OHIO-BIRDS Archives

October 2008

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From:
Kimberly Kaufman <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Mon, 6 Oct 2008 12:16:14 EDT
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We'd like  to thank everyone who traveled to Funk Bottoms WA and the Chestnut 
Ridge Elementary  School in Walnut  Creek on Saturday and Sunday to take part 
in the 2nd  Annual Ohio Young Birders Club (OYBC) Conference.   
This  conference was a landmark event.  To  our knowledge, no other event has 
ever brought this many young birders together  at once.  No wonder the 
American  Birding Association (ABA) sent its Education Manager, Steve Carbol, to the 
 Conference to take notes!  We will  be working closely with Steve and the 
ABA to expand youth programs like the OYBC  across the country! Yes indeed, Ohio 
is setting a trend!  
When you’re  planning an event like this one, you do your best to bring in 
really top-notch  speakers.  While planning last  year’s first annual 
conference, the adults on the planning committee were  tossing out names like Kaufman, 
Sibley, Howell, and Dunn as potential  speakers.  BUT -- our six member  youth 
advisory panel (another trend that we’re setting) gave us a total shock  when, 
one by one, they volunteered to give presentations. As a result, an event  
like no other was born.  While there  are other organizations that offer 
programs and activities specifically for  young birders, we know of no other event 
where all of the presentations are  given by the young birders themselves!  
While the  conference title may have been misleading, this event was not just 
for young  people.  In fact, roughly half of  the 120+ participants would 
fall into the “the young at heart” category.  For those of us in that age brac
ket, the  event was particularly inspiring and, for some, perhaps, a bit of an 
eye-opener  as well.   We suspect that most  adults attending did so in an 
effort to show their support for young birders,  out of a sense of curiosity, or, 
let’s face it, to eat the Amish noodles served  for lunch!   But, one thing  
we've learned while coordinating the OYBC, is that you should never  
underestimate young people.  Anyone  who has spent time with kids, especially outdoors, 
understands and appreciates  their capacity to learn.  But, by  the end of the 
presentations on Saturday afternoon, the entire audience came  away with a 
much greater awareness and appreciation for their capacity to  teach as well.  
To our  speakers: Auriel Van Der Laar, 18; Bret McCarty, 15; Jared Merriman, 
18; Jacob  Bowman, 17; Brad Wilkinson, 17; Ethan Kistler, 18; and our keynote 
speaker, Hope  Batcheller, 16, from Rochester New York, thank you all for your 
phenomenal  presentations. To our Master of Ceremonies,  Ben Thornton, 14, 
and Lukas Padegimas, 15 1/2, who assisted with the photo ID  quiz, thank you for 
being brave and doing such a great  job!  
You have set  the bar very high for next year's event!  
This event  would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors, 
our partners,  and the hard work and talents of many volunteers.  We extend 
our sincere gratitude  to Jeff Bouton and Leica Sport Optics, Robert 
Hershberger and Time  & Optics LTD., Bill Thompson III and Bird Watcher's Digest, and 
the Ohio  Division of Wildlife, for leading the way with their generous support. 
 The  conference was also made possible by a grant from the Ohio EPA's 
Environmental  Education Fund.   An additional shout-out to our 21 partnering 
organizations for their  help in planning and promoting the event, and for helping 
us reach young people  across the state and getting them out into some of Ohio’
s fabulous wild  places.  For a complete list of our  partners and conference 
sponsors, visit _www.ohioyoungbirders.org_ (http://www.ohioyoungbirders.org) . 
  
And finally, thank you to the Black Swamp Bird  Observatory Board of 
Directors, for believing in the value of this program! 
If you missed  this year's conference and would like to learn a bit more 
about what it's all  about -- check out Jim McCormac’s blog at  _Click here: Ohio  
Birds and Biodiversity_ (http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/)   visit the OYBC  
website at _www.ohioyoungbirders.org_ (http://www.ohioyoungbirders.org/)   and 
 watch for coverage of the event on an upcoming episode of Wild Ohio, 
produced by  the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW).  
Mark your  calendars now for next year’s OYBC Conference on November 14 & 15. 
  
Sincerely, 
The Ohio Young  Birders Club Team --  
Kim & Kenn  Kaufman 
Delores  Cole 
John Sawvel   



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