February 2024

Polk County 4-H Smore Newsletter

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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FEBRUARY - NEBRASKA 4-H MONTH

3 - Beef Weigh Day 9-10:30 am

20 - Office Closed for President's Day

MARCH

14 - Connect at the Coffee House

APRIL

26 - Office Closed for Arbor Day

29 - 4-H Communications Contest

4-H MONTH

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2024 BEEF WEIGH DAY

ENROLL IN 4-H!

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Enrollment For the 23-24 4-H Year Is Open.

It is time to enroll for the 23-24 4-H year! Log onto your account and 4HOnline 2.0 guides you through the enrollment process.

CLICK HERE TO ENROLL!

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All 4-H Volunteers Need to Enroll for 4-H Too!

All 4-H Volunteers need to re-enroll in 4-HOnline every year. Please make sure your club organizational leaders, 4-H Council Members and anyone who helps in anyway with 4-H in enrolled. You may re-enroll for the 23-24 year now!

CLICK HERE TO ENROLL!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO 4-H'ERS CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS IN FEBRUARY

CONNECT AT THE COFFEE HOUSE

YOUTH QUALITY CARE OF ANIMALS

for all livestock exhibitors

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YQCA is an important part of any livestock project. Learning more about safe and effective ways of caring for your livestock is the aim of YQCA.

IMPORTANT!! Each participant that completes either in-person or online YQCA MUST complete a pre-test and post-test. The system will not mark your session complete or generate your certificate without both tests.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE HELPFUL, SHORT VIDEO TO HELP LOGIN AND COMPLETE YOUR YQCA.

WANT TO GET A HEAD START ON YQCA? USE THE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE BELOW TO BE A YQCA EARLY BIRD!

SAVE THE DATE

4-H Communications Event

SAVE THE DATE

for 4-H Regional Camp

2024 Special Agronomy Project

The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live in. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different. This year, we honor a crop grown in the panhandle!

In the fourth year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore sugar beets! Sugar beets are a major contributor to the U.S. sweetener industry and occur in a vast range of different food products. Be eligible to enter an exhibit at the County and/or State Fair in the agronomy project area.

Enroll for the 2024 Special Agronomy Project through 4-H Online by enrolling in the Agronomy project and contacting your local Nebraska Extension Office to order packets of seeds.

TO REGISTER, CALL THE EXTENSION OFFICE 402-747-2321 BY FEB. 26TH.

For project specifications and details, be sure to go to the Nebraska State Fairbook at https://4hfairbook.unl.edu/fairbookview.php/rules.

STATE FAIR IN-PERSON EVENTS CHANGE

age of eligibility has been lowered to 8

LIVESTOCK ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

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LIVESTOCK ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM 2024

We are excited to announce the fourth year of the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program. This additional opportunity for enrolled livestock project youth, is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition by recognizing youth striving to improve in their livestock project knowledge and leadership.

The program recognizes Members of Excellence across all 4-H livestock project areas, including: beef, sheep, meat goat, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goat, rabbit, and poultry.

The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals. Each accomplishment is worth a specific number of points. Junior 8-9 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, Intermediates, ages 10-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence. Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence. The Plan and Reports, linked on the webpage, show examples of the project related accomplishments they can choose, or they can identify their own with approval of their local educator.

Applications/Sign up are due June 15th through the application form link on the website. Plan and Reports, as well as Project Records will be due August 1 via the completion form on the website.

Youth completing the achievement program and receiving member of excellence recognition in the various species will be recognized during the Parade of Champions, 4-H weekend at the Nebraska State Fair.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

CLICK THE BOTTONS BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO A WORLD OF LEARNING!

Nebraska Extension offers a TON of great resources available online. Now, you can gain knowledge & know-how in many different areas from home. You are one click away from a whole world of learning!