Youth Section

The deadline for all Věstník items is 5 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month. Send your news and photos directly to:

SPJST Věstník Editor Melanie Zavodny P.O. Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503 Fax: 254-773-8087 Email: vestnik@spjst.org Questions? Call 800-727-7578

This section is dedicated to the youth of SPJST. As part of its membership benefits, SPJST offers a statewide youth program. If you or someone you know is interested in learning about opportunities offered to young members of SPJST, please contact your local lodge, District Youth Counselor (listed on page 2), or State Fraternal Director at 800-727-7578, or visit www.spjst.org.

HEY YOUTH!HEY YOUTH!

SPJST 2021 District Youth Achievement Days are happening online! NOW NOW

Youth can complete in the district level in Individual and Group Talents, Arts, Crafts, and Public Speaking contests. ANY youth with a current SPJST Life Insurance certificate who has completed kindergarten to incoming high school senior can participate! Get all the details and enter now at www.spjst.org/yad The deadline for entries is June 13. Don’t be late to submit your talents! SPJST households with youth ages 6 to 16 are receiving postcards encouraging all youth to enter Youth Achievement Day. Visit spjst.org/yad for complete details or call the Youth Department 254773-1575.

Lodge 20, Granger Youth Club helps mother lodge get ready to rent hall

SPJST Lodge 20, Granger hall will be open to rent after May 8! The SPJST Float will be among the entries at the Granger Lakefest parade on that Saturday. We are so grateful that we are able to meet again after the pandemic. Hopefully, everything can be back to normal soon. We look forward to Youth Achievement Day (YAD) this summer. James Teague, President and Sterling Marshall, Vice President —SPJST—

Lodge 25, Ennis youth learn “Krasna America”

Dear Readers,

At the National Polka Festival, our youth club will sing several Czech songs Saturday at SPJST Lodge 25, Ennis at 7:30 p.m. Today, Maison, Misty, and I learned Krasna America. I can’t wait to go to the polka festival this year. Fraternally yours, Madison Holland

Red White and Blue Scavenger Hunt

There are two main types of scavenger hunts – a clue based one and a find all the things on this list based one. This scavenger hunt is the latter, and it’s perfect for splitting into teams and keeping people busy while the hot dogs are cooking or people are waiting to watch fireworks.

• Give everyone (or each team) a scavenger hunt card. • Give everyone a pen. • Tell everyone to go try and find all of the items on the list. • If you’re doing this as a competition in teams, send someone with a camera or a phone and have them snap a photo of each of the items on their list to “prove” that they found it. • If you’re doing this with kids, just let them cross things off as they find them. • One thing to note about this scavenger hunt is that many of the things on the list (fireworks, a star, etc.) are left open to interpretation. It doesn’t necessarily say they have to see actual fireworks being shot off – they could see a fireworks table decoration and that counts. • The one rule is that they cannot use the scavenger hunt card itself to mark things off!

Source: https://www.playpartyplan.com/red-whiteand-blue-scavenger-hunt/ —SPJST—

Lodge 48, Beyersville Youth Plant Trees for Earth Day

Lodge 48, Beyersville youth were tasked with planting a tree for Earth Day.

Pictured are Brooke Newsom, Makayla Newsom, Tatiana Poldrack, and Della Miksch. Great job, girls!

—Submitted by Michelle Newsom Youth Leader

Color the Patriotic Picture

All SPJST members ages eight and under can participate. All participants’ names will be entered in a drawing for prizes. All entries will be exhibited at the SPJST Home Office in Temple. Entries must be postmarked by May 31, 2021.

Name ______________________________Age______Name ______________________________Age______ SPJST Lodge No. ___________________________SPJST Lodge No. ___________________________

SPJST Flag Day Contest

What is it?

Each year, SPJST sponsors a Flag Day Contest to promote patriotism and creative writing.

Who can enter?

All SPJST members who are entering kindergarten or age 5 to high school senior. Youth club membership is not required. The age group will be determined by January 1.

2021 Theme

“United We Stand”

The Rules a Write a Flag Day essay or poem with the theme “United We

Stand.” Essay length must be between 150 to 500 words. a Entries must be typed. a Entries must be original and created by the youth member. a Entries become the property of

SPJST and will not be returned. a Entries must include a cover sheet with participant’s name, address, phone number, and lodge number. a Entries must be received by May 31, 2021. a Send entries to:

SPJST State Fraternal Director Frank Horak c/o SPJST Home Office PO Box 100 Temple, Texas 76503-0100 Email: frankh@spjst.com Judging

Entries will be judged by a panel of writing specialists. Judging is based on the entry’s creativity, grammar, and neatness.

Awards

All participants will receive a participation certificate. Youth club members will also receive five* merit points in the Merit Point System. Winning entries will be published in the Veštník.

Grand Prize Winner $100 gift card and winning entry published in the Veštník. (Youth winning grand prize will not receive age category prize.) Age Category Prizes Ages Entering Kindergarten or Age 5 to 8 Years $50 Gift Card Ages 9 to 11 Years $50 Gift Card Ages 12 to 14 Years $50 Gift Card Ages 15 Years to High School Senior $50 Gift Card

Lodge 84, Dallas Proud Granny: That’s My Girl

I am a proud granny! I have four grandchildren, and I love them all in their own unique way. But today, I’d like to say how proud I am of my oldest granddaughter, Kendall Tucker. She is working hard at school and is in the collegiate BTech program which means that she is taking extra courses while attending school and she will an associate’s degree from college prior to graduating from high school.

While maintaining her grades, Kendall served as a manager for the football team. She kept up with water bottles, repairs on the equipment, worked out with the team, and kept up with plays for the coaches. This was lots of work, but she is a very determined young lady. She is working towards getting a scholarship playing softball while going on to finish her schooling. Kendall worked very hard from a young age playing softball and volleyball, but softball is her love. She worked hard on her skills not only through her school years but during summers, too.

This year, as a freshman at “WTW” or W.T. White High School, she was able to walk on to the varsity Lady Longhorn team. Oh, did I mention that’s my old alma mater!

Recently, Kendall was invited to attend a clinic at Texas Rangers Youth Academy. After the clinic was over, they extended her an invitation to try out for the Texas Rangers Youth Academy Softball Team. Tryouts are May 8. When she makes this team, it’s a select team sponsored by Texas Rangers and Demarini which gives each girl free shoes, glove, bat, and helmet. I wish her lots of luck on May 8. I have faith she will do good! If she continues with the program all through high school, there are scouts that work with the girls and help them find scholarships to colleges they want to attend. I know with her strong will and determination so she will go far with her love of the game. Congratulations, Kendall! She is an active lifelong member of Lodge 84, Dallas.

We love you, Kendall! Love, Proud Granny and Papa Vicki and Gene Sims Lodge 84, Dallas —SPJST—

Congratulations to Lodge 84, Dallas Youth Club member Kendall Tucker on her achievements both on and off the softball field. Kendall is excelling in academics, sports, and school and community activities. She is pictured above with her grandmother Vicki Sims of Lodge 84, Dallas.