Pg. 5 County Awards Night. Pg. 2 Club Listing and Meetings Federation & Leaders meetings Upcoming Dates. Pg. 3 National 4-H Week

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1 Sept/Oct Issue 2018 Hello 4-H Families, Pg. 2 Club Listing and Meetings Federation & Leaders meetings Upcoming Dates Pg. 3 National 4-H Week Well we made it through another summer of fun filled 4-H events including: 4-H Day camps, 4-H Summer camp at LOMC, and of course the 4-H Show and livestock shows. Thank you to all the 4-H members, volunteers, family members, sponsors and committees. You are all what makes 4-H the best is can be and I am thankful for all your hard work and support throughout the years! Pg. 4 Tips for Award Applications Pg. 5 County Awards Night Pg Days of Doing Pg. 7 Speaking of IL 4-H Saluting Volunteers Shooting Sports-Training Pg. 8 Pollinator Celebration-Selmis 4-H Hall of Fame Pg. 9 Earn Cash Holiday STEAM Program Magnificent Monday Pg. 10 State News Programs Pg H Show Results General Projects Animal Shows Pg. 16 Some Photos Information to make your new year sparkle! Here s some new things you ll see in Check out the NEW Pick Your Project Guide. We ve changed the format to make it easier to find the projects you want and the resources to help you learn! County offices have the publication, or download members/projects. In addition to projects, you can see events, contests, conferences, and leadership opportunities in the areas you re studying! ***We added a fun new project for you to study Weather! ***The visual arts projects have now been divided into 13 separate projects. Instead of registering for visual arts, you ll select the medium you want to study: Chalk/Carbon/Pigment, Clay, Computer Generated Art, Fiber, Food Decorating, Glass/Plastic, Heritage Arts, Metal, Nature, Paper, Scrapbooking, 3-Dimensional Mixed Media, and Wood. ***Cloverbuds should select Cloverbud as their project. Cloverbud leaders will be able to special order resources to assist with Cloverbud club meetings and project learning. Re-enrollment will be closed from Sept. 1 to 15 to allow for updates to 4-H online. If we get that done earlier than Sept. 15, we ll open it early. National 4-H Week is Oct with the theme: Inspire Kids to Do! September kicks off with 30 Days of Doing. We hope your club will find ways to participate. Enter the #InspireKidstoDo photo contest September 1-30, where you could win a $10,000 scholarship for your kid and your program could receive $10,000. Enter and see full Official Rules: 4-H.org/InspireKidsToDo. #InspireKidstoDo NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Starts 9/1/18; ends 9/30/18.

2 Page 2 LOCAL WHITESIDE 4-H NEWS NEW 4-H YEAR CLUB MEETING DATES We encourage YOU to invite a classmate or a neighbor to your 1st or 2nd 4-H Club meeting and show them what we are all about. We would love to get more kids inspired by our 4-H Program and we cannot do that without your support! Lets make this Whiteside 4-H Family even bigger! MORRISON COTTONWOOD 4-H CLUB Leader LuEllen Lee st Meeting Saturday, September 8, 9:00 a.m. St. Peters Lutheran Church, Morrison FEDERATION MEETING Now is your chance. This group is for all 4- Hers 12 and older. We usually meet once a month to have meetings, do community service, go on fun trips and more. This is a great way to get to know the other kids your age from other 4-H clubs and build great friendships. Our first meeting will be held : September 9th at 2:00pm This is an important meeting to be at as we will be planning the 4-H year and electing officers! Please try and make it, contact Allie if you be there: ERIE FULTON STERLING TAMPICO FENTON WIZARDS 4-H CLUB Leader Casey Stichter st Meeting-Thursday, September 20, 6:30 p.m. Erie Methodist Church FULTON 4-Hers 4-H CLUB Leader Heather Dykstra Club meets 2nd Sunday of the Month, 3:00 p.m. First Reformed Church, Fulton GARDEN PLAIN RIPSNORTERS 4-H CLUB Leader Julie Bielema st Meeting Thursday, September 6, 6:30 p.m. Garden Plain Presbyterian Church GENESEE HILLBILLIES 4-H CLUB Leader Teresa Galloway st Meeting Tuesday, September 4, 7:00 p.m. Jordan Township Building, Sterling HUME HAPPY HUSTLERS 4-H CLUB Leader Gordon Kelm st Meeting Sunday, 3:00 p.m. St. Mary's Hall, Tampico lancast@illinois.edu Work: Cell/Text: LEADERS MEETING 1st meeting will be held on MONDAY September 10th at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Morrison 6:30pm UPCOMING DATES September Dates: 1 New 4-H year Begins 5 Office Closed - Labor Day 9 Federation Meeting (Office 2pm) 10 Leaders Mtg. 6:30pm Bethesda 22 Pollinator Prog. At Selmis in RF October Dates: 7-13 National 4-H Week 7 Federation Meeting 2:00pm 19 Award Apps Due to office 26 Rock Falls Uptown Trick or Treat 7 Awards Night, St. Peters-Morrison November Dates 7 Awards Night St. Peters ( Morrison) 16 Sights and Sounds Sterling

3 NATIONAL 4-H WEEK Page 3 Illinois will be joining 6 million other 4-H members in celebrating National 4-H Week Oct using the National 4-H Council theme: Inspire Kids to Do. Start those wheels turning as you consider how to incorporate that into your celebration. Unit 4 National 4-H Week Challenge Winner will be chosen by average points received. (number of points/ enrollment) Awards given: Top Club in County (in each county) Pizza party! Top Club in Unit Bragging rights! How do we know what you ve done? Tag us on Social Media! Use #CLW4HWeek Don t have social media? it to us! Carroll & Lee kbook@illinois.edu Whiteside lancast@illinois.edu Things to do all week! Wear your 4-H Swag! (5 pts per day per 4-H er) Help your club prepare your 4-H Week Display (50 pts 1 st place, 20 pts 2 nd place, 10 pts all other clubs) Go Live or add to your story! Make a 4-H commercial about why you love 4-H (25 pts per 4-H er) Things to do the rest of the month! Invite a friend to your next 4-H meeting (must come to meeting & share photo) (10 pts, 25 adtl. pts if friend enrolls before October 26) Help with your Club s Community Service Project (25 pts) Become a 4-H Buddy in your club (intent must be signed by Oct 26) (25 pts per pair) MOST IMPORTANTLY, LETS HAVE FUN WITH THIS FRIENDLY UNIT COMPETITION. HOPE TO SEE ALL CLUBS PARTICIPATE AND SHOW OFF THEIR 4-H PRIDE. COOKIE BOX CONTEST= NAME CHANGE Want to win a fun prize? Well this is the right thing for you. Simply tell your leader you want to participate in decorating 4-H Support Snack Boxes and we will get them a box for you. Just decorate it with 4-H related ideas and we will judge them, Boxes due Sunday, Oct. 6. These boxes are then stuffed and delivered to our local 4-H Supporters, to show our appreciation! We get many generous donations towards ribbons, medals, awards, shirts, and much more and its all for YOU! Lets thank them. 4-H WEEK DISPLAYS (Window Display) Like previous years national 4-H week window displaysthese displays can be anywhere you decide.. A store window A park or busy street corner A school display case Giveaways at a store or bank about 4-H BE CREATIVE!!!! Displays have to be in place Sunday, October 6 and will be judged that week. Be thinking of ideas and places to put your displays. Should be based on the 4-H theme: Inspire kids to do

4 Page 4 4-H AWARDS TIPS FOR 4-H AWARD APPLICATIONS With the introduction of the Illinois 4-H Experience Award application last year, we know there are still questions about how to complete this form. We don t request a lot of information, but there are still a few guidelines you need to follow so that your application showcases your 4-H experiences in their best light. The Illinois 4-H Experience Award Application focuses on all of those events and activities that you have experienced during the 4-H year in four areas: Participation, Community Service, Leadership, and Project Learning. Depending upon the type and number of experiences you report on, members can receive recognition on the Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond or Emerald Clover Award level. Your family calendar, 4-H notes or county summary, checkmarks, and a few written details are all that s needed for even the youngest members to submit this application. This application can be members/awards. Here are a few tips that cover some of the most common errors we saw from award submissions with this application: All items (Except the 2-3 that refer to two years in a row or multiple years ) should be ONLY from the current 4-H year September 1, 2017 to August 31, All experiences unless indicated otherwise are to be 4-H related! That means it should be a 4-H experience or a youth could attend because there are a 4-H member or because they were representing the 4-H program for their county or state. In the Details box, dates and names of the experience are needed. This info can be short it does not need to have a lot of detail. County Livestock Workshop, Dec 6, State Jr. Leadership Conference, Feb or 4-H Club Mtgs, 10/12, 11/13, 12/10, 1/14 and 2/15 are good examples. Years are not needed as we believe you are following the above instructions that all experiences have taken place within this 4-H year. For some boxes, you may wish to include a bit more information for example, the name of a project area that you exhibited at the county or state fair, or the name of the non-4-h group of which you are an officer. Members cannot use the same exact date/event for more than one spot on the entire form. So if one uses Visual Arts Workshop/March 6 as part of five or more county 4-H activities in Participation, they cannot also use it for the one county 4-H activity in Participation NOR can they use it for Participated in a county 4-H workshop related to my project in Project Learning. If members are submitting the application for the Diamond or Emerald state level, please make sure that you still complete the ENTIRE form, even though you may only be submitting in the Leadership, Community Service, or Project Learning area. For Diamond and Emerald applicants, the State and National requirements must be in the SAME dimension as the one you are applying. So if you are applying for an Emerald Award in Leadership, you must have at least TWO State and/or National level experiences highlighted on the Leadership pages, in addition to two Multi-County/Regional experiences. More information is available on the Quick Tips: Illinois 4-H Experience Application, available through your local Extension office. There is also a Quick Tips: Illinois 4-H Award Application handout available for those older 4-H members who are looking to submit for state awards with the Illinois 4-H State Award Application. Members may apply in any or all of the five award categories: Communications, Community Service, Leadership, Personal Growth, and/or Project Mastery. State winners in these categories can receive educational scholarships or trips to national events. You all have a story to tell about your 4-H experiences learn to tell YOUR story to its best advantage.

