Page 1 Information for May, June, July 2017 Help Illinois win $20,000 We need every 4-H alum to raise their virtual hand and be counted by National 4-H Council. It s easy to do. Go to: http://4-h.org/raise-your-hand and complete the online form. 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, email it. you can even speak it aloud! Watch our social media channels March 1 for the BIG PUSH to raise all the hands of Illinois Alum! Open your home to international visitors Illinois 4-H is participating in the 4-H Summer Exchange with Japan. The hosting period will be from July 22 August 18. We are currently recruiting host families for Japanese youth 12 16 years of age or adult chaperones. The youth are currently participating in language acquisition programs LEX and Labo with similar emphasis on family involvement much like our 4-H program. However, many youth are learning English and come with limited language skills, which provides opportunities for host families to be very creative in communicating with the child. To be a host family, you must have a child the same gender and within 3 years of age as the host student. Host families do not need to plan special activities as these youth want to experience American culture, make new friends, and improve their English by staying with your family. Interested families may apply online at: https://www.states4hexchange.org/account/login For information contact: Miriam Rosenbohm, inbound coordinator at: rosenbohm07@comcast.net More hosting opportunities This year the IL IFYE Association will sponsor Poppy (a 24-year-old female from Wales) and Matthias (a 26- year-old male from Austria) arriving in Illinois around June 19 and departing
Page 2 around September 5. We are looking for three homes for each of them. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Susan Herren at sherren@peaknet.net or call 618-234-2045. Poppy is currently going to school to get a degree in agriculture. She has been a member in the Young Farmers Club for 5 years. Some of the activities she has done in her club: singing, dancing, drama, pantomime, stock judging, and public speaking. Her hobbies include bike riding, running, reading, and playing guitar. She has three older sisters. She is currently working on the family farm that has beef, dairy, and arable farming. The family owns 250 acres and rents another 145 acres. The family also diversified into an adventure park, where she helps during the summer. She is particularly interested in dairy farming, but is looking forward to widening her agricultural experience in any way and wants to see as much of the country as possible. Matthias is currently going to nursing school. He is taking a semester off to participate in this program. He has worked as a shop assistant, paramedic, and nursing auxiliary. He has been a volunteer for 13 years at the local fire department. He is from a small village of 600 and was instrumental in rebuilding a Young Farmers club in his town. Some of the activities he has done with the club: constructing the yearly maypole by hand, skiing, and participating in the old timer meeting. His hobbies include football, tennis, fight sport (kung fu), swimming, weights, jogging, skiing, cinema, and Red Cross ambulance and paramedic service. He loves to be in nature and enjoys hiking. He has two sisters, one older and one younger. He is a Roman Catholic. He helps on his uncle s farm (in the same town). He is fluent in German and wants to perfect his English. He is very open to new activities. Step Up & Take the Leadership Challenge!! There is still time for teens to step forward and make their mark on the statewide Illinois 4-H program! Applications are available for the following two our statewide 4-H Teen Leader opportunities that are opening this spring and summer. Applications are available @ https://4h.extension.illinois.edu/members/leadership. Illinois Teen Leadership Conference Planning Committee If you attended the NEW Teen Leadership Conference in January, there is still time to meet the May 15 th deadline to apply for the 2018 Teen Leadership Conference Planning Committee. We re looking for teens to work with us throughout the year to explore new options for next year s event. This group will start meeting during the summer months.
Page 3 Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team This team of 22 4-H members and recent alumni plan, teach, implement, and evaluate the Illinois 4-H Jr. Leadership Conference and Speaking for Illinois 4-H program. They also assist at various statewide events throughout the year and have opportunities to travel to national conferences. Applicants must be 16-19 years of age by September 1, 2017 in order to apply for the 2-year teams. Interviews are required. Interviews take place during the dates of the Illini Summer Academies in June and State Fair in August, so there are two application deadlines June 15 and July 31. Test your skills at state livestock judging contest The Illinois 4-H Livestock Judging Contest will be held Monday, June 19 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. There is limited Street parking in front of the Stock Pavilion and it is all metered parking so if you wish to park close please bring quarters! Get all the rules and details online @ 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, 2017. Seniors were 14-18 years of age on January 1, 2017. 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 post-secondary 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).
