This committee's objectives closely parallel the objectives of the Pennsylvania Association of Extension 4-H Agents:

1. to advance the professional status of extension personnel involved in 4-H programs,

2. to encourage and provide for professional improvement of its members, and

3. to increase interest in extension 4-H programming as a career.

Examples of committee action which have met these goals are:

1. Establishment of a Professional Improvement Annual Scholarship Fund (see "Opportunities" section).

2 Panel discussions to facilitate communication and understanding with College of Agricultural Sciences Administrators.

3. Workshops on topics of interest to membership.

4. "Swap Shops" were set up to exchange ideas and promote program development.

5 Involvement in the planning of the annual 4-H in-services.

6. A "Professional Potpourri" at a Fall PAE4-HA Workshop offered members a chance to share ideas with their co-workers on topics such as: Fund Raising, Teen Programming, Coordinating the 4-H Program & Families, Work and Flex Time, Fitting It All Together.

The purpose of the Policy & Resolution Committee is to reviews policies concerning the Association and Association business. The committee members research and discuss policy issues, then make recommendations to the Association's board of directors or membership for their review. Policy decisions are incorporated into the meeting minutes and are also included in the Policy Handbook.

The Policy & Resolution Committee networks with the NAE4-HA Policy & Resolutions Committee and has input to national policies through its linkages to that national committee.

The committee is responsible, in cooperation with the Association's vice president, for ensuring that the Policy Handbook is updated annually.

The committee also serves in a liaison role with extension administration, and annually notifies administration of the accomplishments of Association members at the national level.

Programs Committee

Senior regional directors serve as members of this committee, and the Association's vice president serves as the committee chair.

The vice president assumes responsibility for collecting membership dues and notifies appropriate regional directors if Association members from their region are in arrears.

Accomplishments of this committee include the development of the PAE4-HA Professional Certificate, 4-H Milk Carton templates and other 4-H promotional items, 4-H recognition at a Penn State sporting event, group orders of nametags and Public Relations Corner in the quarterly PAE4-HA Newsletter.

State Level:
New Worker Award-to an outstanding new worker with less than two years experience.

Blue Ribbon Award-for outstanding accomplishments as a youth worker with three to seven years experience. Winner is the state's NAE4-HA ASA nominee.

Clover Award-annually recognizes contributions to 4-H programming by someone who is not a member of PAE4-HA.

Communicator Awards-to recognize and promote excellence in the use of media and other forms of communication.

Retirement Certificate -available to members who have retired from Extension.
National Level:
Distinguished Service Award-or members with seven or more years in extension who have shown excellence in youth programming.

25-Year Award-for members with 25 or more years of service.

American Spirit Award-sponsored by Air Force to encourage programming excellence in leadership and citizenship development.

Responsibility for these awards includes notifying members of awards that are available, selecting recipients, publicizing award winners to the local media and to extension administrators, forwarding correct materials to NAE4-HA or other destinations as needed, and ordering of all certificates and awards materials.

The committee should continue to explore and meet the needs of members regarding recognition and awards.

The purpose of the Diversity Committee is to ensure that diversity is an on-going part of 4-H youth development. Diversity is defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, disability, national origin, race, sexual orientation, religion, veteran status, public assistance status, and other human differences.

This committee has sought to include diversity issues on fall and spring meeting agendas and has coordinated diversity exhibits, resource lists, and workshops.