Jackson Journal
December 2023
County Updates
Happy December!
This is it. The last month of 2023.
As we look forward to the new year it is also a time to reflect on this past year. Jackson Co. 4-H'ers,
we encourage you to think about all you have accomplished in your 2022-2023 4-H year and what you will bring with you into 2024.
Not sure what to reflect on? Here are some questions to ponder:
- Who
- are some 4-H members, volunteers, supporters that have helped you this past year? Have you thanked them? What did they do to help you in 4-H?
- are some 4-H members from other counties or state wide that you have met this past year and what made them a part of your 4-H story?
- What
- went well in your 4-H experience this year?
- is one area of growth in your 4-H experience for 2024?
- new projects areas did you explore this year? Will you continue to participate in that project area in 2024?
- Where
- was the best event or program you went to for 4-H in 2022-2023? Where are you looking forward to going in 2024?
- can you learn more about project areas that are new and familiar?
- When
- when was a moment you felt proud of being a 4-H'er this past year?
- when was there a time you learned something new? What was it and what did it feel like as you were learning about it?
- Why
- did you pick certain projects to exhibit at the county fair?
- is 4-H important to you now and why will it be important for you in 2024?
- How
- did you live out the 4-H pledge with your Head, Heart, Hands, Health? What will you do this coming year?
- have you been a leader in 4-H this year? How will you lead in 2024?
- can you promote 4-H to new members and get them to join in the 4-H fun?
Keep up the great work you all have been doing in your families, clubs, and communities. As 2024 approaches, we can't wait to see what you all have planned.
Once again, stay warm and thanks for all you do to help keep the 4-H program in Jackson County thriving!
Caitlyn and Jazlyn
Club and 4-H Member Information
December and January Extension Office Hours
The Jackson County Extension Office will be closed on the following dates. If you need to pick up or drop off anything please plan to do so outside of these dates, or utilize the drop box behind the office.
- December 22
- December 25
- December 26
- January 1
- January 15
Plan to Re-enroll in 4-H!
The new 4-H year began Oct. 1. In order to remain enrolled in 4-H and participate in any 4-H activity (club meetings, programs, events), you will need to show your family’s intent to participate by logging in to 4-H Online and reviewing, updating and submitting the following information:
Your family's contact and demographic information, including club, school and grade.
Each family member's health and emergency contact information.
Project areas of interest for this coming year.
Parental consent required for youth participating in shooting sports/wildlife programs.
You can login to 4-H Online to complete the re-enrollment process NOW. This guide has more information.
You have until Jan.1 to do so if you plan on exhibiting projects (livestock and general/non-livestock) at the Jackson County Fair.
General Project and Livestock Interview Award Plates
Earning an Overall Grand Champion or Reserve Champion in general projects and/or Livestock Interviews at the Jackson County Fair is a great accomplishment! We want to help you celebrate and remember that accomplishment with Award Plates that can be added to your 4-H Career Plaque.
If you would like these Award Plates, please fill out this form by January 1st. A reminder to fill out one form per 4-H member in each family if applicable.
*If you won any overall champion or reserve in any livestock show, the vinyl banners you received at the county fair substitute for the Award Plates.
Learn more and order your Award Plates or 4-H Career Plaque here: https://z.umn.edu/AwardPlateOrderForm
Fill Out 4-H Member and/or 4-H Volunteer Spotlights
Jackson County 4-H Member and Volunteer Spotlights
Please take some time to fill out the 4-H Member and or Volunteer Spotlight forms for your chance to be featured on the Jackson County Facebook page!
Save These Dates
What's Hatching in Jackson County 4-H?
Youth and families interested within Jackson Co and the surrounding counties are invited to learn more about the 4-H Poultry project at this in person event. Learn how to select your poultry project, materials needed, and how to raise your poultry to exhibit at the county fair.
Join us Dec. 9 at the Jackson County Public Library - 311 3rd St, Jackson, MN 56143 from 9am - 11am.
