4-H News in Keith/Arthur Counties

• 4-H Calendar
• State Fair Results - Arthur
• State Fair Results - Keith
• Keith 4-H Achievement Banquet
• Keith 4-H Council Scholarship
• Arthur 4-H Achievement Banquet
• Achievement Application/Career Portfolios
• Achievement Application Help Workshop
• Diamond Clover
• Club of Excellence
• Frequently Asked Post-Fair Questions
• National 4-H Week
• 2024-2025 4-H Enrollment
• State 4-H Updates/Events
• Update on Future of Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
• Shooting Sports Instructor Certification & Update - Scottsbluff

September 8: Keith 4-H Council Meeting, Roads Department Conference Room, 5:30 pm

September 15: Arthur 4-H Council Meeting, Arthur Vet Hall, 6:00 pm

October 5-11: National 4-H Week!

October 13: OFFICE CLOSED - Columbus Day

November 2: Keith 4-H Achievement Banquet, Fairgrounds, 2pm

Deadlines:

September 15: Club of Excellence deadline

September 17: Register for Achievement Application Help Workshop

October 6: Achievement Applications or Career Portfolios and Diamond Clovers deadline

October 31: Keith 4-H Council Scholarship deadline

Congratulations to all the 4-H'ers who sent items or competed at the Nebraska State Fair. A complete list of results can be found at: https://nebraska4hresults.com/

Arthur County 4-H’ers, In-Person Event Results:

• Hailey Dam – special award for Best of Breed, purple for Rabbit Showmanship, purple for Breeding Rabbits Jr Doe, blue for Breeding Rabbits Sr Buck, blue for Breeding Rabbits Sr Doe
• Kacey Wernsman - blue for Nebraska Fed Steer Challenge

Static Exhibit Results:

• Kale Blair – blue Cooking 201 Creative Mixes, blue Design Decision Floor Covering
• Kacey Wernsman – red Welding Art

Congratulations to all the 4-H'ers who sent items or competed at the Nebraska State Fair. A complete list of results can be found at: https://nebraska4hresults.com/

Exhibits are back at the Extension Office! Please come pick up your exhibits as soon as possible.

Keith County 4-H’ers, In-Person Event Results:

• Bowyn Armknecht - purple for Market Barrow, blue for Swine Showmanship
• Macy Harger - blue for Fashion Show Shopping in Style
• Emma Lake – purple for Fashion Show Steam 3
• Audrey Moorhead – purple for Fashion Show Steam 3, purple for Fashion Show Shopping in Style, blue for Rabbit Showmanship, blue for Breeding Rabbits Sr Buck, blue for Market Rabbits Stewers
• Andi Spurgin - purple for Fashion Show Steam 2

Static Exhibit Results:

• Kaytlann Allen - purple Fashion Accessory, red Level 2 Crochet
• Emalee Armstrong - purple Creative Mixes, purple Family Food Traditions
• Jalie Barnhill - purple and special recognition Barn Quilt
• Kallie Eisenzimmer - purple Member Scrapbook, purple Historic Collection
• Jacob Fote - red Entomology
• Jace Harger - purple Woodworking, red Mixed Media
• Macy Harger - purple Fashion Accessory, purple Embellished Garment, red Accessory from Wood
• Ryler Harger - blue Creative Mixes, blue Floral Design
• Gemma Jones - blue 2D accessory, white Leaf Display
• Amos Lake - purple Healthy Baked Product
• Baxter Lake - blue Mixed Media
• Emma Lake - purple Dried Vegetables, blue 1 Jar Jelled, blue Mixed Media, blue Embellished Garment
• Heidi Maupin - blue Creative Techniques Photo
• Dominic Meier - purple Rocket, purple Embellished Garment, blue Acrylic Painting
• Audrey Moorhead - purple and special recognition Woodworking, purple and special recognition Entomology, purple Dried Fruits, purple Dried Herbs, purple Macrophotography, purple Embellish Garment, purple Freeze/Blue Photo, purple Member Scrapbook, blue Furniture Wood, red Helianthus
• Aaron Mumm - blue Acrylic Painting
• Daniel Mumm - purple Abstract Photo, purple Creative Techniques Photo, blue Quilt Design Other Than Fabric
• Ava Nordhausen - blue Candid Photo
• Caden Rhoades - purple Accessory from Wood
• Claudia Rhoades - purple Veterinary Science, purple Veterinary Science
• Mia Rose Romero - purple and special recognition Dried Herbs, blue Houses
• Aubrey Samuelson - purple Loaf Quick Bred, blue Embellished Garment, red Salad Tomatoes
• August Schow - purple 1 Jar Jelled, purple 3 Jar Jelled, Purple sage, blue White Bread, blue Zinnia
• Ruby Schow - purple Heritage Poster, purple 1 Jar Vegetable, purple Rudbeckia, blue Marigold, blue Garlic, blue Recipe File
• Andi Spurgin - purple Embellished Garment, red upcycled Accessory

