CENTRAL SANDHILLS AREA 4-H NEWS

Mailing Address: PO Box 148 - Thedford, NE 69166

Email: mandersen16@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/centralsandhills/
Location: 503 Main Street, Thedford, NE, USA
Phone: (308)645-2267
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralsandhillsarea/

NOVEMBER EDITION

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Nebraska Extension in the Central Sandhills

Don't forget to visit our Extension website at:

Nebraska Extension in the Sandhills

PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR NEWS so it can be included in our newsletters! Forward any 4-H news, events, or activities to Marcy at mandersen16@unl.edu

Elijah Wayne Albertus arrived Friday October 28, at 11:32 PM. He weighed 8 lbs and 7 oz and 21 inches long. Both momma and baby are doing well. We are looking forward to meeting him!

The opening date for statewide 4-H enrollment was October 17th. The enrollment process should be the same as what we did this last year. Please note, this year the Nebraska State 4-H Office will impose a statewide enrollment deadline date that will assist counties in having a consistent timeline for processing membership enrollments. Once that date is announced from the State 4-H Office, it will be released from the Extension Office. What does this mean? ENROLL EARLY and don't miss the statewide deadline to be a Nebraska 4-H member!

All leaders and volunteers also need to be enrolled on 4honline. There is no fee for adults to enroll. Our counties will be up for rescreening this year as well. I will release more information as we get it. This is also the year that all volunteers in our 4 counties will need to be screened through the DHHS. Call the office if you need more information.

News Release from the State Office:

"On behalf of the Nebraska 4-H Foundation, and Nebraska Extension 4-H Youth Development, we want to express our deep gratitude for the immediate response of the hundreds of staff and volunteers locally and beyond to the Bovee fire on October 2, 2022.

We invite the firefighters and first responders from throughout the Sandhills community and all who have been friends of the Nebraska 4-H Camp, to join us on Sunday, November 6, 2022, to recognize the contributions of so many and honor the community that has been an incredible partner to the Nebraska 4-H Camp for more than 60 years.

We will be hosting an Appreciation BBQ at Sandhills High School, 107 Gandy Ave, Dunning NE, from 12:00-3:00pm, with remarks scheduled for 2:00 pm."

For more info visit https://4h.unl.edu/bovee-fire.

November is here and with it comes Veterans Day. The 11th day of November is dedicated to all veterans who have served their country honorably during war or peacetime. One of the four Hs in 4-H stands for hands, and as some may know we 4-Hers pledge our hands to service. Service is something near and dear to many of our hearts. We respect and honor the sacrifices our military, firefighters, EMTS, and police make every day to keep us safe. Our 4-H program honors these people with programs like the Quilts of Valor.

Quilts of Valor is a statewide community service project that involves creating and donating quilts to the service men and women who are protecting our country and who are "touched by war." The quilts are collected and given through the Quilts of Valor Foundation or through direct donation to community members. These quilts can be completed by 4-H members and volunteers working alone or in groups to make the quilts. Donations of fabric, batting or machine-quilting may be located in order to complete the project. Service organizations or other donors in the community may help provide funds for the Quilt of Valor.

This service project is one that has really taken off in areas surrounding our four counties. Quilts of Valor are amazing service projects that allow our youth to get to know service members in their area. It also teaches our youth the value of civic engagement and service to a cause larger than themselves. Quilting is a fantastic skill to learn and share with others. It is also challenging work and takes time. Our youth can benefit from seeing their challenging work go to deserving people in their community.

If your 4-Her or 4-H club is interested in the Quilts of Valor project, and you want more information, please contact the 4-H Assistant Shaniya at s.albertus@unl.edu. You can also find more information on the Quilts of Valor guidelines at go.unl.edu/quiltsofvalor. We cannot provide these project opportunities without amazing volunteers from our communities. If you are willing to share your knowledge of quilting with the youth in your community, please contact your extension office today! We would love to set up workshops with our local youth.

Lincoln, Neb. —Nebraska 4-H, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Animal Science, offered the fifth year of the Nebraska 4-H Fed Steer Challenge in 2022.

The Fed Steer Challenge cultivates the next generation of leaders in the Nebraska cattle industry by providing youth real-world opportunities in the beef sector. This challenge enhances the educational value of traditional 4-H beef projects and provides affordable options to reward production merit and market animal carcass value; accurate and complete record keeping practices; industry and research knowledge; and producer engagement with the 4-H member.

