Dakota County 4-H News

DAKOTA COUNTY OFFICE STAFF

Angela Abts—4-H & Youth aabts2@unl.edu

Julie Boyle—Food Nutrition and Health julie.boyle@unl.edu

Tammy Dunn—Office Manager tpeterson3@unl.edu

Email: dakota-county@unl.edu
Website: https://dakota.unl.edu
Location: 1505 Broadway Street, Dakota City, NE, USA
Phone: 402-987-2140
Facebook: facebook.com/UNLDakotaCounty
Twitter: @NEDakota4HExt

Facebook: Nebraska Extension in Dakota County

Instagram: NE Extension Dakota County

DECEMBER

24th-31st Office closed for Holiday break

JANUARY

5th Extension Board meeting

5th State 4-H Achievement Applications DUE

15th Dakota County 4-H Award applications due to office

19th - Office Closed, Martin Luther King Jr Day

30th - Deadline to join Farrowed & Owned Nebraska Swine Cohort for 2026

FEBRUARY

1 - Achievement Celebration

9th - Joint 4-H Council Meeting (Thurston County Extension)

16th - Office Closed President's Day

FUTURE DATES

4/25/26 - ALL CONTEST DAY

6/15/26 - FINAL ENROLLMENT DATE, LIVESTOCK AFFIDAVITS AND DNA DUE

It’s awards and recognition season! In 4-H, we recognize and award individuals and groups for outstanding achievements and contributions to their community, club, and their own personal development. 4-H recognition and awards are available throughout all levels and programs! Explore the statewide opportunities at 4h.unl.edu/awards-recognition.

It's time to work on your recordkeeping and award information. Dakota County award information will be due in January. Don't wait! Get started now! For information, applications and more ....https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/dakota/4-h/awards-recognitions-scholarships/

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. For each level, the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H youth choose their goals. The accomplishments increase in quantity and difficulty for each level. At the beginning of the 4-H year, participants plan what to accomplish and at the end of the 4-H year, they report on their completed accomplishments. Successful completion of a level's Plan & Report form results in a 4-H youth earning that level of the Diamond Clover program.

https://4h.unl.edu/diamond-clover

4-H youth member enrollment is open for the 2025-2026 program year. Please note this is for Clover Kids and youth member enrollment only. The enrollment instructions found online for youth members are still current. https://4honline.com/#/user/sign-in

Starting Monday, January 5th, the Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Orientation will be implemented through 4-H Online. Volunteers who enroll BEFORE this date WILL NOT have to do the orientation training for this current year. They won’t have to do the orientation until the 2026-2027 4-H year. These volunteers’ Orientation training 3-year rotation period will start on 2026-2027 program year.

If volunteers enroll ON or AFTER this date, they WILL be required to complete the orientation for the current year regardless of if they have completed previously already. The current program year will become the start of their 3-year rotation period for the orientation.

Volunteer Orientation will now be required every 3 years through 4-H Online. This is a change from it being required only during a volunteer’s rescreening year. This will allow us to update the Orientation trainings more frequently if the need arises. Volunteers will be able to do the training in 6 separate sections (each being 10 minutes or less) at their own pace rather than in one sitting. They may be able to do it simultaneously on separate devices with their spouse/partner/another volunteer if they wish, however each individual volunteer will need to do the Orientation training associated with their respective member profile. There will be no workaround permitted at this time. If you have any questions, contact our office at 402-987-2140.

State achievement applications are due Monday, January 5, 2026! These applications are used to select National 4-H Congress delegates, National 4-H Conference delegates, and Nebraska 4-H Foundation scholarship recipients. Learn more at https://4h.unl.edu/achievement-application

Premium checks have been mailed to club leaders. Club leaders will distribute the amount due to 4-H'ers based on the club's policies.

The Extension office encourages 4-H members to complete award applications and Diamond Clover awards. For information on completing application wards and Diamond Clover please visit https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/dakota/4-h/awards-recognitions-scholarships/

Were you awarded a Reserve Champion ribbon at county fair, but did not receive it? They are available at our office now. Please contact Tammy to get yours.

Any adult (staff, parent, volunteer) supporting youth completing the state-eligible 4-H Achievement Application is welcome to participate. Training is free of charge and will be recorded. The training format will consist of 30 minutes of content, followed by question and answer. Must register to receive the virtual connection details.

Register by visiting: https://go.unl.edu/achievementapplicationtraining

Look for more 4-H Virtual Volunteer Training series topics in the coming months!

