SHERIDAN COUNTY NEWSLETTER
April 2021
Calendar of Events
Apr 2 - Clover Bud Kit Activity Zoom 10:00 am
Apr 5 - Archery Practice Rushville Legion 4:00 pm
Apr 12 - Rushville Clover Buds Rushville Elementary 3:30 pm
Apr 13 - Gordon Clover Buds Gordon Elementary 3:30 pm
Apr 14 - G/R After-school Sew Fun Extension Office 1-4 pm
Apr 16 - HS After-school Sew Fun Extension Office 1-4 pm
Apr 17 - Show Goat Clinic Scottsbluff Fairgrounds 9:00 am
Apr 19 - Archery Practice Rushville Legion 4:00 pm
Apr 20 - Gordon After-school (3-5) Rushville Elementary 3:30 pm
Apr 24 - Panhandle Livestock Scottsbluff Fairground 9:30 am
Judging Clinic
Apr 28 - G/R After-school Quilting Extension Office 1-4 pm
Apr 30 - HS After-school Quilting Extension Office 1-4 pm
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
· YQCA must be completed by June 15th. Online ($12) or in-person ($3) training available. https://yqca.learngrow.io/Account/Login
· 4-H registration is open, and dues paid by June 15, 2021 4Honline.com
· Sheridan County 4-H Scholarship due April 15th.
Sign Battle
Life Challenge
Life Challenge is a two-day event designed to help youth learn about issues related to family and consumer sciences, explore career opportunities that are available, compete with other teens from across the state, and have FUN! Opportunities for youth include a foods and nutrition challenge, design challenge, entrepreneurship investigation (ESI) challenge, and human development challenge. Youth may participate in any or all of these activities. Pre-registration is required at your extension office for all participants. https://4h.unl.edu/life-challenge
PASE
Premier Animal Science Events (PASE) is a two-day event designed to help youth learn about issues related to the animal industry, explore career opportunities that are available, compete with other teens from across the state, and have FUN! Opportunities for youth include livestock judging, meats judging, and poultry judging, as well as livestock skill-a-thon and livestock quiz bowl. Youth can participate in more than one contest or event as their schedule allows. Pre-registration is required at your extension office for all participants. https://4h.unl.edu/pase
Clover Buds
The Gordon Clover Bud workshop will be held on April 13th from 3:30 – 5:00 pm at the Gordon After School program. The Rushville Clover Bud workshop will be held on April 12th from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm as a part of the Rushville After School program. The Hay Springs Clover Bud workshop will be held virtually on April 2nd from 10-11 am. Please register for the Hay Springs event with Marie Nelson by March 31st.
Clover Bud members are youth between the ages of 5 and 7 as of January 1st, 2021. These youth will experience teamwork, social interaction, and decision-making skills while participating in hands on activities Please register for any of these meetings by calling the office at 308-327-2312.
Clover Bud members are youth between the ages of 5 and 7 as of January 1st, 2021. These youth will experience teamwork, social interaction, and decision-making skills while participating in hands on activities. Upon participating in these workshops, youth will have Clover Bud projects to display at the 2021 Sheridan County Fair.
Speech Contest
Speech date for Sheridan County will be 2:00 pm on May 23rd at the Gordon City Hall. The Speech, Presentation and Public Service Announcement (PSA) contests provide 4-H'ers the opportunity to learn to express themselves clearly, organize their ideas and have confidence. The 2021 state PSA theme is “Opportunity 4 All”, and time limit is 60 seconds. Contests are open to all 4-H'ers ages 5-18 (by January 1 of the current year) -- need not be enrolled in a specific project. Speech lengths for: Clover Bud – under 2 minutes, Junior – 1-3 minutes, Intermediate – 3-5 minutes, Senior – 5-8 minutes. Youth may choose to participate in either or both the Speech and PSA contests. If questions, contact Marie Nelson at mnelson82@unl.edu or 308-327-2312.
4-H District Horse Shows
4-H'ers must have passed Horsemanship Advancement Level II by May 7 in order to participate at a district show. District classes are held as qualifiers for corresponding classes at the State 4-H Horse Expo. District show classes include Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, Hunt Seat Equitation, Western Horsemanship, Reining, Barrels, and Poles. All entries are due by May 7th. Go to https://4h.unl.edu/state-horse-expo-district to learn about the entry procedure.
Livestock for Sale
Follow this link to view all area sales taking place: https://www.smore.com/7d1j5
Livestock Clinics
Follow this link to view all area clinics, progress shows, and judging taking place: https://www.smore.com/gmcr1
Big Red Summer Camps
High School youth have the opportunity to attend a variety of Big Red Summer camps starting on June 13th. These weeklong camps are college and career exploration camps that give high school youth a chance to explore the UNL campus, meet people from across the country, spend time investigating an interest or potential career, enjoy exciting evening activities or trips, and have lots of fun! These are residential camps; all housing and food will be provided for all participants throughout the duration of the camp. Youth can check out all the opportunities at https://4h.unl.edu/big-red-camps.
