Thurston County 4-H News
September 2016
Nebraska Extension - Thurston County
Stacey Keys, 4-H Assistant, stacey.keys@unl.edu
Email: thurston-county@unl.edu
Website: thurston.unl.edu
Location: 415 Main Street, P.O. Box 665, Pender, NE 68787
Phone: 402-385-6041
Facebook: facebook.com/UNLExtensionThurston/
Twitter: @UNLThurstonCty
Upcoming Dates
Sept 5 - Office Closed - Labor Day
Sept 7 - State Fair Exhibits ready for pick up
Sept 12 - Joint 4-H Council Meeting @ Pender (7:00 pm)
Sept 19 - 4-H Career Portfolios DUE @ Extension Office
Sept 22-25 - AK-SAR-BEN, Omaha
Oct 2-8 - National 4-H Week
Oct 5 - National Youth Science Day
Oct 10 - Office Closed - Columbus Day
Oct 16 - Thurston County Achievement Banquet
Nov 11 - Office Closed - Veteran's Day
Nov 14 - Thurston County 4-H Council Meeting
Nov 24-25 - Office Closed - Thanksgiving Holiday
State Fair Info
State Fair Results
Pick Up State Fair Exhibits
Member Information
Career Portfolios
It is time to get started on your career portfolio! Wouldn’t it be nice to start now before the sense of “panic” sets in. Now that fair is over and you have finished up projects for the state fair, jot down some notes about your goals, experiences, find those receipts so you can record the costs of your projects. Remember the career portfolios record keeping doesn’t require that you write a lengthy essay about your projects, just the main highlights. The portfolio has five sections to complete. They include the following:
Section 1: Project Accomplishments
Section 2: 4-H Leadership, Community Service, Volunteer, etc.
Section 3: Non 4-H Experiences
Section 4: 4-H Curriculum Story
Section 5: Support Materials
The career portfolio can be a valuable tool for 4-Hers as they prepare to graduate, apply for scholarships and enter the working world. Please call the extension office for assistance; we are available to help you with your Career Portfolio questions. We encourage everyone to complete their 4-H Career Portfolio. Deadline: Monday, September 19, due to the Extension Office.
Diamond Clover Program
Designed to encourage 4-H youth to engage in a variety of projects and activities that will enable members to acquire the life skills necessary to lead successful lives as competent, caring and contributing citizens. The program consists of six levels that require a 4-H member to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate accomplishments. The program is designed to enable every 4-H member willing to exert the effort an opportunity to be recognized, regardless of how they are involved in 4-H. For more information and forms, please contact the office or visit the website at 4h.unl.edu/diamondclover
Sample accomplishments include the following:
* Learn the 4-H Pledge, Motto, and Colors
* Attend at least 60% of club/project meetings
* Attend local 4-H activities or events (contest, county fair, camp, educational
program, state fair, etc.)
* Help with 4-H promotion
* Help with a club or community service-learning project
* Complete at least one 4-H project
* Complete your 4-H Career Portfolio
* Bring a friend to a 4-H meeting or activity
* Recruit a new 4-H member
* Serve as a 4-H officer, committee chair, or on 4-H Council
The forms are due the same time as the 4-H Career Portfolio. Forms are available online. We encourage everyone to fill one out. We are sure that everyone can get started on this recognition opportunity.
National 4-H Week
National 4-H Week will be October 2-8, 2016. Start brainstorming some ideas to increase our enrollment. Also consider adding a science experiment (Motion Commotion) to your October meeting to celebrate National 4-H Science Day on October 7th.
Here are few ideas to try this year to promote 4-H.
· Ask local businesses to put a message about 4-H on their sign.
· Designate a “4-H Day” during 4-H Week and ask all 4-H members to wear their 4-H t-shirts to school.
· Furnish cookies for 4-H Open House at a local business or in conjunction with a community activity. Make sure your 4-H club has a sign there so you get the publicity.
· Make 4-H bookmarks and distribute them to school and public libraries during 4-H Week.
· Plan an anniversary party for your club. Invite former members and leaders.
· Put a “Happy” ad in local papers during 4-H Week.
· Fly a 4-H flag in the town square.
· The ideas are endless.
Achievement Night
It is hard to believe that fall is right around the corner, which means we need to prepare for the achievement banquet. The banquet will potentially be held Sunday, October 16th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Rosalie Town Hall. Watch future newsletters for updated information.
Join 4-H families for an evening of fellowship, food, recognition, and FUN! The Thurston County 4-H Council will be supplying meat for the meal. Families will need to bring two side dishes. Hope to see you for an evening of FUN and RECOGNITION!
Family & Consumer Sciences
Start Food Preservation Exhibits Now
2016 Make It With Wool Contest
Enter the Make It With Wool Contest! The object of the contest is to promote the beauty and versatility of wool fabric and yarn; to encourage personal creations in sewing, knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving of wool fabric; and to recognize creative skills.
The 2016 State Make It With Wool Contest will be November 19 at the Dawson County Extension Office in Lexington NE beginning at 9:00 a.m. Public fashion show is at 1:00 p.m.
The divisions determined by age as of January 1, 2016 (national rule change), are as follows:
- Preteen – age 12 and under
- Junior – age 13 to 16
- Senior – age 17 to 24
- Adult – age 25 and over
- Made For Others
Entry forms, fees, wool samples and wool testing fees are due October 15, 2016 to Entry Coordinator Andrea Nisley.
More information is available on the new National Make It With Wool website (http://www.nationalmakeitwithwool.com).
Animal Science
Husker Harvest Days
Nebraska Youth Pork Conference
Participants will evaluate market animals, grade carcasses, fabricate carcasses into wholesale and retail cuts, and exercise basic culinary methods on a variety of different pork products. Throughout the program, a conscientious effort will be made to highlight and discuss, within the context of other material, related industry and/or consumer issues. Additional lab activities to be incorporated in 2016, in response to the 2015 pilot evaluations, include a hands-on genetics lab, a food safety lab, and a biosecurity and animal health activity. Not only will youth learn about pork as a wholesome food product, but they will also learn how the pork industry is using science to address many significant challenges. Finally, various and engaging life skills activities will be intermixed throughout the program that focus on development of communication, leadership, and networking skills. Upon conclusion of this workshop, our youth will have a more thorough understanding of the product we produce, the consumers who purchase those products, and will have greater confidence in their ability to effectively communicate with one another regarding the many issues and challenges facing the pork industry.
Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium (NYBLS)
It’s that time of year again and we’ll be hosting the 13th annual Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium (NYBLS) here at the Animal Science Complex on December 2 - 4. Registration will be online this year and can be accessed via the NYBLS website below. Please note the application deadline of October 7th. We will be limiting both the freshman/sophomore and junior/senior groups to 30 participants each. If an individual is selected to participate, a $75 registration fee will be collected at that time. Please let me know if you have any questions and we hope to see your members in December!