4-H ENROLLMENT OPEN
Starting in the 2023-2024 program year, project selection is now optional. By successfully completing the 4-H member enrollment by the June 1st deadline, youth will be eligible to participate and exhibit in any project area, contest, county and state fairs. While project selection is optional, it is encouraged for youth to select projects they are interested in exploring.
Please note:
o Youth are only eligible to exhibit in a project area or contest in a single county.
o Horse and shooting sports projects will continue to require project enrollment due to the parental consent required to participate in these projects.
Did you know the 4-H fiscal year is October 1 - September 30?
- If you are new to 4-H please create a profile.
- If you are a returning 4-Her, please register for this coming year!
Age 5-7 are free, Age 8-18 are only $5!
CLOVER BUD MEETING
- Gordon Clover Bud meeting will be March 12, 3:30-4:30
- Hay Springs Clover Bud meeting will be March 25, 4:00-4:45
- Rushville Clover Bud meeting will be March 26, 3:30-4:15
Clover Bud members are youth between the ages of 5 and 7 as of January 1st, 2024. Upon participating in these workshops, youth will have Clover Bud projects to display at the 2024 Sheridan County Fair. To register your child for these FREE events please contact the Nebraska Extension Sheridan County office at (308) 327-2312.
SEW FUN
Free sewing classes are held March 7th at the Extension office in Rushville from 9:00 - 12:00 or 1:00 - 4:00pm or March 8th at the Hay Springs School from 1:00 - 4:00 pm! Beginning sewers will be learning the fundamentals and skills needed to create and design beautiful projects! Limited space is available. So please let the office know soon at mnelson82@unl.edu or 308-327-2312.
SHOOTING SPORTS
Shooting Sports practice is for BB Gun and Air Rifle. During October through December, practice is held the first and third Mondays of the month. In January they will start practicing every Monday and start attending the Panhandle Best Shoots. Youth need to be registered for 4-H to participate. Parents need to sign waivers the first meeting. Please contact Bruce Salisbury 402-533-8859 or Donna Jech for more information.
MONTHLY WORKSHOP - Hot Mess Canvas
Youth will learn about a relatively new painting style that combines quick and messy painting with a unique reverse stenciling technique. The final result is a multicolored design on a solid color canvas.
Age: 8-18
When: March 21, 2024, 4:30-6:30 pm
Where: Extension Office
Cost: $10 (payable to UNL Extension)
Projects:
Register Deadline: March 19
4-H SPEECH & PRESENTATION CONTEST
The Nebraska State 4-H Presentations Contest will partner with the State 4-H Public Speaking Contest to create a combined state-level communications event – this event will be called the Premier Communication Event and will be held on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus on June 17-18, 2024.This means that the youth who qualify for the Presentations Contest needs to be determined before June 1. https://4h.unl.edu/premier-communication-event
Box Butte County 4-H will host our Speech and Presentations Contest on Sunday, April 14 at 1:00 pm in Alliance. The contest will be held at the Performing Arts Center at the Alliance High School.
The Public Service Announcement theme for 2024 is: 4-H is a Feeling.
In 2022, Box Butte, Dawes, Sheridan, and Sioux combined contests to benefit the youth. We will combine again, but there will be NO zoom connection. We will have separate awards.
Registration forms are due to the Sheridan County Extension Office by Monday, April 5th and PSA recordings by April 8th!
TRACTOR SAFETY TRAINING
- Nebraska Extension and Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health, have announced plans for the annual “tractor safety” training courses scheduled at 8 sites across Nebraska in late May and early June. Students will complete the first day of the course either by attending a hands-on event, or online through the eXtension Foundation Campus website. After successfully completing the hands-on event or the online course, and testing, there is a required driving test.
- North Platte, May 21-22 (In-person instruction, Tractor drive test)
- West Point, May 28-29 (In-person instruction, Tractor drive test)
- Weeping Water, May 30-31 (In-person instruction, Tractor drive test)
- Gering, June 4 (Tractor drive test)
- Gordon, June 5-6 (In-person instruction, Tractor drive test)
- O'Neill, June 7 (Tractor drive test)
- Grand Island, June 11-12 (In-person instruction, Tractor drive test)
- Hastings, June 13 (Tractor drive test)
- Teens 14 or 15 years of age who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about safe farming practices, are encouraged to register for the certification course. Students under age 14 are not eligible for certification, but the hands-on events are open to everyone in the community over the age of 14.
- Federal law prohibits children under 16 years of age from using certain equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with certain mechanized equipment.
