4-H News in Keith/Arthur Counties

• 4-H Calendar
• Fair Deadlines
• Save the Dates
• 4-H Fundraiser - Turn in Sales
• 2024-2025 4-H Enrollment
• Be on the Lookout
• 2025 State Fair Livestock Information
• Keith & Arthur County Impact Report
• Arthur 4-H Camp Scholarship
• State 4-H Updates/Events
• State 4-H Summer Camp 2025
• Tractor Safety Training
• Big Red Camps
• Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute
• 4-H Livestock Achievement Program
• Volunteer Recognition Nominations Open
• Innovative Youth Corn Challenge
• Zoom in to CASNR

March 17: Keith 4-H Council Meeting, Roads Department, 5:30 pm

March 18: Youth Programs Summer Sign-Up, Ogallala Auditorium

March 24: Arthur 4-H Council Meeting, Arthur Fairgrounds, 6 pm

March 26: Keith/Arthur Extension Board Meeting, Roads Department, 7 pm

Deadlines:

Here is a little bit information about 4-H deadlines. More information will come out each month as we get closer to the deadlines.

ARTHUR 4-H DEADLINES

June 15: 4-H Online Enrollment, Animal Affidavits due, YQCA certification due

July 1: Fair Forms due

KEITH 4-H DEADLINES

June 15: 4-H Online Enrollment, Animal Affidavits due, YQCA certification due

July 1: Fair Forms due

The 4-H Fundraiser of Baked Goods is over. With the scare of the upcoming storm, you can turn in all sale sheets and money by end of day Wednesday, March 5!

4-H Enrollment for the 2024-2025 year is NOW OPEN! Deadline for 4-H Enrollment will be June 15, 2024.

https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in

Our newsletter is a little bare this month with local information! Be on the lookout for next months 4-H Newsletter and our Facebook page for information on:

• YQCA Training Dates
• Fairbooks - Static & Livestock
• Summer Programs
• Intern Advertisement
• New Webpage

It is time to be thinking of State Fair Livestock requirements!

All livestock in contention to exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair will be required to complete an online nomination with payment through Show Stock Manager and submit a DNA collector envelope with a hair sample. This includes all 4-H and FFA breeding livestock, market livestock, and feeder calves. Each State Fair nomination will be $7.00 per animal in Show Stock Manager. 4-H and FFA livestock nominations are due on June 15, 2025. Show Stock Manager is open for livestock nominations for the 2025 Nebraska State Fair! Website Link: https://showstockmgr.com/

Special Note: For 4-H/FFA families who are planning on nominating the same animals for the NSF and Aksarben Stock Show, obtain your DNA envelopes from the local Extension Office or FFA Advisor. Turn in your completed DNA envelopes to the local Extension Office or FFA Advisor. Submit the DNA payment and complete the online nomination in Show Stock Manager. 4-H/FFA families will only be required to submit DNA and pay once for an animal. After these steps, complete the online nomination process for the Aksarben Stock Show. The Aksarben Stock Nomination online nomination system will be different than Show Stock Manager. Guidance on how to nominate State Fair animals in the Aksarben Stock Show online nomination database will be provided at a later date.

You can click on the image to make it bigger or view it here: https://extension.unl.edu/impact-highlights/

Attention Arthur 4-H'ers - you can submit a camp scholarship to the 4-H Council to help with costs of attending State 4-H Camp. Submit what camp you are attending and a paragraph of why you want to attend the camp. Scholarships are due to the Extension Office or a 4-H Council Member in May. Exact date TBD.

Here is a link about the camps offered from Nebraska 4-H this summer: https://4h.unl.edu/camps-summer Also, see directly below.

The 2025 What’s the Buzz? season of the Nebraska State 4-H Camp will share the importance of pollinators in Nebraska- why they’re important, how they impact agriculture, and what youth can do in their own communities to support the various native pollinators we have in Nebraska. From bees and butterflies to hummingbirds and bats- it’s going to be a week full of learning and fun!

The Nebraska State 4-H Camp is returning to Chadron and Burwell for summer camp 2025! Youth new to camping can attend a shorter camp session designed to let them experience all the best parts of summer camp in a 3 day/2 night session. Choose from one of two 5 day/4 night sessions for youth 10-14 years old and returning this year is the Leaders in Training camp for high school youth 15-17 years old! Campers will focus on developing leadership skills with an opportunity to put those skills into practice by volunteering at one of our other camp sessions!

Registration is now OPEN! More information on sessions, dates, and the link to register can be found at 4h.unl.edu/camp.

REGISTER NOW! 2025 Tractor & Equipment Safety Trainings are scheduled across the state. Certification from this course allows 14- and 15-year-olds to legally drive a tractor and do field work with certain mechanized equipment. Visit go.unmc.edu/tractor-safety-training to learn more!

Certification is earned by completing a two-day certification course, which includes a written test and a driving exam. Successful completion grants NSTMOP certification, allowing them to operate tractors and certain mechanized equipment on farms and ranches, and obtain a husbandry permit. Youth under 14 can attend Day 1 if accompanied by an adult, at no charge.

No Day 1 at your location? You can attend it at another location, or choose the online option!

Registration for Big Red Camps is now open! Big Red Camps are residential career exploration camps for incoming 9th through 12th grade students which provide the opportunity to live on and explore the Nebraska campus, meet people from across the country, spend time investigating an interest or potential career, and have a lot of fun! Participants will work with our university faculty to explore the topic of their particular camp, like animation, fashion entrepreneurship, or engineering. After spending several fun-filled days on campus, participants' families are invited to attend a special capstone event where youth showcase their achievements.

Space is limited, and camps will fill on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please see Big Red Camp Sessions for a list of camps offered this year, descriptions, participant limits, costs, and scholarship opportunities.

NDA OPENS APPLICATION PROCESS FOR 2025 NEBRASKA AG YOUTH INSTITUTE

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has opened the application process for high school juniors and seniors interested in attending the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI). NAYI is one of Nebraska’s biggest agriculture youth outreach events. The five-day program brings together students to network with ag leaders, learn more about the industry, and discover careers available in agriculture. NDA helps sponsor and coordinate NAYI every year. This year’s theme is “Agriculture: It's in our Genes.”

NAYI will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus July 7–11, 2025. Current high school juniors and seniors interested in attending must apply online at: nda.nebraska.gov/nayi/ All applications must be submitted by the April 15, 2025, deadline. NDA selects students to attend NAYI based on their interest in agriculture, leadership skills and involvement.

We are excited to announce the fifth 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 8-10 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, Intermediates, ages 11-13, 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. For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)

Nebraska 4-H is now accepting nominations for a new awards program to recognize the outstanding contributions of 4-H volunteers across the state.

The Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Recognition Awards honors adult and youth volunteers, as well as and multi-generational families, who have provided meaningful contributions to Nebraska 4-H. One Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award and One Emerging Adult Volunteer Award winner will be chosen for each of the state’s 10 Nebraska Extension Engagement zones. Statewide winners will be named in the each of the youth volunteer and multi-generational family categories.

The nomination period runs through March 20, 2025. Nominations can be submitted by any 4-H member, family, supporter, or Extension staff member. Nominees must fit the award categories and can be a volunteer for any Nebraska 4-H experience. Some examples may include 4-H club leader, project leader, junior leader, county or State Fair volunteer, special interest volunteer (such as robotics or shooting sports), afterschool club volunteer or 4-H camp volunteer. More information, along with the nomination form, is available online at: https://4h.unl.edu/volunteer-recognition.

Winners will be announced virtually in April 2025. A special awards presentation will take place at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair.

We are delighted to announce the Innovative Youth Corn Challenge, a prestigious contest open to 4-H members (aged 8 and older as of January 1st) and FFA members (in-school members). This competition is designed to guide participants through a comprehensive exploration of all facets of corn production, including aspects related to agricultural careers associated with corn production.

Key Features:

• Team Participation: Teams comprising two or more youth participants will collaboratively embark on the challenge.

• Innovative Practices: Youth will be tasked with implementing a production practice differing from the norm, with the goal of assessing its impact on increasing corn yield.

• Data Collection: The Corn Challenge management summary will systematically gather crucial information, including yields, cropping history, and production details.

• Recognition and Rewards: Outstanding achievements will be duly rewarded with cash prizes and plaques for the top three teams:

• First Place: $1,000

• Second Place: $500

• Third Place: $250

• Special Awards: In addition to the top rankings, commendable efforts will be acknowledged through the "Extra Mile" and "Ag Literacy" Awards, each carrying a value of $200.

This competition not only fosters a spirit of innovation in corn production but also serves as a platform for recognizing dedication and excellence within the 4-H and FFA communities. We encourage all eligible participants to embrace this opportunity to showcase their skills and contribute to the advancement of agricultural practices. Registration deadline is April 1st.

For detailed guidelines and participation information, please refer to the https://cropwatch.unl.edu/youth/cornchallenge webpage or contact Brandy VanDeWalle at brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu.