The New York State Young Birders Club (NYSYBC) is a special project of the New York State Ornithological Association (NYSOA).

This club is for birders between the ages of 10 and 19, inclusive.  Club activities include field trips, annual meetings, and other events.  In addition, youth members communicate via this website, a private mailing list, and an online discussion group.

In addition to these club activities, NYSYBC offers its Youth Members the opportunity each year to receive scholarships to help fund attendance at birding and conservation related programs.

While we focus on birding areas in New York State, young birders living in other states are most welcome to join!

Adult volunteers guide and mentor the youth members of the club, provide transportation, and handle the many administrative tasks required to make the club a success and maximize the value of the club to its young members. The safety of our young birders is our top priority at all times.

Member Organizations of NYSOA are invited to become NYSYBC Partner Organizations.  Check our Membership page for more information, or contact us via .

Adults who wish to support the club may join as Supporting Adult members. Check our Membership page for more information, or contact us via .

YOUTH OFFICERS & OTHER YOUTH LEADERS - 2013
UPDATED 3/12/13

Hall of Fame - NYSYBC Leaders

 

ROLES AND ELECTION PROCESS

ELECTED POSTS (one year term)

President: is the club's leader and the "face" of the club to other groups. He or she responsible for correspondence (thank you notes to trip leaders/clubs, general communication with fellow youth members), and publicity. The President also works with the adult advisors on major decisions. He or she presents the year in review report at the annual meeting, and organizes the elections for the next year. The President should be as active as possible in the club, attending field trips regularly and serving as the "head cheerleader."  The President automatically becomes the Past President when a new President has been elected.

Vice President: working with adult advisors, sends out all reminders to members and assists the President.  If the President cannot be at a meeting, the Vice President presides.  The Vice President must be good with details, remembering to remind the members about trip RSVP's, permission forms, scholarship applications, and membership renewals without needing to be reminded him/herself!

Secretary: takes minutes at meetings and provides an electronic version to be distributed to Youth Members. The secretary receives the field trip report after each trip and posts it to mailing lists (listservs). He or she also helps with other internal communications tasks that may arise, working with the other officers and/or adult advisors.

Past President: provides guidance to the newly elected President to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities and is available to the President throughout the year to discuss new ideas or issues that may arise.

OTHER LEADERS

Records Chair: maintains a data base of NYSYBC bird records and creates charts for publication on the club's website.

NEW 2/2/13 Gilded Flickr: Monitors and administers the NYSYBC flickr group, established by Marc Katz in January 2013.

ELECTION PROCESS

Elections are conducted online via secret ballot after the Annual Kickoff Meeting, which is held in January. Youth Members may nominate themselves or other members for any or all of the 3 elected positions. They are also welcome to encourage other members to nominate themselves. The current president will set a deadline to accept nominations, and will confirm nominees' willingness.  Anonymous elections will be held using an online polling service. An adult advisor will run the actual polling after nominations are received.  If individuals are running for multiple offices, each position they are running for will be voted on consecutively (in the order of President, Vice President, and Secretary). Terms have a one year limit, though officers may run for different positions in consecutive years. It is possible to hold the same position more than once, but not in consecutive terms.

If there is a tie for winner among fewer than all the candidates running for any office, there will be a runoff election to determine the winner. For example, if there are 3 candidates and 2 of them tie for the win, there will be a runoff election.

If all candidates running for any office are tied for the win, the winner will be determined by a random selection method that will be communicated at the time that the tie is announced. For example, if 3 candidates run and they all get the same number of votes, the winner will be determined by random selection.

The above provisions for settling ties apply to runoff elections as well as initial votes.