Tarrant 4-H

Howdy!

I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather. We are already into the first week of November and there are LOTS of opportunities highlighted in this newsletter. Please be sure to check out the Talent Showcase contest and the District Photography contest that is still open for entries. Seniors - you'll want to check out the Texas 4-H Opportunity Scholarship.

Sincerely,

Miss Kate

kate.marshall@ag.tamu.edu

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Kate Marshall, CEA 4-H Youth Development, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

kate.marshall@ag.tamu.edu

Jordan Peldyak, EA 4-H Youth Development, Prairie View Cooperative Extension Program

Jordan.Peldyak@ag.tamu.edu

Sanci Hall, EA 4-H Youth Development, Prairie View Cooperative Extension Program

sanci.hall@ag.tamu.edu

Andrea Amador, 4-H Administrative Assistant

andrea.amador@agnet.tamu.edu

Traveling to the Tarrant County AgriLife Extension Office:

The entrance to our building is on the West side facing our surface parking lot and Burnett St., it is not on Taylor St. The surface parking lot entrance is on West 2nd Street (Parking will be validated for those participating/staying at an event. Please bring the ticket up with you and we will provide a sticker barcode that scans to get you out free of charge). You will enter the building on the 2nd floor and then take the elevators to the 5th floor where our office is located.

Email: tarrant4-h@ag.tamu.edu
Website: https://tarrant-tx.tamu.edu/
Location: 200 Taylor Street suite 500, Fort Worth, TX, USA
Phone: 817-884-1291
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TarrantCounty4H

Please keep this link handy! This is the 2025-26 Tarrant County 4-H Calendar. County & District Event dates are listed. Please let us know if you have any questions!

Get re-enrolled here: https://v2.4honline.com/

Adults and youth will need to enroll on 4HOnline and be active to be considered an official member of Texas 4-H. An active enrollment is required in order to register and participate in all 4-H meetings, activities and events. Each year on August 15th all membership in Texas 4-H goes to inactive and all youth and adult volunteers must re-enroll.

• Youth members are required to pay a $25.00 participation fee if enrolled by October 31st, and a $30.00 fee from November 1st to the completion of the 4-H year.
• Clover kids (grades K-2) are required to pay a $10.00 participation fee.
• Adults pay a $10.00 volunteer applicant fee.

There are 4HOnline family guides to assist you in navigating the system to get enrolled.

We are trying something new this year. CYC will meet the same months that the Adult Leaders Association meets. Our schedule for 2025-26 is listed below. Our incoming officers have some BIG things being planned.

All 4-H members are welcome to attend! Be sure to join us at our November meeting and taking part in our community service activity.

County Youth Council is a great way to interact with other 4-H'ers from all over the county and build your leadership skills!

• November 17, 2025 (CYC topic/activity will be Community Service)
• January 26, 2026 (CYC topic will focus on Leadership)
• March 23, 2026 (CYC will be hosting a 4-H Ambassador Panel)
• May 18, 2026 (CYC will be hosting County Officer Elections)

Tarrant County 4-H is pulling together to impact our community. We want to create 1000 first-aid kits for Tarrant County MHMR to give out to clients across our region.

We are asking our individual 4-H clubs to sign up and contribute needed items. Bring all items to the November 17th CYC meeting, where we will assemble the kits.

Please review the available slots & click on the button to sign up. Thank you!

If you have questions, please contact Drew Parker (drew@missionvista.net) or Miss Kate.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the next Adult Leaders Association meeting on Monday, November 17! See the flyer below for more information.

The 2025-2026 Texas 4-H Record Book Family Guide is now available. You will notice a few changes to the record book format for this coming year.