5 Page 5 YOU are invited to the 2018 Whiteside County Awards night When: Wednesday, November 7 at 6:30p.m. Where: St. Peters Lutheran Church Basement 601 N. Jackson Street, Morrison IL. What Awards will be Presented? Application Awards H Show General and Livestock Awards Club & National 4-H Week Awards Memorial & Special Awards NEW: Cloverbud Graduation (celebrating cloverbud s who moved on to be a 4-H member) Is there food? Yes, Clubs are asked to bring a dessert to share Anything fun happen? Yes, we have interactive competitions through out the evening, and prizes for winners! WHITESIDE COUNTY AWARDS NIGHT 2018 This years awards night will be held on Wednesday, November 7th at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Morrison. Awards night will be celebrating awards given out at the H Show, special awards, and awards 4-H members/clubs applied for. What are the awards we can apply for? All Applications are online! DUE OCTOBER 19 Individual Awards: 8-14 year olds Illinois Award (Application) year olds Illinois Award (Application) -These can be selected for state.and you could be selected to win scholarships, trip to national 4-H Congress and more!) Key Award (15-18 yr) (Application) I Dare you award (15-18 yr) (Application) Top 1st year 4-H member (Paragraph of why you should be the top 4-Her, attached to Illinois award) Top Outstanding 4-H member and 4-Her of the Year! (Application) Top Secretary Award (club secretary turns in their secretary book) Top Treasurer Award (club Treasurer turns in their treasurer book) Snack Box Decorating Winners- (National 4-H Week Decorate an office cookie box with 4-H) (We stuff the boxes with goodies to give to local sponsors during 4-H Week) Club Awards: Club of the Year award (Application) Standards of Excellence (Application) 4-H Display winners (During National 4-H Week -decorate a business window, Street corner, front yard with the theme of the year, be creative) Special Awards: Memorial Awards

6 Page 6 STATE & LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER KICK OFF 30 DAYS OF DOING 30 Days of Doing is a chance for kids across the nation to do things on purpose. Luckily, that s what 4- H is all about! You re already on your way to fulfilling the 30 Days! Check out the cool chart online at 4- h.org/inspire-kids-to-do/ to see the challenge for each day of September. Beginning September 1, you could win a $10,000 scholarship for your kid! If you win, so does Illinois 4- H! Submit a photo that shows how your child inspires themselves or others TO DO WITH PURPOSE for themselves, their family, their community, their country, or the world. MAKING THE BEST IN EACH OF US BETTER GENEROSITY: VALUE AND PRACTICE SERVICE TO OTHERS Generosity is the habit of giving without expecting anything in return giving back to the community; helping family, friends and neighbors; being grateful for what we have; and sharing what we can. For the concept of generosity to be instilled in youth, they need to practice it. This can be accomplished through community service projects. However, for youth to truly develop the habit of generosity they need to connect to their communities and learn how to give back to others. They need to know the why for the community service project. Does your service project meet these goals: It must be seen as relevant and timely for the 4-H members. They need to see or learn about the needs in their community and what they can do to help with those needs. Members need to be a part of the planning and implementation of the project. The project needs to be necessary and valuable. Members need to feel they made a difference. Members need to reflect on the project. This allows them to think about what they did, and what it meant to them, to others and to the community. Members need to discuss the impact of their community service project and what they learned. Evaluation gives them direction for improvement, growth and change. It also allows them to think about what else they might do because of this experience. Including these components as part of the process allows 4-H members to gain an understanding of others needs and learn how to respond to those needs, which leads to the development of values such as compassion and tolerance for diversity. It fosters a sense of pride and ownership for their community. Working alongside 4-H members and other adults develops teamwork skills. Dana Homann, 4-H Youth Development Educator for Effingham, Clay, Jasper, and Fayette counties UNDERSTANDING 4-H PREMIUMS In the past, the Illinois Department of Ag has provided funds to local Illinois 4-H members in the forms of premiums (cash prizes) for participation in 4-H shows and exhibitions. Because Illinois is operating without a budget, the IDOA was not allowed to pay out those premiums from the 2015 show season. We currently have no guarantee that those funds from last year, or any funds for the 2016 shows, will be provided. We treasure each of our 4-H families and know that you make a financial investment in your 4-H project work. We hope you continue to take pride in your 4-H learning and continue to participate fully in the 4-H program. As you are aware, we have no control on the actions of Illinois government. We will continue to look for ways to recognize the outstanding achievements of our 4-H members.

7 Page 7 SPEAKING FOR ILLINOIS 4-H Last chance this year to get trained... Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 27, 2018, 10 AM to 3 PM, at the Knoxville High School, 600 East Main St., for your first opportunity to prepare to be a part of the Illinois Legislative Connection Program coming up in Spring Speaking for Illinois 4-H training will teach you to tell their story to legislators, donors, 4-H volunteers, and civic groups. You will also develop skills that help you show the impact 4-H has in your local community, across Illinois, and the world. Training is provided by members of the Illinois 4-H Youth Leadership Team. Those who complete training will be invited to attend the Spring, 2019 Legislative Connection events at the state capital in Springfield. Click the register button at go.illinois.edu/sfi4h. A $12 fee cover the cost of lunch and supplies. CELEBRATE THE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE 2019 The Illinois 4-H program is built on the work of amazing volunteers, and we look forward to recognizing our volunteers for what they do! The National 4-H Council sponsors the Salute to Excellence Award Program that targets 4-H volunteers who demonstrate exemplary service to 4-H, while promoting service through volunteerism as both an opportunity and a privilege. Outstanding local volunteers can be nominated for consideration as the 2018 Illinois Salute to Excellence Volunteer. If you are interested in nominating a volunteer for consideration, contact your extension office. The award categories are: Volunteer of the Year recognizing individuals who have served as 4-H volunteers for less than 10 years at the local, county, region, and state level. Outstanding Lifetime Volunteer recognizing individuals who have served 10 or more years at the local, county, region or state level. Nomination criteria will be available at your local Extension Office. Nominations are due to the State 4-H Office by Friday, September 28, SHOOTING SPORTS VOLUNTEER TRAINING- OCTOBER 13-14, 2018 Adults interested in teaching the shooting sports to young people should attend the fall adult volunteer certification training for the Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports program Oct at 4-H Memorial Camp in Monticello. Volunteers must be at least 21 years of age. Cost is $125. Volunteers must register through their local U of I Extension office. Volunteers must be present for all hours of the training to receive their certification. There are six concentrations of study, and volunteers must choose only one discipline to attend per session. These include archery, rifle, shotgun, pistol, and hunting and wildlife, as well as the overall county coordinator training. Remember, volunteers will work with their local Extension 4-H staff to establish or add to an existing shooting

8 Page 8 LOCAL NEWS 4-H HALL OF FAME The Illinois 4-H Foundation annually recognizes 4-H volunteers for exemplary service to the Illinois 4-H program. This year, 67 new members were inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame during a celebration Tuesday, Aug. 14 at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Whiteside County nominated Lisa James of the Cottonwood 4-H Club for her passion and dedication towards the 4-H Program. Congratulations Lisa you deserve it!

9 Page 9 WANT TO EARN CASH & SCHOLALSHIPS JUST FOR BEING YOU??? Illinois State University, Millikin University, and Pontiac Township High School are presenting the 4th Annual Celebrating High School Innovators competition (CHSI). The competition identifies, fosters and celebrates Illinois high school students whose contributions are exceptional and inspirational. We know that Illinois 4-H prepares you to solve problems and produces leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, stewards, and builders. We want to celebrate you and reward you for your brilliance in one or more of the following areas: Arts, media & literature business entrepreneurship social entrepreneurship health & nutrition Science, technology, engineering & math (STEM). Apply today WHO WILL WIN $5,000? The Youth in Action Award honors four 4 H members who have gained critical life skills through their 4 H experience and have used those skills to overcome a challenge or challenges they have faced. Each of the honorees epitomize 4 H youth empowerment and leadership. In addition, the winners have demonstrated the positive impact they ve made with their family, peers, and community through their 4 H experiences. Nominate outstanding 4-H members in four different categories: Agriculture, Civic Engagement, Healthy Living, and STEM. Each winner will receive a $5,000 scholarship for higher education, be featured as the 4 H youth spokesperson for their pillar area, receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. to be recognized at National 4 H Council s Legacy Awards, and network with celebrities and prominent 4-H alumni. Learn more at SAVE THE DATE: Magnificent Monday Presidents Day Monday, February 19Th (9:00-noon) We need willing adults to volunteer and help/ teach different project area sessions. Sessions will rotate every 45 minutes. Please help us out by hosting a session. Please contact Allie or lancast@illinois.edu by December 15, 2018 Location: St. Peters Church, Morrison SAVE THE DATE 3RD Annual 4-H Holiday STEAM Saturday December 8, 9am-noon Location TBD Sterling/ Rock Falls Will be open to all youth 5 14 We need willing adults to volunteer and help/ teach sessions during the morning. We would love if you had an idea to bring or we can try and come up with one. Please contact Allie if you are interested or lancast@illinois.edu by Friday October 26. More Information & Flyers will be out once

10 Page 10 STATE NEWS Celebrating Us! Please join in the 2018 Celebrate Food & Ag Day at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, September 8 from 4-6 p.m. This event is hosted by the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. We are excited to welcome Illini supporters in the food, agriculture, and allied industries to campus to celebrate with us prior to cheering the Fighting Illini football team to victory. Prior to watching the Illini take on Western Illinois, we invite you to enjoy our tailgate celebration at Lot 31 on the tree line along Kirby Avenue directly west of the stadium. A Midwest barbeque buffet will be featured in the tent. President Killeen, Chancellor Jones, and administrators from Western Illinois will be joining us. Tailgate entrance passes (which includes the buffet) are now available at go.aces.illinois.edu/cfag. Game tickets are exclusively available through the Illinois Ticket Office. Tent tickets can be picked up through Thursday, September 6 at the ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center, Suite 115, 1101 S. Goodwin Ave. Tickets can also be picked up at the tent prior to the start of the event. College isn t the end of your 4-H career If you are a 4-H er or know a 4-H er heading to University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus OR University of Illinois, Springfield campus, check out Collegiate 4-H! Collegiate 4-H (C4H) is a registered student organization with clubs that provide opportunities to continue strengthening your leadership skills and be engaged in service to others. In addition to the leadership and service benefits, C4H also creates an opportunity for positive social engagement with other college students who, like you, have been a part of 4-H. If interested, contact: University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Collegiate 4-H Club President Cara illinois4h@illinois.edu University of Illinois Springfield, Collegiate 4-H Club President K Lynn sang4hmetro@gmail.com 4-H Family Camp Registrations are now being accepted for Family Camp Program at 4-H Memorial Camp Sept Come out and enjoy all that the camp has to offer! Experience rock climbing, zip lining, archery, fishing, hayrack rides, campfires, crafts, cardboard boat racing, and many other fun activities. We will also have drone demonstrations, and participants will have a chance to fly drones themselves! Let us manage the stress of planning a camping adventure while allowing your family and friends the opportunity to enjoy a weekend together at camp! Your family will sleep in a cabin, have meals provided (starting Friday dinner and ending with Sunday lunch), and enjoy A LOT of fun activities! Expect to have fun, eat heartily, and make memories that will last a lifetime! At least one youth attending must be 8 to 16 years old, and children must be accompanied by at least one parent or guardian. The cost for participants 8 years and older is $75/person; $35/per person for youth 4-7 years of age. Learn more at: programs/camping/family-camp. Please contact Andy Davis at (217) or ardavis1@illinois.edu with any questions or if you need special accommodations.

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12 Page 12 GENERAL PROJECTS RESULTS

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14 Page 14 GENERAL PROJECTS RESULTS

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16 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-State Local County Groups USDA Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides educational programs and unbiased, research-based information to help Illinois residents improve their quality of life, develop skills and solve problems, by helping you put knowledge to work. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any programs please contact University of Illinois Extension Whiteside at

17 Mar/Apr Issue 2018 Inside this Issue 4-H Camp 2 Public Speaking Contest 2 Federation Happenings 3 Leaders Happenings 3 4-H Show & Reminders 3 4-H Service Learning SPIN 4 National 4-H Day of Service 5 Lee County Project Pool 5 Science Siesta Dates 5 Illini Summer Academies 6 ACES Family Academies 6 Legislative Connection 6 Shooting Sports Certification 7 National Volunteer Week 7 Clover Campaign 8 Horse Information 8 State Judging Contest 9 Family Spirit Award 9 Robotics /Quilting Contest 10 State 4-H Calendar 11 4-H Pictures 12 Upcoming Calendar Dates March 6 Dog Obedience 7pm BOYS Science Siesta-Rockford 17 Public Presentations Contest-Sauk 18 Federation Prophetstown-Location TBD 19 Leaders Mtg. 6:30pm-Bethesda 27 Dog Obedience 7pm April 1 Happy Easter 3 Dog Obedience 7pm 7 Camp Counselor Training-Dixon 9-3pm Girls Science Siesta-Rockford 15 Federation Meeting TBD National Volunteer Week 17 Dog Obedience 7pm 21 Lee County Project Pool-Amboy 28 National 4-H Day of Service 30 Leaders meeting 7pm-Morrison Hello 4-H Friends and Families, I want to first ask everyone to log into 4-H online and check your projects. May 1, is that deadline for adding or dropping projects in 4-H online and we want to make sure you are able to show in the areas you want. Another thing, if you have not already read thru and signed the 4-H Risk form I ed out last month please get that printed and signed or stop by the office to do so before May 1. Reminder 4-H Camp at LOMC is filling up super quick, don t wait till the last minute to register, we want you there! go.illinois.edu/4hsummercamp Also, Calling all high school students, make sure you check out our Summer Illini Academies this is a great opportunity and Whiteside county will be paying $100 towards 3 of our 4-Hers wanting to go! Thanks and make sure you read thru the whole newsletter, lots of good stuff! Yours in 4-H, Allie Johnston (4-H Program Coordinator) New in 2018 Volunteers will be celebrated all day long with a special gift. Check in anytime Aug at the information booth of the Orr Building. There will be no Clover Celebration. There will be no Fashion Revue during the State Fair. The State 4-H Public Presentation Contest will be held separate from the state fair on June 9. NEW CLASSES have been added: 360 Computer Science class added 360 Video class added to Videos Diversity & Cultural Awareness Project added 3-D Printing Print 2 levels 3-D Printing Design 2 levels UAV 2 options Visual Arts Fiber Non-Original Class for 8-10-year-olds ONLY All Clover Challenge projects have been eliminated. See if your challenge fits in the Ready4Life class instead! The Explore 4-H project will no longer be exhibited at state fair. Child Care is no longer a 4-H project. The Illinois 4-H Foundation will honor the 2018 Hall of Fame winners on Tuesday, Aug 14 in the Orr Building prior to the Sale of Champions festivities.

18 Page 2 Northern Illinois 4-H Camp at LOMC Ready for camp? The H camp flyer and application packet is ready for you to download from our website. 4-H Camp is for campers age 8-14 and will be held this year at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp (LOMC) in Oregon, IL. The dates for camp are Monday, June 11 through Friday, June 15, We will be camping with youth from throughout nine counties in northern Illinois. The site for online registration is open and can be accessed at: go.illinois.edu/4hcamplomc Please be sure to download all the necessary forms, fill them out completely and submit them to the Ogle County Extension Office as soon as possible. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis! Please call the Extension Office if you have any questions. About 4-H Camp Activities-Early bird activities are held for campers who like to get up early - before the normal 7 a.m. wake-up bell. These early bird activities include games and nature hikes. Early birds will return to camp in time for breakfast. Campers will get to choose 2-3 other activities during the day and then participate in a group evening activity led by 4-H Youth Development staff and counselors. Typical daily activities include: Arts & Crafts Canoeing Hiking Team Building Shooting Sports Nature Study Zip Line* Pool CAMP FEE Register after March 1: $320 (4-H Members) $340 (non 4-H Members) Paid in full by May 21 or spot not held. NEW State Public Presentations Contest Three youth from each county will advance to the NEW State 4-H Public Presentation Contest June 9 in Decatur. All ages are eligible to compete in any of the four divisions: Formal Speech, Illustrated Speech, Original Works, Oral Interpretation. Youth may participate in this contest AND exhibit a project at the Illinois State Fair. All presentations must be 4 to 6 minutes in length. See the rules and scoresheets online at 4-H.illinois.edu. Click Member>Projects>Communications. Public Speaking Contest Saturday, March 17 at 10:00a.m. Sauk Valley Community College Lee & Whiteside County 4-H ers Register online by March 9, 2018 at go.illinois.edu/publicpresentations Full class descriptions available online Register to compete in one or more of the following areas: Formal Speech Illustrated Speech Extempore Speech Demonstration Oral Interpretation Original Works Food Demonstration We would love to see some new faces at our contest! Many of you are so talented when it comes to public speaking! Come show off your skills on March 17

19 Page 3 Club Leader Happenings Upcoming Leaders meeting dates: March 19 meeting-bethesda Lutheran 6:30pm April 30 meeting-bethesda Lutheran 7:00pm (Show books will be distributed at this meeting) June 18 meeting Bethesda Lutheran 6:30pm Federation Happenings March 18 Federation Meeting and activity will be held at 2:00pm in Prophetstown Area-Location TBD April 15 or 28 Federation meeting and activity will be held at 2:00pm in the Sterling Area-Location TBD June Activity is TBD, potential float trip is in the back of our minds. First week in June possibly Whiteside County 4-H Show July 13-14, 2018 I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on plans for our H animal shows. This topic has been discussed at length at previous leader s meetings. All of us can agree that 4-H is about youth gaining new skills, learning about projects, and having a great experience. Due to fewer youth competing in 4-H shows over the past couple of years and constricting financial resources, we have decided to combine with Carroll County 4-H Fair for some of the animal projects. Livestock Shows Combining with Carroll County 4-H to be held at Milledgeville Fairgrounds: Beef- Monday, August 6 (8:00a.m. Judging) Dairy- Thursday August 9 (9:00a.m. Judging) Goat- Monday, August 6 (1:30p.m. Judging) Horse- Wednesday, August 8 (8:30a.m. Judging) Sheep- Monday, August 6 (12:30p.m. Judging) Animal Shows Staying in Whiteside County to be held at Morrison: Cats- Friday, July 13 (Time TBD) Poultry- Friday, July 13 (Time TBD) Rabbits- Friday, July 13 (Time TBD) Multi-County Show (Carroll, Lee, Whiteside, Ogle & Dekalb) Dogs- Saturday, July 7 at Granny Rose K-9 Enrichment Center, Dixon Whiteside County Illinois 4-H State Fair Date is Set for SUNDAY, August 12 Our goal is to give our youth the best possible experience in 4-H. Combining our large animal shows will help make the year-round hard work worth every minute: more competition, new friends, learning new skills, and providing encouragement for more room to grow. We hope you understand why this decision was made, and we are looking forward to seeing our 4-H members participating in 4-H shows this summer. Show Reminders Animal Shows and 4-Hers showing Posters on Animals Must Complete QAEC-Quality and Ethics Certifications by June 15th, 2018 in order to show at this years show. This is a ONE and DONE certifications so if you have done it once you are good fro your whole 4-H Career. If you are uncertain if you have completed it or not please contact the office and we can let you know Horse - Horse Photos and Leases. All 4-H ers enrolled in a horse project, MUST SUBMIT THREE photographs (front and two side views), and a copy of their lease agreement or ownership forms to the Extension Office by May 15.

