October
Family Newsletter - October 28, 2021
4-H Fall Open House - Saturday, November 6
The 6th Annual Open House is coming up! On Saturday, November 6th, from 1-3 pm at the Washington County fairgrounds will be the place to be! This event is a wonderful way for new families and families interested in our 4-H program to get information about Washington County 4-H and for them to be connected with clubs and project areas. If your club is interested in being promoted at this event or you have any questions please contact Caitlin Rademacher at crademac@umn.edu.
This year we are also including two drawings, one for new families and the other for current members that attend the event! Any new families that attend the event and register for 4-H will have the opportunity to be entered into a drawing for free membership for this year. For current members, if you bring a friend/family to the event who joins 4-H you will be able to enter a drawing for a $100 gift card. So make sure you are inviting all of your friends, families and anyone else you know so that they can learn how fantastic 4-H is in Washington County! Please sign up below.
Cloverbud Workshop - Saturday, November 20
Join us for Cloverbud Learning Day - an event you will not want to miss! This workshop will be filled with fun hands-on activities, all while learning more about 4-H. All Cloverbuds and non-4-Hers in grades K-2 are invited to come to meet new friends and participate in hands-on project learning. We plan to spend time outside, so come dressed for the weather! Pizza lunch will be included.
The cost is $10 if sent in by the deadline of November 10. After November 10, the cost is $20 and must be prepaid for supplies and pizza.
Questions? Contact Megan at slate187@umn.edu
Winter Project Pursuit - Saturday, December 4
Join in the fun on Saturday, December 4th from 9 AM-Noon for a Project Pursuit at Hooley Hall on the Washington County Fairgrounds! Project Pursuit is intended for youth to try different project areas and get new ideas for possible exhibits for the fair. The Winter Project Pursuit will have experienced and exciting presenters. Some of the fun will include A candle-making workshop, a short service project, and much more!
This event will be open for youth grades 3+. Registration is $10 and due by November 22nd. After November 22nd, the price increases to $20. Don’t delay registering!
Questions? Contact Megan at slate187@umn.edu
Teen Teachers needed for Youth Teaching Youth!
Are you in grades 9-12 and interested in teaching your younger peers? Youth Teaching Youth is for you! Teen Teachers teach in elementary school classrooms and library settings. Training and guided curriculum options are provided. We are looking for teens in the South Washington County, Stillwater, and Forest Lake Area Schools. Don't miss this opportunity to build your resume and improve your public speaking skills in a supportive environment. Contact Megan Slater if you are interested in learning more at slate187@umn.edu.
** Attention Club Leaders - Club Charters Due**
Club Charters are due no later than Monday, Nov 1st! If you need assistance, please contact Ann at; churc109@umn.edu
Volunteer Training
Attention Washington County Volunteers!
Facilitating Youth Sparks: Minnesota 4-H Annual Volunteer Training
Join 4-H volunteers from across the state to learn about Facilitating Youth Sparks. This 90-minute volunteer training will increase your understanding of sparks and how you can support youth in their development. Participants will discuss how to assist youth in overcoming barriers to developing sparks. Adult volunteers and teen-aged youth leaders are invited. Make sure your club, project area or program are represented at this training!
Online webinar dates
November 4, 6:30 PM - register for Nov 4 training
Learn more and participate.https://sites.google.com/umn.edu/4-h-volunteer/train/for-all-volunteers
New 4-H Wildlife Project Bowl experience
The Minnesota 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP) will replace the 4-H Wildlife Project Bowl experience. 4-H WHEP “. . .is a hands-on environmental education program. WHEP also provides participants an opportunity to test their wildlife knowledge in a friendly competition, as each state supporting WHEP conducts an annual contest where teams of 3-4 similarly aged individuals gather. The winning senior (14-19 years of age) WHEP team from each state earns the right to attend the annual National WHEP Contest, typically held the last full week of July. The national contest moves to a different state each year. WHEP is a 4-H and FFA youth natural resource program dedicated to teaching wildlife and fisheries habitat management to junior and senior level (Grades 3-13) youth in the United States.
What do Participants Study?
• Learn wildlife terms and concept
• Learn about wildlife habitat
• Learn how to judge the quality of wildlife habitat
• Learn about wildlife habitat management practices
• Learn about wildlife damage management.” (National
4-H WHEP website)
The following trainings and events will be developed to aid in supporting coaches and teams:
Information Meeting & Mock Competition
November 20, 2021
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Royalton High School, Royalton, MN
Youth must be in grades 3-13 (younger than 6th grade must be accompanied by an adult)
Register here.
Interested coaches, volunteers, and youth are encouraged to attend. There is no cost to this training, but registration is required. Participants should bring their own lunch. We will cover the overall WHEP Program, WHEP Manual Overview and Teaching Modules, and hold a mock WHEP Contest.
Online Coaches Training
January 11, 2022
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Registration is required by January 10. Register here.
Minnesota 4-H State WHEP Competition
April 30
Location TBD
Looking for some HELP!
No matter what winter may look like, we want to stay ahead of cabin fever and plan some fun winter workshops. It has been a few years but we would like to bring back “Creative Arts Day''. So we are looking for a volunteer or group of volunteers to plan this workshop by coming up with a project or projects youth can make in an afternoon or morning. This would also include finding presenters to teach. If interested please contact Ann at; churc109@umn.edu
Shooting Sports has great results at State Shoot!
General Livestock Team places 3rd!
Congratulations to the Washington/Dakota County General Livestock Judging Team for placing 3rd overall at the American Royal held in Kansas City! Owen Rozeboom from Washington County placed 7th overall. Way to go Owen! Youth who participate on a General Livestock Judging learn how to place classes of beef, sheep, swine and market goats and give oral reasons to justify your placing. Being on a Judging Team helps build critical thinking skills and presentation skills!
