Hello!

I’m writing a quick post of recent happenings that have been going on…

The first was a national honor. The great people over at National 4-H Council wrote an article on what I have been doing in 4-H with GIS! You can read that HERE. I also heard from them today, that they may be interested in my story for The Revolution of Responsiblity, which would make it go even MORE national!

Speaking of national, I also heard today that I was selected, along with 8 other 4-H youth, to be on the National 4-H Council’s Strategy Focus Group. I don’t have much more information, except it sounds as if we will help refocus and strategize Council’s priorities. Will share more about this later, as the information becomes public.

The fourth is that I’m SUPER busy! I’m currently coordinating the construction of a website that is funded by Reach Out Iowa and ran by the Iowa 4-H Tech Team. I have put many hours into this project, and we haven’t even hired a coder! Some may say that a website is EASY to build, but in reality, a GOOD website takes MANY weeks and maybe even months to build! Hoping to have the site ready for beta at the time that the Iowa 4-H Leader’s Retreat is held, February 11th and 12th. I am hoping to launch this site around April 1st!

Speaking of the Leaders Retreat, I’m on the planning committee for that TOO! I’m gonna help take pictures, be tech support, AND another presentation! I’m presenting on Technology in the 4-H Club meeting. So if you have any ideas, feel free to share them with me – david at runneals dot com

I can’t forget school! I’m going to be starting another ISU class on Monday in Computer Science learning about algorithms and Visual Basic… I imagine this will be MUCH funner then the class I took last year, which I learned MS Office in, what a DRAG! I’m currently looking at taking an online GIS class this summer, which will count as one of the 5 classes required to get a Certificate (I’m hoping, and kinda aiming to get all those classes done by the time I’m a senior in High School, and HOPEFULLY I can get my certificate either right after graduation OR  right around the time I start college!

Some of you are thinking, “REALLY?!? And your HOW OLD?!?!?” – I hear ya! I’ve been REALLY busy trying to keep up myself! Will be REALLY glad when school gets done in a few months, so I can do EVEN MORE with the wonderful 4-H I’ve grown up to LOVE and other projects!!!! (And that answer to that question you asked me, “Yes, Really! And I’m 16 & a Sophomore!”)

I think that is all for now! Hope I haven’t bored you too much. Until next time, D.