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Webster County 4-H Newsletter
April 2024 Edition
Happy April!
Spring is here! So many fun things happening in the next upcoming months. Stay tuned!
*Fairbooks are coming soon!!
-Webster 4-H Team
Important Dates & Events
- April 1st: Legacy Leaders 4-H Horse Scholarship Due
- April 5th: Speech/Presentation Contest Registration Deadline
- April 15th: Webster 4-H Open House
- April 15th: Webster 4-H Early Enrollment Deadline
- April 15th: Webster 4-H T-Shirt Sign Up Deadline
- April 15th: Premise ID Numbers Due to Office
- April 18th: PASE Sessions
- April 21st: Webster 4-H Speech & Presentation Contest
- April 25th: PASE Sessions
- April 28th: PASE Sessions
4-H Calendar of Events
Check out what is happening in Webster 4-H and more on this calendar! This will be updated weekly.
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/4-h-calendar-of-events/
Senior Spotlight & Scholarship Winners
Sydney Bartels
School Attended: Silver Lake High School
4-H Projects: Showing horses & cattle, various static exhibits
Favorite Part of 4-H: "My favorite part of 4-H is making new friends and meeting new people who I can constantly learn from."
After Graduation: "I plan to attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney to major in Early Childhood and Elementary Education."
Ashley Bonifas
School Attended: Silver Lake High School
Projects: photography, foods, horticulture, agronomy, range management, home economics, sewing, fashion show, poultry, ice cream roll, speech, and culinary challenge.
Favorite Part of 4-H: "I love that 4-H has helped me to make many connections, build friendships, and learn lifelong skills."
Plans After Graduation: "I plan to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and major in Agribusiness."
Avery Fangmeyer
School Attended: Red Cloud High School
Projects: I have entered projects in many categories such as; fashion, shopping, foods, genealogy, horticulture, floriculture, home environment, child development, veterinary science, photography, and horse.
Favorite Part of 4-H: "My favorite part of being in 4-H is the countless memories and many friendships that I made at Webster County Fair."
Plans After Graduation: "I plan to attend Doane University and major in elementary education and special education."
Riley Funk
School: Lawrence/ Nelson
Projects: Showing Cattle and Lambs
Favorite Part of 4-H: "Meeting new people, showing my animals, and helping people."
Plans After Graduation: "I plan to go to Fort Hays State University to join the show team, undecided on my major. I plan to keep raising and selling my show calves."
Madison Karr
School: Silver Lake High School
Projects: Baking, Home Environment, Heritage, Photography
Favorite Part of 4-H: "The friendships and connections I made along the way"!
Plans After Graduation: Attend UNK and UNMC to receive Bachelors in Nursing.
Keaton Karr
School: Silver Lake High School
Projects: Beef, Heritage
Favorite Part of 4-H: Showing cattle at the Webster County Fair and the Nebraska State Fair.
Plans after Graduation: Attend Concordia University and major in Exercise Science.
Libby Macklin
School: Blue Hill High School
Projects: Horse, dog, rabbit, clothing/modeling, baking, home environment, entomology, music, public speaking.
Favorite part of being in 4-H: "I love the places 4-H has taken me. From Atlanta for the National 4-H Congress to Devner for the National Western Roundup, I've met so many new 4-H friends and have been given the opportunity to do amazing things in 4-H."
Plans After Graduation: "I plan to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to major in the ALEC (Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication) program for Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication. I will also minor in the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program."
Webster County Events
Webster 4-H 2024 Workshops
Webster County 4-H has an incredible line-up of workshops and camps happening for 2024! With that being said, check them out and get registered here before spots are filled! https://www.smore.com/n/sx52h
Spots are filling fast!
YQCA Dates
Please see the picture above of in-person dates of YQCA training. You must pre-register first online. Any youth 4-H ages 8-18 showing livestock such as poultry, rabbit, swine, sheep/goat, and beef are required to complete YQCA by June 15th. You may sign up for an in-person training (you must ask me for a code first) by going here: https://yqcaprogram.org/ If you are unable to attend an in-person training, you may complete online. There will not be any more in-person dates besides this list for Webster County.
Enroll for the 2024 4-H Year!
