Hennepin County 4-H Newsletter

Join us online for our updated *virtual* 4-H Make with Sam Entrepreneurship Club, Wednesday, January 28th. Interested in learning about entrepreneurship, designing unique items to sell, starting a business or solving a community need? 4-H Youth Entrepreneurship is for you! Youth in grades 3 and up are welcome to join this collaborative club with both Ramsey and Hennepin County 4-H. We partner with Make with Sam business owner to support real-world creativity, entrepreneurship and problem-solving with the opportunity to pitch your ideas to the community! Check out the Event Flyer as we learn about successful 4-H Entrepreneurs and start the entrepreneurship journey.

Please sign up for Wednesday's Entrepreneurship Club Kickoff - January 28th, 6:00-7:30 at UROC by January 28th! Join us virtually on Zoom https://z.umn.edu/4HzoomENT_1_28_26

Club Meetings: 6 sessions per year, Location: UROC, 2001 Plymouth Ave. N.Minneapolis, MN 55411
Enrollment: Open to youth, grades 3rd-13th

Contact: Elora Turner, turne311@umn.edu, 651-353-8672

Metro Art Force is an event for Ramsey and Hennepin County 4-H youth who love creating and exploring their artistic skills on March 28, 2023, 9am -11:30 a.m., at the UROC, 2001 Plymouth Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55411. All 4-Hers are invited to join! Register in 4-H Online.

Can you believe it's time to start planning for County Fair! It Is! We want to hear from you!

If you have thoughts/ ideas about our County Fair experience, please sign up to join the Fair Committee.

Ever wondered what it’s like to work behind the curtain at a major theatre? Join us for Backstage Pass: 4-H Ordway Edition — an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts! You’ll get a guided tour of the theatre, meet Ordway professionals, and explore exciting careers in the performing arts — from lighting and sound to stage design and production.

📅 When: Monday, February 16, 2026, 10 am - 2 pm

📍 Where: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul

💲 Cost: $25 but spots are limited — don’t wait! Scholarship Request

🎟️ Sign up now

Some events at the state and local level require payment and we want to help ease the burden where we can. To inquire about scholarship options, please fill out the Scholarship Request form. The deadline for a scholarship request is the same day as the event registration request.

*** completing this form does not guarantee that scholarship funds will be available.

Exciting opportunity to ask questions to veterinarian guest speaker with Hennepin Hoofbeats Horse club on February 9th! Join the Hennepin Hoofbeats, which is a horse-project club, offering educational opportunities for youth to learn all about horses for both Hennepin & Ramsey families. Hear from professionals who work with horses every day. Learn the ins and outs of caring for and training horses. We offer hands-on opportunities to work with horses during the summer. Youth also get the chance to compete in local, regional, and state competitions. Open to all horse enthusiasts and riding styles… plus, you do not need to own or lease a horse to join us!

Location: Monday, February 9th 2026 | 6:30-8:00pm | Beautiful Savior CHURCH

Enrollment: Open to youth, gr 3rd-13th, meetings on 2nd Mondays

Contact: 4-H Educator, Elora turne311@umn.edu + Club leaders at hennepinhoofbeats4hmn@gmail.com

Looking for another option for your club? Learn the art of leather crafting with Askia Luminae and other 4-H'ers. Leather crafting is the practice of designing and making things out of leather. Askia offers leathercrafting sessions on Tuesdays at the Eden Prairie office.

Location: Eden Prairie

Enrollment: Open to youth, gr 3rd-13th

Contact: Askia Luminae, aluminae@umn.edu

4-H Camp is one of the most exciting events of the summer — a true highlight for so many 4-H’ers! And guess what? We’re looking for teens in grades 9 & up to join us as 4-H Camp Counselors!

Counselor Camp Dates: June 28–July 1, 2026

Being a camp counselor is an amazing chance to:

🌟 Mentor younger campers

🌟Grow your leadership skills

🌟 Build your resume

🌟 Make new friends from near & far

🌟Enjoy the outdoors

🌟 Create memories that last all year

If you’re ready for adventure, teamwork, and sunshine, this is your moment.

📄 Learn More: z.umn.edu/CampCloverCounselorFlyer

👉 Apply to be a Counselor today: z.umn.edu/CampCloverCounselorApp

***Excited to attend as a 4-H camper:) Sign up opens in February for ages 3rd-8th grade for a fun 2-night, 3-day adventure: June 29–July 1, 2026!