Notable Changes:

• Replaced the 4-H Story with Narratives:
• About Me Narrative (All Ages)
• College & Career Exploration Narrative (Intermediate & Senior Only)
• Essay Prompt Narrative which changes annually (Senior Only)
• Added “My Year in Photos” section
• This page is separate from the written narratives and forms.
• Section I – Projects
• All project information will be noted in this section (page limits have increased slightly)
• Encouraged to include at least 4 projects with their main project (to reflect the record book category they are competing in) being the first entry
• However, when judging, one should note QUALITY of the project experience vs QUANTITY
• A young person with 3 active projects may have a lot more of true project experience than those with 6 projects
• Removed Section IV – Other 4-H Projects (added into Section I)
• Forms can reflect all years in 4-H, not just current and previous 3 years
• This was a change because a 4-H member for example may have won a Major Livestock Show in elementary school and that is still considered one of their highest achievements even in High School
• This also mirrors the requirements of the Texas 4-H Opportunity Scholarship which allows all years of 4-H involvement
• Section V – Non 4-H Activities should still focus on more recent years since is to demonstrate your involvement outside of 4-H in more real-time
• Removed Animal Agriculture Category and replaced with Open/Self-Directed
• All record books should be typed. Handwritten books should not be submitted. We understand it may be harder for younger kids to type; therefore, an adult can take their written presentation and type into the format. This is a move towards the potential future of the submissions being in an online format only.
• DISCONTINUED ZSuites. We are exploring alternative online platforms for the future years.

Link to updated Texas 4-H Record Book information: https://texas4-h.tamu.edu/recordbooks/

The contest will take place on Thursday December 11th at 6:00 PM at Meadowbrook United Methodist Church in Fort Worth. Youth will compete in their respective age division (Junior 3-5 grades, Intermediate 6-8 grades, Senior 9-12 grades). Categories include:

• 4-H Skit
• Variety Show
• Vocal
• Solo/Band
• Instrumental Music
• Poetry/Prose
• Choreographed Routine

A complete guide with descriptions can be found here.

We will also have an additional training on the Talent showcase at the November Adult Leader's Association meeting on November 17th at 6:30 PM at the Tarrant County Extension office if you have any questions. Attached is the flyer or you can register at the link below!

Registration link.

Mark you calendars for Monday, January 5th for the Tarrant County 4-H Food Show. This year's theme is "Food Truck Favorites." Full details and guidelines can be found here. Please note, youth will prepare and bring their dishes to the office that day (including Seniors). Watch for the registration/sign-up in the December newsletter! *Since most youth are still on break this day, we will start scheduling appointments in the afternoon.

Dear 4-H'ers!

A great opportunity is coming up in January to promote 4-H and your clubs! We will once again be marching as a group in the Fort Worth Stock Show Parade. This year’s parade takes place Saturday, January 17, 2026, parade begins at 11am. This is a great event that counts as community service for the 4-H members that march, and parents are encouraged to participate as well.

Register Here to march in the 2026 Fort Worth Stock Show Parade. The deadline to register is Friday, December 5, 2025, by 5 p.m. This is a fun event where 4-Hers can get to know families from other clubs.

Every participant must complete the release form included in the registration link. One form per person marching in the parade. Forms may be mailed to 200 Taylor St, Suite 500, Fort Worth, TX 76196, email to andrea.amador@ag.tamu.edu by Friday, December 5, 2025 by 5 p.m.

The route is little over a mile long. It starts at the Tarrant County Courthouse, goes to the Fort Worth Convention Center, and then back to the Courthouse. We will meet at 10am at the Extension Office at 200 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196, and head over to the start location at 10:30am. (We can validate your parking if you get to the lot early!) We are usually done by 12 p.m.

Please let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to having a great turnout for the parade!

-Miss Kate

The Tarrant County 4-H Roundup Contests are scheduled for Thursday, March 12th, 2026. We will schedule appointments for youth to come into the office starting at 4:00 p.m. that day. This will include:

• Public Speaking
• Educational Presentations
• Fashion Show
• Fashion Storyboard (*This is a virtual contest).

Entries for all Spring Major Shows will be due on November 11 by 5 p.m.