As we transition into a new 4-H year, we want to recognize the service of some of our 4-H Club Leaders who will be transiting out of their roles. We appreciate the time and dedication our leaders give to their club to offer the community club experience!
Country Cousins - many thanks to Robin Sperry and Heather Verdick for their many years as co-leaders of County Cousins. Thank you to Sarah Werz and Korene Newton for stepping up to take over the leadership of Country Cousins!
Forest Lake Rangers - many thanks to Krista Hoekstra and Megan Leach for leading the FLR’s club these past years! They will be transitioning the club to Joellyn Tinklenberg and Dionna Neeser.
Lucky Aces - many thanks to Ellen Rademacher for her many years of service as leader of the Lucky Aces! Brynna Turnau has been working with Ellen this past year and will take over as leader..
Wranglers - many thanks to Laura Detterman for the many years she led the Wranglers 4-H Club! Lisa Kalka will continue in the lead role along with Colleen Bergmann.
Marine on St. Croix - we are excited to have a new club starting up in the Marine community. Krista Hoekstra and Megan Leach will lead this new club!
We wouldn’t have a strong program without our volunteers! You are all appreciated so much! We hope you enjoy your experience as much as we enjoy having you a part of the program!
St. Croix Clovers Year in Review
The 2020-2021 year was not a normal year but the St. Croix Clovers continued to have club activities. In the fall we didn’t get to meet at our Baytown location, but we did have quite a few in person meetings and activities at the fairgrounds. We had officer elections, a bonfire and hayride, along with a pizza picnic. For community service we had an Adopt-a-Highway cleanup day and Rake-a-Difference. For the winter we had Salvation Army bell-ringing and three virtual club meetings such as bingo night, gingerbread house competition, and Valentine's Day crafts. Along with a few social events such as tubing at the Green Acres Recreation and a broomball stick-making workshop (see photo below) a few weeks before the annual broomball tournament at Brekke Park. In the spring we were able to go back to meeting in person. We participated in the Salvation Army food drive, a soup fundraiser, and a car-care workshop. For one of the club meeting activities, we had capture the flag. Then the performing arts festival where the St. Croix Clovers were heavily involved and it was a success. In June we had an overnight camping outing at William O’Brien state park. In July we had the 4H mini carnival where all club family members and friends were welcome. Then at the county fair in August, there were club members that helped as volunteers, entered 4H projects, and received grand and reserve champion ribbons. Then finishing off we had a club event for the annual 4H Olympics (see photo below). Activities have already begun for the new club year and it is off to a great start! We've had a junior leader outing, new officer elections, and a club hayride! Overall it's safe to say it was an unpredictable yet active year for the St.Croix Clovers!
Respectfully submitted,
Amanda Augustine
New Family Survey
We invite new families who have been enrolled in 4-H for less than 2 years to take a short survey.
We want to take this opportunity to gather some information on how to better serve you and make your 4-H experience a positive one like it has been for so many 4-H families before you. With all the project areas and directions that 4-Hers can explore and develop from we need your help in finding what areas we as staff need to focus on to meet the current needs of our families. Our goal is to take the results of this survey and implement future programming
This will only take a few minutes to complete and we thank you for your input.
Washington County Extension website - the place to find information!
- Current and past Family Newsletters
- County Animal ID letters
- News articles about our larger ongoing project areas
- Events calendar
- County club map with contacts
- County Fair information as it becomes available
- Much more
County membership fee update!
As you may have noticed, shortly after you enrolled online you were approved. We have been promised an online payment option is coming in October so until we learn what this will look like we are not holding enrollments until payment is received and you will most likely be invoiced once we learn more details. Please pay your membership fee, county fees are used not only for programming but also towards salaries for county personnel.
Washington County has a yearly enrollment fee of $25.00 per member (youth only) or $100 max per family for 4 or more children. We ask that you please send payment to our office address listed below.
Checks should be made out to Washington County 4-H and sent to the following address:
Washington County 4-H
14949 62nd Street North
Stillwater, MN 55082
**For those using online banking, please be sure to include Washington County 4-H as checks made out to just Washington County go directly to the property tax office**
We don't want anyone to miss out so please just let us know if you need a scholarship for enrollment. You will find the scholarship link below. Also, if you would like to donate to the scholarship fund, this can be done at any time. Scholarship requests have increased dramatically in the past few years.
Washington County 4-H
Ann Church
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
(651) 430-6809
churc109@umn.edu
Megan Slater
Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
(651) 430-6805
slate187@umn.edu
Caitlin Rademacher
Interim Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
(651) 430-6807
Kathy Erf
Principal Office & Administrative Specialist
(651) 430-6800
eber0002@umn.edu
Email: mnext-washington@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/washington
Location: 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN, USA
Phone: 651-430-6800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WashingtonCounty4HMinnesota/?eid=ARD3CbY40ZXk23UD59FlaMaXZPKXCGDBzsQS7-RO0gKl7wFyNEUm8dWZoBgNFIOlA6YV2fuq5GLnRX-s
Join the 2021-2022 Washington County Ambassadors!
Are you in 7th grade or above? Do you want to build your leadership skills and meet new friends? The Washington County 4-H Ambassadors meet once a month to plan workshops and camps for younger members, service projects, and fun social events! This is a great opportunity to expand your leadership to the next level while meeting friends from around the county. All skill levels and experience are welcome!
Fill out this quick google form to show your interest in the Washington County 4-H Ambassador program: