4-H Weekly Blast
October 1, 2025
All events are on the 4-H Website! Add them to your calendar by clicking HERE
November 10: Holiday Gift Idea Exchange Entries Due, Online*
November 11: Extension Office Closed, Veteran's Day
November 11: Texas 4-H Outdoor Challenge Discovery Event
November 16: Ag Product ID Practice, 2pm, Extension Office
November 18: 4-H Photography Project Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office* CANCELED!!!!
November 20: Virtual 4-H Youth Workshop Series- Personal Branding, 7pm, Zoom
November 24: Holiday Gift Idea Exchange/Co. Council Meeting/4-H FCH, 6pm, Cameron FMC*
November 28-December 14: Tractor Supply Paper Clover Fundraiser*
December 1: MCJLS Mkt Swine, Lambs, and Goats Tag In, 3:30pm-6pm, YEB*
December 1-15: Texas 4-H Natural Resources Photography Contest
December 8: MCJLS Mkt. Broilers Orders Due, 5-7pm, YEB
December 16: 4-H Photography Project Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office*
January 8: Virtual 4-H Youth Workshop Series- What is a Leader?, 7pm, Zoom
January 9: Texas 4-H Scholarship 1st Draft Due/CEA Verification
January 20: 4-H Photography Project Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office*
January 23: Texas 4-H Scholarship 2nd Draft Due
January 27: County Council Meeting/Recordbook Training, 6pm, Annex
January 31: FAFSA Completed
February 1-16: MCJLS ONLINE ENTRIES: (Entries and W9 required)*
February 6: Texas 4-H Scholarship Final Draft Due
February 13: Texas 4-H Scholarship Submit Day
February 17: 4-H Photography Project Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office*
February 21: MCJLS Mkt. Bunnies Tattooed: 8-10am, YEB*
March 16: MCJLS Baked Goods Containers Pick Up, 5-8pm, YEB*
March 16: MCJLS Ag Mech Portfolios Turn In, 5-8pm, YEB*
March 21: MCJLS Baked Goods Food Show*
March 21, 26-28: MCJLS*
April 9: Virtual 4-H Youth Workshop Series- Preparing for Interviews, 7pm, Zoom
April 21: 4-H Photography Project Meeting, 6pm, Extension Office*
April 24-26: Texas 4-H Scholarship Interview Days
April 27: MCJLS Thank you notes HAND DELIVERED to YEB (NOT EXTENSION OFFICE), 5-6pm, YEB
April 28: County Council Meeting/Office Elections, 6pm, Bea's Kitchen (806 N Crockett- next to Extension Office)
Cloverbud Friendly*: This means that cloverbuds are welcome to come and participate in this activity. To learn more about the projects in the calendar, find the information below about the event.
Important Addresses:
· County Extension Office: 908 N Crockett Avenue, Cameron TX
· YEB (Youth Exposition Building): 301 S Houston Ave, Cameron, TX 76520
· "Annex"/Extension Office Conference: Meeting Room inside Milam County Annex (OLD BUILDING-where the Office used to be)
· "Annex"/Bea’s Kitchen (Senior Center inside of Milam County Annex): 806 N Crockett Avenue, Cameron TX
4-H Club Meetings:
- Cameron 4-H Club: 1st Tuesdays, 6pm, Yoe High School Cafeteria
- Gause 4-H Club: 1st Mondays, 6:30pm, Gause Baptist Church Family Life Center
- Rockdale 4-H Club: 2nd Mondays, 6:30pm, Rockdale Peace Lutheran
- Thorndale 4-H Club: 4th Mondays, 6pm, Thorndale Chamber
- Shooting Sports 4-H Project Club: 3rd Mondays, 5pm, Minerva- Whiteley House- call or text Club Manager for more information- 254-482-1143
ENROLL TODAY!!!
To re-enroll or join 4-H, please see our website: http://counties.agrilife.org/mc4h/4-h-enrollmentguidelines/ This link will show you the steps to join as well as many important items for the 4-H year! Join us for 4-H fun!
PLEASE CHECK YOUR ENROLLMENT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT IT! If you are awaiting review, you are good! If it says resubmit or incomplete, you will need to finish before you can be approved!
Eligibility Forms
NEW NEW NEW- WE UPDATED THE FORM!!!! We have updated the form to better help you with filling out the eligibility forms! PLEASE USE THE NEW ONE!
**NEW** For the 2025-2026 Fillable Eligibility Form Click Here **NEW**
**NEW** FILLABLE FORM: This will make it easier to fill in on your mobile device and send straight from there; no need to print or try to take a picture and send it. You will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free app, on your device to be able to fill it in and sign it. You can still download the form and fill it out by hand without downloading the Reader, if you prefer.
- To download Adobe Acrobat Reader for Android, CLICK HERE
- To download Adobe Acrobat Reader for Apple, CLICK HERE
- Link to FILLABLE FORM
- Link to 4-H ELIGIBILITY FORM PAGE
All Contests and Livestock Shows (any competitive event) requires an Eligibility Form to be completed AT LEAST 2 weeks OR BEFORE the contest/show. Please print and complete this form and turn it in to the County Extension Office, 908 N Crockett Avenue, Suite B, Cameron, TX 76520. We do have a drop box for after hours. For questions, please call the Extension Office.
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TURN IN ALL ELIG. FORMS FOR THE YEAR NOW!!!
All forms will be emailed to: mailto:kimberly.mcelwrath@ag.tamu.edu
Forms can be found by going to: https://milam.4h.agrilife.org/4-h-enrollmentguidelines/eligibility-form/
DO NOT SEND TO SCHOOLS!!!!!
REMINDER: YOU MUST BE ENROLLED ON 4-H ONLINE BEFORE COMPLETING AN ELIGIBILITY FORM!
SEE PICTURE FOR INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!
Milam County Junior Livestock Show: March 21, 26-28, 2026
All rules have been posted on the MCJLS website and can be found here: https://mcjla.org/
NEW!!!!!! ALL RULES ARE NOW UP ON THE WEBSITE!!!
Important Dates and Rules:
- MCJLS Mkt. Turkey Orders Due: August 11, 5-6pm, YEB
- Steer Tag In- September 2, 5-6pm, YEB
- Beef Heifers Tag In: Contact Superintendent by Oct 15, Tag In: November 1
- MCJLS Mkt Swine, Lambs, and Goats Tag In: December 1, 3:30pm-6pm, YEB
- MCJLS Mkt. Broilers Orders Due: December 8, 5-7pm, YEB
- ONLINE ENTRIES: February 1-16th (Entries and W9 required)
- MCJLS Mkt. Bunnies Tattooed: February 21, 8-10am, YEB
- MCJLS Baked Goods Containers Pick Up: March 16, 5-8pm, YEB
- MCJLS Ag Mech Portfolios Turn In: March 16, 5-8pm, YEB
- Thank you notes HAND DELIVERED to YEB (NOT EXTENSION OFFICE): April 27, 5-6pm, YEB
4-H Cloverbuds
We are so excited to get back to cloverbuds meetings this year! Cloverbuds are Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students. We regularly meet each month and learn about 4-H and have fun!!!! This year, we have a new 4-H leader, Adison Dach! She is excited about getting going and has some fun activities for you all!
All meetings will be at 5:15pm at the YHS Cafeteria (303 E 12th St, Cameron, TX 76520)
Here are the dates for each month:
- December 2 (6pm- Christmas Party in conjunction with Cameron 4-H)
- January 6
- February 3
- March 3
- April 7
4-H County Council Meetings 2025-2026
Join us for 4-H County Council Meetings!
All meetings start at 6pm.
Locations:
August, October, January, April: Annex
November: Cameron FMC
Holiday Gift Idea Exchange
November 24th, 6pm, Cameron First Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
(Youth participating in craft please arrive at 5:30pm)
4-H members (K-12th grade) and Church Youth are encouraged to participate individually or with a friend/family member.
They will create a food or craft themed for the Holidays and will demonstrate it to the audience on how to make it. They will need to bring the supplies and an item finished for the demonstration along with giving one finished product away as a door prize.
Deadline to submit instructions will be: November 10th
Instructions include how to make the item and a picture of the item. Please also include the 4-H member’s name and 4-H Club or Name and Cameron FMC Youth. Only electronic instructions will be accepted this year.
Click Here for Instructions or use the QR CODE: https://forms.gle/GLAHk6scyMrX9tq46
District 8 4-H Youth Workshop Series
We are excited to announce the launch of the D8 4-H Youth Workshop Series, a dynamic and engaging series of virtual workshops designed to help 4-H members across District 8 explore leadership, build communication skills, and prepare for future opportunities in 4-H and beyond!
These workshops are open to all D8 4-H members and are perfect for youth looking to grow personally and professionally, while having fun connecting with others in our district. Each workshop will be presented via Zoom and will begin at 7:00pm. They should last around 1 hr. Each will be recorded in case others would like to view later.
D8 4-H Youth Workshop Schedule:
- November 20: Personal Branding
- Guest Speaker: McKenna Bush, Texas Farm Bureau
- January 8: What is a Leader?
- Date TBD: Leadership Opportunities
- April 9: Preparing for Interviews
- Guest Speaker: Bailee Wright, Texas 4-H Foundation
Youth may attend one, several, or all workshops in the series. There is something for everyone!
REGISTER HERE: https://forms.office.com/r/xKmKEcHcxv
4-H Recordbooks- BIG CHANGES!
The 2025-2026 Texas 4-H Record Book Family Guide is now available. Take notice of a few changes to the record book format for this coming year. Recordkeeping is one of the most valuable life skills taught in the Texas 4-H program. Members are encouraged to keep project records throughout the year and review them annually by completing a Texas 4-H Record Book. The primary purpose of a Record Book is to help youth learn how to set goals, work toward them, reflect on their progress, and then set new and higher goals for the future. A secondary benefit is preparing young people for real-world applications such as academic scholarships, college admissions, and even job opportunities. This secondary benefit is the reason for the changes you will see in the new format. Check out the link below to learn about the new changes. The Milam County 4-H Website will be updated in November/December with all the changes!
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.
Texas 4-H Photography Tshirts for SALE
Order by December 31. $20.66 per shirt (plus taxes and shipping)
Proceeds support the state 4-H photography program
https://texas4hphotographyfallstore.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Texas 4-H Natural Resources Photography Contest
The Texas 4-H Natural Resources Photography Contest encourages observation within specific 4-H Natural Resources project areas and allows youth to demonstrate skills learned in the area of photography. Categories include Aquatic Science, Entomology, Shooting Sports, Forestry, Sportfishing, Range Science, Hunting, Outdoor Education, Wildlife & Fisheries, and Water Conservation & Education. The contest is open to any enrolled 4-H member or CEA/Program Assistant or Volunteer. Registration is $10/photo and entries will open on December 1st and close on December 15th on 4HOnline. Contact larry.hysmith@ag.tamu.edu for more information.
State Virtual Public Speaking Project Group
The Virtual Public Speaking Project Group will be kicking off again this year.
To receive the initial meeting link (TEAM’s), youth/families will need to register via the form so you can receive the email with the meeting link. The link will be sent out no later than 12:00 noon on October 16th
https://forms.office.com/r/ZjCZC0bZ5B
6:30 pm via TEAMs
MyPI Program
Do you want a way to build skills, help your community, enhance your college applications, potentially get CTE hours?
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Disaster Assessment and Recovery Unit is offering a class, open to youth between the ages of 13 and 19.
Beginning in 2025, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will offer a four-time national award-winning youth preparedness, leadership and educational outreach program known as MyPI (My Preparedness Initiative) for teenagers across Texas. MyPI Texas is a component of the National Youth Preparedness Initiative (MyPI National), a partnership of 37 states and 3 US territories, delivering an innovative, engaging, and comprehensive curriculum for teenagers that will enable profound impact on emergency preparedness for households and communities in addition to youth leadership characteristics across the nation.
If this is something you would be interested in, please fill out form. We will need 10 students to form a class. Once we have enough to begin a class, we will contact you regarding a class time.
Learn more about the program by clicking on the brochures below, follow this LINK to the website, or contact Danny Hale, DAR Specialist at d.hale@ag.tamu.edu
Join the Thrillifying 4‑H For Good Challenge!
- A simple act of kindness can spark a ripple of good — and you can be the spark! Beginning on October 9 and leading up to the release of Wicked: For Good on November 21, we're celebrating the power of young people and communities everywhere to make a difference by putting their heart and hands together to create a wave of kindness. Just like Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked: For Good, your choices can change the world. This challenge is open to everyone — youth, families, schools, workplaces, and community groups — and it's your chance to show how one good deed can inspire another.
Join the #4HForGood Challenge:
Do Something Good
Big or small, every act counts! Help out, give back, or simply show someone you care.- Share Your Heart Hands 💚💗
Snap a pic of your heart hands, and write a short post about your good deed. - Post It Online
Use the hashtag #4HForGood and tag 4‑H - Challenge Your Crew
Tag four friends and invite them to keep the good growing!
Calling all 4-H Teen Artists
Calling all artists, creators, and performers! We'd love to see what YOU do best. Submit your work for a chance to be featured at upcoming National 4‑H events. We're looking for singers, dancers, instrumentalists, as well as visual artists and creators of all kinds. Enter today to showcase your unique talent on this national stage! Applications from students ages 14–19 are accepted from October 1 through December 1.
Click on Picture for more information and entry details!
4-H Facebook & Instagram:
Do not forget we have a 4-H Facebook and Instagram page! We post 4-H Blasts, 4-H contest results and neat opportunities to do in 4-H! Make sure that you “see us first” in your settings. Step 1: Like the Page, Step 2: Click on 3 dots by search and like and then click Follow Settings, Step 3: set as favorite, Step 4: Click on Posts and choose STANDARD, then you will see all 4-H posts when they arrive!
Facebook: Milam County 4-H and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Instagram: milam4h
WEBSITE UPDATED!
We are working on updating the website so it has all the current activities and dates! We also now have a calendar of events on the website! Take a look! Missed 4-H Open House?? No worries! We have majority of the flyers on the website!