The Keith County 4-H Council offers a scholarship for graduating seniors in 2026! The scholarship does require youth have completed the annual Achievement Application/Career Portfolios. Tessa encourages anyone to apply. The scholarship will be awarded at the Achievement Banquet.

According to our records, below are the graduating 2026 seniors, If something is incorrect, let us know.

• Jalie Barnhill
• Ella Fote
• Skylar Johnson
• Maddex McConnell
• Parker Reisberg
• Kepler Spurgin

The application is below. If you would like it in a Word format, let us know. Please turn it to Tessa at the Extension Office. The scholarship deadline is October 31, 2025!

Tentatively scheduled for November 9th at this time!

It is end of 4-H year reporting time! Keeping records/writing achievement applications is a great way to hold onto your memories about each incredible year you have in 4-H. In a couple of years, you can look through these applications and remember what fun you had. Keeping records is also a great way to develop your skills in communication, organize your time, document events and actions, evaluate your own efforts, set goals, etc.

*NOTE - The state is coming out with a new application on October 1. If youth ages 15-18 are interested in applying to National 4-H Conference, National 4-H Congress, or Scholarships - you will have to fill out the new application after our banquets. State level applications are due after November. For more information, check out this page: https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/awards-recognition/achievement-application/

Keith Curriculum Areas:

• Animal Science
• Communication & Expressive Arts
• Consumer & Family Sciences
• Environmental Education & Earth Sciences
• Healthy Lifestyles Education
• Leadership & Citizenship
• Plant Science
• Science & Technology

Arthur Curriculum Areas:

• Agriculture
• STEM
• Leadership & Entrepreneurship
• Healthy Living
• College & Career Preparation for My Future

Green folders for your portfolio are available at the Extension Office for $5 each. Finish your 4-H year in style, complete a Career Portfolio!

Deadline to submit Achievement Applications/Career Portfolios for both Keith & Arthur is October 6th!

Tessa will be offering a help session workshop on how to fill out Achievement Applications on Thursday, September 18 at 4:30-5:30 pm at the Courthouse. Tessa will share tips and tricks, samples, and all the help you will need to get started. Tessa will only be going over Achievement Applications since the state no longer encourages the big green Career Portfolios.

Please register by September 17 by calling the Extension Office!

Deadline to submit Diamond Clover is October 6. Forms are available on the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover website. If you aren't sure what level your youth has passed, we can let you know!

The Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program encourages 4-H youth to engage in a variety of programs, projects, and activities that will enable youth to acquire skills and abilities that will prepare them for success in the future. The program is designed to reach and recognize all youth engaged in 4-H, from club members and campers to school enrichment, afterschool, and special interest program participants. The program consists of six levels that require a young person to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate accomplishments.

Rules

• Youth may only receive recognition at each level once.
• Youth may only receive one level of recognition per year.
• Youth should begin at Level 1 and progress through Level 6. However, youth who are older when beginning may opt to start at a higher level (2-4) as is mutually agreeable to the participant and the parent/guardian or leader. In order for older youth to begin at level 5 or 6, the Extension staff must also be in agreement.
• Approval: Levels 1–4 require the approval of a 4-H youth’s parent/guardian. If the 4-H youth belongs to a 4-H club, club leader approval is also required (if 4-H youth belongs to more than one club, choose one leader to work with). Levels 5 and 6 require the approval of a local county extension staff member.
• Accomplishments: Each level requires participants to complete a specified number of accomplishments. The 4-H participant may choose accomplishment listed for each level. The accomplishments are age appropriate and increase in quantity and difficulty for each level. Parents/guardians, leaders, and Extension staff may suggest other accomplishments — comparable to those provided — to improve the individual learning experience of each 4-H youth.