1. We will NOT be hosting entry nights this year. Your entries and payment will be due to the office NO LATER than November 11 @ 5pm. If you get them in sooner that will be preferred. Absolutely NO entries will be accepted after this date. Please do not ask!
2. San Antonio Livestock Show has gone to a new entry platform, and you are able to enter yourself this year, just like State Fair. I highly encourage you to enter yourself for this show. I am happy to do it for you, but I would prefer you complete them yourself.
3. I will be checking this site regularly thru November 11 to approve entries. If you enter after this date, it will be your responsibility to let me know so I can approve your entries as I will not check the site after our office deadline of November 11.
4. The website is open to create your profile and upload entry agreements now. They will start accepting entries on October 31. I would encourage you to go ahead and get your profile created. San Antonio entry site
5. All show worksheets are in the 2026 Major Stock Shows folder in google link here: 2026 Major Show Entry Worksheets
6. If you cannot access the google folder, you can find the worksheets on the Stock Show’s website, or please email myself, Ms. Kate, or Andrea and we will send you the worksheet.
7. FWSSR has now gone to an online entry process; however, I will have to submit those entries for you. Please see below what I am needing from you for this show.
8. Exhibitor Agreement, please be sure to bring this with you with your entries (Club Name will be Tarrant Co 4H)
9. If you are wanting to enter any of the contest at FWSSR, please be sure to click on the judging contest tab. What you will see are last year’s entry forms for that contest, this is what we are using for our entry worksheets for those contests.
10. Please remember there is a $5 per exhibitor per show service charge to be added to your entries. Shows charge us a service charge for entries and this helps cover that charge.
11. We do accept cash or checks for entries.
12. Checks need to be made out to ELEC

Again, all entries for all shows are due to the office NO LATER than November 11 @ 5 p.m.

If you have any questions, please be sure reach out ASAP. Please do not wait until the last minute to reach out with questions!

Jacklyn Jones - Doyle

Ag & Natural Resources Extension Agent

November 22, 2025

Keller FFA Barn

10 a.m. -12 noon

11277 N. Beach St

Fort Worth, TX

Texas 4-H Dog Validation will open on Saturday, November 1st. All validations must be completed by January 10th (this is a Saturday!!!) Below are some helpful resources to help guide families through this process.

• Guide - New Validation
• Guide - Renew Validation
• Guide - Incomplete Validation
• Guide - Delete Validation
• Guide - Resubmit Validation
• Validation Status

The video available for validation from last year.

Mark your calendars for February 16-21 for the 2026 Tarrant County Junior Livestock & Project Show. Please refer to Tarrant County Jr. Livestock for more information.

Please use the link below to place your order for the 2026 TCJLS Broiler Show.

2026 TCJLS Broiler Order Form

***** Broiler Order dates*****

September 15 – November 21

NO ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 5 PM NOVEMBER 21st.

$2/bird with a min of 10 birds (must be ordered in increments of 10)

(TCJLS – broiler pen consists of 3 birds)

Cash or Check – Checks must be made out to ELEC

If there are any returned checks, there will be a $40 additional charge to the purchaser.

-Jacklyn Jones – Doyle, Ag & Natural Resources Extension Agent

Please review the rules/guidelines for the District IV Photo Contest here. Registration is OPEN through November 12th!

• This is for all Seniors who will graduate in the Spring!
• The application will open November 1st and close February 15th!
• The updated resources & guidelines will be found here: Types of Scholarships - Texas 4-H Foundation (texas4hfoundation.org)
• The portal can also be accessed at the above link.
• Interviews will take place in College Station April 24 -26, 2026.

Please visit with Miss Kate to learn more about this scholarship. Award amounts vary from $5,000 to $30,000!

Here are some handy links for our Club Managers and Adult Leaders!

• Tarrant County 4-H Calendar: https://secure.smore.com/n/jx6ak
• Texas 4-H Management (Complete Listing of 4-H Resources and Official Logos): 4-H Management - Texas 4-H (tamu.edu)

• Texas 4-H Curriculum and Resources: Curriculum and Resources - Texas 4-H (tamu.edu)

• Tarrant County AgriLife Extension 4-H Webpage: Tarrant County 4-H – Making the Best Better | Teaching, Research, Extension, and Service (agrilife.org)
• Club Manager Forms (Sign-in Sheets) link

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is an equal opportunity employer and program provider. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension provides equal opportunities in its programs and employment to all persons, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.