CENTRAL SANDHILLS AREA 4-H NEWS
April 2022 Newsletter
Contact Information
Mailing Address: PO Box 148 - Thedford, NE 69166
Email: mandersen16@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/centralsandhills/
Location: 503 Main Street, Thedford, NE, USA
Phone: (308)645-2267
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centralsandhillsarea/
APRIL EDITION
Membership For 2021-2022 Is Now Open!
In November 4honline transitioned from 1.0 to 2.0. You can click on the link to enroll in the new system https://v2.4honline.com/. If you have any questions, please reach out to Shaniya at s.albertus@unl.edu or by calling the office at 308-645-2267.
Please note, this year the Nebraska State 4-H Office will impose a statewide enrollment deadline date that will assist counties in having a consistent timeline for processing membership enrollments. Once that date is announced from the State 4-H Office, it will be released from the Extension Office.
What does this mean? ENROLL EARLY and don't miss the statewide deadline to be a Nebraska 4-H member! :-)
All leaders and volunteers also need to be enrolled on 4honline. There is no fee to enroll.
Attention: Adult members and volunteers
All 4-H volunteers and staff are required to complete the Nebraska 4-H volunteer screening process. Volunteer screening is done in order to assure a safe, positive, and nurturing environment for all youth involved with the Nebraska 4-H programs and provide protection for the child, the volunteer, the educator, the 4-H Council, the Extension Board, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.
Initial screening of volunteers and staff will occur when they sign up to volunteer or are employed as an Extension professional. Re-screening for volunteers will be done every five years by district regardless of when the original screening was completed. Volunteers are responsible for covering the screening fee at the time the screening is completed. Currently, the cost of the screening is $5.00. Please see click on the link below for more details.
Volunteer Lunch & Learn
Speech and Music Contests
Hooker County April 28, 4:00 MT location TBD
Entries are due by April 11 please contact Central Sandhills Area Extension Office to sign up.
STATE PUBLIC SPEAKING CONTEST
Through the 4-H Public Speaking Contest, youth have an opportunity to write a speech or a public service announcement (PSA) that incorporates the topic of 4-H and deliver it to an audience. The 4-H Public Speaking Contest helps youth develop skills for communicating about current issues to real audiences, learn how to organize and prepare a speech, develop speech delivery skills, learn how to present themselves to others, and develop self-confidence.
After participating at the county level, five (5) contestants in each age division (Intermediate and Senior) in both speech and PSA categories will be selected to advance to the State Public Speaking Contest. The State Public Speaking Contest will be held in Lincoln, Nebraska on Friday, June 24, 2022. For more information click on the link https://4h.unl.edu/public-speaking.
April Project of the Month - Horse
The horse industry contributes approximately $50 billion to the U.S. economy and directly impacts more than 900,000 jobs, according to the American Horse Council. The 4-H Horse Project is one of the most popular projects in the Central Sandhills Area. Along with learning horsemanship and animal science, Nebraska 4-H members practice life skills, such as responsibility, self-discipline, personal safety, goal setting, and keeping records.
Horsemanship Advancement Levels are the cornerstone of the 4-H Horse Project. The Horsemanship Advancement Levels are designed to serve as a guide for instruction and evaluation of each member's progress. The correct handling of horses is emphasized from the beginning to the most advanced level. Each level has a particular emphasis to assist in developing 4-H member's self-discipline, patience, self-reliance, responsibility, and pride of accomplishments. To pass each level, a 4-H’er must complete a minimum of a demonstration, written examination, and skills (riding) test. To show at District and/or the State 4-H Horse Show, 4-Her’s must pass Level 2, with some classes requiring Level 3. Beginning in 2022, 4-Her’s exhibiting in Blaine, Grant, Hooker, and Thomas counties must pass the Level 1 skills (riding) test to show at county fair.
If interested in the 4-H Horse project, enroll in 4-H before June 15. Identify any and all horses you plan to show using the horse IDs from the local extension office by July 1st, earlier if you plan to show at districts and/or state. No horse IDs will be rolled over from past years. The Nebraska 4-H Horse Show & Judging Guide can answer most questions about horse shows and other 4-H horse project contests.
For more information on the Nebraska 4-H Horse Project, https://4h.unl.edu/horse. Horsemanship Advancement Level information can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/horse-advancement. Horse ID’s can be found on our website www.centralsandhills.unl.edu.