Multicooker Zoom Workshop
Multi-cookers are one of today's most popular kitchen appliances! They can be used as a pressure cooker, a yogurt maker, a steam, a rice cooker and to sauté or keep food warm. During this 2-hour workshop, learn how to successfully and safely operate a multi-cooker while creating quick and safe meals for your family while in the comfort of your own home. If you do not have a multi-cooker this workshop is an opportunity to see if you want one of these handy devices. This zoom workshop will take place on April 15th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm via Zoom. Please register by April 9th by contacting Melissa Mracek at mmracek2@unl.edu.
Nebraska 4-H Camps
Want to spend a week of your summer enjoying the outdoors, trying new activities and making new friends?! Join us at Nebraska 4-H Camps for summer 2021! Our summer camp is located in the middle of the Sandhills in the beautiful Nebraska National Forest near Halsey. Our week-long overnight camp programs are open to all youth ages 8-15. You do not need to be a member of 4-H to attend camp (invite all of your friends to join!). We also have leadership opportunities and jr. counselor positions available for ages teens ages 15-18. A typical week at 4-H Camp includes a variety of outdoor adventure activities such as canoeing, zipline, high ropes course, archery, crafts, campfires and more!
For more information and full camp descriptions please view the electronic 4-H Camp brochure: https://4h.unl.edu/documents/2021%20Brochure%20Final.pdf
Please reach out to the Camp Program Director, Katie Zabel, with any questions! Kzabel2@unl.edu
Sheridan County 4-H members participate at Robotics Competitions
March 6th was the Sidney First Lego League Regional Qualifier event. There were four Sheridan County 4-H teams competing at this event. Prior to the event the teams have been working since October to develop an innovative solution to help people become more active, build and program a robot to complete the game missions, and learn how to work together as a team. The week before the competition, teams had to submit videos and notebooks of their robot designs as well as their project solutions. The GR Overdrive-Black team, consisting of Timber Fortin, Draven Russell, Aden Lemburg, Braylon Holston, and Jordan Olsen; created a solution around a game app that would have youth members move physically to move their pawns. GR Overdrive – Army, members include Kannon Leeper, Kaden Jackson, Tyler Shelton, Paxton Simonson, and Chris Swanson; created a jersey with sensors to help visually impaired people play sports. The Don’t Eat the Bananas team, made up of Case Scheenen, Aiden Heiser, Gracie Williamson, Khai Janssen, and Janessa Dieriex; developed a chair massager with foot pedals that the elderly could use to exercise, and the petals would ask them brain teasers as well. The Titanium Builders team, consisting of Micah Hotz, Robert Moore, Joe Ziller, and Asa Funk; developed an artificial reality device that would allow youth who have broken or sprained parts still practice and play games in PE class.
The Don’t Eat Bananas team received the Rising Star award for their overall performance. The GR Overdrive-Army team received the Global Innovation Project award and the Robot Design award. Five teams were selected to move onto the State Competition and GR Overdrive – Army was one of the teams selected.
On March 20th the First Lego League Nebraska State Championships were held in Grand Island at the Raising Nebraska Building with 28 teams competing. The Sheridan County 4-H Robotics team GR Overdrive Army presented their Global Innovation Project and well as run the robot through its missions. At this event the team received the Motivate award. The Motivate Award celebrates a team that embraces the culture of First Lego League through team building, team spirit and displayed enthusiasm. The judges thought this team showed promise in all areas of the First Lego League. Congrats to all the robotics teams for a great season.
UNL Livestock Judging Camp
Blaine French, the UNL Livestock Judging Coach, and team members will be hosting a clinic in Scottsbluff on Saturday, April 24th from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Scottsbluff County Fairgrounds. The cost of the clinic is $5 and will include pizza and a drink. Youth need to pre-register by the 20th to receive lunch by contacting the Garden County Office at (308) 772-3311.
Senior Honor Cords
Please let the extension office know if you would like a set of honor cords to show your 4-H accomplishments on your special day!
Pick-a-Chick Project
This project is open to youth in grades 4-12. Youth will get to pick out their chick, raise their chick at home, attend workshops, and show their chick at fair. If interested in this project email Marie at mnelson82@unl.edu for more information.
New Livestock classes at NE State Fair!
It is with great excitement that Nebraska 4-H will be offering new livestock classes and divisions at the 2021 Nebraska State Fair! With the decision to shift 4-H and FFA livestock shows to the two different weekends, this provided the opportunity to offer new shows and programs for 4-H.
Here’s what is NEW!
4-H BEEF
In our beef area, we will now be offering:
· a feeder calf show,
· a junior breeding heifer class to all of our breeding classes, and
· 4-H members will now be eligible to show up to a total of five beef animals. A 4-H’er can exhibit up to two market beef, three breeding heifers and two feeder calves as long as the total number of entries does not exceed five beef animals.
4-H SWINE
In our swine area,
· We will be offering a breeding gilt show. This breeding gilt show will include 9 purebred classes as well as a crossbred class.
· In our market swine show, we will be creating a more diverse show by including 9 purebred classes.