To receive the designation as a Nebraska 4-H Club of Excellence, clubs must meet a certain set of criteria and document how this criteria was met. Clubs meeting the requirements will initially receive a certificate. In subsequent years clubs successfully meeting the requirements will receive a special insignia to place on their certificate. Clubs must apply annually to receive this recognition.

Clubs must:

• Have at least five members from at least three different families.
• Recite the 4-H Pledge at meetings.
• Meet at least six times per year.
• Choose/elect youth officers.
• Have youth serve in leadership roles.
• Have one club project, related to curriculum, which they do together.
• Have adult role model involvement.
• Be facilitated by organizational and project leaders who have successfully completed the volunteer screening.
• Have members who perform a presentation or public speaking at the club level or above.
• Complete one community service project.
• Have members who participate in county, district or state events.
• Celebrate member and club achievements.

Application

To apply for the Club of Excellence recognition, complete the form at https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/awards-recognition/clubs-excellence/. The completed form should be turned into the Extension Office by September 15th.

"When will I receive my livestock sale check?"

Tessa checked 9/4 and both counties are waiting on 2 checks. Hopefully by next week checks will be released! Schow Auction Service and Ogallala Livestock Market are working to have all buyers pay in a timely manner. Please allow time for this process. Do not call either Schow Auction Service or Ogallala Livestock Market to ask when the checks will be ready.

"When will I receive my fair premium money?"

The Keith and Arthur County Ag. Society will provide the fair premiums. The money will be available later in the fall.

"When will my awards I won at the fair get here?"

Awards will be available later in the fall. Most of the plaques, trophies, etc will be available closer to the achievement banquet.

Let’s paint the nation green! 💚🍀 We will be kicking off #National4HWeek with a bold splash of Nebraska 4-H spirit. Whether it’s a green hat, shirt, face paint, or even green socks—show the world you’re #4HBeyondReady!

The current 4-H fiscal year will end on September 30, 2025 and the new 4-H Enrollment for the 2025-2026 4-H year will open around mid-October.

Please make sure to keep this on your radar and get enrolled in 4-H for the new year! Deadline for 4-H Enrollment will be June 15, 2026.

For decades, Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) has been one of the most beloved and enduring leadership programs in 4-H. CWF has helped shape generations of young leaders, offering them the chance to explore our nation’s capital, engage in workshops on civil discourse, and reflect deeply on the meaning of citizenship and civic responsibility. However, CWF has seen a decline in state participation over the years, driven in part by rising costs that have made it increasingly difficult for states and delegations to sustain their involvement.

Starting in 2026, we are excited to share that CWF will transition into a dedicated track within Ignite by 4-H, our flagship national experience designed for teens to find their sparks, build life and career skills, and prepare for their futures. By integrating CWF into Ignite, we are positioning this historic program to thrive in a way that honors its past while building a stronger, more sustainable future. CWF at Ignite will take place March 24-29th, 2026 at the Washington Hilton in Washington D.C.

Why This Change?

• Expanded Access & Support: Moving CWF into Ignite allows educators to have greater bandwidth, with more manageable chaperoning needs and enhanced scholarship opportunities for states and LGUs that face funding challenges.
• Funding Flexibility: For states that have already raised funds earmarked for CWF, those resources can easily be applied toward Ignite 2026.
• Preserving Core Elements: Teens participating in the CWF track will continue to explore national monuments and memorials, engage in workshops on civil discourse, the U.S. amendments and legislative process.
• New Opportunities for Growth: As part of Ignite, CWF participants will also benefit from broader programming alongside peers from across the country — learning presentation skills, drafting legislation, and discovering how to create change at local, national, and even global levels.

A Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Certification Workshop is scheduled for early October in Scottsbluff. It will be held October 4-5 at the Panhandle Research & Extension Center. The early bird deadline to register for the Scottsbluff session is September 24th, 4 pm.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to become certified as an adult (21 years and older) or apprentice (14-20 years old) leader. Four project areas will be offered at the Scottsbluff Workshop – rifle, pistol, shotgun, and archery.

There is a minimum number of participants required to offer these disciplines at the workshop. Workshop participants will learn under expert instruction from members of the Nebraska State 4-H Shooting Sports Training Team.

For more workshop information and registration link, go to the https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/shooting-sports-program/.