If interested in the 4-H horse project and want more information, please contact the 4-H Assistant Shaniya at s.albertus@unl.edu, T.L. Meyer at tl.meyer@unl.edu, or the local 4-H horse project leader.
The new YQCA platform is up and running!
Please go to yqcaprogram.org to set up your account. Parents/youth, if you have a current and valid YQCA certification, please follow these steps to get yourself set up on the new site.
Shaniya is working on some fun summer workshops. More information will be coming soon!
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
The University of Nebraska – Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for its first annual Panhandle Research and Extension Center Student Scholarship.
Three scholarships of $1000 each will be awarded.
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Have attended high school in the Panhandle of Nebraska in one of these following counties:
- Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Cherry, Cheyenne, Dawes, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Kimball, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, and Thomas
- Be attending any of the Nebraska University Campuses, including Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture
- Majoring in Agriculture, Agriculture Technology or a related degree emphasizing agriculture
- Be a graduating high school senior, or in the first or second year of undergraduate study.
Applications are available at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/panhandle/2022-scholarship. Applications close at midnight MST, April 15, 2022.
If there are questions, please contact Coordinator Emily Stine at estine2@unl.edu or at (308) 632-1230.
State and Regional 4-H Events
April 30 Husker Horse Judging School - Animal Science Complex East Campus, Grace Kim at grace.kim@unl.edu
May 1 Husker Horse Judging Contest - Animal Science Complex East Campus, Grace Kim at grace.kim@unl.edu
May 6 Entries due for District Horse Shows, and Fonner Park State 4H State Horse Show
May 25 4-H Horse Judging Contest, Pitzer Ranch Arena, Steve Niemeyer 308-346-4200
May 26 Animal Science Discovery Day - NCTA Campus in Curtis, Elena at elena.stout@unl.edu or Kimberly at kimberly.cook@unl.edu
June 6-10 4-H District Horse Shows, contact Grace Kim grace.kim@unl.edu
June 9-11 4-H Horse Camp - Crawford, Dawes County Extension, 308-432-3373 or tessa.reece@unl.edu
June 9 Beef Ambassador Contest and Beef Advocacy Training - Mid-Plains Valentine, 402-450-0223 or ncw@necattlemen.org
June 12 Lincoln County Horse Show - North Platte, Johna Gartrell 308-530-7809 or Lindee Miller 308-660-5748
June 15 Application/Sign up for Nebraska 4H Livestock Achievement Program - ashley.benes@unl.edu
June 22-23 Premier Animal Science Event (PASE) - UNL East Campus, Shaniya Albertus 308-645-2267
June 24 Platte Valley Dog Show - D&N Event Center North Platte, Amber Willard 308-660-4323
July 9-13 Fonner Park 4H State Horse Show - Grand Island, Grace Kim at grace.kim@unl.edu
If you have any questions or need more information you can also contact the Central Sandhills Area Extension Office.
2022 Global Challenges Summer Camp: Environmental Innovation and Leadership
The 2022 Global Challenges Summer Camp, a collaboration between the Nebraska Honors Program and the College of Arts and Sciences, is an opportunity for high school students to engage with environmental issues by creating community with faculty members, college mentors, and elementary-aged youth in Lincoln. The camp will take place July 18 - 30, 2022, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus with field trips to Reller Prairie Field Station, and is for rising high school juniors and seniors. The application deadline is Friday, April 15, 2022. Learn more at https://honors.unl.edu/experiences/global-challenges-summer-camp.
More details at: https://honors.unl.edu/experiences/global-challenges-summer-camp
Tractor Safety Classes
New!! Hands-On Safety Day: Tractor and Equipment Safety for Young and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Young and beginning farmers, ages 13 and older are invited for a day of hands-on equipment demonstrations and tractor driving (14 years of age and over to drive).
May 24, 2022 – West Central Research and Education Center in North Platte
May 26, 2022 – Raising Nebraska in Grand Island
Annual Tractor and Equipment Safety Certification Training Course for students 14 years of age and older
Successful completion of a one-day in-person training (driving exam) paired with an online learning module will result in certification for 14 and 15 year old youth to be employed on farms and ranches.