Join us for Career Chat Live, a virtual event featuring six engaging, 25-minute sessions (plus a bonus military session). Each session focuses on a new set of careers where youth meet workforce professionals in specific career fields. The youth will have the opportunity to ask questions to engage with the guest speakers. Career Chat Live is designed for middle-school-aged youth, and youth do not need to be enrolled in 4-H to participate.

Once registered, you’ll receive links to pre- and post-event lessons, along with more details about our speakers—making it easy to prepare your students for this exciting experience.
If you can’t attend live, register to receive access to session recordings. All times are Central.

To register go to https://educationquest.org/events/career-chat-live/

Morning Session
• 9:30 a.m. – Communication & Information Systems: Author & Software Developer
• 10 a.m. – Business, Marketing & Management: Marketing Manager & Project Manager
• 10:30 a.m. – Health Sciences: Occupational Therapist & Operating Room Nurse
• 11–11:15 a.m. – Military: Nebraska Army National Guard

Afternoon Session
• 1:30 p.m. – Human Sciences & Education: Gang Prevention Coordinator & Social Worker
• 2 p.m. – Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources: Food Scientist & Turfgrass Manager
• 2:30 p.m. – Skilled & Technical Sciences: Farm Equipment Technician & GIS Manager

More details at: https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/career-chat-live/

Since 2010, Tractor Supply has partnered with 4‑H to prepare youth to be ready for work and life. The success of the Paper Clover campaign has raised more than $24 million to impact local youth with the technical skills and life skills that prepare them for whatever comes their way.

The 2025 Winter Paper Clover Campaign is taking place November 28 - December 14, 2025. One hundred percent of funds raised through the bi-annual Paper Clover campaign directly benefits 4‑H youth; ninety percent of donations directly support 4‑H youth in the state where the funds were raised, and the remaining 10 percent supports the overall mission and growth of 4‑H nationally.

Learn more at https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/cms/4h.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is excited to offer a unique national opportunity for 4-H, FFA and Jr. MANRRS members on January 11, 2026! From January 9–14, 2026, AFBF will host its 107th Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. As part of this event, a special Youth Leadership Program will be held on Sunday, January 11th, exclusively for youth members of our partnering youth agricultural organizations.

This one-of-a-kind experience will allow students to:
• Connect with farmers and ranchers as well as industry leaders from across the country
• Network with other youth leaders, learn together and build valuable leadership skills
• Attend the Empowering Young Leaders reception with AFBF President Zippy Duvall

Don’t miss this chance to learn, grow, and be inspired alongside other future leaders of agriculture!

2026 AFBF Annual Convention Information
1. Location: Anaheim Convention Center: 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, California 92802.
2. Student Supervision: This is a self-guided experience with key learning opportunities along the way. Students aged 17 or younger must be supervised by a chaperone at ALL TIMES.
3. Special Program: This special program for 4-H, FFA & Jr. MANRRS members will only take place on Sunday, January 11th. Registration includes Convention activities on Saturday, January 10th and Monday, January 12th, but organized youth programming will only take place on Sunday.
4. Schedule: A draft schedule can be found online, and the final schedule will be sent to registrants with additional details prior to the event. Please note that the start and end times will not change. You can begin planning your transportation to and from the event.

Registration Information
Please work with your program leader, secure an adult chaperone, and register for this experience through AFBF’s Convention registration system.

Visit fb.org/2026-youth-leadership-program to view the agenda, find the registration link and get up-to-date information.

More details at: https://annualconvention.fb.org/youthleadershipprogram

Young artists are invited to take their creativity to new heights through the 2026 International Aviation Art Contest, themed “Fly to Save Lives.” Nebraska youth ages 6–17 are invited to enter by January 16, 2026.

Planes, helicopters, drones, and even hot-air balloons can do amazing things. They deliver food and medicine, help in emergencies, fight wildfires, rescue people in need, and even transport blood and medical supplies to save lives. Flight connects people, brings communities together, and sparks new ideas. Using crayons, paint, or pencils, show us your vision of the 2026 theme: “Fly to Save Lives.” How can flight make the world safer and better? The sky is not the limit — it’s where hope begins!

Nebraska winners in three age categories — Junior (6–9), Intermediate (10–13), and Senior (14–17) — will earn cash prizes sponsored by the Nebraska Aviation Council and advance to the national competition in Washington D.C. At the national level, the top three entries in each age category are selected to represent the U.S. in the international round and receive cash prizes sponsored by the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). Those winners then move on to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) international competition, which typically includes 20–40 participating countries.

More information about the 2026 International Aviation Art Contest can be found at https://dot.nebraska.gov/aeronautics/art-contest.

More details at: https://dot.nebraska.gov/aeronautics/art-contest

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.