Thurston Co. 4-H News

Jennifer E. Hansen, Extension Educator, jhansen6@unl.edu

Sydney Williams, Extension Assistant, sydney.williams@unl.edu

Bobbie Hingst, Office Manager, bhingst2@unl.edu

Email: thurston-county@unl.edu
Website: thurston.unl.edu
Location: 415 Main Street, P.O. Box 665, Pender, NE 68787
Phone: 402-385-6041
Facebook: facebook.com/UNLExtensionThurston/
Twitter: @UNLThurstonCty

Jan 5 - State 4-H Achievement Applications Due

Jan 8 - Thurston County 4-H Council Meeting (6:30 PM @ Fire Hall)

Jan 15 - Office Closed - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

FEBRUARY is 4-H Month!!

Feb 1 - Butter Braid Sales Begin! (Pick up materials at extension office!!)

Feb 6 - NACEB Meeting; Lincoln, NE

Feb 12 - Joint 4-H Council Meeting @ Pender Fire Hall (6:30 PM)

Feb 19 - Office Closed - President's Day

Feb 20 - Thurston Extension Board Meeting @ Extension Office (6:30 PM)

Feb 25 - Thurston 4-H Achievement & Kick Off Party - Pender Lanes (12:00 - 3:00 PM)

March 1 - Thurston County Early Enrollment Incentive Deadline!

March 4 - All Contest Day Registration due by 12:00 PM

March 4 - Butter Braid Sales End - DUE to Extension Office by 4:30 PM!!

March 4 - 4-H Horse Stampede entries DUE

March 9 - DT All Contest Day (Emerson TBA) @ 9:30 AM

March 11 - Thurston County 4-H Council Meeting- 6:30 PM

March 14 - Butter Braid Delivery Date (To the Extension Office)

March 15 - Jarvis Memorial Scholarship Applications Due

March 18-20 - Out of Office; 4-H Spring Training, Lincoln, NE

March 23 - 4-H Horse Stampede; Lincoln, NE

April 8 - Thurston 4-H Council Meeting (6:30 PM) - Pender

April 15-21 - National Volunteer Week

April 20 - DT All Contest Day Rain Date

April 26 - Office Closed - Arbor Day

We recently hired someone for our Office Manager position here in Thurston County! We are super excited to have Bobbie Hingst on board, and we think she will be a great asset to our team! Her first day was on Wednesday, January 3rd. You will hear more about her in next month's newsletter!

Hey High School Age Youth! We are so excited that you are interested in becoming a part of the Nebraska 4-H Youth Leadership Experience Ambassador Team!

As a part of this group, we hope you can be a voice on the youth perspective, develop & practice leadership skills that you can take back to your communities, and collaborate with Extension Staff and 4-Hers across the state to plan & implement a 4-H Youth Leadership Experiences!

The deadline for applications for the Ambassador team is Friday, January 5, 2024!
If selected our first meeting will be Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 4-6pm CT (via Zoom). From there we'll meet monthly to create an amazing experience for you and other high schoolers across the state!

The 4-H Youth Leadership Experiences will be a combination of working with state level 4-H events and contributing with your own leadership ideas across the state.

If you have questions or would like to know more please contact Julie Schultz (jschultz28@unl.edu) or Stacey Keys (stacey.keys@unl.edu)!

We recently received a large variety of seeds. We have vegetables, herbs, flowers, etc. If interested come to the extension office (during work hours 8:30- 4:30 PM) and sort through and take what you want! We have them sorted some already! Call us if you have any questions at 402-385-6041.

These seeds were generously donated by Fleet Farm 🙂

Nebraska 4-H recognizes and awards individuals for outstanding achievements and contributions to their community, club, and their own personal development. Recognition and awards are available throughout all levels and programs of 4-H.

As a reminder, the Nebraska 4-H Senior Achievement Applications are DUE Friday, January 5, 2024. As long as the time stamp comes in no later than 11:59PM CT/MT, it will be accepted. This application enables eligibility for National 4-H Conference in Washington DC in the spring, National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, in the fall, and/or the Nebraska 4-H Foundation Scholarships. More detailed information can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/achievement-application. Dependent on certain scholarships, Lindsay Shearer of the Nebraska 4-H Foundation, may be following up with some applicants to complete additional paperwork.

