Youth Views BY CHERYL DEATON, CALIFORNIA
When you read this, the judges will have chosen the
winner of the Clarke Cosgrove Memorial Award for
Youth Achievement, but as of now, they are still reading
the nomination letters and making their decisions. The
same can be said of the judges of the Ackerman Essay
Contest, which had a March 15 deadline. Winners will
be announced at the awards banquet during the AIS
National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. I hope
the winners will be able to attend
the banquet to receive their awards.
Watch this space next time for the
winners. I will also hope to publish
the winning essays in a future issue
of the Bulletin.
Currently, we have 447 young
people enrolled in the AIS youth
program. Their involvement runs the
gamut of growing a few irises in a
tiny spot of garden to owning their
own commercial garden. Actually,
Collin Campbell is no longer a youth
member but a fine young man who
has become an adult. But I can brag about him, since
he started his commercial garden while an AIS youth
member! It is amazing what our young people can do
when they get involved with our favorite flower.
Many of our youth members are enrolled in a
“Classroom Iris Program.” In fact, the majority are
enrolled in one, whether it is at an elementary school,
a youth group like the American Heritage Girls, or
another youth organization like 4-H or scouts. Regions
14 and 18 contain the most CIPs, numbering more than
thirteen at last count. I have teachers and other adult
mentors who have youth groups but have not enrolled
in AIS, but I am hoping they will join us someday.
When you think about it, involving a young person
in your local club or neighborhood by helping them to
grow irises helps not only our environment—since irises
are drought tolerant plants—but
also keeps alive our clubs. Many
of our current board members
started out growing irises with
their grandparents, and those fond
memories have kept them involved
with irises to this day. Membership
for youth is only $8 per year without
the Bulletin and $12 with it, one of
the best bargains on the planet!
If you are interested in starting a
CIP, or just want some information
about our youth program, visit the
youth website, AISyouth.com. It
BREAKING NEWS!
Winner of the Clarke
Cosgrove Memorial Award for
Youth Achievement is Hope
Winzer from Region 18.
First runner-up is Glory
Winzer (her younger sister,
also from Region 18), and the
Second runner-up is Katharina
Brase from Region 21.
contains ideas and activities, plus loads of information
about the AIS Youth program. You can also contact me
at region15kids@hotmail.com for information. Won’t you
enroll a young person in AIS and get them started on
a lifelong love affair with our favorite flower? Until we
meet in a garden somewhere, happy irising!
d
These images are from list of "Quantum Leap" tall bearded irises. See full story on page 24.
‘Madre Terra’
(Lorena Montanari 2010, TB) Italy
‘Strawberry Shake’
(Keith Keppel 2012, TB)
16 AIS Bulletin Spring 2018