- The cost of the course is $35 and includes educational materials, the online learning link (if applicable), and supplies. Payment will be made at the time of the driving exam. Only checks and cash can be accepted.
YQCA TRAINING
Youth who are interested in participating in a livestock animal project including bucket calf, dairy, rabbit, poultry, swine, beef, sheep, and goat; must complete the Youth for Quality Care of Animals training and printing of certificate prior to June 1st.
After families enroll online at v2.4honline.com, they can visit https://yqcaprogram.org/ and log in with their 4-H Online account information. Youth have the option of completing the training in person or online. The online training costs $12 per person and the in-person training only costs $3.
In-person training will be held:
- March 28th, 4:15 - 5:45 pm - Hay Springs Public School
- April 6th, 9:00 - 10:30 am - Sheridan County Extension Office
- May 19th, 1:00 - 12:30 pm - Sheridan County Fairgrounds
Youth will need to go online to register for the training prior to this date. For help, you can email help@yqca.org or contact Marie Nelson at mnelson82@unl.edu.
WILDERNESS WONDERS 4-H CAMP
Predator vs. Prey is the theme for the 2024 4-H Wilderness Wonders Camp! On May 23, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm will be offered for youth going into 3rd-5th grade. The camp is limited to 50 youth from four counties and will have a $40 fee. On May 24, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm will be offered for youth ages 5-7. The camp is limited to 50 from four counties and will have a $40 fee.
Registrations are due by May 3. Turn them in to the Extension Office as soon as possible! We wanted to promote this to 4-H families before we send the flyer home with local schools. The slots for both camps will fill up fast!
SHERIDAN COUNTY UNIFIED SHOWING
If you are interested in participating in Unified showing at the 2024 Sheridan County Fair as a Mentor or Mentee please message Melissa at mmracek2@unl.edu by June 1st!
Shooting Sports Results
2024 BB Gun Sioux County Panhandle Best
22 - Ian Hahn
50 - Maverick Bourne
54 - Ezra Bourne
2024 Pistol Sheridan County Panhandle Best
5 - Kayli Rose
2024 BB Gun Sheridan County Panhandle Best
19 - Ian Hahn
35 - Tristan Mansor
39 - Wiley Mansor
48 - Maverick Bourne
49 - Whitten Diers
57 - Ezra Bourne
2024 BB Gun Kimball County Panhandle Best
15 - Ian Hahn
54 - Tristan Mansor
54 - Ezra Bourne
54 - Whitten Diers
54 - Maverick Bourne
54 - Kooper Fisher
54 - Gage Bidroski
54 - Braxton Bidroski
54 - Gus Reimann
54 - Wiley Mansor
54 - Stylle Retzlaff
2024 AR Sporter Kimball County Panhandle Best
35 - Whitten Diers
35 - Kayli Rose
2024 AR Precision Kimball County Panhandle Best
23 - Kayli Rose
2024 BB Gun Grant County Panhandle Best
32 - Ian Hahn
38 - Tristan Mansor
52 - Wiley Mansor
63 - Maverick Bourne
64 - Ezra Bourne
68 - Kooper Fisher
68 - Gus Reimann
68 - Stylle REtzlaff
68 - Gage Bidroski
68 - Braxton Bidroski
68 - Whitten Diers
2024 AR Sporter Grant Co Panhandle Best
37 - Kayli Rose
37 - Whitten Diers
2024 AR Precision Grant Co Panhandle Best
21 - Kayli Rose
2024 BB Gun Scottsbluff County Panhandle Best
23 - Ian Hahn
46 - Ezra Bourne
51 - Whitten Diers
58 - Maverick Bourne
64 - Kooper Fisher
64 - Tristan Mansor
64 - Braxton Bidroski
64 - Stylle Retzlaff
64 - Gus Reimann
64 - Wiley Mansor
64 - Gage Bidroski
2024 AR Sporter Scottsbluff County Panhandle Best
33 - Whitten Diers
33 - Kayli Rose
2024 AR Precision Scottsbluff County Panhandle Best
21 - Kayli Rose
2024 BB Gun Box Butte County Panhandle Best
20 - Ian Hahn
60 - Whitten Diers
75 - Wiley Mansor
75 - Tristan Mansor
JARVIS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The intent of the scholarship is to assist women who live 3 or more hours drive from Lincoln but wish to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Applicant must reside in Love Memorial Cooperative Residence Hall on East Campus. If you have questions email Gloria Turnbull at gloria.turnbull@windstream.net. Application deadline: postmarked or email a PDF file no later than March 15, 2024.