Cost is FREE to attend and open to youth grades K-13 and their families. Registration has closed on 4-HOnline, but you can still join the event by calling the Jackson Extension Office by Friday, Dec. 8 at noon.
Minimum of 5 participants to hold event. Maximum allowed to register is 25.
For more information and to register visit: https://WhatshatchinginJacksonMN4H.4honline.com
Jackson County 4-H Ambassadors End of the Year Celebration - Dec. 18, 2023
Ambassador aged youth (grades 6-13) in Jackson County are invited to a fun filled event to celebrate the end of the 2022-2023 4-H year!
When: Monday, Dec. 18th at 6:30pm.
Location: Jackson County Extension Office
Pizza and hot cocoa will be provided!
RSVP here by Sunday, Dec. 17 at noon.
More details will be emailed soon to youth in grades 6-13.
Jackson County Committees - roles, meetings, yearly planning
If you were/are on the following committees from 2022-2023 and plan to be for 2023-2024, please watch your emails for upcoming dates and times to start meeting for the new year. We will be working on role descriptions, planning for the 2024 County Fair, and planning events for our 4-H youth to participate in this 2023-2024 4-H year.
If you are planning to leave the committee you are on, please let the office know so we can begin to fill your spot. Not sure what these committees do in Jackson County 4-H? Are you interested in joining? Please contact the Extension Office.
- Auction Committee
- General Project Committee
- Food Stand Committee
- Livestock Superintendents Committee
- Banquet Committee
Advisory Board and Federation Meeting - Jan. 22, 2024
Stay up to date about 4-H in Jackson County by reading the past agenda and the minutes from the September Federation Meeting we had on Oct. 16, 2023.
Please encourage one adult and one youth to represent your club at the next Federation meeting happening Jan. 22 at 7:30pm at the multipurpose building in Lakefield. Advisory Board meeting will take place at 6:30pm prior to the Federation meeting.
Get Involved!
We're Hiring! Summer Internship Available NOW!
Jackson County 4-H is looking to hire a passionate and innovative leader for our summer internship experience. Does that describe you or someone you know? Check out the U of M Career Page for more information!
~Open positions for 4-H Summer Interns will be reposted again by mid-December, please continue to check the site or reach out to office staff~
4-H Camp Counselors Wanted!
We are looking for youth currently in grades 9-12 to serve as counselors at our multi-county 4-H camp held at Shetek Lutheran Ministries on the shores of Lake Shetek.
This 4-H camp in southwest Minnesota will include four one-hour educational tracks. In addition, camp activities include swimming, canoeing, kayaking, outdoor games, campfire and more! Camp counselors are expected to connect with campers throughout the entire camp experience.
Applicants can choose to work at one camp session (two nights and three days) or both sessions (four nights and five days). Learn more about Camp Shetek camp counselor positions here!
Apply now
Complete the online application by Jan. 31, 2024.
Selected camp counselors will be notified by Feb. 28, 2024.
Encourage a friend to apply! No previous 4-H camp experience is required to be a 4-H camp counselor. A new 4-H member? No previous 4-H experience is required to apply.
Apply for the 4-H Animal Science Youth Leadership Team:
This is a new opportunity for animal science youth to join a leadership program that is project specific! The group will be doing several cool learning opportunities and projects throughout the year.
It is open to youth in grades 8 and up and applications are due December 15.
For more information and to apply, click here: https://extension.umn.edu/statewide-4-h-news/apply-be-animal-science-youth-leadership-team
SW MN Down on the Farm Virtual Events
Explore the wonderful world of animal science through hands-on activities and guest speakers.
We’ll learn about beef cattle, horses, swine and chickens from industry professionals. Sessions will be offered virtually on Saturday mornings January 6-27 from 10-10:30 a.m.
Find full details & register at: https://z.umn.edu/2024DownOnTheFarm
Southwest MN 4-H Wildlife Day 2024
Are you interested or already involved in the project areas of; wildlife, shooting sports, and/or outdoor adventures? If so, you are invited to attend this wildlife and outdoors project learning event! Many sessions to participate in and all related to wildlife and the outdoors.
Youth grades K-13 are encouraged to register and have fun on Jan. 10 2024 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Redwood Falls Public Schools, 100 George Ramseth Drive Redwood Falls, Minnesota 56283. The cost to participate is $25 (covers supplies and facility use).
Registration will open around the week of Dec. 18, 2023.
4-H Leadership Workshops BLU & TEEL
There are two leadership workshops being offered this February! Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) is a youth-led workshop for youth in grades 6-9 that strengthens leadership, communication, and relationship skills. Teens Engaged in Emerging Leadership (TEEL) is for youth in grades 10+ who want to boost their leadership skills. Becoming better leaders all while having a great time.
This year’s theme is "3, 2, 1, Blast off into Leadership!" Youth will learn about communication skills and the intake of information through engaging activities and discussions.
BLU & TEEL will be hosted in three different locations and all are overnight experiences:
Feb. 3-4-BLU & TEEL at Castaway Club, Detroit Lakes
Feb. 10-11-BLU & TEEL at Camp Omega, Waterville
Feb. 17-18-BLU & TEEL at Camp Friendship, Annandale
To learn more about BLU and register visit z.umn.edu/4-HBLU and to learn more about TEEL and register visit z.umn.edu/4-HTEEL.
Minnesota 4-H Project Bowl: Virtual Bowling 101
Again in 2024, Bowling 101 will be held virtually! 4-H’ers will join a Zoom meeting and use the Kahoot! app to participate. The state bowl committee is committed to increasing interest in project bowl, particularly for younger 4-H’ers. Therefore, we are offering a non-competitive "Bowling 101" category for youth in grades K-4.
Bowling 101 will be offered on Thursday, February 29 and Tuesday, March 12 from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Register here: 2024 Virtual 4-H Bowling 101 Registration
Participants cannot be in both Bowling 101 and the regular contest.
A Day in the Life Photography Challenge!
Minnesota 4-H Photography is excited to offer another statewide photography challenge open to youth in grades K-13!
Capture a moment in your life each day for a week! Document your daily activities as they unfold naturally - mealtime, friends, family, hobbies, backyard, animals, etc.
Select five of your seven images (with no or minimal editing) taken between December 15-January 15. From your five images, select one to write 1-2 sentences on why that photo is important to you.
Submit five (5) jpg or jpeg images and your statement in one email to fourhphoto@umn.edu by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on January 15, 2024. Please type “A Day in the Life” in the email Subject line, and in the email include the participant’s name, grade, state, your 1-2 sentence statement, and which photo you wrote your statement about, as indicated in the rules.
Register at: https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in
Questions? Email fourhphoto@umn.edu.
2024 Winter Round Up!
Attention Horse Project Members!
Winter Round Up is just around the corner and you don’t want to miss this great opportunity to connect with fellow horse friends, meet new horse friends, learn about horses and leadership in a fun weekend camp setting!
We have some amazing speakers and fun activities scheduled for this year. Josh Tjossas is our keynote speaker. He will be talking about what judges are looking for when they judge your county fair shows. We have fun opportunities to learn about new programming in horse as well as dip into existing horse program areas to learn more. Oh and did we mention there would be fun and prizes!
Winter Round Up is scheduled for January 19-21, 2024 at Castaways Club in Detroit Lakes. This is the first time we have been in the Northwest! Early bird registration is $100 and due by December 18 after that registration is $110 until January 10th .
Winter Round Up is for youth 6th grade and up and adults. It it always an engaging and fun weekend! You can register through 4-H online and if you need help your local educator can help. For more information contact the Extension Office. Hope to see you there!
Early bird registration deadline Dec. 18th. Final registration January 10, 2024. More information available https://z.umn.edu/winterround-up
4-H Opportunities in the Southwest and Statewide
Stay Connected with 4-H!
Contact and Follow Jackson County 4-H
Jackson County 4-H
607 State Highway 86, Lakefield, MN
Email: mnext-jackson@umn.edu
Phone: 507-662-5293
Website: extension.umn.edu/jackson
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