4-H News in Keith/Arthur Counties

• 4-H Calendar
• Save the Dates- Achievement Banquets

• State Fair Results
• Frequently Asked Post-Fair Questions

• Club of Excellence application

• Achievement Application/Career Portfolios
• Achievement Application Help Workshop
• Diamond Clover
• Keith 4-H Council Scholarship
• Record Book and Letter Jacket patches

• State 4-H Updates/Events
• NASA TechRise Student Challenge

• 2026 4-H Project Showcase

• 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Update Sessions and Instructor Certifications
• Imperial & Ashland

• National 4-H Week
• 2026-2027 4-H Enrollment
• Extra Fair Shirts
• Council and Board Openings
• Extension Staff

September 7: OFFICE CLOSED - Labor Day

September 14: Keith 4-H Council Meeting, Roads Department Conference Room, 5:30 pm

September 24: Achievement Application Help Workshop

October 5: Arthur 4-H Council Meeting, Arthur Vet Hall, 6:00 pm tentative

October 4-10: National 4-H Week!

October 12: OFFICE CLOSED - Columbus Day

November 8: Keith 4-H Achievement Banquet, Fairgrounds, 2pm

November 15: Arthur 4-H Achievement Banquet, Veteran's Hall, 2pm (Tentative)

Deadlines:

September 15: Club of Excellence deadline

September 22: Register for Achievement Application Help Workshop

October 5: Achievement Applications or Career Portfolios and Diamond Clovers deadline

October 30: Keith 4-H Council Scholarship deadline

Congratulations to all the 4-H'ers whose static items were exhibited, or who competed at the Nebraska State Fair in in-person contests and shows!! A complete list of results can be found at: https://nebraska4hresults.com/

Static exhibits and ribbons will be back at the Extension Office after Tues 9/8! Please come pick up your exhibits as soon as possible.

• Macy Harger - blue for Fashion Show Shopping in Style
• Knox Harger - purple for Fashion Show Shopping in Style
• Audrey Moorhead – purple for Fashion Show Shopping in Style

• Bowyn Armknecht - purple for Crossbred Market Barrow; red for Crossbred Breeding Gilt; blue for Swine Showmanship
• Braidyn Harger - red for Crossbred Market Barrow; blue for Swine Showmanship
• Jace Harger -blue for Crossbred Breeding Gilt; blue for Swine Showmanship

• Jacob Wendell - Special Awards - Reserve Champion Divison III - Market Doe; purple - Market Meat Goat Does; blue - Market Meat Goat Wether; purple - Meat Goat Showmanship

• Heiser McConnell - Special Awards - Champion Shorthorn Steer, purple - Registered Steers - Shorthorn; purple - Foundation Simmental Heifer Calved January-April 2026

Berklei Walker

• purple - Recycled or Upcycled Item

Jaci Corfield

• purple - Salad Tomatoes

Bailey Cooper

• white - Slicing Cucumbers

Kacey Wernsman

• purple - Welding Art

Fletcher Wilson

• blue - Original Pencil Drawing

• blue - Original Art Inspired by Plants or Animals

• Kaytlann Allen - purple Design Decision-Original made from Wood; purple Fashion Accessory
• Jalie Barnhill - purple Barn Quilt

• Jacob Fote: blue- Second Year Entomology Display

• Justin Fote: blue- First Year Entomology Display

• Jace Harger: purple- Shortened Cake; blue- Unit 3 Recycled Woodworking Display
• Knox Harger: blue- Healthy Baked Product; blue- Unit 3 Woodworking Article

• Avery Jones: purple- Desert Garden; blue- Weed ID Book

• Gemma Jones: purple- Special Gardening Project Fresh Cut Flowers or Harvested Vegetables

• Baxter Lake: white- Original Pencil Drawing

• Emma Lake: purple/Special Recognition- Romper or Jumpsuit

• Naomi Lake: purple- Parts of a Tree; red- Original Ceramic Pottery

• Dominic Meier: purple- Accessory-Textile-2D; blue- Rocket; blue- Unit 3 Woodworking Article

• Audrey Moorhead: purple- Special Events Scrapbook; purple- Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print; purple- Best Buy for Your Buck (14-18); purple- Third Year or More Entomology Display; blue- Ethnic Food Exhibit; blue- General Purpose First Aid Kit; blue- Dried Fruits; blue- Dried Herbs; purple- Fairy Garden; white- Herb Garden Display; red- Slicing Cucumbers

• Aaron Mumm: purple- Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print; red- Original Acrylic Painting

• Daniel Mumm: purple- Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print; purple- Double Crust Fruit Pie; blue- Original Single Media Not Listed

• Ava Nordhausen: red- Creative Techniques & Lighting Display or Print

• Anthony Perrin: blue- Petunia; purple- Rhubarb

• Gracyn Peters: blue- Special Agronomy - Freshly Harvested Crop

• Caden Rhoades: blue- Specialty Rolls

• Aubrey Samuelson: red- Healthy Baked Product; blue- Salad Tomatoes

• Colton White: purple/Special Recognition- Family Food Traditions
  

"When will I receive my livestock sale check?"

Schow Auction Service and Ogallala Livestock Market are working to have all buyers pay in a timely manner. Now we wait until the majority of checks come in and are deposited before the sale barn is able to write the sale checks. Please allow time for this process.

*Do NOT call 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 award money will be available later in the fall, likely ready to give out at the Achievement Banquets.

"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 to be handed out at the Achievement Banquets.

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.

Dani will be offering a help session workshop on how to fill out Achievement Applications on Thursday, September 24 at 5:30-6:30 pm at the Keith Co. Fairgrounds in the Activity Building. Dani will share tips and tricks, samples, and all the help you will need to get started.

Please register asap by filling out the form using this link by Sept. 23: https://go.unl.edu/oypt

As it is coming to the end of the 4-H year- that means it is 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 - Revised applications are available for 2026. They are called Achievement Applications. If youth ages 15-18 are interested in applying to National 4-H Conference, National 4-H Congress, or Scholarships - will need to fill out the new application. State level applications are due January 5th. For more information, check out this page: https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/awards-recognition/achievement-application/

If you have previously done "Career Portfolios" and would like to continue doing so, you may- as a new member or someone who hasn't completed one before- we would encourage you to complete an "Achievement Application" instead.

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 portfolios/applications are available at the Extension Office for $5 each.

If you have any questions, please reach out or stop in! The workshop scheduled for 9/24 will be a wonderful opportunity to seek guidance and answers to any questions you may have! We hope many will attend, as a chance to work on it together and to help newer members too!

Deadline to submit Achievement Applications/Career Portfolios for both Keith & Arthur is October 5th!

Deadline to submit Diamond Clover is October 5. 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 the 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.

The Keith County 4-H Council offers a scholarship for graduating seniors of 2027! The scholarship does require youth have completed the annual Achievement Application/Career Portfolios. The scholarship will be awarded at the Achievement Banquet.

According to our records, below are the graduating 2027 seniors, If something is incorrect, let us know.

• Maddison Gartrell
• Chase Holm
• Ruby Schow

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 30, 2026!

If you will be needing record books and/or are interested in us ordering letter jacket patches-

please let us know by September 11!!

• NASA TechRise is a free NASA challenge for middle and high school students. It invites student teams to submit experimental ideas to fly on a commercial space-industry high-altitude balloon for suborbital flight.
  
  The challenge includes information sessions for your department or organization upon request, free educational resources to foster classroom learning, and an exciting student virtual field trip in the fall. Sixty winning teams will also receive $1500 to build their experiment, a spot to test it on a NASA-sponsored flight, and technical support from NASA TechRise advisors. The challenge is a great way to get hands-on with a NASA project this school year, and we encourage teams of all skill levels to apply. Updated challenge resources (including videos, slide decks, and educator pacing guides) can all be found on the challenge website when the challenge opens.
  
  Millard North High School from Omaha had a winning team in 2025-26, and you can see their short video on the challenge website.

  More details at: https://www.futureengineers.org/nasatechrise

Show off your favorite 4-H project -- or even one that didn't go as planned! Every project tells a story of learning, helping youth build the skills to become healthy, productive, and engaged leaders who are Beyond Ready for work and life.

Submit your project for the 4-H Project Showcase by September 15 to be featured during National 4-H Week in October and throughout the year at 4h.unl.edu/project-showcase.

More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/project-showcase

There are a couple of 4-H Shooting Sports Leader Update Sessions and Instructor Certification Workshops scheduled for October.

4-H Shooting Sports Leader Update Session

There is a Leader Update Session to be held in Imperial- it will be held October 3rd, 8:30am to noon, at the Chase County Fairgrounds. The early bird deadline to register for the Update training is September 23rd.

Another session will be held October 17th, 9am to noon, at the Ashland Gun Club. The early bird deadline to register for the Update training is October 7th.

These sessions will provide an update for all Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports Instructors who received their training in 2020. Over the years there have been curriculum changes, updates, and additions, in addition to revisions in the Nebraska 4-H policies. Certifications are valid for 6 years. So, if your last certification in a specific discipline (i.e., shotgun) was in 2020, you will need to attend an update session of your choice in that specific discipline before the end of this year (2026) to maintain your active discipline certification status.

Depending on the session; volunteers may have the opportunity to update their certifications in the following: Shotgun, Rifle, Pistol, Hunting Skills Muzzleloading, or Archery.

An Instructor Certification Workshop is scheduled October 3-4 at the Chase County Fairgrounds. The early bird deadline to register for the Imperial session is September 23rd, 5 pm.

Another Instructor Certification Workshop will be held October 17-18 at the Ashland Gun Club near Ashland. The early bird deadline to register for the Ashland session is October 7th, 5 pm.

Depending on the session; volunteers have the opportunity to become certified as an adult (21 years and older) or apprentice (14-20 years old) leader in one of the following: Shotgun, Rifle, Pistol, Hunting Skills, Western Heritage, Muzzleloading, or Archery.

There are a minimum number of participants required to attend these workshops, so please register if interested. Workshop participants will learn under expert instruction from members of the Nebraska State 4-H Shooting Sports Training Team.

For more information, about the Nebraska 4-H Shooting Sports program, visit: https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/shooting-sports-program/

Check out the “Opportunities” section and specifically the “Instructor Resource” tab, for calendar info and registration links to these and other Shooting Sports training events, visit: https://events.unl.edu/NE4H-Shooting-Sports/

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! Watch our Facebook posts and share photos of you and your 4-Hers in GREEN!

The current 4-H fiscal year will end on September 30, 2026 and the new 4-H Enrollment for the 2026-2027 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.

Fair shirts are available at the Extension Office for $12 each- stop by or call to check on size availability! 🤗

As we are coming to the end of another 4-H year, please let us know if you would be interested in serving on the 4-H Council or Extension Board. If you would like to learn more about what these roles would entail, please reach out to a Council, Board member or Staff.

Did you know there are several educators and professionals accountable for Keith and Arthur Counties and a larger region?

Find more information through our local personnel directory: here.

Nebraska Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture. The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Nebraska Extension in Keith & Arthur Counties

Keith-Arthur 4-H Newsletters

Facebook