Thurston County 4-Hers will again have the opportunity to sell Butter Braids this year starting Thursday, February 1st! Members can pick up their fundraising materials starting February 1st from the extension office! (If materials aren't picked up by Wednesday, February 7th, we will mail them to you!)

Online options are available again for 2024.

What is a Butter Braid? A Butter Braid is a frozen pastry dough that you thaw, let rise, bake and frost. It is a mouth watering, delicious, homemade pastry. Butter Braids are available in a variety of flavors. Thurston County 4-Hers will be taking orders from February 1 to March 4, orders will be delivered to the 4-Hers on Thursday March 14th at the Thurston County Extension Office. Proceeds from this fundraiser help fun 4-H activities throughout the year!

It's time to get enrolled in 4-H for the 2024 4-H year! Nebraska is using the same platform as last year! To enroll, visit https://v2.4honline.com/

For returning families: Do Not create a new account; rather use your existing log-in credentials from 4-H online as used in previous years. Find instructions at https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/returning-member

For new families, find instructions here: https://4h.unl.edu/enroll/new-member

Our county has a $5 enrollment fee to be paid by check.

Cloverleaf club members pay your leader. All other clubs and Independent members pay by check to the Thurston County Extension Office.

Please contact us at 402-385-6041 with any enrollment questions!

Anyone who early enrolls into 4-H by March 1, 2024 will receive a reward sponsored by Thurston 4-H Council! This year's prize is a green t-shirt with "Thurston County 4-H" on it. Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity! Click here to get enrolled in 4-H Online today at https://v2.4honline.com/.

We have collectively decided to not have a Beef Weigh - In in 2024. If you would still like to attend a weigh-in, there are surrounding counties that will have them. If you need these dates, please contact the Thurston or Dakota extension offices! Thanks 🙂

Date: Sunday, February 25th

Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Awards Presentation will start promptly at 12:00 pm with pizza and bowling to follow.

Location: Pender Lanes
We are combining our 2023 4-H Achievement Celebration with our 2024 Kick Off Party! On behalf of the 4-H Council, we invite new and returning members and their families. Come enjoy an evening of awards, FREE Bowling and FREE Pizza. Families are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert to share as well!

Get information about 4-H Online enrollment, fundraising for the year, and pickup a copy of the Thurston County 4-H calendar with important dates.

With each new State Fair season, brings new possibilities and opportunities for 4-H families in Nebraska. The opportunity for 4-H to continue having its own weekend allows more flexibility for new events, entry limits, schedules, and space. We want to continue to take advantage of that!

As part of that process, we continue to explore age eligibility requirements for State Fair participation. After garnering user input, researching data from other events/shows/states, and looking that overall impact on youth development, the decision has been made to change the age of eligibility in 2024 to be 8 years of age before January 1 (of the current year) for all in-person State Fair events (livestock, contests, fashion shows) and other state competitions (Fonner Park State 4-H Horse Expo, PASE, communications contest). Note: there will be some events that will maintain their ages due to specific program rules (shooting sports, FIRST LEGO League Challenge, robotics). Please check information on each specific event as it becomes available.

The Special Garden Project is open to all youth of 4-H age and it will give them the opportunity to learn about growing, harvesting, and exhibiting this unique flower. This project lets 4-H members try their hand at growing unusual vegetables and flowers. The project allows experienced 4-H gardeners to grow something fun, new, and different while letting those new to gardening get their feet wet in this project area.

**New for 2024** With the changes to 4-H Online, youth are encouraged to enroll for Horticulture/Plant Science through 4-H Online. Youth will have to reach out to their local Extension Office to sign up and order the seeds. It will be up to the county office to keep track of the youth signed up and share the educational materials including the growing newsletter & evaluation (also in the shared folder on the Special Garden Project website).

The 2024 Special Garden Project will focus on Princess of India Nasturtium. This Victorian-era heirloom flower can be grown in a variety of ways including in containers. It provides a splash of color from its scarlet flowers and much of the plant can be eaten.

More information available at: https://4h.unl.edu/special-gardening-project

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.

The 2024 Nebraska State Fair 4-H Dog Show will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2024. The location will continue to be at the Heartland Event Center (Rally, Showmanship, Obedience, Skillathon) and outside the Big Red Barn (Agility).

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

The contest will be held in Kearney on Saturday, Feb. 17th with the entry deadline being Feb. 5th. All details and entry information can be found using the following link: https://nebraskaclassic.org/winter-edition/judging-contest.php. We look forward to another great contest this year with an outstanding dinner and set of awards to follow!

Save the date for the Animal Science Discover Day at NCTA in Curtis. It will be held on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Registration and more details will be shared after the first of the year!

Application Deadline: February 1, 2024

A Farrowed and Owned Breeding and Market Swine division for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry is available again at the Nebraska State Fair in 2024! The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is designed to enhance the traditional 4-H swine project and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the swine industry by providing opportunities focusing on swine production as a goal of the 4-H member's project, along with accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member. In order to participate, youth must be 4-H age 10-18 as of January 1, 2024, complete YQCA, farrowed their project animal(s) and participate in monthly virtual educational meetings.

Youth participating in the Farrowed and Owned Cohort will:

- Network with 4-H members across the state who are also participating in the cohort experience.

- Participate in learning opportunities hosted by Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote about biosecurity, meat science, economics of raising swine and more.

- The cohort will meet virtually the first Sunday of the month at 7:00 p.m. CT, the months of February, March, April, May and June.

- Gain knowledge related to their project and the swine industry as a whole.

- Maintain records related to swine management and basic care.

- Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at the 2024 Nebraska State Fair with the opportunity for special recognition as a result of participating in the cohort.

Register here by February 1, 2024!

**Optional special virtual education session on farrowing will be held on January 7th, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. Register by January 5th to participate!**

After the registration deadline, youth will receive more detailed information via email. For questions, contact Nebraska Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote at bmote8@unl.edu or 402-310-9878.

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. Juniors, ages 8-9, submit 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.

For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)

The Nebraska 4-H Livestock Information Series is a resource for 4-H members, leaders, and parents to gain knowledge in various livestock-related topic areas. Each session, a new topic is covered with experts joining to share their experience and expertise. Extended learning opportunities and supporting documents are also available for each topic. Learn more at https://4h.unl.edu/livestock-info-series

We are excited to share with you the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Engler Program. Visit the website below to find more information about Engler as well as the scholarship that is available for high school graduating seniors. https://engler.unl.edu

If you have any questions please reach out to Michelle Bassford:

Michelle Bassford, Chief Experience Officer,

Engler Entrepreneurship Program-UNL,

DINS 201AD, Lincoln, NE 68583,

(402) 472-9274, https://engler.unl.edu

The intent of the scholarship is to assist women who live 3 or more hours drive from Lincoln but wish to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Applicant must reside in Love Memorial Cooperative Residence Hall on East Campus.

If you have questions email Gloria Turnbull at gloria.turnbull@windstream.net

Application deadline: postmarked no later than March 15, 2024.

Application can be found here: https://go.unl.edu/jarvismemorial2024

(One $500 Scholarship — Fall 2024/Spring 2025—non renewable)

Who is Eligible?

1. Female born high school graduate (or soon to be) OR a UN-L student who has not resided at Love Memorial Cooperative Residence Hall (LMH) OR an undergraduate transfer student from another college or university pursing any major for an undergraduate or graduate degree.

2. Applicant must be or been a member of 4-H or FCCLA or FFA (minimum of two years) or have taken a minimum of three semesters in Family & Consumer Sciences classes and live in or attend school in the following Nebraska counties: Antelope, Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Boyd, Brown, Cedar, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Custer, Dakota, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dixon, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Grant, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Perkins, Phelps, Pierce, Red Willow, Rock, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thomas, Thurston, Wayne, Wheeler.

3. Must have applied (minimum) or been accepted (preferred) to University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

4. Must have requested residency in Love Memorial Hall, a cooperative residence hall on East Campus. Residents rotate responsibilities for cleaning a portion of the Hall and planning/preparing meals (about 1 hour per week; more time during a week when responsible for food preparation). The cost of living in Love Memorial Hall is less than half of what is charged for all other traditional dorms. Over a four year period this amounts to a savings around $24,000. More information about Love Memorial Hall is found at: https://housing.unl.edu/love-memorial-hall Students may change housing preference by submitting a written request to the Housing Office.

For more information: Web - https://housing.unl.edu;

Phone - (402) 472-3561; Switchboard—800-742-8800; Email: housing@unl.edu