We will be electing new members to the 4-H Council and are looking for interested adults and youth. The council is composed of 6 adults and 6 youth members. Adult members serve a 3-year term, while youth members serve a 1-year term and can serve 3 terms. We would like to invite anyone who’s interested in serving on 4-H Council to contact the office. Youth members need to be at least 13 years old by January 1, 2021.

Please contact us by Thursday, December 31st at 5 pm to be considered.

We know these are hard time for families and clubs, but we encourage our members to get creative. Since meeting meeting face-to-face is not an option, consider using a Zoom meeting or creating a Facebook group for your club to stay in touch. 4-H is all about making the best better! Contact the office if you have questions or need help with club or projects ideas!

Enrollment is open for 2020-2021 Jefferson County 4-H. NOTE AGE CHANGE: All 4-H youth (ages 8-18) as of January 1, 2020 are required to enroll online every year. Enrollment deadline is APRIL 1. We encourage all members to enroll using a computer and not your mobile device. Enrollment instructions for new members can be found at the Extension Office or online at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/jefferson/4-Hforms/ Call the office 402-729-3487 with any enrollment questions.

4-H Online Enrollment Link: https://ne.4honline.com/Login.aspx?403D4050364539525371705375593D

New 4-H Member Enrollment Instructions Link: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/jefferson/Steps%20to%20Enroll%20New%20Member.pdf

Re-Enrollment Instructions Link: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/jefferson/Reenrollment%20Returning%20Members.pdf

The program consists of six levels that require a young person to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate accomplishments. For each level, the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H youth choose their goals. The accomplishments increase in quantity and difficulty for each level. At the beginning of the 4-H year, participants plan what to accomplish and at the end of the 4-H year, they report on their completed accomplishments. Successful completion of a level's Plan & Report form results in a 4-H youth earning that level of the Diamond Clover program.

Diamond Clover Forms can be downloaded at http://4h.unl.edu/diamondclover. Forms are due to the Extension Office April 1, 2021.

The Nebraska Extension Special Agronomy Project gives 4-H members an opportunity to experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska. Youth participate by receiving seed and resources to grow the crop, research traits of the crop and determine the viability of that crop in the part of the state they live. The project allows 4-H members interested in agronomy to grow something fun, new, and different.

To kick-off the inaugural year of the special agronomy project, youth will explore teosinte. The plant looks and is very similar to corn, in fact it is believed to be the wild ancestor of today's corn! Teosinte produces stalks that produce several small ears with a cob and hard, trapezoidal kernels. Being related to corn, the care is very similar so we will plant and fertilize like corn. Being related to corn, the care is very similar so we will plant and fertilize like corn. Plant the seeds 1-2 inches deep, 8 to 12 inches apart. Teosinte is a tropical grass, so wait till soils are warm before planting. Teosinte can take up to 180 days to mature but we can still admire it's similarities to corn!

Seed orders are due to the office by January 28th. IF you would like to know more about this project see the link below. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/special-agronomy-project.

Due to the uncertainty of COVID-19 and how long it will be a significant health threat, our Washington D.C. group of Gage, Jefferson and Saline counties has decided to postpone a trip until 2022. We just don’t want the youth to spend that kind of money and not be guaranteed even if we are able to go that we would get to see and do all the things we would like to do and have done in the past.

With that being said, this gives youth more time to fund-raise for the trip. If you have ideas or suggestions of new fundraising, please contact the office!

Please let us know if you have any questions regarding the new changes to the CWF trip program requirements, the payment plan, or fundraising opportunities. As always, we are open to suggestions, especially regarding fundraising!

For 2021, all volunteers need to go through a screening to assist with 4-H related activities (including 4-H County Fair activities). There are two different types of volunteers, and screenings that go with these volunteers. You must fill out the form prior to volunteering.

• Direct Volunteers – All 4-H Volunteers who work directly with youth (examples include: ring personnel at livestock shows, room monitors for contests, etc)– must complete the Direct Volunteer Form (Printable or Electronic or through 4HOnline – still open for volunteer enrollment) & DHHS Background Check ($5 fee). Must be approved prior to completing the volunteer activity. If you have enrolled as a volunteer on 4HOnline, then you have already done this!
• Indirect Volunteers – Any person who provides support services for Youth Activities (examples include: opening gates, announcers, superintendents, 4-H Building host, weigh-in, etc.)– must complete the Indirect Volunteer Application (Printable or Electronic) and must be approved prior to completing the volunteer activity. If your volunteer has enrolled as a volunteer on 4HOnline or filled out the Direct Volunteer form, they do not need to fill out the Indirect Volunteer Application.

A message for all cat interested youth:

Do you like cats? What about learning how to care for or show them? Maybe you have heard about the 4-H Cat Club in the past and wanted to join, but couldn't make the monthly meetings.

Do we have good news for you, or what? We are pleased to introduce this year's self-paced Cat Club! No more being bummed that you missed the hour long meeting every second Thursday. You will now have access to monthly lessons and activities that you can complete on your own time. The first lesson can be found here on September 5th: https://4h.unl.edu/companion-animal/cat-club

If you are interested, please stay tuned and register today!

How Does It Work?

Each month, a new photo will be selected from the online submissions. Selections will be made based on creativity, timeliness, technical execution, originality, and appropriateness. The selected photo will be showcased across the Nebraska 4-H social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Youth photographers will be credited wherever and whenever their photo is shared or published.

This opportunity is open to all enrolled 4-H members. Photo recommendations, file specifications, rules, and guidelines for participation are available online at https://4h.unl.edu/photography-showcase.