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21 Page 5 Step up on National 4-H Day of Service 4-H members do service better than anyone else! Join us for National 4-H Day of Service on Saturday, April 28. If you are busy April 28, plan your service project for any time during April! 4-H members and clubs are encouraged to help their community in any of these 10 areas: Animal Science Camping College & Career Readiness Environment Food Access & Gardening Global Citizenship Health & Nutrition Leadership Shooting Sports STEM & Robotics The goal of National 4-H Day of Service is to encourage 4-H members in every county to make a positive difference. Service projects can be done by individuals or as an entire county 4-H program. No matter what the project, this will be a day to make a difference. Register & Enter Your Results for a chance to appear in the Illinois 4-H Clover! 1. Go to and register your event with National 4-H Council. 2. Go to go.illinois.edu/4hservice and find helpful resources. 3. Do your event and promote on social media using #thats4h and #TrueLeaders. for a chance at fun prizes for your club! 4. Go to go.illinois.edu/4hservice after your event and submit a report on what you did. Save the Date: Saturday, April 21, 9:00a.m. - Noon Lee County 4-H Project Pool Held at the Lee County Fairgrounds in Amboy, IL. There will be lots of different project area sessions to choose from. For All Youth Ages 5-14 Registration Opens 3/9/18 go.illinois.edu/projectpool Science Siesta Dates Locations: Children's Discovery Museum Rockford BOYS March 16 17, 2018 GIRLS April 13-14, 2018 (Still accepting Registrations) This program /event is a very special pajama party for boys and girls, on separate dates, completing grades 4th-6th. They will get to meet real scientists and learn about their career paths as well as play & Discover in the museum. More information will be out soon! Club Money Management Just a few reminders on how clubs can operate in regards to financial matters 1. Clubs are allowed only TWO fundraisers per year. 2. Clubs are no longer tax Exempt 3. Clubs cannot keep more than two years of expenses in their account. If they have more, they will need to complete a long term spending plan. 4. Clubs cannot conduct raffles

22 Page 6 Illini Summer Academies Registration is open for the BEST SUMMER CONFERENCE EVER! Illini Summer Academies lets you try out college life while you study with college professors and learn about possible careers! We have lots of new Academies this year, including cademies Companion animal nutrition and pet food manufacturing Plant biology: Exploring life beneath our feet Game Design: Digital art, storytelling and fabrication at the Fab Lab Advanced Microbiology Work Hard/Play Hard: Careers in health sciences, sports and wellness. Returning Academies include aerospace, animal science, anthropology, electrical and computer engineering, human development and family studies, advance family studies, beekeeping, molecular and cellular biology, agricultural communications, theater hip hop dance, theater fashion design, and veterinary medicine. The conference is Sunday, June 24 through Thursday, June 28 and is open to ALL YOUTH who have completed 8 th grade and are at least 14 by Sept. 1, Check it go.illinois.edu/illini4h. If you are paying your entire registration fee, register go.illinois.edu/illini4h. If you are requesting a Trailblazer scholarship from the Illinois 4-H Foundation, go.illinois.edu/ illini4hscholarship. Check the website to see if you qualify. If you are in 4-H and your county is providing you a partial scholarship, contact the Extension office for registration information. Sponsors which cover part of the cost of Illini Summer Academies include Illinois Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Services, Growmark, Women Changing the Face of Agriculture, H. Richard and Sarah McFarland Endowment for Youth Leadership, DuPont/Pioneer, Illinois 4-H Foundation, and the Human Development and Family Studies Department. Whiteside County will offer 3 fee waivers at $100 each to attend the Summer Illini Academies. ACES Family Academies Are you a graduate of University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences? Share your excitement for U of I with a child you know. Participants will enjoy the college experience living in a residence hall, eating in the dining facilities and participating in educational classes on the College of ACES campus. This program will give you an opportunity to relive and share your college days as well as create new memories with your little Illini. ACES Family Academies is geared for children ages 8-13 years. Mark your calendars for July 12-13, and register after March acesalumni.illinois.edu/events/aces-family-academies. Illinois 4-H is proud to support the efforts of the ACES Alumni Association. Legislative Connection Invite 2018 If you always wanted to speak about 4-H at the State Capitol, you have one more chance to get trained: 10 AM to 3 PM, Saturday, April 28 at the Montgomery County Extension office in Hillsboro. Speaking for Illinois 4-H teaches you to tell your story to legislators, donors, 4 -H volunteers, and civic groups and show the impact 4-H makes on the world. Training is conducted by Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team members. Those who complete this training are invited to attend the May H Legislative Connection event at the state capitol in Springfield. Registration opens Monday, March 5 and closes Wednesday, April 18. Space is limited and available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Go to our Speaking for Illinois 4-H page for more information and to register: go.illinois.edu/4hsfil4h.

23 Page 7 4-H Shooting Sports Spring Adult Certifications Training All 4-H shooting sports clubs must be led by adults who have completed the Illinois 4-H training and passed the certification test. Instructors are needed in all disciplines of pistol, shotgun, rifle, archery and wildlife, as well as coordinator positions. The spring training for those adults interested in joining the Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports program as a volunteer leader is May at 4-H Memorial Camp near Monticello. Cost is $125, and registration is handled through the local office before May 1 Help celebrate the 4-H volunteers in your life! April is National Volunteer Week, and University of Illinois Extension 4-H Youth Development program wants to thank the more than 12,000 4-H adult and youth volunteers who guide and support the nearly 200,000 4-H participants in Illinois. National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. By working together, communities can meet challenges and accomplish goals. Illinois 4-H volunteers are empowering and preparing youth for success as 4-H members provide service to others and their community. Today s 4-H youth are engaged in learning activities as they are practicing skills employers want; growing and distributing food to communities in need; stewarding the natural resources; making a difference in local, state, national, and global issues; and influencing positive choices for healthy living. None of that would be possible without our Volunteers. In Whiteside County, there are many volunteers who are inspiring youth involved in county and local 4-H club programs. 4-H Clubs and their leaders include: * Cottonwood 4-H Club: LuEllen Lee, Lisa James, & Jean Eggemeyer * Fenton Wizards 4-H Club: Casey Stichter, Jen Eggers, Melody VonHolten, & Heather Mattson * Fulton 4-Hers: Heather Dykstra, Brittany Dykstra & Tina Dysktra * Garden Plain Ripsnorters: Julie Bielema * Genesee Hillbillies: Teresa Galloway, Pam Clodfelter, & Marcy Shank * Hume Happy Hustlers: Gordon Kelm, Miranda Wetzell, Traci Sandrock, & Gwen Hurd * Self-Help Tigers: Lori Campos We THANK ALL OF OUR WOLUNTEERS, Club leaders, committee members, and other volunteers for all they do to keep Whiteside county 4-H thriving!

24 Page 8 May 1 is Horse Ownership Deadline Whiteside County paper work is due May 15, 2018 It s time to turn in ownership / lease information for your horses. In order for a 4-H or FFA member to exhibit at the Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show, ownership and/or lease paperwork must be placed on file at the local University of Illinois Extension office or with their Vocational Agriculture teacher by May 1. In addition to the ownership/lease papers, two photos, one of each side of the animals will be mandatory for all horse and ponies, grade and registered animals. We strongly encourage members, if they own or lease more than one horse, to file paperwork on ALL potential exhibit horses by the deadline. If a horse is injured or dies, it may be replaced ONLY by a horse whose paperwork is already on file by the deadline. A horse may only be owned or leased to, and exhibited by ONE 4-H or FFA member at the State Fair Junior Horse Show. Download the Paper Clover Campaign Returns! Help Illinois Win $20,000 Dates for the Spring Paper Clover Campaign, held in conjunction with Tractor Supply Stores and National 4-H Council, are April Money donated during the campaign STAYS in that local county. The campaign runs twice a year. Last fall, more than $981,000 was raised nationwide for 4-H. 4-H clubs are encouraged to have displays. Take the Challenge and be Ready4life April 1 May 15, you can help Illinois win $20,000 just by raising your hand! We need every 4-H alum AND (NEW IN 2018) ANY ILLI- NOIS FRIEND OF 4-H to register online with National 4-H Council. The state with the most hands raised during this campaign wins $20,000. So, spread the word and tell all your friends tweet it, post it, chat it, snap it, it. you can even speak it aloud! Your vote counts even if you voted last year! We will provide you the EXACT website to register soon! We are a HUGE state. Let s WIN this year! Our mission in 4-H is to empower and prepare youth for successful futures. Now, we ve added an exhibit class that lets you show us what your future might be. Every project has a Ready4Life Challenge exhibit option. We created the challenge to encourage and recognize 4-H members who take their project to the next level by becoming experts on one or more of the careers related to the project or by starting a business using their project as the product, service, or tool of trade. Follow these steps: 1. Enroll in a project area you like 2. Prepare a physical/visual display representing your business, product, service, or career related to the project. 3. Be prepared to offer verbal or written explanation that shows your knowledge of the related career or business, historical and emerging trends, requirements for success in the field and an action plan for preparation that may include items such as an educational pathway plan, a resume, and/or business plan.. Just so you know, the judging for this class is MORE about your knowledge of the career/business side of the project and LESS about the skill in the project itself. For example, if you enter the Woodworking Ready4Life Challenge class, a judge will focus in on your knowledge of the woodworking business (training opportunities, your business plan, a portfolio of designs, etc.). Sure, they ll want to see something you ve made, but that WON T be the focus of their judging of the project.

25 Page 9 State Livestock Judging Contest Test your skills at state livestock judging contest The Illinois 4-H Livestock Judging Contest will be held Monday, June 18 at the Stock Pavilion in Urbana (1402 West Pennsylvania Ave.) beginning with registration at 8:30 a.m. All participants must be checked in by 9:30. The contest will begin at 10. Each county may enter a total of three teams, with no more than two junior teams or two senior teams. Get all the rules and details go.illinois.edu/4hlivestock. Counties may enter a total of three 4-member teams and unlimited number of individuals in the junior and senior contests. (The teams may be either two junior and one senior or two senior and one junior teams.) The top three scores of a team will be combined for the final team score. Juniors are 4-H members who were 13 years of age and younger as of January 1, Seniors were years of age on January 1, Any 4-H member that has completed a year of college should be entered as an extra individual and not part of a team, but the college student may not have undergone training for postsecondary livestock judging. Any 4 H member who has competed at the American Royal 4-H Livestock Judging Contest as a member of the county team representing Illinois must participate as an extra individual in the June contest and not as a part of a team. There will be three classes of beef, three classes of swine and two classes of sheep. There may also be a class of meat goats substituted for one class of the other species. There will also be a class of 15 questions (5 from a beef class, 5 from a swine class and 5 from a sheep class). Win $1,000 The Superior Young Producer Scholarship Program is offered by the Illinois State Fair to 4-H members in Beef, Sheep, Swine, Dairy, and Horses as an educational activity at the Illinois State Fair to promote youth development and personal growth. Three $1,000 scholarships will be provided in horses and three $1,000 scholarships will be provided in dairy. A total of nine $1,000 scholarships will be provided in a combined contest for beef, sheep, and swine contestants. As of this time, the only confirmed date is 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 25 for the horse contest. State Poultry Judging Contest Don t be chicken; compete at state 4-H poultry judging contest The Illinois 4-H State Poultry Judging Contest will be June 26. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the U of I Stock Pavilion in Champaign. Youth 8 to 13 (on Jan. 1, 2018) compete as juniors; youth 14 and older compete as seniors. The top winners will represent Illinois at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference in November in Louisville, Ky. The contest will include three classes of past egg production hens, two classes ready-to-cook fowl or fryers, one class of ready-to-cook heavy fowl, one class of broken -out eggs, two classes of shell eggs candled, and two classes of exterior egg quality. Oral reasons will be on one of the egg production classes. The official resource is the National 4-H Poultry Judging Manual available from UNL Extension Marketplace, University of Nebraska. Copies of the manual and more information are available from Extension Poultry Specialist Dr. Ken Koelkebeck, kkoelkeb@illinois.edu. Family Spirit Award How strong is your 4-H family spirit? The Illinois 4-H Foundation welcomes nominations for the H Family Spirit Award. The Illinois 4-H Family Spirit Award recognizes a family with at least three generations and at least 15 different family members (including in-laws) that have either been 4-H members, leaders, or volunteers with at least 100 cumulative years of 4-H membership or volunteerism represented within the family. Selection is based on the total number of family members with 4-H connections, the total number of years of 4-H involvement, the diversity of experiences and recognitions earned by the 4-H members, and the collective impact that family members have made as advocates of their county and state 4-H programs. On-line applications are available at: content/family-spirit-award. Nominations are due May 1, 2018.

26 Page 10 Save the planet at 2018 State 4-H Robotics Contest Enter Quilting Contest Environmental health is one of the most important issues facing planet Earth. Our health is directly tied to the health of our planet. So, this year s State 4-H Robotics Competition is all about environmental health! The contest will be held April 21 at the Orr Building of the State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Get all the go.illinois.edu/4hrobotics. Your Envirobot will illuminate the many environmental challenges we face as we try to heal our planet. NEW this year (replacing the teamwork challenge): Each team will identify one environmental health issue and propose a potential solution or product to help mitigate the negative effect of the issue. Teams will have 15 minutes to present their solution to judges. BREAKING: See the time_continue=180&v=ivtx3oxmkni! Not into robotics? That s no problem. Come to Springfield and enjoy the day watching the competition and exploring lots of new technologies on display! The Decatur Quilters Guild is sponsoring a youth quilt contest, and Illinois 4-H members are encouraged to participate. Amazing prizes are available to youth in four age divisions. Learn more at Icanquiltnsew.com. The theme of the contest is Where in Zootopia is a 4-leaf clover. Quilts can be no larger than 50 x50 and no smaller than 24 x24. Registration opens April 15 and closes May 15. Each contestant must submit a 200-word initial report by May 31. This Progress Report Essay must be written by the contestant and explain their quilt construction plans and include a picture of them working on their quilt with their adult mentor, parent, or leader. Contestants will submit a 200 word Final Report Essay and photo of them holding their finished quilt no later than June 15, 2018 by to ICanQuiltnSew-IL@sewverysmooth.com. Learn more at the Extension office. Ride on over to these Horse contests STATE 4-H HORSE JUDGING CONTEST: The State 4-H Horse Judging Contest will be held Saturday, April 28 at Black Hawk College, Black Hawk Road, Galva. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with the contest following at noon. The contest is open to all 4-H members; one does not need to own a horse or be enrolled in a horse project to participate. Be sure to pick up horse judging cards signed by Extension staff from the county office. Top-placing youth will be invited to participate in an invitational judging contest where the national team will be determined. STATE 4-H HORSE SPEAKING CONTESTS: The state 4-H Horse Speaking Contest is Saturday, April 21 at the David Kinley Hall on the U of I campus immediately following the state Hippology contest. All 4-H members may participate. No pre-qualifying is needed. You must register at the Extension office by March 23. REGIONAL 4-H HORSE BOWL & HIPPOLOGY CONTESTS: Regional horse contests will be held across the state. Winning teams and individuals advance to the state contests to be held April 21 & 22 on the U of I campus. Our regional contest will be: Northwest Region: March 24, DeKalb County Farm Bureau Building, 1350 W. Prairie Drive, Sycamore. Online ethics certification required for everyone taking 4-H Animal projects All 4-H members enrolled in an animal project area are required to complete the online Quality Assurance and Ethics course one time in order to stay enrolled in an animal project area. The certification must be done if you are enrolled in one of the following projects: beef, dairy, cats, dogs, goats, horses, poultry, rabbits, sheep, and swine. Members who don t complete the certification before the show will be removed from the project and not be allowed to show. Anyone who has already taken the certification does not need to retake the test. The local office has a list of those already certified. The website is located online at: This rule applies to 4-H members who exhibit live animals AND poster exhibits.

27 Page 11 Running list of State 4-H events: March 9 10 Explore ACES, U of I March 9 Women Changing the Face of Agriculture Conference, Urbana March 17 State 4-H Awards Interviews, Champaign (by invitation only) March 17 Northeast Region Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest, Marengo March 23 DEADLINE: State 4-H Horse Speaking Contest March 24 Northwest Region Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest, Sycamore April 1 May 15 National 4-H Raise Your Hand Contest to win $20,000 April 7 East Central/West Central Region Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest, Casey April 14 Sourthern Region Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest, SIUC, Carbondale April 7-11 National 4-H Conference (by invitation only) April National 4-H Tractor Supply Co. Paper Clover Campaign April National Volunteer Week April 18 DEADLINE: Speaking for Illinois 4-H Training Registration (April 28) April 21 State Fair Lamb/Goat Weighing & Tattooing, Ed Hanson Farm near Clifton April 21 State 4-H Robotics Competition, Springfield April 21 State 4-H Horse Hippology, Horse Speaking Contest April 22 State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest, Education Building, U of I, Champaign April Legislative Connection, Invitation Only, Springfield April 28 Speaking for Illinois 4-H Training, Hillsboro, IL April 28 National 4-H Day of Service April 28 State 4-H Horse Judging Contest, Black Hawk College, Galva April 28 State Fair Lamb/Goat Weighing & Tattooing April 30 May 1 Premier 20 Leadership Conference (by invitation only) May 1 DEADLINE: Horse Ownership/Lease Forms May 5 State Fair Lamb/Goat Weighing & Tattooing May 6-11 National 4-H Shooting Sports Training, Iowa 4-H Camp May 12 State Fair Lamb/Goat Weighing & Tattooing May Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports Volunteer Certification May Legislative Connection, Invitation Only, Springfield June 1 DEADLINE: Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show Entries Due June H Memorial Camp Week #1, Monticello June 9 Illinois 4-H Public Presentation State Contest, Decatur June H Memorial Camp Week #2, Monticello June LEAD Conference, Jacksonville June 18 Illinois 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest June 15 DEADLINE: Application for Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team Interviews at the Illini Summer Academies June H Memorial Camp Week #3, Monticello June Illini Summer Academies June National 4-H Shoot June 26 Illinois 4-H State Poultry Judging Contest, Champaign, 9:30 a.m. July 1 DEADLINE: Illinois State Fair Junior Livestock Show Entries Due July H Memorial Camp Week #4, Monticello July ACES Family Academies July Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show, Springfield August 1 DEADLINE: Application for Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team Interviews at the Illinois State Fair August Illinois 4-H General Project Show, Springfield August 12 Exhibit Day for Carroll, Lee, & Whiteside,counties. August 14 Illinois 4-H Foundation Hall of Fame celebration August 25 Illinois 4-H State Dog Show, Granny Rose Canine Enrichment Center in Dixon

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29 Jan/Feb Issue 2018 Inside this Issue Message from 4-H Staff 1 Upcoming Dates 1 4-H Camp 2 Federation Happenings 3 Leaders Happenings 3 Public Speaking Contest 3 4-H Show & Reminders 4 JoAnn Fabrics-Paper Clover 5 Club Money Management 5 Dog Obedience 5 Science Siesta Dates 5 Illini Summer Academies 6 State 4-H Programs/events 7 Speaking for Illinois 4-H 8 Service Topics 8 Scholarships/Merit Awards 9 Animal birth/ownership 10 State 4-H Calendar Events 11 Club Officer Help Guide 12 State Contests/Competitions 13 4-H Pictures 14 Hello 4-H Friends and Families, Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season filled with fun, laughter, family & friends.and of course we can t forget the food, oh the food. In this newsletter there are many scholarships, conferences, contests, upcoming meetings and 4-H show updates. Think about taking advantage of all that 4-H has to offer. There are several local, state and national 4-H workshops or conferences that you can attend and there are financial assistance options to help with costs! Make sure you talk with the office before you register online. In addition please read all the deadlines and fun information in this newsletter and if you have any questions please contact us. Again, Happy New year and try to stay warm! Yours in 4-H, Allie Johnston (4-H Program Coordinator) See picture to the right: This is me Allie Johnston Hope this helps when show time comes around :) Upcoming Calendar Dates January 12 Camp Counselor Apps Deadline 13 1st club project manuals orders due 15 Office Closed-Martin Luther King Jr. Day 21 Federation-2:00pm at St. Peters-Morrison 29 Leaders Mtg. 6:30pm Bethesda Lutheran February 3 JoAnn Fabrics 4-H Craft Day see page. 5 3 Beef Weigh In 10:30-Noon -Shannon 6 Dog Obedience Class 7pm 10 Beef Weigh In SNOW DATE 15 Camp Counselor Mtg. 6-8:30pm-Oregon 18 Federation Fulton 2pm-Location TBD 19 Magnificent Monday pg. 20 Dog Obedience Class 7pm 24 State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest March 6 Dog Obedience 7pm BOYS Science Siesta-Rockford 17 Public Presentations Contest-Sauk 18 Federation Prophetstown-Location TBD 19 Leaders Mtg. 6:30pm-Bethesda Lutheran 27 Dog Obedience 7pm 4-H On Web & Social Media Whiteside 4-H Illinois 4-H National 4-H Council 4-H Online Enrollment il.4honline.com Facebook Whiteside County 4-H Instagram Whiteside_county4H