4-H Online is now open for re-enrollment for the 2024 year! Nebraska has done some updates to the system and the enrollment process should be much simpler for families to enroll. Remember to select your projects you may do in the year. Start enrollment here: https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in
T-Shirt Sign Up
Every year, we ask 4-H members to fill out the t-shirt section on 4-H Online to select your size for county fair. New this year, we are having families fill out this separate survey for to help make our t-shirt order more efficient. If you enroll on 4-H Online and plan to exhibit at the Webster County Fair, please sign up for your t-shirts here. We will not be going off of 4-H Online. Enroll by April 15th for a free Webster County Fair 4-H t-shirt! Enrollments after April 15th will be $10/t-shirt. https://go.unl.edu/tshirtsforcountyfair
Premise ID
4-H Beef Families:
Now that our weigh-dates are complete, it is time to get your Premise ID numbers to the office. With the tags we use (840 EID), the animal that carries that type of tag requires the exhibitor to obtain a Premise ID. The Premise ID does not identify the animal, but instead the location of that animal. Some of you may have one already, and some families are new and won’t have one. It is super easy to get a Premise ID! Once I have this number, I won’t ask for it again, it is a onetime deal.
What is a premise ID? A premises identification number (PIN) is a unique code that is permanently assigned to a single physical location. A premise ID is administered by each state and allows animal health officials to quickly and precisely identify where animals are located in the event of an animal health or food safety emergency.
To get a Premise ID Number:
- Complete the Premises ID Registration Form: https://nda.nebraska.gov/adt/PremisesID-Form.pdf
- Email the completed form to agr.cvi.ne@nebraska.gov
- Or mail to Nebraska Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Protection 301 Centennial Mall South P.O. Box 94787 Lincoln, NE 68509-4787
- If you have any questions, contact Britney Hagood, Animal Disease Traceability Program Manager, at 402-471-6865
Please email Alexa once you have sent the form, so we know the process has started. Please send her your Premise ID number once you receive it so we can add it to the file. Please have this completed by April 15th. Let us know if you have any questions.
PASE Sessions
April PASE practice sessions are set! The Official Contest is Thursday, June 20th and Friday, June 21st on East Campus in Lincoln. Please let Beth know by May 1st of your commitment to participating in the contest(s). Teams will be finalized shortly after May 1st. Each youth must cover the cost of their contest fees of $10.00 per event plus lodging at Massengale Dorms ($25 per night). All fees must be paid by May 15th to the Webster County Youth Council and dropped off at the Webster County Extension Office to be registered. No late payments will be accepted. New for 2024, there will be three age divisions. Juniors are ages 8 to 10, Intermediate are 11 to 13, and Senior is 14 to 15 years old. Please call Beth for more information.
Horse Levels - County Fair
All Horse Levels must be completed by June 15th. Levels are required for Speed and Performance Events. Junior exhibitors must have Level 1 to compete. Intermediates must at least have a level 1 and recommend level 2. Seniors must at least have a level 2, recommend a level 3. Classes that are levels 3 & 4 at the Nebraska State 4-H Horse Show will be dropped one level lower at the Webster County Fair. If exhibitor is only showing halter and/or showmanship, levels are not required.
STATE WIDE EVENTS
Red Letter Days
In addition to Husker Weekday and Saturday visits, Nebraska is excited to offer Red Letter Days and Junior Jumpstart visit experiences in March and April.
Red Letter Days
- Friday, April 12
- Friday, April 26
Register at go.unl.edu/visit
Junior Jumpstart Visit Days
In addition to Husker Weekday and Saturday visits, Nebraska is excited to offer Red Letter Days and Junior Jumpstart visit experiences in March and April.
Junior Jumpstart Visit Days
- Monday, April 8
- Monday, April 22
- Monday, April 29
Register at go.unl.edu/visit
Heavy Equipment Career Exploration
Mark Thursday, June 13, 2024 on your calendar to spend the day in Hastings, NE exploring Heavy Equipment. This opportunity is open to students entering 8th – 12th grade in fall of 2024. Cost is $30 per individual. The registration link will open May 1, 2024 and close Friday, May 31st by 5 pm CT. You will find the registration link at https://go.unl.edu/heavyequipment.
