SHERIDAN COUNTY NEWSLETTER
February 2023
Volume 2022-2023, Issue 5
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Feb 1-4: 4-H SPIRIT WEEK
Feb 5: Market Beef Weigh-In - Sheridan County Livestock Auction - 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Feb 5: Panhandle Best Shoot - Rushville American Legion - Entries 8-11 am
FEB 5-11: 4-H VOLUNTEER & SPONSOR APPRECIATION WEEK
Feb 9: Clover Buds - Hay Springs 4:15 - 5:15 pm - CALL OFFICE TO RESERVE SPOT
Feb 12: Panhandle Best Shoot - Kimball
FEB 12 - 18: 4-H GIVING BACK WEEK
Feb 13: Connect with 4-H Event - Extension Office - 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Feb 14: Clover Buds - Gordon Elementary 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Feb 15: Youth Leather Workshop - Extension Office - 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Feb 16: Upcycle Sweater Workshop - Extension Office - 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Feb 17: Sew Fun - Hay Springs 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Feb 17: Adult Leather Workshop - Extension Office - 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Feb 18: Dawes County Beef Weigh-In - 9:00 - Noon
Feb 19: Panhandle Best Shoot - Hyannis
FEB 19 - 25: 4-H PROJECT SHOW AND TELL WEEK
Feb 20: Office Closed - Presidents Day
Feb 20: Sew Fun - Extension Office - 9:00 - Noon or 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Feb 26: Panhandle Best Shoot - Alliance
FEB 26 - 28: 4-H CONNECT WEEK
Feb 27: Clover Buds - Rushville Elementary 3:45 - 4:45 pm
Mar 5: Panhandle Best Shoot - Ogallala
Mar 12: Panhandle Best Shoot - Chadron
March 18-19: State Shooting Sports - Beatrice
Mar 20: 4-H Council Meeting
Apr 16: Speech & Presentation Contest - Chadron
Deadline Dates:
Feb 28: Fair Theme Entries Due
Feb 10: Register for February Workshops
June 1: 4-H Online Enrollment
June 1: Animal Affidavits
June 1: YQCA
4-H ENROLLMENT
Did you know the 4-H fiscal year is October 1 - September 30? October 1 is the start of a NEW 2022-2023 4-H Year!
- If you are new to 4-H please create a profile.
- If you are a returning 4-Her, please register for this coming year!
Age 5-7 are free, Age 8-18 are only $5!
FIRST LEGO LEAGUE QUALIFIER
Four Sheridan County robotics teams competed on Saturday, January 28th in Gering at the First Lego League qualifier. The teams had a great day of sharing what they learned with judges and running their robot programs. The Top Gun team received the Rising Star award. Team members include Brody Janssen, Rylan Linders, Hattie Williamson, Quinton Bennett, John Dieriex, and Holden Johnson. Builder Bros won the Innovation project award with their hydrogen powered mobile substation. Team members include: Braylon Holston, Riley Lefler, Robert Moore, and Grady Strain. This team also qualified for state. The other teams who competed where a League of Their Own and Bionic Hawks. League of Their Own members include: Gracie Williamson, Racquel Hunt, Kooper Fisher, Easton Johnson, Khai Janssen, Payton Scott, MacKenzie Simonson, and Kenzie Fiscus. Bionic Hawk team members are Preston Kelly, Elly Reimann, Grant Wellnitz, Riggen Binger, Jacob Dorshorst, Jax Cuny, and Jayna Cuny.
CLOVER BUDS
- Gordon Clover Bud meeting: February 14th at Gordon Elementary at 3:45 pm.
- Hay Springs Clover Bud meeting: February 9th at Hay Springs Cafeteria at 4:15 pm.
- Rushville Clover Bud meeting: February 27th at Rushville Elementary at 3:30 pm.
Clover Bud members are youth between the ages of 5 and 7 as of January 1st, 2023. Upon participating in these workshops, youth will have Clover Bud projects to display at the 2023 Sheridan County Fair. To register your child for these FREE events please contact the Nebraska Extension Sheridan County office at (308) 327-2312.
VOLUNTEER SCREENING PROCESS
All volunteers (teens and adults) and staff who work directly with youth are required to complete the volunteer screening. Volunteers are screened in order to ensure a safe, positive, and nurturing environment for all youth involved with Nebraska 4-H programs and provide protection for the child, volunteer, educator, 4-H Council, Extension Board, and Nebraska Extension. Initial screening of volunteers will occur when they sign up to volunteer. Re-screening for volunteers will be done every five years by the district regardless of when the original screening was completed. Currently, the cost of the screening is $5.00. Sheridan County is up this year!
Repeat Screening Rotation
2023 – Panhandle District: Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Thomas
WHEN enrolling as a VOLUNTEER for the 2022-23 year, please select "Program Volunteer - Selected for Required Screening". All new volunteers in these specified counties must also select this volunteer type
If you have any questions or would like to start the process, email sheridan-county@unl.edu.