30 Page 2 Northern Illinois 4-H Camp at LOMC Ready for camp? The H camp flyer and application packet is ready for you to download from our website. 4-H Camp is for campers age 8-14 and will be held this year at Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Camp (LOMC) in Oregon, IL. The dates for camp are Monday, June 11 through Friday, June 15, We will be camping with youth from throughout nine counties in northern Illinois. The site for online registration is open and can be accessed at: go.illinois.edu/4hcamplomc Please be sure to download all the necessary forms, fill them out completely and submit them to the Ogle County Extension Office as soon as possible. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis! Please call the Extension Office if you have any questions. Also, if you are years old and interested in being a 4-H camp counselor, applications and references are being taken at the Extension Office through Friday, January 12, 2018 by 4:30 p.m. Information about and forms for being campers and counselors can be found at the same link listed above. Camp Counselors who are selected will need to be at all meetings, Only one excused absence is allowed from the following. Thursday, February 15 Oregon Extension Office 6:00pm-8:30pm Saturday, April 17 Location TBD 9:00am-3:00pm Saturday, May 12 Location TBD 9:00am-3:00pm Overnight Training Saturday, June 2 Sunday, June 3 at LOMC in Oregon 10:00am Noon (Sunday) About 4-H Camp Activities-Early bird activities are held for campers who like to get up early - before the normal 7 a.m. wake-up bell. These early bird activities include games and nature hikes. Early birds will return to camp in time for breakfast. Campers will get to choose 2-3 other activities during the day and then participate in a group evening activity led by 4-H Youth Development staff and counselors. Typical daily activities include: Camp Fee Schedule Register by March 1: $300 (4-H Members) $320 (non 4-H Members) Paid in full by March 1 or price goes up. Register after March 1: $320 (4-H Members) $340 (non 4-H Members) Paid in full by May 21 or spot not held. Arts & Crafts Canoeing Hiking Team Building Large Group Games Shooting Sports Nature Study Zip Line* Pool Contact your local Extension Office prior to registration to see if financial assistance opportunities are available.

31 Page 3 Club Leader Happenings Upcoming Leaders meeting dates: January 29 meeting-bethesda Lutheran 6:30pm (Come with judge ideas to this meeting) March 19 meeting-bethesda Lutheran 6:30pm April 30 meeting-bethesda Lutheran 7:00pm (Show books will be distributed at this meeting) June 18 meeting Bethesda Lutheran 6:30pm Reminder- January 12-Publication Orders Due to office March 3 Regional 4-H Leadership Training in Rockford. Register by: February 19 web.extension.illinois.edu/clw Under Registration Federation Happenings January 21 Meeting held at St. Peters Church in Morrison at 2:00p.m. We have a scavenger hunt planned for after the meeting. Bring a phone for hunt. February 18 Federation Meeting and activity will be held at 2:00pm in Fulton Area-Location TBD March 18 Federation Meeting and activity will be held at 2:00pm in Prophetstown Area-Location TBD April 15 Federation meeting and activity will be held at 2:00pm in the Sterling Area-Location TBD May Skipping this month as school year activities are busy busy! June Activity is TBD, potential float trip is in the back of our minds. First week in June possibly Whiteside Saturday, March 17 at 10:00a.m. Sauk Valley Community College Open to all Lee & Whiteside County 4-H ers Register online by March 2, 2018 at go.illinois.edu/publicpresentations Full class descriptions available online Register to compete in one or more of the following areas: Formal Speech Illustrated Speech Extempore Speech Demonstration Oral Interpretation Original Works Food Demonstration Horse Speech We would love to see some new faces at our contest! Many of you are so talented when it comes to public speaking! Come show off your skills on March 17

32 Page 4 Whiteside County 4-H Show July 13-14, 2018 I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on plans for our H animal shows. This topic has been discussed at length at previous leader s meetings. All of us can agree that 4-H is about youth gaining new skills, learning about projects, and having a great experience. Due to fewer youth competing in 4-H shows over the past couple of years and constricting financial resources, we have decided to combine with Carroll County 4-H Fair for some of the animal projects. Livestock Shows Combining with Carroll County 4-H to be held at Milledgeville: Beef- Monday, August 6 (8:00a.m. Judging) Dairy- Thursday August 9 (9:00a.m. Judging) Goat- Monday, August 6 (1:30p.m. Judging) Horse- Wednesday, August 8 (8:30a.m. Judging) Sheep- Monday, August 6 (12:30p.m. Judging) Whiteside County Illinois 4-H State Fair Date is Set for SUNDAY, August 12 Animal Shows Staying in Whiteside County to be held at Morrison: Cats- Friday, July 13 (Time TBD) Poultry- Friday, July 13 (Time TBD) Rabbits- Friday, July 13 (Time TBD) Multi-County Show (Carroll, Lee, Whiteside, Ogle & Dekalb) Dogs- Saturday, July 7 at Granny Rose K-9 Enrichment Center, Dixon Our goal is to give our youth the best possible experience in 4-H. Combining our large animal shows will help make the year-round hard work worth every minute: more competition, new friends, learning new skills, and providing encouragement for more room to grow. We hope you understand why this decision was made, and we are looking forward to seeing our 4-H members participating in 4-H shows this summer. Show Reminders Animal Shows and 4-Hers showing Posters on Animals Must Complete QAEC-Quality and Ethics Certifications by June 15th, 2018 in order to show at this years show. This is a ONE and DONE certifications so if you have done it once you are good fro your whole 4-H Career. If you are uncertain if you have completed it or not please contact the office and we can let you know Horse - Horse Photos and Leases. All 4-H ers enrolled in a horse project, MUST SUBMIT THREE photographs (front and two side views), and a copy of their lease agreement or ownership forms to the Extension Office by May 15. Showbook Cover Contest 2017 Any 4-H member (8-18) interested in creating an original design for the 2018 Whiteside County Show book should submit their entries by Friday, March 2. The Entry that is selected for the cover will receive a 4-H T-Shirt. In order to be considered for the contest you must meet these requirements Title: Whiteside County 4-H Showbook Paper: 8.5x11 Ink: black ink as it will be printed in Black and white Originality-Must be free hand and not computer generated Show dates Must leave a 1x3 inch space for office to insert all the dates and locations. Deadline: March 2

33 Page 5 JoAnn Fabric Paper Clover Campaign- It pays to Give Illinois 4-H and JOANN Fabrics stores want to see more kids learning by doing, creating and making. Here are two ways to get involved. During February, anyone shopping at one 865 JOANN stores across the U.S. can show their love for 4-H by purchasing either a $1 or $4 Paper Clover. The donations will funnel back to the national and local 4-H programs. The Paper Clovers have a craft instruction on the back for customers to take home and try. Anyone donating a $4 Paper Clover will receive a $4 off coupon to use at JOANN on a return visit. Help us make and deliver custom Valentine s Day cards from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 3. We will deliver cards made at the Sterling JoAnn Fabrics. Club Money Management Just a few reminders on how clubs can operate in regards to financial matters 1. Clubs are allowed only TWO fundraisers per year. 2. Clubs are no longer tax Exempt 3. Clubs cannot keep more than two years of expenses in their account. If they have more, they will need to complete a long term spending plan. 4. Clubs that do not have an EIN or a bank account must complete an indication of financial activity form every year. 5. Clubs cannot conduct raffles Dog Obedience Dog obedience classes will be starting up in February. All Dog Project members planning to show in Obedience must complete at least 2/3 of the Obedience Classes offered. If these classes do not work for you please contact the office with another dog obedience class you plan to attend! Dates: Tuesdays February 6 & 20 March 6 & 27 April 3 & 17 May 1 & 15 Time: 7:00p.m. each evening Location: Morrison Community Room (Library) 307 S. Madison St. QUESTIONS: Contact Julie Bielema Science Siesta Dates Locations for both: Children's Discovery Museum (Rockford) BOYS March 16 17, 2018 GIRLS April 13-14, 2018 What is Science Siesta? This program /event is a very special pajama party for boys and girls, on separate dates, completing grades 4th-6th. They will get to meet real scientists and learn about their career paths. As well as get to pick from 3 categories to explore more in science. After the fun learning they will get to explore the museum and pick an area of the museum to sleep with supervision from our trained counselors! Going to be a fun time! More information will be out soon!

34 Page 6 Illini Summer Academies Explore life as a college student while you re still in high school! Imagine getting to work alongside university professors while you re still in HIGH SCHOOL! Imagine getting to hang out on a college campus. Imagine spending four days with kids your age from all across Illinois. That s what happens at Illini Summer Academies, so stop imagining it and just do it! This program offers teens the opportunity to explore the University of Illinois campus and many degree programs and careers. Illini Summer Academies is open to ANY Illinois youth who is currently in 8th to 12th grade. The Academies will be Sunday, June 24 - through Thursday, June 28 at the University of Illinois Champaign- Urbana campus. Check go.illinois.edu/illini4h for scholarship and registration information. Registration should open March 1. The academies include: Sciences Biology Chemistry Anthropology Animal Science Engineering Electrical Computer Aerospace Technology & Media Arts Journalism Video & Film Digital Fabrication Theatre Dance Fashion Creative Writing Applied Sciences & Health Veterinary Medicine Human Development Sponsors include: Illinois Farm Bureau, Farm Credit Services, Growmark, Women Changing the Face of Agriculture, H. Richard and Sarah McFarland Endowment for Youth Leadership, DuPont/Pioneer, Illinois 4-H Foundation, Human Development and Family Studies Department. ACES Family Academies Are you a graduate of University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences? Share your excitement for U of I with a child you know. Participants will enjoy the college experience living in a residence hall, eating in the dining facilities and participating in educational classes on the College of ACES campus. This program will give you an opportunity to relive and share your college days as well as create new memories with your little Illini. ACES Family Academies is geared for children ages 8-13 years. Mark your calendars for July 12-13, and register after March acesalumni.illinois.edu/events/aces-family-academies. Illinois 4-H is proud to support the efforts of the ACES Alumni Association. Junior Leadership Conference Where Is Chris Clover? Help Solve the Mystery Join the Mission Team at Junior Leadership Conference Calling Illinois 4-H ers in the 7 th or 8 th grade it s time you step up your leadership skills and reserve YOUR spot for the 2018 Illinois 4-H Jr. Leadership Conference! We re focusing on Mission: Adventure Find the Clue to YOU! Solve the mystery of the missing Chris Clover, see what it takes to start your own business, explore virtual reality, crack the forensic codes and more! The Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team creates a fun, hands-on weekend that s full of 4-H educational sessions, lots of laughter, meeting new people, and learning new things! Take the mission and find the adventure - we d love to see you there! Registration is open on a first-come, first served basis and this conference fills up FAST so you will want to move quickly! More information and the registration link is posted on the Illinois 4-H website: go.illinois.edu/4hjlc. Save the dates of February 24-25, 2018 and join us at the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield Hotel. Adults wishing to chaperone this event must be screened by University of Illinois Extension screening procedures and contact the State 4-H Office for details.