Project Spotlight
We all know about the 4-H livestock, cooking and sewing projects. But with nearly 50 projects to choose from, there are likely some you aren’t familiar with. These five often-overlooked projects offer real-world skills and unique experiences:
https://4h.unl.edu/news/nebraska-4-h-5-underrated-practical-projects
4-H Horse Judging
Please join us for our annual Nebraska 4-H Horse Judging School on April 20, 2024, at the Animal Science Complex on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's East Campus in Lincoln, NE.
This event is for horse show judges, aspiring judges, judging team coaches, and senior age youth! We will have classroom demonstrations and live horse judging.
The main topics covered are Judging 4-H, Rules and Guidelines, Conformation, Ranch Riding and Trail.
Register today! https://cvent.me/MPlM03
Livestock Achievement Program
Through the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement program, youth can receive recognition as Members of Excellence for engaging in various project-related activities. NEW in 2024: Members as young as eight will be able to participate. Applications are due June 15, but why wait? Visit
Registration for the Nebraska 4-H Summer Camp program is now open!
The summer 2024 theme is The Power of Being 🍀 Green. Youth will get to explore and interact with their natural world in six different sessions. Youth will learn how they can use their head, heart, hands, and health to make our natural world a better place for all.
The 2024 sessions offer tailored age cohorts, providing sessions for younger campers between the ages of 8-10, and an older cohort for ages 10-14.
Families can find dates, session summaries, and registration information by visiting https://4h.unl.edu/camps-register.
4-H Summer Camp Looking for Leaders
Make a difference this summer! The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is now hiring Program Staff and Assistants for the 2024 Summer Camp season. Work with youth from across Nebraska helping to build community, teach new skills, and foster a love of the outdoors. Apply today at go.unl.edu/campjob
Lunch & Learn Series
Registration is now open for the 2024 National Volunteer Week Lunch and Learn series. The series is open to all current or prospective volunteers including parents of 4-H youth. The structure of the lunch and learn sessions is a 30-minute presentation and 30 minutes for questions and networking with other volunteers. Join us for great opportunities to build your capacity as a 4-H volunteer and learn new skills to support 4-H experiences locally. Visit https://4h.unl.edu/volunteer-lunch-learn for more information and to register. Registration is free and open until the beginning of each session.
Our office will be closed in observance of Arbor Day on April 26th. 🌳
Happy Birthday to those Celebrating in April! 🎉🎂🥳
Meet Our Team!
Alexa Pedersen
Office Manager
Alexa Pedersen is the Office Manager for the Webster County Extension Office. Alexa provides help in assisting clientele with questions that can be forwarded to a specific educator. She assists educators in programs that are put on in Webster County, such as pesticide training, and beef programs. She also provides knowledge in the 4-H world by helping families with any 4-H questions that come in. She is skillful in 4-H Online, ShoWorks, and helps prepare for 4-H programming, county fair, and state fair. Alexa is also a part of the 4-H Data Dream Team for Nebraska 4-H as well as the State Fair 4-H Beef Team.
Email: alexa.pedersen@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE
Katie Bolte
4-H Programming Assistant
Katie Bolte is the 4-H Programming Assistant for the Webster County Extension Office. Katie is at the extension office on Mondays and Tuesdays. Katie provides programming in school enrichment, after-school programs, and 4-H workshops. She is knowledgeable when answering any 4-H questions that comes in and helps prepare for programs, county fair, and state fair.
Email: katie.bolte@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE
Beth Janning
Beth Janning is a 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator. She provides programming in school enrichment, after-school, and traditional 4-H Programs. Her topic areas include but not limited to animal science, science, engineering and volunteer development.
Photo and Bio from UNL Extension
Email: elizabeth.janning@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 2975 South Baltimore Avenue, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402-461-7209
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE
Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead
Beef Systems Educator, DVM
Lindsay Waechter-Mead is the Beef Systems Educator in Webster County and serves surrounding counties in this region. She is excited to bring her interests surrounding cow/calf health and preventative medicine to the Beef Team. Her current work involves looking at environmental effects on neonatal calf immunity and colostral transfer. She is also passionate about rural agriculture and what the veterinary profession can do to positively influence rural communities to ensure that generations can continue to enjoy the life that she loves.
Email: lindsay.waechter-mead@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746-3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCBeefExtensionUNL