Isanti County 4-H News

Email: mnext-isanti@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/isanti
Location: 555 18th Avenue Southwest, Cambridge, MN, USA. We are in the Isanti County Government Center in the Extension office. Office hours M-F 8am-4:30pm.
Phone: 763-689-1810
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isanticounty4h
Twitter: @IsantiCounty4H

Give to Isanti County 4-H: z.umn.edu/DonateToIsanti4H

Please note our office will be closed Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th.

The Isanti County 4-H Horse Judging Team traveled from Cambridge, Minnesota, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to participate in the 56th Annual Arabian Horse Judging Contest, held October 30–31, 2026, in conjunction with the Arabian National Championships. Our group consisted of five youth participants and four adults.

Hippology

• Our team earned 6th place in Hippology! For a young team gaining experience in this type of national competition, it was an exciting accomplishment and a valuable opportunity to discover areas where they could continue to grow.

Horse Judging – Team Results

• 6th Place – Overall Team (tied for 5th, finished 6th after the tiebreaker)
• 6th Place – Team Performance
• 6th Place – Team Halter
• 7th Place – Team Oral Reasons

All of the youth participants also placed individually for horse judging. Riley earned a top-10 individual finish in Performance, while several team members placed near the middle of the field in Oral Reasons.

Youth Participants: Aubrey B., Myah T., Rylie J., Veronica C., and Audry F.

Coach/ County Representative: Anna Wessel

Read the full trip overview and budget report by Anna here for more details and placings.

Congratulations to Owen W., recipient of the $500 Isanti County 4-H Continuing Education Scholarship. A dedicated member of Isanti County 4-H for more than 10 years, Owen has developed valuable skills and experiences that have helped shape his future goals. He is currently pursuing a degree in Construction Technologies and aspires to one day run his own company.

Reflecting on his time in 4-H, Owen shared, “My 4-H experiences have helped me in so many more ways than choosing my career... 4-H taught me a lot about leadership, which is a key thing when you want to run your own company.”

Through years of participation in 4-H activities, projects, and leadership opportunities, Owen has built a strong foundation for success in both his education and future career. We congratulate Owen on this achievement and wish him the very best as he continues his studies and pursues his goals in the construction industry.

Over 650 4-H youth members worked hard throughout the summer, braving unpredictable Minnesota weather to nurture their Atlantic Giant pumpkins and compete for the top spots in this year’s “Grow a Monster: Supersize my pumpkin” challenge.

Isanti participant finalists:

• Sylvia D. orangest pumpkin
• Waylon T. strangest shape pumpkin, weighing 205 pounds!

See the full list of results here.

The Thunstrom family was also interviewed by Jennifer Brooks with the Minnesota Star Tribune. Read the article here.

On Give to the Max Day, who will you support? Future scientists? Budding artists? Tomorrow’s farmers? Rising leaders? With a single gift to your local Minnesota 4-H program, the answer is: all of them!

That’s because 4-H connects youth with all of these opportunities, plus more than 40 unique project areas based on self-discovery. Minnesota reaches almost 50,000 youth statewide, and we’re in YOUR county, offering youth a spectrum of programs as limitless as their imagination!

Every youth in 4-H receives mentorship to explore the interest that lights a spark within them. Every dollar you give supports your neighborhood’s next generation of thinkers, creators, and doers.

Maximize your impact with a single gift that provides a kaleidoscope of opportunity. Use the drop-down menu on this link to choose Isanti County's program: https://give.umn.edu/4HGTMD

Still searching for the perfect summer internship? If you're a college student ready to lead, teach, and empower youth, Minnesota 4-H has a place for you! We're hiring youth development interns for the upcoming summer season.

Learn more and apply by November 29th, 2026 at https://z.umn.edu/4hsummerintern

Our records indicate there are currently more than 100 outstanding checks that have not yet been deposited. If you have received a check from our program, please take a moment to verify whether it has been deposited and do so as soon as possible.

Checks that remain outstanding for an extended period may need to be voided and reissued. In some cases, your bank may no longer accept an older check for deposit, which could result in delays and additional processing. If you are unable to deposit a check you have received, or if you believe a check has been lost, please contact our office so we can assist you.

Thank you for helping us keep our financial records up to date.

You must fill out this form when you are requesting reimbursement for purchases that were approved in your project budgets. Printed copies are available at our office.

• Please note that it takes us 2-4 weeks to process check payments from the time that you turn in the form. So make sure you are planning ahead when you need checks or cash boxes.

• This form and your receipt must be submitted to the office within 90 days of purchasing the item(s). After 90 days, purchasers are no longer eligible for reimbursement.

In many cases, it's more efficient for us to pay the vendor directly so this is our preferred method. This also allows us to set up the transaction as tax-exempt.

• Project leader volunteers may use the purchase request form to request staff to purchase items that have been approved in their project budgets.
• Cora may be able to order supplies for your project with the 4-H debit card.
• Some businesses will allow you to send us the bill/invoice and we can mail a check payment to the business after you pick up the items.

If you use Facebook, your club or project may have a dedicated group or page where members can share photos, ask questions, and stay informed about upcoming activities. Check out our Project Leader List and Club List for more information and the links.

• Join us for the next meeting 1/11/27 6:30 p.m. at the Isanti Government Center. OR Register for the Zoom Meeting (click here).
• Agenda and minutes:
• Auction (January Meeting Agenda, all 2026-27 auction committee meeting documents click here)
• Animal Science (January Meeting Agenda, all 2026-27 animal science committee meeting documents click here).
• We will be electing committee officers, roles, discussing goals and more!
• There will be no November or December meetings for the auction and animal science committees.

• Join us for the next meeting 1/25/27 6:30 p.m. at the Isanti Government Center. OR Register for the Zoom Meeting (click here).
• Agenda and minutes (January Meeting Agenda, all 2026-27 council meeting documents here).
• There will be no November or December meetings for the council.
• We will continue discussing updating the continuing education scholarship criteria, goals, and more.

Other key documents:

• Review the approved 2026-27 Council Budget here.
• Increased scholarships for BLU, TEEL, YELLO and State Arts-In.
• New line item for partnership supplies (such as supplies for home school co-ops using 4-H curriculum)
• Review the approved project/ program 2026-27 budgets here.

Projects

4-H refers to topic areas of interest as “projects”. For the full list of projects offered in MN 4-H visit z.umn.edu/4hproject. You should select projects that interest your child on 4-H Online to get emails about events and opportunities in that area. Within the county we have volunteer project leaders that are here to help you learn about that topic and answer your questions. If a project has no listed leader, we may still offer occasional statewide, regional, or county events in that topic area, or you can explore it independently through self‑guided learning.

Clubs

A 4-H club is a group of youth and adults who meet on a regular basis (usually monthly) and together practice positive youth development and cooperative learning.

4-H clubs strive to create, within their group, a quality learning environment that gives members a chance to be an active part of the decision making process; values and respects the voices of all; provides members an opportunity to reflect on and demonstrate their learning; connects members to their community through service; encourages the development of positive relationships with peers and adults; is welcoming and accessible to all; celebrates individual and group achievements; challenges youth to establish and meet individual goals; and provides for the physical and emotional safety of all.

• Add a 4-H volunteer opportunity to the list
• Say that you are interested in volunteering for one of the opportunities below

Robotics Program Helpers:

• Support or lead teams of youth participants as they explore the design, construction, and programming of robots using a variety of platforms and software tools. A variety of roles are available and no prior robotics experience is necessary.
• Practices are 2 Monday evenings a month 6pm-7pm at the Cambridge Public Library or other locations as noted near Cambridge.
• See program flyer for more information.

Project Workshop Day Instructors:

• Is there a topic, game, or lesson you're interested in sharing with youth? Let us know! We are planning several workshop days this year.
• Sessions are typically 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Tentatively Saturday 2/27/27 8:30am-noon at Cambridge Christian School or North Isanti Baptist Church (location to be confirmed).
• Registration is currently unavailable while volunteer coordination and venue confirmations are being finalized. Event dates remain subject to change.

LQA&E Teachers

• 2-4 youth leaders or adult volunteers needed (detailed role description)
• Tentatively Monday March 1st 5pm-9pm at the Isanti Government Center in Cambridge.
• Registration is currently unavailable while volunteer coordination and venue confirmations are being finalized. Event dates remain subject to change.

B-BOP Overnight Chaperones:

• 3 Adults 21+ needed (detailed role description). Must be a active screened volunteer or willing to become a screened volunteer prior to the event.
• $100 stipend per chaperone
• B-BOP is a livestock learning overnight event for youth in grades 3-6. With educational sessions led by our youth ambassadors.
• Tentatively Friday 3/19- Saturday 3/20, 5pm Friday to 11am Saturday at Braham Event Center or Long Lake Lutheran Church (location to be confirmed).
• Registration is currently unavailable while volunteer coordination and venue confirmations are being finalized. Event dates remain subject to change.

Shooting Sports Coaches

• Our shooting sports and wildlife program is growing and we need more volunteers to coach a variety of disciplines (especially BB/ Air Rifle, Archery, and Muzzleloading).
• Weekly practices on Monday evenings May-August at the Isanti Sportsmen's Club in Cambridge, MN. The volunteer term is one season, however many of our coaches remain in this role for several years.
• Coaches must complete a certification training hosted by the state. Coach training fees are paid by the county program, so there will be no out of pocket cost to you. Find a list of upcoming trainings here. Contact Cora for assistance registering for a training.

Ambassador Program Leaders

• 7-10 meetings throughout the year or as determined with 4-H staff.
• Time to assist youth leaders in planning and coordinating county events, fundraisers, and community service opportunities.
• Read the full role description here.

• Anyone who is at least 18 years old by Sept. 1 can apply to become a screened and approved 4-H volunteer.
• 18-year-olds must be post-high school/GED and cannot be enrolled as both a 4-H member and a Minnesota 4-H volunteer. Once accepted as a Minnesota 4-H volunteer, they are no longer eligible for 4-H membership.
• To ensure program quality and youth safety, we ask all of our volunteer applicants to go through a three-step screening process, including a criminal background check.
  

• Online Annual Volunteer Training (AVT) Library: Did you miss AVT this year or want to explore the resources from past trainings? Check out the AVT library here.
• Introduction to the core skills training videos: 4-H volunteers are on the front lines of delivering positive youth development experiences to young people across the Minnesota 4-H program. This training series will equip you with core skills and competencies in your role as a 4-H volunteer.
• Youth Intervention Programs Association (YIPA): UMN Extension is a standard access YIPA member and that means our staff, interns and volunteers have access to hundreds of online learning opportunities through The Professional Youth Worker, YIPA's training platform for youth-serving professionals. Email Samantha Schindler (schin143@umn.edu) to be added to YIPA’s Learning Management System (LMS). Once you've created an account, start with the E-library for video tutorials and the user guide. Browse the full training catalog and filter by topic, skill, or format to find exactly what you need. Learn about topics that matter to your work—trauma-informed care, mental health, youth development, ethics, intercultural engagement, crisis intervention, self-care, leadership, and much more.
• Supporting Youth with Disabilities in 4-H Judging Experiences (24 minute video)

The 2026 4-H Outdoor Education Summit will be held on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel. Come for a fun-filled day of project workshops for Cloverbuds through adult volunteers! Sessions will include Cloverbud outdoor day camp, wilderness survival, skull identification, environmental service leadership, and more. Adult sessions include SS&W certification training and curriculum training (receive up to 5-hours towards the wildlife requirement for the 2027 State Shoot).

