Montana Curriculum Advisory Team (MCAT) 

 

The Montana Curriculum Advisory Team (MCAT) is a statewide committee consisting of agents, 4-H volunteers, 4-H members, and the 4-H center curriculum specialist.  

MCAT meets virtually for an hour on the second Wednesday of each month at 10:00AM, October – May. The committee recognizes that this is during school hours, so youthrepresentatives are not required to attend but are welcome to do so if available. 

MCAT completes the following responsibilities: 

  • Reviews and gathers feedback about 4-H curriculum to ensure high quality, engagement, and relevance of all project and program resources 
  • Adopts, adapts, writes, pilots, and publishes quality curriculum, as used by 4-H youth, volunteers, and families as they complete projects and assume roles in Montana 4-H 
  • Ensures that accessible and differentiated resources are provided in multiple modes, from hard copy project books to online seminars or workshops 
  • Updates and publishes the Clover Montana 4-H Project Selection Guide 

 

MCAT Youth Representative

Responsibilities  

 

MCAT is seeking dedicated, passionate young applicants to serve on the team and ensure strong youth voice in Montana 4-H curriculum. 

The Curriculum Specialist and MCAT Work Group Leads who head specific project reviews will coordinate directly withYouthRepresentatives on an individual basis to meet, seek youth perspectives, and organize youth pilots of project materials. The schedule and time commitment of these meetings and tasks will depend on the project and individual schedules, to ensure both task completion and scheduling flexibility. 

As an MCATYouthRepresentative, you will represent statewide 4-H members and provide youth perspective on Montana 4-H curriculum by completing the following responsibilities: 

  • Attend MCAT Work Group meetings, as scheduled with the Curriculum Specialist and Work Group Leads 
  • Review curricular resources to provide a member perspective 
  • Gather feedback from statewide youth 
  • Participate in curriculum adoptions, adaptations, and creation 
  • Pilot new curriculum to ensure high interest and engagement levels 
  • Provide new ideas for youth engagement and accessibility to resources 

 

Expectations 

 

  • Be a positive role model to and representative of all youth involved in Montana 4‐H 
  • Work with fellow MCAT members to establish and meet team objectives 
  • Be prompt and thoughtful in response to emails and other forms of communication 
  • Engage in a youth‐adult partnership model  
  • Share in the decision-making process, working with the team to plan and implement initiatives 
  • Respect the opinions and work of team members 
  • Be willing to accept and offer constructive criticism in order to meet team objectives 
  • Act as an equal member of MCAT and fulfill all duties agreed upon by the team 
  • Dedicate an average of 3-6 hours per month to project work and curricular updates 

 

Applicant Requirements 

 

  • Must be at least 14 years 4-H age and not older than 18 years 4-H age 
  • Not currently serving as a Montana 4-H State Ambassador Officer nor on the Montana 4-H Council or Montana 4-H Foundation  
  • Must be a 4-H member in their home county for at least three consecutive years 
  • Must be a current member of a Montana 4-H program (club or county) 
  • Each MCAT Youth Representative shall serve a one-year term Oct 1, 2022 to May 2023, with an option to extend involvement pending the status and completion of curricular projects in which they are involved 
  • Must be willing to devote the time necessary to become an effective MCAT Youth Representative (3-6 hours per month) 
  • Must have the approval of your county agent 
  • Preferred: Has a strong interest in pursuing Teaching/Education: *MCAT is willing to coordinate with schools for the youth representative(s) to receive high school credits for project work. 

 

If you are interested in serving on the Montana Curriculum Advisory Team, please complete the application form.