The youth selected, purchased, exhibited, harvested, and analyzed carcass data on a steer while networking with industry professionals. Additionally, working as a learning cohort, they participated in monthly educational opportunities led by industry professionals and Animal Science faculty.

Alongside these youth, large crowds at the Nebraska State Fair receive expert instruction from a commercial cattle buyer about sorting and evaluating steers. This exemplifies real-world industry standards of carcass merit, grade-ability, and finish. Unanimously, the youth participants agree the Fed Steer Challenge helped them gain valuable knowledge regarding the beef industry - namely, how to feed a market animal more efficiently. Because of their program involvement, these youth plan to stay in the cattle industry to become future beef industry advocates.

The 2022 Nebraska participants included: Claire Ahrens, Sherman County, Pleasanton FFA ; Leah Christen, Pawnee County, Lewiston FFA; Abigail Gorecki, Buffalo County; Nathan Gorecki, Buffalo County; Eldon Haack, Franklin County, Franklin FFA; Jaleigh Hallsted, Cuming County, Wisner-Pilger FFA; Madison Hirschman, Howard County, St. Paul FFA; Cassidy Maricle, Boone County, Boone Central FFA; Klaira Rasmussen, Howard County; Nickolas Rohr, Frontier County, Cambridge FFA; Conner Snyder, Frontier County, McCook FFA; Treygan Srajhans, Fillmore County, Fillmore Central FFA; Noah Summers, Buffalo County, Shelton FFA; Skyler Summers, Buffalo County, Shelton FFA. Winners in each category were:

Growth Performance:

• First Place: Connor Snyder
• Second Place: Madison Hirschman
• Third Place: Claire Ahrens

Carcass Merit

• First Place: Connor Snyder
• Second Place: Eldon Haack
• Third Place: Noah Summers

Record Book:

• First Place: Jaleigh Hallsted
• Second Place: Conner Snyder
• Third Place: Claire Ahrens

Industry Interview

• First Place: Madison Hirschman
• Second Place: Jaleigh Hallsted & Skyler Summers
• Third Place: Conner Snyder

Overall Winners:

• First Place: Conner Snyder
• Second Place: Jaleigh Hallsted
• Third Place: Claire Ahrens
• Fourth Place: Madison Hirschman
• Fifth Place: Skyler Summers

The winners of each award category receive cash prizes and the overall winners each will win a cash award as well as a $500 scholarship to Nebraska’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

To learn more about the fed steer challenge, visit: https://4h.unl.edu/fed-steer-challenge

The Nebraska Association of Fair Managers will award a $500 scholarship to one qualifying 4-H male and a $500 scholarship to one qualifying 4-H female who are graduating seniors in the State of Nebraska and who plan to continue with post high school education. The scholarship will be awarded at the annual NAFM convention in January.

The selection of the scholarship recipients will be made by the NAFM Scholarship Committee whose members will consider the following:

1. Each applicant must have exhibited his/her 4-H projects in a County Fair or at the State Fair within the last four years.

2. Each applicant must hold a 2.5 high school grade point average (based on a 4.0 system). Each applicant must also maintain a 2.5 grade point average for the first semester in college and carry at least 12 credit hours.

3. Each applicant must agree to apply the scholarship funds for tuition or fees at a two or four year college or its equivalent, to be judged by the committee.

4. Each applicant must have demonstrated support for his/her school and community.

5. Each applicant must exhibit during the application process a desire to achieve the goals of which he/she is capable.

6. Financial need will not be considered in the selection process.

7. One male and/or female finalist will be selected by the 4-H award committee in each local Extension Office.

8. Recipients are requested to personally accept the award at the Nebraska Fair Managers Convention.

Scholarship Application

• All 4-H volunteers leading a Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports program must attend a Leader Certification Workshop, and there happens to be some coming up this fall! Visit events.unl.edu/NE4H-Shooting-Sports to see all the upcoming workshops. Learn more about leader certification at 4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports-leaders.

• The Hixson Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts is now accepting applications for Nebraska Young Artist Awards! This program recognizes high school juniors who demonstrate talent in arts, music, dance, theatre, film, or emerging media. Award recipients are invited to a special campus visit that includes an awards ceremony, activities, career exploration, and networking. Learn more at arts.unl.edu/hlfpa/Nebraska-young-artist-awards.

Hooker and Thomas Counties will be looking for a robotics leader for the coming 4-H year. If you have any questions please call the Central Sandhills Extension Office at 308-645-2267.