SHERIDAN COUNTY 4-H MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Scholarship eligibility is for high school seniors enrolled in the Sheridan County 4-H program and planning to enroll in any post-secondary education institution. This is a $500 scholarship. The scholarship awards one graduating senior who has excelled in their involvement with the 4-H program. The basis for selection acknowledges the leadership role the youth have taken on within the Sheridan County 4-H Program. Due April 15th.
Note: Form is available on https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/northernpanhandle/sheridan-county-4-h-0/ as a Word Document. Form can be submitted by e-mail or mail.
Conditions of acceptance:
Seniors must plan to enroll in post-secondary education immediately following graduation from high school and submit a list of classes when they are enrolled.
SUMMER CAMP 2024
The summer 2024 theme is The Power of Being 🍀 Green. Youth will get to explore and interact with their natural world in six different sessions. Youth will learn how they can use their head, heart, hands, and health to make our natural world a better place for all. The 2024 sessions offer tailored age cohorts, providing sessions for younger campers between the ages of 8-10, and an older cohort for ages 10-14. Families can find dates, session summaries, and registration information by visiting https://4h.unl.edu/camps-register.
Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program
We are excited to announce the fourth year of the Nebraska 4-H Livestock Achievement Program. This additional opportunity for enrolled livestock project youth, is designed to promote all educational aspects of 4-H livestock projects including selection, production, leadership, and exhibition by recognizing youth striving to improve in their livestock project knowledge and leadership.
The program recognizes Members of Excellence across all 4-H livestock project areas, including: beef, sheep, meat goat, swine, dairy cattle, dairy goat, rabbit, and poultry.
The program consists of three levels that require 4-H members to plan and report a broad range of age-appropriate and project-related accomplishments. For each level, the Livestock Achievement Program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H members choose their goals. Each accomplishment is worth a specific number of points. Junior 8-9 submits pictures, poster, presentation, and other learning activities to receive the distinction of Junior Member of Excellence, no point value, Intermediates, ages 10-13, must complete 100 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Intermediate Member of Excellence. Seniors, ages 14-18, must complete 150 points worth of activities to receive the distinction of Senior Member of Excellence. The Plan and Reports, linked on the webpage, show examples of the project related accomplishments they can choose, or they can identify their own with approval of their local educator.
Applications/Sign up are due June 15th through the application form link on the website. Plan and Reports, as well as Project Records will be due August 1 via the completion form on the website.
Youth completing the achievement program and receiving member of excellence recognition in the various species will be recognized during the Parade of Champions, 4-H weekend at the Nebraska State Fair.
For more information or to apply, go to: Livestock Achievement Program | Nebraska 4-H (unl.edu)
4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Certification/Update in Ogallala
While participants might need to bring limited, if any, equipment to the in-person discipline training site, there are a series of four National 4-H Shooting Sports online modules which individuals MUST complete prior to the training to become eligible for certification. Information on the modules and how to enroll, 4-H Shooting Sports Online User Guide, can accessed by using the link found on the Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports website under Calendar of 4-H Shooting Sports Events at https://4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports, under the “Ogallala Workshop” - this provides step-by-step instructions on how to sign up for and complete the entire series of modules before the workshop. Individuals who have already completed the Online modules are not required to complete them again.
As individuals follow each of the instructions in the Online User Guide, they will be asked to choose a payment method. Participants are responsible for the $20 (per person) registration fee. The entire series of modules will take approximately 3-4 hours, so please plan some time accordingly.
These people are YOUR voice! Please contact any of them if you have an idea for a new or existing event or activity, have concerns with the program, or just want to have input in the decision-making process.
David Russell, Wendy Andersen, Michelle Heck, Nicole Janssen, Jake Scott, Kami Scott, Marie Nelson, Melissa Mracek
4-H Council:
President - Zach Kearns
Vice President - EJ Frink
Secretary - Brad Beguin
Treasurer - Jackie Simonson
Members - Candace Nelson, Clint Vincent, Jace Stumpff, Brain Nelson
Youth Members: Kirsten Heck, Jaxon Kearns, Wyatt Fedderson, Kyler Vincent
Extension Board:
President - Matt Albrecht
Vice President - Caleb Peters
Secretary/Treasurer - Jacob Tejral
Members - Trevor Ginkens, Paige Stumpff
Sheridan County Extension Office:
Office Manager - Wendy Andersen
4-H Extension Assistant - Marie Nelson
4-H Extension Educator - Melissa Mracek
Nebraska Extension - Sheridan County Office
Email: sheridan-county@unl.edu
Location: 800 S Loofborrow Street, PO Box 329, Rushville, NE 69360
Phone: 308-327-2312
Twitter: @SheridanCounty