May 25, 2022– North Platte
June 6, 2022 – O’Neill
June 7, 2022 – Gering
June 8, 2022 – Broken Bow
June 9, 2022 – Hastings
June 10, 2022 – Weeping Water
For more information contact Susan Harris (308—737-9190) susan.harris@unl.edu or Ellen Duysen ellen.duysen@unmc.edu.
Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Update in Benkelman
Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Update Session is scheduled for late April. It will be held April 22nd at the Dundy County Fairgrounds in Benkelman. The early bird deadline to register for the Benkelman training is April 13th.
The time has come to provide an update for all Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Instructors who received their training in 2014 or before. Over the years there have been numerous curriculum changes, updates and additions, with some major curriculum adjustments in the last few years.
These Update Sessions are for adult or apprentice 4-H volunteer instructors who have previously attended a 4-H instructor training workshop in 2014 or prior years. These are an update for existing instructors, NOT a training for new instructors. You MUST be a currently enrolled Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports volunteer leader in your county. Instructors have the option of completing an update in two disciplines during the workshop.
Discipline updates that will be offered include rifle, shotgun, archery, hunting skills and muzzleloader.
There is a minimum number of participants needed to offer these disciplines at the session. Participants will learn under expert instruction from members of the Nebraska State 4-H Shooting Sports Training Team.
A paid registration fee by April 13th guarantees participant a spot at the session providing that discipline session is not full. Early bird registration by April 13th is $30 for session #1 or #2 separately, or $50 for both sessions. Late registration fee, after April 13th, is $40 for Session #1 or #2 separately, or $80 for both sessions. Fee includes program materials and light dinner on Friday night. It does not include lodging.
Please share this information with volunteers in your county. For more workshop information and registration link, go to the 4-H Shooting Sports web page: https://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports/instructor#calendar Or contact your local Nebraska Extension Office or Steve Pritchard at (402)395-2158 or (308)536-2691. Registration is available only online at the link provided in the brochure or they can register directly by clicking: https://go.unl.edu/2jor
Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Certification Workshop Offered in Benkelman
Volunteers will have the opportunity to become certified as an adult (21 years and older) or apprentice (14-20 years old) leader. Six project areas will be offered at the Benkelman Workshop - rifle, pistol, shotgun, hunting skills, muzzleloader, and archery.
There is a minimum number of participants needed to offer these disciplines at the workshop. Workshop participants will learn under expert instruction from members of the Nebraska State
4-H Shooting Sports Training Team.
The registration fee is $85.00 per person for initial certification and those individuals adding an additional discipline except for Apprentice Instructors. The registration fee for Apprentice Instructors (14 to 20 years of age) is $75 for this workshop. This fee includes meals, supplies and program materials. Participants must make their own lodging arrangements. Registration on Saturday runs from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
While participants might need to bring limited, if any, equipment to the in-person discipline training site, there are a series of four National 4-H Shooting Sports online modules which individuals MUST complete prior to the training to become eligible for certification. Information on the modules and how to enroll, 4-H Shooting Sports Online User Guide, can accessed by using the link found on the Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports website under Calendar of 4-H Shooting Sports Events at https://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports, under the Benkelman Workshop - this provides step-by-step instructions on how to sign up for and complete the entire series of modules before the workshop.
As individuals follow each of the instructions in the Online User Guide, they will be asked to choose a payment method. Participants are responsible for the $20 (per person) registration fee. The entire series of modules will take approximately 3-4 hours, so please plan some time accordingly.
Please share this information with volunteers in your county. For more workshop information and registration link, go to the 4-H Shooting Sports web page: https://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports Or contact your local Nebraska Extension Office or Steve Pritchard at (402)395-2158 or (308)536-2691. Registration is available only online at the link provided in the brochure or they can register directly at this link: https://go.unl.edu/4eap
Animal Science Discovery Day!
- Thursday, May 26th at NCTA Campus in Curtis
- 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
- Cost: $15 includes lunch
- Register at the link below by Monday, May 23rd. Late registrations will result in a $20 registration fee
https://go.unl.edu/animalsciencediscover
For more information contact Elena at elena.stout@unl.edu or Kimberly at kimberly.cook@unl.edu
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Nebraska Extension in the Central Sandhills
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Nebraska Extension in the Sandhills
PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR NEWS so it can be included in our newsletters! Forward any 4-H news, events, or activities to Marcy at mandersen16@unl.edu