MARKET BEEF WEIGH-IN
Sheridan County 4-H will hold their Market Beef Weigh-In on Sunday, February 5th, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, at Rushville Livestock Market. All youth planning to exhibit a market beef animal at the Sheridan County Fair must bring it to the weigh-in to be tagged and identified. Youth planning to show at the Nebraska State Fair and Aksarben should let the office know as there are other requirements for showing (EID tag and DNA).
Members who cannot make the weigh-in date may attend the Box Butte or Dawes County Market Beef weigh-ins if necessary. If attending the alternative weigh-in, members must notify the beef superintendents and the office. Members will not be eligible to compete in the Rate of Gain contest if weighing in at a different location.
Alternative Beef Weigh- Ins
Dawes
February 18th from 9:00 am - Noon
NEW THIS YEAR for the Nebraska State Fair/ AKSARBEN: All livestock in contention to exhibit at the 2023 Nebraska State Fair and/or the Aksarben Stock Show will be required to submit a DNA nomination. All 4-H/FFA BREEDING livestock, market livestock and FEEDER CALVES will now be required to submit a DNA sample/envelope to be eligible to exhibit at the Nebraska State Fair. DNA nominations for the Nebraska State Fair are due on June 15, 2023.
Any DNA nomination submitted through Show Stock Manager will also be eligible for exhibition at the Aksarben Stock Show. DNA nominations will remain at $7.00 per animal. With this update, animals will automatically be eligible for both breeding and market. Families who often paid to be eligible for both had been paying $9.00 ($7.00-Market and $2.00-Breeding) would no longer need to do that. All would pay $7.00.
PANHANDLE BEST SHOOT
Panhandle Best 2023 Dates
- Jan 22 Harrison
- Jan 29 Rushville
- Feb 5 Kimball
- Feb 12 Hyannis
- Feb 19 Alliance
- Feb 26 Mitchell
- Mar 5 Ogallala
- Mar 12 Chadron
- Mar 18-19 State in Mitchell
Congratulations to all the Shooting Sports members and best of luck as you continue learning about and enjoying this lifetime sport!
YOUTH LEATHER WORKSHOP
This workshop will take place on Wednesday, February 15 from 4:30 - 6:30 pm at the Extension Office in Rushville. We will be working on tooling and stamping. Please call 308-327-2312 to RSVP by February 14th! Limited to 8 spots! The workshop costs $25.
FEBRUARY UPCYCLED SWEATER WORKSHOP
This workshop will take place on Thursday, February 16 from 4:30 - 6:00 pm at the Extension Office in Rushville. We will be creating two pieces of clothing, bring a hoodie and a flannel. Please call 308-327-2312 to RSVP by February 15th! The workshop costs $5, payable to UNL Extension.
ADULT LEATHER WORKSHOP
This workshop will take place on Friday, February 17 from 4:30 - 6:30 pm at the Extension Office in Rushville. We will be working on tooling and stamping a hair clip. Please call 308-327-2312 to RSVP by February 14th! Limited to 6 spots! The workshop costs $25.
SEW FUN
Our New Year Schedule!
- Hay Springs 1-4pm
- Extension Office 9-noon or 1-4pm
SEND US YOUR IDEAS!
HIPPOLOGY ACADEMY
One of our most popular online course offerings will start on February 6. This course offers six topics, taught by Extension Horse Experts from all over the country. If you select the Silver option, you have access to a forum to have conversations, ask your questions of the Professor of the Week. Topics this time around: Colors and Markings, Digestive Anatomy, Respiratory and Cardiac Anatomy, Evaluating Pastures, Hoof Anatomy, and Pasture Related Diseases. Experts are from Universities of Florida, Purdue, Rutgers, Texas A&M. and Penn State University. Hoping you can join us.
ADVENTURE TOGETHER 4-H CAMP SERIES
We’re so excited to announce Adventure Together, the new Nebraska 4-H Camp series for 2023! Registration information will be coming soon. In the meantime, mark your calendars:
Chadron – June 5-9
Cozad – June 16-20
Ashland – June 26-29
Burwell – July 16-20
Louisville – July 27-30
Just FYI - the camp in Chadron will overlap with Fort Robinson 4-H Horse Camp.
CELEBRATE 4-H MONTH!
February is here, and you know what that means, right? Time to celebrate Nebraska 4-H Month!
Throughout 4-H month, youth are welcome to complete activities on our bingo card. We welcome all ages, 4-H members, and non-4-H members to participate! Marie and Wendy fully expect youth to be taking selfies with us. ;)
If youth complete a bingo, they can share the bingo with us at our Connect With 4-H event (see below) or on our Facebook page to get a prize. Prices include 4-H swag, workshop gift certificates, or free shirts.
The bingo card link is below or we have copies in the office.
CONNECT WITH 4-H EVENT
Sheridan County 4-H will host a CONNECT WITH 4-H event on Monday, February 13th from 4:30-6:00 pm. It is a come-and-go event open to all families and youth ages 5-18. Families will be able to enroll in 4-H, get a sneak peek at our summer workshops, enjoy a treat and drink, create a clover-themed project, and turn in their bingo card for a prize.
We are going to have some green, exciting things! We will have a green drink, green treat, clover craft, science experiment, and some take-home goodies. :)
Impact-at-a-Glance
At the conclusion of every year, each Extension County Office and Program Area compile impact data and condense it into a report to share with stakeholders. Check out the Sheridan County 2022 impact below. To see other counties or see specific program area impact, go to: https://extension.unl.edu/impact/
PROJECT IDEAS
Speech
- Speech Length:
o Senior: 5 to 8 minutes.
o Intermediate: 3 to 5 minutes
o Juniors: 1 to 3 minutes
o Clover Bud: under 2 minutes
- All speeches must be original and include 4-H as the major component of the speech.
- Many speakers in the Public Speaking Contest have given speeches in other contests. This is fine; however previous speeches may not be used verbatim for the 4-H contest. It is okay to use the same ideas from a speech previously delivered in competition, but it must be 4-H related. Enough changes should be made to make that speech new to the speaker and the audience. 4-H public speakers may not use an old speech written by a sibling, other 4-H member, or anyone else.
- Acknowledge the source of information used in the speech. For example, an article from a magazine may be used for reference but should not be quoted directly unless you tell the audience your source.
- Use of visual aids and props are not allowed.
- Dress appropriately. Do not wear costumes or special effect clothing.
- After participating at the county level, five contestants in each age division (Intermediate & Senior) in both speech and PSA categories will be selected to advance to the State Public Speaking Contest. Following the contest, winners will be invited to showcase their speeches at the Nebraska State Fair.
- No team speeches are allowed.
Presentation
- Time limit is 6-8 minutes for presentation given by an individual, and 8-10 minutes for a presentation given by a team. Participants may be penalized if their presentation exceeds the time limits.
- All 4-H Presentations topics should be related to what the 4-H youth is learning through 4-H educational experiences focused on the priorities of career and college readiness, community development, entrepreneurship, food supply confidence, healthy living, leadership development, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).
- 4-H Presentations should include an introduction (the “why” portion of the topic), a body (the “show” and tell” portion of the topic), and a conclusion/summary (the “what” portion of the topic).
- Presenters using computer-based visuals may bring files on a USB drive that is PC formatted. Participants may also provide their own computer or other equipment as needed; however participants must be able to connect their computer to a HDMI plug on the television.
- Live animals may be used in the presentation. All fair livestock health requirements must be followed. Presenters are responsible for all stalling arrangements, care of handling of animals. Animals can only remain in the presentation area while the owner is present.
PSA
- All PSA’s are 60 seconds in length.
- The state theme for the 2022 Public Service Announcement is “Opportunity 4 All” and should be incorporated in the PSA.
- All radio PSA’s must promote 4-H and be general enough to be used anywhere in Nebraska at any time of the year.
- All 4-H PSA’s must include the following tag line within the last ten seconds of the PSA: “Learn more about Nebraska Extension 4-H Youth Development Program at 4h.unl.edu.” The tag line is included in the 60 second time limit.
- Sound effects and public domain music may be used. Copyrighted material may not be used.
- All PSA’s must be the original work of the presenter. Contestants may not use PSA’s written and provided by the state or national staff.
- No team PSA’s are allowed.
- Radio PSA’s will be submitted electronically as a .wav or mp3 format along with 1 copy of the PSA text.
- Scoring:
o Judges will deduct three points from the contestant's speech score for each 30 seconds under or over the time limit. (Senior division only.)
o See scorecard for additional judging criteria at https://4h.unl.edu/public-speaking/district
4-H LEADERSHIP
These people are YOUR voice! Please contact any of them if you have an idea for a new or existing event or activity, have concerns with the program, or just want to have input in the decision-making process.
David Russell, Wendy Andersen, Michelle Heck, Nicole Janssen, Jake Scott, Kami Scott, Marie Nelson, Melissa Mracek
4-H Council:
President - Ryan Paul
Vice President - Jake Elwood
Secretary - Jackie Simonson
Treasurer - EJ Frink
Members at large: Candace Nelson, Megan Grossman, Zach Kearns, Clint Vincent, Jace Stumpff, Brad Beguin
Youth Members: Austin Child, Colton Archibald, Wyatt Fedderson, Kyler Vincent
Extension Board:
President - Matt Albrecht
Vice President - Caleb Peters
Secretary/Treasurer - Jacob Tejral
Members at large: Trevor Ginkens, Paige Paul
Nebraska Extension - Sheridan County Office
Email: mnelson82@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/educational-programs/northern-panhandle-4-h/
Location: 800 S Loofborrow Street, PO Box 329 Rushville, NE 69360
Phone: 308-327-2312
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLSheridanCounty
Twitter: @SheridanCounty