Page 4 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. NEW IN 2017 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. Contest Dates: Horse will be July 19; Dairy will be Aug. 19; Combined Beef/Sheep/Swine will be Aug. 9. The SYPA contest is open to any youth 14 years of age or older (on Jan. 1, 2017) who are current Illinois 4-H members who are enrolled in that project. Participants do not have to be exhibiting animals at the Illinois State Fair in order to participate in the SYPA contest. Entries are requested prior to the State Fair Junior Shows and available at the Illinois State Fair website. A participant may receive only one scholarship throughout their career. Further, after receiving a scholarship in any of the specie award areas, the eligible 4-H member may participate in other specie award programs in following years but will be eligible to receive phase awards only. In order to receive a scholarship, the 4-H post-secondary trade school, or advanced educational program. Scholarship monies are paid directly by the Illinois 4-H Foundation to the institution where the student is enrolled. We re back to the Orr Building Once again, all 4-H general project exhibits will be housed in the Orr Building on the state fairgrounds. WHAT WILL HAPPEN
Page 5 DROP OFF your exhibit anytime from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Orr Building. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO CHECK IN WITH ANYONE. CHECK THE BOARD to see what time you should be back for judging. Members must be present for conference judging. LEAVE YOUR EXHIBIT on display throughout the day. You cannot remove it before the release time at 3:30. PICK UP YOUR EXHIBIT from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. following the Clover Celebration. We hope all families will honor the 3:30 release time.pretty please. Experience college life at 4-H Illini Summer Academies Now is your chance to explore the University of Illinois campus while you work alongside university professors! Illini Summer Academies give you a taste of college life while you re still in high school. The conference runs Sunday June 25 through Thursday June 29. The conference is open to youth who have completed 8 th grade by the conference and and will be at least 14 by Sept. 1, 2017. Register @ go.illinois.edu/illini4h before May 15. ] Become a 4-H Citizen Scientist
Page 6 Hands to larger service, the third H of the 4-H pledge, is what awaits Illinois 4-H members interested in taking science to a new level in the 4-H Citizen Scientist program. Thanks to the generous support of Archer Daniels Midland, this program will provide junior and senior high youth interested in environmental science opportunities to extend learning beyond current 4-H project work into the world of hands-on research. Members observe and record information on a given site, collect data from samples taken at their site and contribute their data to the growing field of scientific research related to water quality. The program is open to current 4-H members and volunteers, as we well as youth and adults who are not current members but wish to learn how to improve their local environment. Counties are encouraged to recruit teams of 1-2 adult volunteers and 3 5 teen youth interested in environmental education around water quality. Participating teams will receive specialized training at no cost. Unit offices will receive a tool kit of equipment for use by 4-H citizen scientist teams in their data collections. Participants are required to attend a one-day session through the Illinois RiverWatch organization. The following training is in our area: May 20--Rockford - registration due by May 10 June 3--Apple River - registration due by May 24 Click on this link to register: at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=wx7o69dab&oeidk=a07edl7h880f8b38664. Special instructions for 4-H members and volunteers. 4-H members must select "payment by check" and list their organization as their 4-H club & county so that the Illinois 4-H office can pay your registration fee. NOTE: there needs to be at least one adult 4-H volunteer who will be guiding the 4-H Citizen Scientist team attending the training with the team. Become part of the solution to hunger in Illinois Join the 4-H Feeding and Growing Our Communities team Illinois 4-H club members are encouraged to accept the challenge of addressing hunger in their community. We want 4-H members, volunteers, families and whole communities to be part of the solution for alleviating hunger where you live. Here are some ways you and your 4-H club may help: Establish a 4-H Hunger Ambassador committee within your club to help fight hunger in your community. Establish a community 4-H garden where members grow fresh vegetables to be given to local food pantries, soup kitchens, or shelters serving individuals in need.
