Dawes County 4-H Newsletter
August 2022
Newsletter Contents
- 4-H Calendar
- THANK YOU!
- Fair Photos & Results
- Frequently Asked Post Fair Questions
- Care to Share Form
- State Fair Qualifiers
- County Fair Champion Winners
- State Fair Entry Deadline - AUGUST 10
- Special Nominations Needed
- 4-H Council
- Achievement Application
- Diamond Clover
- Club of Excellence
- Dawes 4-H Foundation Scholarship
August 15: 4-H Council Meeting, Extension Office, 6pm
September 5: OFFICE CLOSED - Labor Day
Deadline Dates:
August 13: Care to Share Forms due to the Office by 9:00 am
August 17: State Fair Static Entries due to the Extension Office by 4:30 pm
August 23: State Fair Food & Garden Entries due
September 9: Special Award Nominations due
September 15: Club of Excellence Applications due
September 15: Dawes 4-H Foundation Scholarship due
September 21: 4-H Achievement Applications (Career Portfolios) & Diamond Clover due
THANK YOU
Thank you to ALL for a successful county fair! It was a hot one, but lots of memories were made and new lessons and skills were learned. We are so proud of everyone's accomplishments, growth, and passion for 4-H!
Also, please take a moment to send a thank you to the Dawes County Ag. Society (Fairboard), Dawes County 4-H Council (you can bring it by the office), and any other volunteers and express your gratitude for their hard work in making the county fair better each and every year. The 4-H Council, superintendents, and Ag Society are all volunteers, taking time away from their families and jobs to make a difference for our 4-H program.
Dawes County Fair Photos & Results
If you missed out on any of the action, you can go to our Nebraska Extension Dawes County Facebook page for photos. The photos will be uploaded by the end of this week. Please feel free to tag yourself on any photos and share away! Thank you Moni Hourt for taking photos for the Extension Office.
Fair Results will be posted in the upcoming Chadron Record and Crawford Clipper newspapers.
Frequently Asked Post Fair Questions
The livestock sale committee has sent all buyers an invoice. Now we wait until the majority of checks come in and are deposited before the 4-H Foundation is able to write the sale checks. Please allow 3-4 weeks for this process.
"When will I receive my fair premium money?"
The Dawes County Ag. Society will again pay the premium money which can be picked up at the Achievement Banquet in October.
"When will my awards I won at the fair get here?"
Awards should be available by mid-September.
Care to Share Form - Fair 2022 Wrap Up
With county fair just concluding, it is time to share your ideas for improvements. We won't have a post fair improvement meeting again this year. Instead, we have created a Care to Share Form for anyone to share their concerns. If a concern does NOT have a possible solution, the concern will disregarded. Submit your concerns and possible solutions to tessa.reece@unl.edu by Saturday, August 13th. The 4-H Council will review forms at their meeting in August.
State Fair Qualifiers
Congratulations to everyone who received the honor of having your exhibit selected for the Nebraska State Fair! You can go to the State Fair website at: http://4h.unl.edu/state-fair for State Fair information. Preparation of your exhibit is your responsibility. Please call the office if you have any questions.
- State Fair Items - Wednesday, August 17, 4:30 pm
- Food & Garden State Fair Items - Tuesday, August 23, 9:00 am
State Fair Exhibits:
- Allred, Mahayla B181040
- Allred, Mahayla E412002
- Betson, Amelia C257023
- Betson, Amelia D330004
- Betson, Amelia E411006
- Betson, Amelia C240001
- Betson, Miranda C257014
- Betson, Miranda E410001
- Betson, Miranda C240001
- Betson, Miranda C410060
- Connell, Brock G770064
- Cullan, Joel C221007
- Cullan, Joel G750004
- Davidson, Layne E407014
- Davidson, Layne G773217
- Fisher, Kadence C222012
- Fisher, Kadence C222003
- Gibbons, Treye E412004
- Gibbons, Treye E407003
- Gibbons, Treye H911001
- Gibbons, Treye C257020
- Gibbons, Treye E410002
- Gooder, Grady E440001
- Gooder, Jae G773291
- Gooder, Raimee G773255
- Gooder, Raimee C257012
- Keim, Kody H870003
- May, Anabelle C257019
- Nicholson, Julia E407002
- Nicholson, Julia E407005
- Nicholson, Julia D330004
- Nicholson, Julia H840001
- Obando, Jose B182040
- Obando, Jose B182060
- Obando, Jose B182030
- Obando, Mikayla B181060
- Obando, Mikayla H800006
- Obando, Mikayla C260009
- Obando, Tatianna C260001
- Obando, Tatianna C261001
- Obando, Tatianna A102001
- Pieper, Jorja C229081
- Rising, Brandon H850001
- Schommer, Morgan C223001
- Schommer, Morgan C223003
- Schommer, Morgan C240002
- Schommer, Morgan C240006
- Schommer, Morgan C410010
- Schommer, Morgan C410060
- Schommer, Roudy C222005
- Schommer, Roudy C222013
- Schommer, Roudy D330004
- Schommer, Roudy D347001
- Sellman, Bailey C257015
- Sellman, Bailey E411005
- Tollman, Alexa E410005
- Tollman, Alexa C257013
- Tollman, Alexa C410010
- Tollman, Alexa A102014
- Tollman, Alexa B181030
- Tollman, Alexa B181020
- Tollman, Alexa C221003
- Tollman, Garett E410003
- Tollman, Garett E410004
- Tollman, Garett B181050
- Vahrenkamp, Ryan E412001
- Vahrenkamp, Ryan H911001
- Werner, Josephine C260004
- Werner, Josephine C221004
- Werner, Josephine C257010
County Fair Champion Winners
If you were a champion winner and did not come on Saturday to get thank you's or pick a champion prize. Please come to the Extension Office as soon as possible. We have thank you's and examples of champion prizes.
Youth include:
- Daniel Bronson
- Brynn Brooks
- Sage Dyer
- Hudson Ebmeier
- Sorina Froman
- Bryce Hoffman
- Jayce Hoffman
- Ella Hudson
- Blayden Huffman
- Brody Huffman
State Fair Entry Deadline - August 10
The clock is ticking! All 4-H livestock, dog, and contest entries must be submitted by Wednesday, August 10 at 8:00 p.m. CST. THIS INCLUDES STATE FAIR FASHION SHOW YOUTH.
Enter now at statefair.org/competitions/4-h-ffa-exhibitors. No late entries are accepted! Remember, you still need to enter livestock that were identified/nominated earlier this summer. The identification/nomination process does not automatically enter the animal for the State Fair.
Special Nominations Awards Needed
Another 4-H year has come and gone and it is time to recognize all that went above and beyond during the year to ensure our program was successful. We’ll be celebrating the 2022, 4-H year and honoring those individuals at the Achievement Banquet in October.
The nomination process is simple—just submit a brief paragraph that recommends the person, making sure to include which award you are nominating them for, and send it to the Extension Office by 4:30 September 9. The recipients will be announced at the Achievement Banquet. You can email your nominations to tessa.reece@unl.edu.
Recognition is a very valuable tool to let people know how their sometimes simple gestures have made a major difference in the lives of our 4-H families.
· Key Leader Award – Dawes County 4-H Foundation: Recognizes a 4-H volunteer who continually goes the extra mile.
· Helping Hand Award – Bob and Judy Hawthorne: “I pledge my hands to larger service….” This is an award to recognize the volunteer or leader who is always willing to lend a helping hand to every activity.
· National Leadership Award: (Formerly I Dare You award) is open to youth ages 15–18 who have completed their freshman year in high school and show outstanding qualities in servant leadership. Award recipients receive a personalized award certificate, a copy of William H. Danforth’s classic motivational book I Dare You! and are eligible to apply for the “I Dare You” Scholarship.
· Outstanding 4-H Member - Recognizes the 4-H member, who continually meets and exceeds expectations, has achieved their 4-H goals for the year, always encourages other members to become involved, answers questions, etc. They can be in any age division to win this award. It’s all about head, heart, hands and health – not age!
· Outstanding 4-H Junior Leader - Please nominate the junior leader who has stepped up to assist other youth, a club or was extremely active throughout the year.
· 4-H Appreciation - A business or person that really goes all out for 4-H. They may be a major sponsor for awards or just always donating time, energy or their employees to help the 4-H program succeed.
· Heart of 4-H - “I pledge my heart to greater loyalty…” This award is designed to recognize that special someone who goes out of their way time and time again to ‘make the best better’. A great way to say thank you to someone who truly is the heart of 4-H in Dawes County.
· 4-H Alumni - A 4-H Alumni who has continued to be a contributing member of 4-H in Dawes County. If you have questions about whether or not a leader or volunteer is an alum, please contact the office.
· Outstanding 4-H Club - Has your club gone the distance and then some? If you think your club has really achieved a lot this past year, nominate them and tell us what all you have done. No club is allowed to win this award two years in a row.
Dawes County 4-H Council
Executive Council Vacancy Announcement: We have one council member who has completed their terms of office and are not eligible for re-election at this time - Tami Dyer. We also have one council member vacancy whose position needs filled for two-years.
Youth members are also included on the 4-H Council. This is a vital role necessary to give our youth "voice" on decisions that affect their educational experience. 2-4 youth members ages 12-18 can serve on the council. Youth members shall be elected for a term of one year and terms may not exceed 2 year consecutively. We have one youth member who has completed their term and are not eligible for re-election - Jasmine Dyer. We have two youth members are up for re-election for another one-year-term - Morgan Schommer and Grace Pyle.
Any adult or youth interested in having your name added to the ballot for the Dawes County 4-H Executive Council is encouraged to call the office (308-432-3373). The annual election will be held at the Achievement Banquet in October.
Achievement Application
In the past years, the State made changes to the award application commonly known as Career Portfolios. Dawes County 4-H Council has voted on changes the past two years on how the new application will affect Dawes County. Below are review of the changes:
- Dawes County will only accept the newer application, not the "green portfolio".
- Each application will be judged individually for award pins (could possibly receive up to 3 pins).
- There will be awards for "Outstanding 4-H Achievement Application" for junior, intermediate, and senior age divisions.
- All ages are only allowed to apply for 3 program areas. Youth may apply for awards previously won.
- Clover Kids application will stay the same.
- Dawes County will also have a required application form in the front of each achievement application.
- Project records are optional, not required.
Dawes 4-H Application Form (required front page)
Senior Achievement Application (ages 15-18 as of 1/1/2022)
Junior Achievement Application (ages 8-14 as of 1/1/2022)
Dawes Animal Project Record (optional)
Dawes Project Record (optional)
If you want to learn more about the new application, go to https://4h.unl.edu/achievement-application.
Deadline to submit Achievement Applications is September 21 by 4:30.
Diamond Clover Awards
Deadline to submit Diamond Clover is September 21. Forms are available on the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover website.
The Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program encourages 4-H youth to engage in a variety of programs, projects, and activities that will enable youth to acquire skills and abilities that will prepare them for success in the future. The program is designed to reach and recognize all youth engaged in 4-H, from club members and campers to school enrichment, afterschool, and special interest program participants. The program consists of six levels that require a young person to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate accomplishments.
Rules
- Youth may only receive recognition at each level once.
- Youth may only receive one level of recognition per year.
- Youth should begin at Level 1 and progress through Level 6. However, youth who are older when beginning may opt to start at a higher level (2-4) as is mutually agreeable to the participant and the parent/guardian or leader. In order for older youth to begin at level 5 or 6, the Extension staff must also be in agreement.
- Approval: Levels 1–4 require the approval of a 4-H youth’s parent/guardian. If the 4-H youth belongs to a 4-H club, club leader approval is also required (if 4-H youth belongs to more than one club, choose one leader to work with). Levels 5 and 6 require the approval of a local county extension staff member.
- Accomplishments: Each level requires participants to complete a specified number of accomplishments. The 4-H participant may choose accomplishment listed for each level. The accomplishments are age appropriate and increase in quantity and difficulty for each level. Parents/guardians, leaders, and Extension staff may suggest other accomplishments — comparable to those provided — to improve the individual learning experience of each 4-H youth.
Club of Excellence
To receive the designation as a Nebraska 4-H Club of Excellence, clubs must meet a certain set of criteria and document how this criteria was met. Clubs meeting the requirements will initially receive a certificate. In subsequent years clubs successfully meeting the requirements will receive a special insignia to place on their certificate. Clubs must apply annually to receive this recognition.
Clubs must:
- Have at least five members from at least three different families.
- Recite the 4-H Pledge at meetings.
- Meet at least six times per year.
- Choose/elect youth officers.
- Have youth serve in leadership roles.
- Have one club project, related to curriculum, which they do together.
- Have adult role model involvement.
- Be facilitated by organizational and project leaders who have successfully completed the volunteer screening.
- Have members who perform a presentation or public speaking at the club level or above.
- Complete one community service project.
- Have members who participate in county, district or state events.
- Celebrate member and club achievements.
Application
To apply for the Club of Excellence recognition, complete the Nebraska 4-H Club of Excellence Report of Activities. The completed form should be turned into the Extension Office by September 15.
Dawes 4-H Foundation Scholarship
The Dawes 4-H Foundation is proud to offer again one $500 scholarship to a senior who participates in Dawes 4-H. The scholarship application is due September 15 and will be announced in October at the banquet. The scholarship is for a senior who just graduated not a senior who will graduate in 2023. Please let me know if you have questions.