Check out our new 4-H Minnesota Volunteer Handbook —Our

4-H Volunteer Roundtable: the New 4-H Club Leader Handbook--Mon. Feb. 2, 6:30-7:30 pm (co-hosts: Kathryn Sharpe and Ann Olson) Register here

This is an opportunity for volunteers, and especially newer club leaders, to learn about the new resources available to them in the updated 4-H Club Leader Handbook. It will also be a chance to connect with other volunteers and share ideas. Join us with volunteers virtually from the Central region! + Flyer for More Info

Calling all 4-H Volunteers and Youth Leaders —Our 2026 Minnesota 4-H Annual Volunteer Training “Thriving by Design” focuses on strengthening clubs through reflection, gathering input and setting goals. Participants will reflect on their reasons for being part of Minnesota 4-H, generate data about their club or program to create a goal for the upcoming 4-H year and explore the youth thriving indicators from the 4-H Thriving Model. Current and prospective Minnesota 4-H volunteers and youth leaders, ideally a team from each club, committee or program are encouraged to attend this 90-minute session with food and engaging learning together on February 12th, Coffey Hall, 6-7:30pm

Learn the following, ready-to-implement tools and resources:

🌟 Goal setting with youth and club leaders

🌟Youth engagement opportunities for all ages

🌟 Make connections with other 4-H volunteers

Join us for this year's annual volunteer training to reflect, gather input and set a goal for the upcoming year. Register by February 10th, 2026 to ensure food options:

Calling for youth and volunteer interest & feedback to join listening circles for our 4-H community & youth voices during these uncertain times.

Hear reflections from 4-H Educators and youth leaders on recent events in our state and thoughts on navigating this profoundly difficult time. Please fill out this survey with the best dates & times to gather virtually and share any suggested ways to make it welcoming & meaningful in order to connect to youth experiences. Our goal is to listen to youth and leaders navigating this time in Minnesota and identify all the ways youth can listen, learn & show leadership in their community. We will take the feedback and schedule 2 listening circles for 4-H Hennepin County for the 2nd or 3rd week in February. Thank you all for being a part of our 4-H community!

There are plenty of opportunities available to explore:

Central Region Catalog

4-H Volunteer Roundtable: the New 4-H Club Leader Handbook--Mon. Feb. 2, 6:30-7:30 pm (co-hosts: Kathryn Sharpe and Ann Olson) Register here. This is an opportunity for volunteers, and especially newer club leaders, to learn about the new resources available to them in the updated 4-H Club Leader Handbook. It will also be a chance to connect with other volunteers and share ideas.

With club planning ahead, we encourage you to take a look at the treasure trove of lessons and activities in our growing Youth Development Curriculum Library!

New items are added to the library every month, including Crafts for Cloverbuds, a collection of 30-minute craft lessons for grades K-2, Lesson Series with scaffolded options for educational settings, themed 4-H club meeting plans, and a growing selection of independent learning guides that are great for youth to explore project ideas on their own!

• Recently added curriculum includes 4-H Portraits of Home: An Arts-Based Exploration of Community Belonging, along with many other new additions
• To explore the library of youth development curriculum, visit the website: extension.umn.edu/working-youth/youth-development-curriculum-library
• Additional Club resources, Planning Tools, and General Information on positive youth development can also be found in our 4-H Volunteer Resource Center at: sites.google.com/umn.edu/4-h-volunteer/

Ignite your child's spark with CLOVER, 4-H's online learning platform that helps kids become more confident, resilient, and independent. With 300+ interactive online activities available, CLOVER offers a wide range of activities and courses across Agriculture, STEM, Healthy Living, and Civic Engagement. Learn more and join for free on the website: 4-h.org/clover/about/

The Hennepin County Youth Leadership Foundation (HCYLF) is now accepting Small Grant Applications! We would like to know how we can help you and your club! Do you have a project idea that you would like to implement but need funds to support it? Do you have a community service project that needs financial support to get off the ground? The Foundation would like to partner with you and your club to support education and leadership opportunities to enrich your 4-H experience!

• Access the Application via the following form: z.umn.edu/HCYLF_SmallGrants_2026

ATTENTION SENIORS: Apply for the 2026 HCYL Foundation Scholarship! Deadline for applying is April 1, 2026. To request a scholarship application form, email hcylf1@gmail.com

To be eligible for a scholarship, each of the following criteria must be met:

• You are currently participating in your youth club/organization within Hennepin County, and have been participating for a minimum of 5 years.
• You are either a current high school graduating senior (a 2026 graduate) or are one year beyond high school (a 2025 graduate). Note: If you are a 2025 graduate, you must also be currently enrolled in your club/organization.
• You are active in leadership roles or performing in front of a group.
• You have experience helping 5 to 12 year old members in your club/organization.
• You are not a past recipient of the Hennepin County Youth Leadership Foundation Scholarship.
• You plan to enroll or are currently enrolled in post-secondary education.

Scholarships, Grants, and Awards

Extension development and Minnesota 4-H offer several scholarships for 4-H youth who are pursuing post-secondary studies at accredited colleges and universities! View information and apply for scholarships, grants, and awards available to college-bound 4-H members and alumni at:

extension.umn.edu/4-h-member-resources/4-h-scholarships-grants-and-awards

Elora Turner, Extension Educator, (612) 466-0828, turne311@umn.edu

Ashley Purry, Extension Educator, (763) 344-0014, purry002@umn.edu

Askia Luminae, Executive Office and Administrative Specialist, (612) 596-2123, aluminae@umn.edu

Google Calendar

Website: https://local.extension.umn.edu/local/hennepin/4-h

Events: https://extension.umn.edu/local/hennepin/events

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hennepin4H