· We will also be adding new “Farrowed and Owned Breeding and Market Swine” divisions. The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is an opportunity for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry and is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the swine industry. The goal of the Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is to enhance the educational value of the traditional 4-H swine projects by providing unique opportunities focusing on swine production as goal of the member’s project, along with accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member.
4-H members will now be eligible to show up to a total of five swine projects. A 4-H member is limited to exhibiting three market hogs and two breeding gilts
4-H SHEEP
4-H members will now be eligible to show up to a total of five sheep maximum, if at least two are breeding ewes. In no case will a 4-H member exhibit more than three market lambs.
4-H GOAT
4-H members will now be eligible to show up to a total of five goats maximum, if at least two are breeding does. In no case will a 4-H member exhibit more than three market goats.
Wilderness Wonders Camp
Come Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast at the 2021 Wilderness Wonders Camp. Test your survivor skills at this summer's Wilderness Wonders Camp! New this year, there will be two one-day camps. On June 2nd, youth in grades 3rd through 5th will be challenged on how they can survive in a group through this hands-on camp. This camp will be held from 9 am until 5 pm at Camp Norwesca. The camp is limited to 40 campers with a $40 fee. June 3rd will be a one-day camp for youth ages 5 to 7 or grades K-2. These youth members will be challenged with their own set of survivor skills from 9 am until 2 pm at Camp Norwesca. This camp is limited to 25 youth and will have a $30 fee. Youth will need to bring their swimming suits and towels to the June 3rd camp. The camp application can be found at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/4-h-event-calendar/.
Applications are due to the Nebraska Extension-Box Butte Office at 415 Black Hills Alliance, NE 69301 by May 14th. Please contact the Extension Office if you have any questions.
Sheridan County 4-H Horse Clinics
May 22, 2021—9:00 am—Noon @Rushville Arena. Trail Class and Reining.
Presenter will be Wendy Andersen. Wendy has had 30 years of mentoring kids and their horses. Wendy’s favorite class is trail class. As part of Trail Class you will need to be able to pick up your leads and transition easily between gaits. All these skills are also required in Reining. This clinic will be a fun morning of learning for kids and horses.
June 5, 2021— 9:00 a.m.—Noon @ Rushville Arena. Building confidence and having fun with your horse.
Learning the skills of working with your horse on the ground. Maybe even learn a trick or two. Our Presenter
Megan Reimann has conducted several clinics and demonstrations with her horse Rusty. She is a delight and a wealth of information.
June 26— 9:00 am—Noon—Fitting and Showmanship— Rushville Arena Learn how to present and trim your horse for 4-H shows.
Our Presenter: Jessica Anderson. Jessica is a Utah State , Tooele County and Sheridan County 4-H Champion in Fitting and Showmanship. She really knows how to make Fitting and Showmanship fun.
TBA- Speed Events and Roping Clinic. This is an All-Day Clinic. Lunch will be available. This clinic with have a $10.00 fee. (Arena-Heal o Matic, Meal) Date To be Announced:
Our Presenter with be Sammy Meeks with the Help of Colter and Cooper Meeks.
Sammy has organized the Clinics of World Champion Barrel Racer Lisa Lockhart. She is an accomplished Barrel Racer in her own rights. Her sons Colter and Cooper are local 4-H Champions in speed events and Cattle work. They make a great team to help you be your best.
Register for the *NEW* 2021 4-H Youth Leadership Conference (YLC)
High School students (ages 14-18)! We are inviting you to join us for the Youth Leadership Conference, July 1-3, 2021, at the Nebraska State 4-H Camp in Halsey, NE.
Register here: https://go.unl.edu/ylc2021 by June 1st to claim your spot in this amazing experience.
The cost for YLC will be $200. We’ll be taking advantage of some traditional camp activities while integrating leadership workshops and speakers to bring together and develop the leaders of Nebraska 4-H!
Summer Camp Scholarships
We believe that every young life should be enriched by the camp experience, and we want to make camp an opportunity for all youth. With the support of the Nebraska 4-H Foundation and its donors, we are able to offer a limited number of camp scholarships to support the participation of young people at the Nebraska 4-H Summer Camps. $100 scholarships are available for multi-day camps. If you have a camper in need of financial support we welcome your request. Apply here: https://4h.unl.edu/camps-centers/summer-camp/scholarship
Sheridan Co. 4-H Scholarship Due Apr 15
The Sheridan County 4-H Council is sponsoring a $500 scholarship to be awarded to a senior of Sheridan County who has been involved in 4-H. The application for this scholarship is due on April 15th via email to Marie Nelson at mnelson82@unl.edu or mailed to the Extension Office at PO Box 329 Rushville, NE 69360. Interested participants need to complete a simple two-page application answering questions about their 4-H experience. The scholarship application can be found at: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/scholarship-opportunities-sheridan-county/. For more information, please contact the Extension Office at (308) 327-2312.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.
The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Copyright ©2021
Nebraska Extension - Sheridan County Office
Email: mnelson82@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/educational-programs/northern-panhandle-4-h/
Location: 105 Loofborrow Street, PO Box 329 Rushville, NE 69360
Phone: 308-327-2312
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLSheridanCounty
Twitter: @SheridanCounty