Page 7 4-H members enrolled in vegetable gardening can Plant a Row for the Hungry and donate their extra produce to local food pantries, churches, and other organizations serving families facing food insecurity. Encourage other gardening enthusiasts to Plant a Row for the Hungry and pledge to donate their extra produce to local food pantries, and organizations serving families in need. Conduct a canned food drive to support a local food pantry. Organize a group of 4-H Teen Hunger Ambassadors to learn about hunger in their community and develop a plan to contribute to its reducing the problem. Organize a food-packaging event where volunteers assemble soy-rice casserole meals for distribution through food pantries within their county. Funding for these events would be available on a cost share basis. Sponsor a booth in grocery or other retail stores heightening the awareness of hunger in the local community and collect non-perishable food donations to support local food pantries and soup kitchens and other meal sites. Partner with local organizations by volunteering to serve at a summer lunch program where one or more 4-H clubs sponsors a day or a whole week. Contact your local U of I Extension office for details how you can help fight hunger in your community. Grants are available to help fund your Feeding and Growing project. Ready4Life Challenge Exhibit 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. Do your part to help at Illinois State Fair Have you ever thought about judging at the Illinois State Fair? Last year, more than 3,200 4-H exhibits were judged in just four days. It takes almost 150 judges and helpers a day to make the 4-H Show
Page 8 successful. We are accepting applications for judges and helpers NOW online @ https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?registrationid=15711. You can select the project area you have expertise and the days you are available to judge. Your application will be reviewed and someone will get back with you to see if your help is needed this year. Let this year BE THE YEAR you help. Dates Set for Illinois State Fair Junior Show If you are one of the 2,000 4-H members who exhibit livestock at the Illinois State Fair, pay close attention to the revised schedule for 2017 s fair. The NEW livestock show book will be available soon online at the state fair website. The Junior Show and Open Show information is now together in ONE BOOK. Illinois 4-H is proud to partner with the Illinois Department of Ag and support the efforts of the Illinois State Fair. 2017 JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SCHEDULE BEEF CATTLE SHOW DATE IN PLACE BY All beef cattle will be released 8/12 at 5 PM or after the steer show Performance Cow/Calf 8/10 at 8:00 AM 8/8 by Noon Heifers: AOB, Charolais 8/10 time TBA 8/8 by Noon %Simmental, Chianina, 8/10 time TBA 8/8 by Noon Maine Anjou, Limousin, 8/10 time TBA 8/8 by Noon Maintainer, Shorthorn Plus 8/10 time TBA 8/8 by Noon Heifers: Angus, 8/11 at 8:00 AM 8/8 by Noon Hereford, Polled 8/11 time TBA 8/8 by Noon Hereford, Shorthorn, & 8/11 time TBA 8/8 by Noon Simmental 8/11 time TBA 8/8 by Noon Market Heifers & Steers 8/12 at 7:30 AM 8/8 by 8:00 PM Showmanship 8/9 at 1:00 PM NA DAIRY CATTLE SHOW DATE IN PLACE BY All Dairy Cattle will be release 8/19 at 4 PM Brown Swiss 8/16 at 9:00 AM 8/15 by 5:00 PM Holstein 8/16 at 1:00 PM 8/15 by 5:00 PM Guernsey 8/17 at 9:00 AM 8/15 by 5:00 PM Ayrshire 8/17 at 1:00 PM 8/15 by 5:00 PM Milking Shorthorn 8/18 at 9:00 AM 8/15 by 5:00 PM Jersey 8/18 at 1:00 PM 8/15 by 5:00 PM GOATS SHOW DATE IN PLACE BY RELEASED Meat Goat: Breeding 8/11 at 8:00 AM 8/9 by Noon 8/11 after Show Meat Goat: Market Does 8/11 after Wethers 8/9 by Noon 8/11 after Show Meat Goat: Wethers 8/11 after Breeding 8/9 by Noon 8/11 after Show