35 Test your teamwork & problem-solving skills Page 7 All Illinois 4-H Clubs are invited to an engaging leadership and STEM project which builds teamwork and problem solving skills. H Cubed, an organization founded by 4-H members, will host a 2018 Live Division I Rube Goldberg Machine Contest on Feb. 17 in Morris. The winner of the contest is eligible to compete at the Division I Finals and win the title: Rube Goldberg Machine Contest Division I Champion. Teams can range from 2 to 10 people age The contest is open to 15 teams, so register NOW at A Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC) is an event where students of all ages compete with the machines they have imagined, designed and created in a fun and competitive forum. The competitions encourage teamwork and out-of-the-box problem solving, in a fresh learning environment and level playing field. Remember, to compete in an RGMC all you need is a pile of junk and a great imagination! For more information, contact Anthony Warmack at anthony@homeschoolerscubed.org. World of 7 Billion Video contest wants you Back by popular demand, the World of 7 Billion student video contest helps you bring technology and creativity into your middle and high school classes. The contest challenges your students to create a short video connecting world population growth and one of three global challenges: Advancing Women and Girls, Feeding 10 Billion, or Preventing Pollution. Students can win up to $1,000 and participating teachers will receive free curriculum resources. The contest deadline is February 22, 2018 use this lesson plan to get started now! Full contest guidelines, resources for research, past winners, and more can be found at Get outside and start the adventure of a lifetime at 4-H Memorial Camp. Live in cabins. Hike. Swim. Boat. Make crafts. Climb rocks. Make new friends. 4-H Memorial Camp offers a quality summer camp experience. 4-H Memorial Summer Camp is open to all youth ages 8-16 years. 4-H members and those new to 4-H are welcome. Adventure awaits you at every turn at 4-H Memorial Camp. Every day is packed with activities that will challenge you to try new and exciting things. Best of all, you get to choose the activities you like the most! Meeting new friends is one of the best parts of camp. Each cabin holds 8 campers and 1 counselor. Bathhouses located near each cabin have hot showers. Our famous family-style meals are served in a large dining hall. There's non-stop action in waterfront programs, arts and crafts, nature programs, and recreational sports and games. There's lots to do: swimming, canoeing, rock wall climbing, leather tooling, fishing, orienteering, volleyball, basketball, softball, archery, the team challenge course, and more! Dozens of learning projects are also offered each week, such as model rocketry, flower arranging, geo-caching, electricity, cooking, dance, music, drama, and photography. Evening programs include campfires, games, skits, songs, campouts, and a big dance. Week 1: June 3-7 (Sunday thru Thursday) Week 2: June (Sunday thru Thursday) Week 3: June (Sunday thru Thursday) Week 4: July 1-July 4 (Sunday thru Wednesday, 4 day camp) Arrival time is 2-3 p.m. on first day. Departure time is 3 p.m. on last day. Think summer and register for State 4-H camp

36 Page 8 Speaking for Illinois 4-H Tell YOUR 4-H Story Join the Speaking for Illinois 4-H Team We re looking for 4-H members interested in spreading the great news about 4-H. 4-H members 14 years of age or older can join the Speaking for Illinois 4-H team. The training is Saturday, February 10 at the Jackson County Extension Office in Murphysboro. The day-long training, provided by the Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team, gives you the chance to explore your own 4-H history and why you are involved, put that story into words, and learn the best ways to approach donors, civic groups, elected officials, and others to talk about 4-H. Learn why 4-H believes in Positive Youth Development and how we emphasize the essential elements of Belonging, Independence, Generosity and Mastery. All of this and more is a part of Speaking for Illinois 4-H! Once you re trained, you ll receive an invitation to be a part of our Legislative Connection events at the State Capitol this spring. Registration is open go.illinois.edu/4hsfil4h. Registration will close January 31 or when filled. Serving Those who serve us! YES! you can! College students can put their 4-H experience to work while they develop their professional skills in youth development, group facilitation, critical thinking, and program management as a Project Youth Extension Service (YES!) intern. Project YES! Interns provide educational activities for youth of military families. This is a 12-month internship with effective dates of June 2018 May Selected interns must participate in the 2018 Project YES intern orientation to be held May 18-26, 2018 at NC State University. The last day Project YES will be accepting applications is March 1. More information and application materials can be found at True Leaders in Service 4-H clubs across the nation will be using their hands to larger service as part of the National 4-H Day of Service during April. 4-H ers can work on projects at any time during the month of April, however April 28 as been identified as the date to celebrate the culmination of service outreach. The goal of National 4-H Day of Service is to encourage 4-H members in every county to make a positive difference. National 4-H Day of Service is open to everyone in the community, such as 4-H members, families, volunteers and community partners. Service projects can be done by individuals or as an entire county 4-H program. No matter what the project, this will be a day to make a difference. Governor s Volunteer Service Awards Think of that person that never stops helping. They are the one that always raises their hand to volunteer first, and they are the one who has made Illinois a better place to live and work. We want to recognize them for their service to all of us! Serve Illinois is now accepting applications for the Governor's Volunteer Service Awards. There are separate divisions for youth, adult, senior, AmeriCorps, and Senior Corps volunteers. Winners will receive their awards in April in Springfield. Nominations are due February 15. Don't miss your chance to thank a person who makes a difference every day! Complete online application and paper application submission information are available at

37 Page 9 Need Cash for College? -We Have you covered!! The Illinois 4-H Foundation provides two scholarships for active 4-H members who are seniors in high school or freshmen in college. A $1,000 Illinois 4-H Livestock Scholarship is available to 1 or 2 members who have demonstrated mastery in the livestock area and plan to continue their education in the area of agriculture. Members must have been involved in the livestock project a minimum of three years. You must have been a 4-H member for at least 5 years and attending either a 4-year university, community college, or trade school. Applications are due March 1. Download the go.illinois.edu/4hscholarships. Eight $1,000 Legacy of Leadership Scholarships are offered to members who have demonstrated overall mastery and leadership in the 4-H program. You must have been a member for at least 5 years and attending either a 4-year university, community college, or trade school. Applications are due March 1. Download the go.illinois.edu/4hscholarships. Finalists must submit a video of your 4-H accomplishments. Additional scholarships are provided by partner organizations. See if you qualify for one of these scholarships. CROP SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIPS College students entering their junior year who are studying a crop science or related field can apply for a $4,000 scholarship. Up to five scholarships sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association. Deadline to apply is Feb. 1. Student must attend Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Western Illinois University, or University of Illinois. Winners may reapply for an additional year. Apply iaafoundation.org/scholarships or call Angel Terrell at EXTENSION TO ACES SCHOLARSHIP Incoming freshmen and transfer students to University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences may apply for a NEW $2,500 scholarship. This year, 54 scholarships (two per each of Extension s 27 units) will be awarded. To learn academics.aces.illinois.edu/scholarships/new-students. Click on Incoming freshmen and incoming transfer students scholarship application. In Step #2, select Extension to ACES scholarship. Questions? Your local Extension staff can help you! Just ask us. FARM CREDIT ILLINOIS SCHOLARSHIPS High school seniors planning careers in agriculture may apply for a $2,000 scholarship. Farm Credit Illinois will provide 30 scholarships to youth who live or farm in one of the 60 counties in their service area. The first $1,000 will be distributed for the Fall 2018 semester, and the second $1,000 will be applied during the Fall 2020 semester. Apply online at farmcreditil.com before February 28. Are going to University of Illinois College of ACES? The college is MATCHING this scholarship, dollar for dollar! Double your money while getting a great ag education! Local Award of Merit Whiteside County Support Fund ($500) Whiteside County Support Fund is pleased to offer 3 Awards of Merits at $500 each. In order to apply you must be a 4-H member of 5 or more years, must be attending a trade school. College, University of other educational Program beginning or continuing in Fall A list of guidelines and Application can be found on our website at web.extension.illinois.edu/clw. If you have any further questions please contact the Extension office at Applications are due to the office on or before February 9, 2018.