Registration closes November 13. Learn more and register.

This winter 4-H will be hosting a skillathon contest focusing on general livestock and another contest focusing on wildlife. In skillathons, youth apply their learning to hands-on situations and stations, which encourages critical thinking and problem-solving.

2027 contests:

• Redwood Falls Contest: February 20

• Pequot Lakes Contest: February 27

Who can participate

Youth in grades 3 and up can register in teams of three to four or as an individual in the following divisions:

• Junior division grades 3-8
• Senior division grades 4 and up

Potential team coaches, parents and youth participants are invited to join us for an info session to learn more about these contests on Tuesday, Nov. 24, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Learn more and register for the info session here.

Gear up for an off-road adventure in Trailblazers: ATV Safety Golden Rules! In this interactive experience, you’ll select your rider and ATV, explore exciting trail challenges, and learn the essential safety rules every responsible rider should know. Test your skills, earn patches along the trail, and become an official trailblazer as you master safe ATV riding in this interactive experience. Sign up at the CLOVER online learning community and set off for adventure!

Join us on the ultimate wilderness road trip! We’ll join the new Minnesota Wildlife Passport to Adventure program, travel across the state, and visit the International Owl Center (Houston, Minn.), National Eagle Center (Wabasha), International Wolf Center (Ely), National Loon Center (Crosslake), and North American Bear Center (Ely), while camping at state parks along the way. Participants will be expected to join monthly Zoom meetings from February through July for trip preparation. This trip will be limited to 25 youth (grades 8+ or those who have completed the 4-H OWLS program) and total cost is $1000, which includes outfitter guides, equipment, food, lodging, and transportation. Trip dates: Aug. 2-7. The registration deadline is Jan. 5 and requires a $350 deposit (additional payments of $350 due March 15, and $300 due May 15). Register through 4-H Online!

We're excited to announce a new era of Minnesota 4-H at the Minnesota State Fair! With support from across the state and in partnership with the Minnesota State Fair, we're transforming the 4-H Building - a cherished space - into a home that will strengthen Minnesota 4-H for generations to come. Learn more about the renovation plans, which are expected to be complete for the 2027 fair, and how to donate to bring them to life.

Save this link, the catalog is updated throughout the year.

The 4-H Clover Update newsletter features news about Minnesota 4-H.

The Pine and Isanti County Ag Update is a local publication which includes timely information on agriculture, horticulture, natural resources and more! Included in the newsletter are upcoming events and topics of interest.

If you wish to receive a newsletter from Ag Extension in Pine County, please register using this link.

Email Cora or Jennifer to reserve a kit or stop by the Extension Office in the Isanti County Government Center M-F from 8am-4:30pm.

Accommodations Kit:

• This kit has been created to help strengthen our commitment to welcoming all youth – we cherish and value the diversity of humanity and believe in the power of ALL young people. 4-H strongly encourages you to utilize this kit to help foster inclusive spaces and provide simple accommodations for those engaged in our programs.
• The kit was made possible through the generous support of the Leonard and Maxine Harkness Endowment Fund at the UMN Foundation.
  
• Click here to learn more and see what's in the kit.

Calm Kit:

• This kit focuses on mental health and tools to actively build resilience in youth.
• The kit was made possible by the Bend, Don't Break Grant.
• Items include: conversation starters, a program guide, sensory fidgets, grounding activities, and more.

Email: mnext-isanti@umn.edu
Website: https://extension.umn.edu/local/isanti
Location: 555 18th Avenue Southwest, Cambridge, MN, USA. We are in the Isanti County Government Center in the Extension office. Office hours M-F 8am-4:30pm.
Phone: 763-689-1810
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/isanticounty4h
Twitter: @IsantiCounty4H

Give to Isanti County 4-H: z.umn.edu/DonateToIsanti4H