Nebraska 4-H Month
Each year during the month of February we celebrate Nebraska 4-H Month. This year, we'll celebrate another very special event in February. The University of Nebraska was chartered on February 15, 1896. In 2019, we mark a 150-year legacy of improving the quality of life for Nebraska and beyond.
This month, we ask 4-H members, families, and volunteers across the state to celebrate Nebraska 4-H Month by taking part in the Nebraska 150 Celebrations! Take Flat Herbie on a tour of your community, join a local Charter Day celebration on February 15th, bake some N150 cookies, or get a head start on an N150 Stepping Stone exhibit for county fair!
Diamond Clover Award Applications Due April 1st!
Discover Washington - Now is Your Chance!
This past summer some of our 4-H members traveled to Washington DC with (Gage/Saline) and Jefferson County members. They experienced a whirlwind 10 days seeing the sights and partaking in tours, and making friends and memories to last a lifetime. If you are at least 12 years old you can begin doing fundraising to make your own trip affordable.
Please let us know if you are wanting your name on the list for a future Discover Washington trip, and an approximate year you want to attend. (Must have completed 8th grade.) This is non-binding, but gives us an approximate number for trip planning at this time.
Flat Herbie
In February, cut out Herbie and make him a part of your community by taking him on a tour of your town. Snap a picture of him at local events, favorite landmarks or 4-H & Extension activities. Upload the pictures to your social media channels with #N150Herbie or email us at nebraska4h@unl.edu. The first 12 4-H'ers to take a picture with Flat Herbie and send it to our office, will get a prize!
2019 4-H Public Speaking Contest
Developing 4-H’ers self-confidence and effective public speaking skills are two goals of the Nebraska 4-H public speaking contest. The local contest date has been set for Monday, April 22, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. You must pre-register for the contest by Wednesday, April 3rd by calling the office or sending an email to hayden.hemphill@unl.edu. Top three winners from each age division (except novice) will be selected to advance to the Regional Speech Contest at UNL East Campus in Lincoln in May. The top seniors in the Regional contests will advance to the State Contest held during the State Fair to compete for a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and a college scholarship. Resources to help you prepare for the Public Speaking Contest available at https://4h.unl.edu/public-speaking
We follow the same rules as the regional contest. Ages are as of January 1, 2019.
Age Divisions
Four age divisions are used in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest and are based on the
4-H member's age (the age of the youth before January 1 of the current year).
- Novice Division: 4-H ages eight (8) and (9)
- Junior Division: 4-H ages eight (8) to ten (10)
- Intermediate Division: 4-H ages eleven (11) to thirteen (13)
- Senior Division: 4-H ages fourteen (14) to eighteen (18)
Speech Category Rules
- Length of Speeches:
- Novice Division: May recite a poem, read/tell a story
- Junior Division: 1 to 3 minutes.
- Intermediate Division: 3 to 5 minutes.
- Senior Division: 5 to 8 minutes.
Introducing the 2019 Special Garden Project
The Special Garden Project is a way to offer 4-H members the chance to grow unusual and fun projects in their gardens. Last year over 1375 4-H members were enrolled in the project. This year the Special Garden Project is focused on the unique Carmine Splendor Okra. Carmine Splendor Okra is as unique as it is tasty. This plant is high yielding and produces uniform, red pods. The stout 5-pointed pods are deep red when small and at the best eating quality. The tropical-looking, pinkish flowers are also edible and have a sweet, mild flavor. The mature seed pods also give a fun twist for winter interest in a container.
Youth should enroll for the Special Garden Project through 4-H Online. Once enrolled in 4-H Online, youth are then supposed to call their local office to sign up for the project (order the seeds). By enrolling through 4-H Online, youth will have access to the box folder with the educational materials including the growing newsletter & evaluation. Please check the number of youth enrolled through 4-H online when ordering seeds.
If you would like to order the Special Garden Project, please contact Hayden by 1-21-19. Approximate cost will be $ 0.55 per 4-H'er.
Career Portfolio Pick-Up
Congratulations to the following members that have been selected to advance to the State competition:
Allison Engelman
Page Nippert
4-H Cat Club
Cat Club is a monthly webinar series offering educational information about caring for your cat and showing your cat in 4-H. Youth do not need to be enrolled in 4-H or in the 4-H cat project to participate. Cat Club is a great resource for anyone interested in showing cats in 4-H whether you have one now or not! Youth of all ages are welcome to join. Webinar topics change each month and cover topics such as vaccination, diseases, grooming, diet, reproduction, breeds, genetics, selecting a cat, at home cat setup, and showmanship.
The Cat Club series is held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm CT. The Cat Club will convene on the following dates:
- February 14, 2019 @ 6:00 PM CT
- March 14, 2019 @ 6:00 PM CT
- April 11, 2019 @ 6:00 PM CT
- May 9, 2019 @ 6:00 PM CT
State 4-H Camp
Summer 2019 is approaching fast! No summer is complete without a Nebraska 4-H Camp experience. Summer camps are open to everyone between the ages of 6 and 18. The full color brochure is now on our 4-H page at: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/jefferson/Camp-Brochure-2018.pdf or you can pick one up at our office.
Nebraska State 4-H camps offer camps at these locations: Halsey and Gretna with more than 40 day and overnight camping programs and trips. Whether your child’s interest is in animals, robotics, nature and outdoor skills, tubing and kayaking, or just plain adventure, Nebraska 4-H camps provide the opportunities for all youth and all interests.
Nebraska 4-H Club/FFA Chapter of the Week
To honor our hardworking Nebraska youth in agriculture, the Midwest Messenger is featuring a new 4-H Club/FFA Chapter of the Week spotlight. Each week, a new club or chapter is highlighted on a sponsored full page display in the paper, featuring a photograph of current members and a brief biography of the club/chapter’s history and accomplishments. Finally, to boost their organization’s endeavors, the Midwest Messenger is giving each featured group a $50 gift card.
The nomination form can be found on our website at https://www.agupdate.com/midwestmessenger/forms/f4h_club_ffa_chapter_of_the_week/
The 4-H Club/FFA Chapter spotlight will appear each week in the print edition of the Messenger, as well as online at www.midwestmessenger.com and our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/midwestmessenger.
For any questions about this program or submitting a nomination, please contact Katy Moore at (402) 374-2225 ext. 122, katy.moore@lee.net.
Thank you for helping us celebrate the accomplishments of Nebraska’s ag youth — the next generation of America’s proud farmers, ranchers, and ag advocates.
Workshop Ideas
Nebraska Extension - Jefferson County