38 Page 10 Livestock Birth and Ownership Deadlines Know these important livestock birth and ownership deadlines to exhibit at the Illinois State Fair Junior Show. Local ownership dates may differ. Consult your local Extension office. Market animals Breeding Animals Steers & Market Heifers Calved on or after Jan. 1, 2017 Owned by Feb. 1, 2018 Weighed, tattooed Jan. 27 March 15, 2018 Regular Barrows Farrowed on or after Jan. 15, 2018 Owned by June 1, 2018 No weighing, but ear notches must be noted when making entries. Premiere Barrows Farrowed on or after Feb. 10, 2018 Owned by June 1, 2018 Tattooed within 35 days of birth. Must not weigh more than 1.0 lbs./day of age Sheep Wethers (premiere and live show) Lambed on or after Jan. 1, 2018 Owned by May 15, 2018 Weighed and tattooed at regional weigh-in between March 15 and May 15, 2018 Meat Goat (premiere and live show) Wethers lambed on or after October 1, 2017 Owned by May 15, 2018 Weighed and tattooed at regional weigh-in by May 15, 2018 Breeding Heifers & cows Calved from Sept. 1, 2016 to March 31, 2018 Owned by June 1, 2018 Performance Cows Cows born before Sept. 1, 2016 Owned by Jan. 1, 2018 Swine Gilts Farrowed on or after Jan. 1, 2018 Owned by June 1, 2018 Sheep Ewes and Rams Yearling ewes born from Jan. 1, 2017 to Aug. 31, 2017 Ewe lambs born after Sept. 1, 2017 Ram lambs born after Jan. 1, 2017 Owned by June 25, 2018 Dairy Cows & Heifer Calves & Heifers owned by June 1, 2018 Cows owned by Jan. 1, 2018 No age requirements Dairy Goats Kids & Yearlings not in milk owned by June 1, 2018 Milking Does owned by Jan. 1, 2018 Meat Goats Does Owned by May 15, 2018 Final year for market heifer division at state fair junior show Illinois State Fair Junior Livestock officials have announced this is the final year for the market heifer division at the state fair junior beef show. Market heifers will show at the 2018 Illinois State Fair. Online ethics certification required for everyone taking 4-H Animal projects All 4-H members enrolled in an animal project area are required to complete the online Quality Assurance and Ethics course one time in order to stay enrolled in an animal project area. The certification must be done if you are enrolled in one of the following projects: beef, dairy, cats, dogs, goats, horses, poultry, rabbits, sheep, and swine. Members who don t complete the certification before the show will be removed from the project and not be allowed to show. Anyone who has already taken the certification does not need to retake the test. The local office has a list of those already certified. The website is located online at: This rule applies to 4-H members who exhibit live animals AND poster exhibits.

39 Page 11 Running list of State 4-H events: January Illinois Teen Leadership Conference, Decatur January 22 DEADLINE Illinois 4-H Jr. Leadership Conference Registration January 31 DEADLINE Speaking for Illinois 4-H Training Registration (for Feb. 10) February 1 28 JOANN Paper Clover Campaign at all Illinois JOANN stores February 3 State 4-H Awards Judging, Champaign February 3 4-H at JOANN stores statewide Local Store In Sterling! February 10 Speaking for Illinois 4-H training, Murphysboro February 15 DEADLINE: Governor s Volunteer Service Due Application Deadline February 22 DEADLINE: World of 7 Billion video Contest Deadline February Illinois 4-H Jr. Leadership Conference, Springfield February 24 Illinois State Dairy Quiz Bowl, Peoria February 28 DEADLINE: Farm Credit Illinois Community Improvement Grants Due March 1 DEADLINE: Extension to ACES scholarship deadline March 1 Registration Opens for Illini Summer Academies March 1 DEADLINE: Project YES! Intern applications due March 1 DEADLINE 4-H Legacy of Leadership and 4-H Livestock Scholarship Applications March 9 10 Explore ACES, U of I March 9 Women Changing the Face of Agriculture Conference, Urbana March 17 State 4-H Awards Interviews, Champaign (by invitation only) March 24 Northwest Region Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest, Sycamore April 7 East Central/West Central Region Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest, Casey April 7-11 National 4-H Conference (by invitation only) April 21 State 4-H Horse Hippology, David Kinley Hall, U of I, Champaign April 21 State 4-H Horse Speaking Contest, David Kinley Hall, U of I, Champaign April 22 State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest, Education Building, U of I, Champaign April Legislative Connection, Invitation Only, Springfield April 28 National 4-H Day of Service May Legislative Connection, Invitation Only, Springfield June H Memorial Camp Week #1, Monticello June H Memorial Camp Week #2, Monticello June LEAD Conference, Jacksonville June 18 Illinois 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest June H Memorial Camp Week #3, Monticello June Illini Summer Academies July H Memorial Camp Week #4, Monticello July Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show, Springfield August Illinois 4-H General Project Show, Springfield August 12 Exhibit Day for Whiteside at Illinois 4-H State Fair August Illinois 4-H State Dog Show, Granny Rose Canine Enrichment Center in Dixon (tentative)

40 Page 12 4-H Club Officer Helpful Hints The following are helpful hints for club officers: Presidents I consult with the leaders ahead of time to prepare for each meeting. I notify the leader and Vice President several days before the meeting if I m going to be absent. I conduct the meetings according to parliamentary procedure and in a courteous, respectful, and tactful manner. I lead by example at all 4-H activities. I make guests feel welcome. I help the other officers to carry out their assignments. I review club goals with other officers and leaders. I encourage everyone to participate in the meeting. I make sure everyone gets to serve on a committee at some time during the year. I delegate responsibilities through committees rather than trying to do it all myself. I give others credit for jobs they do. I thank those who participate in the program and those who help to make arrangements. I avoid dominating the meeting by giving too many personal opinions. I represent my group proudly at other meetings and events. I attend as many 4-H meetings and activities as possible and am prompt and enthusiastic. Vice Presidents I consult with the President on plans or special work to be done. I preside at the meeting in the absence of the President. I represent my group at other events in the absence of the President. I check the arrangement of chairs, tables, etc. before the meeting. as chairman of the committees, I work with the leaders and other officers on committees and other group activities. I serve as chair of the Program Committee to help plan group meetings and activities. I check with the people doing the program portion of the meeting to see if they are ready or need assistance (i.e. guest speakers, members giving talks/demonstrations, etc.). I introduce the program participants. I remember to thank the people providing the program, whether they are guest speakers or members or leaders of the club. Reporters As reporter, you may have more impact on what people in your community think about your 4-H club than any other officer position. Here are things you can do to inform the public: Tell 4-H news in an accurate and interesting way. Write an article before a meeting to invite new members to the meeting (new members may enroll at any time during the year) Consult the club Secretary if I need meeting information. Take accurate notes at each club meeting. Write a news story promptly after each meeting. Go to the newspaper to introduce myself to the person responsible for printing the news stories. Take or send the news articles to the newspapers. Try to include photographs with some news articles. Read other 4-H and general news articles and try to improve mine. Secretaries I arrive at meetings ahead of time and sit near the President during the meeting. I keep notes, Secretary s record, and letters organized and neat. I keep an up-to-date listing of the club membership and check attendance at each meeting. I take complete and accurate notes of each meeting. If the President calls upon me, I can state any unfinished business from the last meeting. I send my attendance to the Extension Program Coordinator by , mail, or fax after each meeting. I assist the President during the meeting by writing the motions and reading them as they were said, if needed. I have a neatly-written copy of the minutes of the last meeting to read and have approved by the members. I make corrections, if necessary. I ask someone to take my place or let the President know if I will be absent, so he or she can ask someone to take my place at the meeting. Treasurers I let the bank where my club s account is located, know that I am the new Treasurer, and sign the forms so I can write checks. (An adult leader will be designated as co-signer. Note: some banks are allowing only adult signatures.) I make sure there are two signatures on the check I write out. I handle all financial transactions for the club in accordance with 4-H policies. I keep an accurate record in the Treasurer s Record Book of how all money is used. I deposit all money in the club s account as soon as possible. I write the checks for all bills promptly as directed and as approved by the club. I make sure the Secretary has recorded the approval in the meeting minutes. I give a report of income, expenses, and current balance at each club meeting. I will keep a record of all club possessions in the Club Inventory Record in the Treasurer s Record Book. I will complete the Annual Financial Statement in the Treasurer s Record Book in August. I will arrange for an audit of the Treasurer s Record LIKE us on Social Media FACEBOOK: Whiteside County 4-H INSTAGRAM: Whiteside_county4H

41 Page 13 It s Udderly Amazing- Dairy Quiz Bowl The State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest will be held Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Peoria. The State 4- H contest will be held in conjunction with the Illinois Jr. Holstein Association Spring Thing workshop. The contest is open to all 4-H members, and you do not have to be enrolled in dairy or own dairy cattle. Teams of four can compete, or individuals can be added to other teams. The State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl team will be selected from the eligible 4-H members participating at this state contest. Registration will be handled through the county offices in January. For information contact Dave dfischer@illinois.edu or call Learn More about Women in Agriculture Registration for the 2018 Women Changing the Face of Agriculture Conference is now open! womenchangingthefaceofagriculture.com. Registration fee for students is only $15. The conference will be March 9 at the Activities and Recreation Center at University of Illinois in Champaign. There s even a chance for you to attend BOTH this conference and EXPLORE ACES! Discounted hotel room rates are available. Groups are encouraged to attend! Illinois 4-H Robotics Competition Save the planet at 2018 State 4-H Robotics Contest Environmental health is one of the most important issues facing planet earth. Our health is directly tied to the health of our planet. So, this year s State 4-H Robotics Competition is all about environmental health! The contest will be held April 21 at the Orr Building of the State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Get all the go.illinois.edu/4hrobotics. Your Envirobot will illuminate the many environmental challenges we face as we try to heal our planet. NEW this year (replacing the teamwork challenge): Each team will identify one environmental health issue and propose a potential solution or product to help mitigate the negative effect of the issue. Teams will have 15 minutes to present their solution to judges. BREAKING: See the watch?time_continue=180&v=ivtx3oxmkni Quilting Contest Enter quilting contest The Decatur Quilters Guild is sponsoring a youth quilt contest, and Illinois 4-H members are encouraged to participate. Amazing prizes are available to youth in four age divisions. Learn more at Icanquiltnsew.com. The theme of the contest is Where in Zootopia is a 4-leaf clover. Quilts can be no larger than 50 x50 and no smaller than 24 x24. Registration opens April 15 and closes May 15. Each contestant must submit a 200-word initial report by May 31. This Progress Report Essay must be written by the contestant and explain their quilt construction plans and include a picture of them working on their quilt with their adult mentor, parent, or leader. Contestants will submit a 200 word Final Report Essay and photo of them holding their finished quilt no later than June 15, 2018 by to ICanQuiltnSew-IL@sewverysmooth.com. Learn more at the Extension office. Time for you to Explore ACES Take a day and find out just what University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences offers students. March 9 is saved for prospective students and their families; March 10 is for confirmed ACES students. Learn more exploreaces.org.

42 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign-State Local County Groups USDA Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides educational programs and unbiased, research-based information to help Illinois residents improve their quality of life, develop skills and solve problems, by helping you put knowledge to work. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any programs please contact University of Illinois Extension Whiteside at