader in positive, experiential learning opportunities for young people. Being a part of such state and national efforts helps promote 4-H and helps the afterschool providers learn what 4-H has to offer.