Page 9 Dairy 8/13 at 10:00 AM 8/13 by 8:00 AM 8/13 after Show Pygmy 8/19 at 8:30 AM 8/18 by 11:00 AM 8/19 after Show SHEEP SHOW DATE IN PLACE BY RELEASED Breeding Sheep 8/11 at 8:00 AM 8/10 by 8:00 AM 8/11 after Show Market Lambs 8/12 at 8:00 AM 8/9 by 8:00 PM 8/12 after Show Showmanship 8/11 after Breeding NA SWINE SHOW DATE IN PLACE BY RELEASED Gilts 8/11 at 7:30 AM 8/9 by 8:00 AM 8/12 after Barrows Barrows 8/12 at 7:30 AM 8/10 by 8:00 AM Showmanship 8/11 an hour after Gilts NA POULTRY 8/10 at 9:30 AM 8/10 by 9:00 AM 8/10 after Show RABBITS 8/14 at 9:30 AM 8/14 by 8:30 AM 8/14 after Show Let s protect that beautiful head of yours Equine Headgear: All 4-H members are required to wear a properly fitted ASTM or SEI standard F1163 (or above) certified equestrian helmet whenever mounted or driving at all 4-H horse and pony events, shows, activities, or practices. Original tags must be present in all approved helmets. The 4-H member is responsible to see that this specified headgear is properly fitted with the approved harness fastened snugly in place whenever mounted. Helmet policies apply to all county, area, and state 4-H horse and pony events, shows, and activities. Protective helmets are recommended for all riders and drivers at all times. It is recommended that all adults working with 4-H members model the desired youth behavior by also wearing protective helmets whenever mounted or driving. Running list of state 4-H events: May 1 DEADLINE: 2017-18 Illinois Farm Bureau Youth Education Committee Applications May 5-7 Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Training Sheep/goat tagging, Charleston Sheep/goat tagging, Belvidere Sheep/goat tagging, Jerseyville Sheep/goat tagging, Waterloo Sheep/goat tagging, Brownstown Speaking for Illinois 4-H Training, Effingham State 4-H Robotics Competition, State Fairgrounds, Springfield May 13 Sheep/goat tagging, Emington May 13 Sheep/goat tagging, Lanark May 13 Sheep/goat tagging, Springfield May 15 DEADLINE: 2018 Teen Leadership Conference Planning Committee Applications May 20 Citizen Science Illinois RiverWatch training, Rockford. Register by May 10
Page 10 May 20 4-H Day at the Cardinals, St. Louis, MO May 23-24 4-H Legislative Connection, Springfield (invitation only) June 3 Citizen Science Illinois RiverWatch training, Apple River. Register by May 24 June 4-8 4-H Memorial Camp Week 1 June 10-17 Illinois Delegation to Citizenship Washington Focus, Chevy Chase, MD June 11-15 4-H Memorial Camp Week 2 June 15 DEADLINE: 2017-2019 Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team Applications (for interviews to be held at the Illini Summer Academies, June 25-29) June 19 State Livestock Judging Contest, Urbana, IL June 25-29 Illini Summer Academies June 25-29 4-H Memorial Camp Week 3 June 30-July 4 4-H Memorial Camp Week 4 July 16-23 Illinois State Fair Junior Horse Show July 19 Superior Young Producer Scholarship Horse Contest July 23-26 FilmFest 4-H, Kansas City, MO July 31 DEADLINE: 2017-2019 Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team Applications (for interviews to be held at the Illinois State Fair.) August 9 Superior Young Producer Scholarship Beef, Swine, Sheep Contest August 9 Illinois State Fair Junior Beef Showmanship August 10 Illinois State Fair Junior Poultry Show August 10 Illinois 4-H State Poultry Judging Contest, following show, Building 105 August 10 Illinois State Fair General Project Show for Adams, Brown, Bureau, Champaign, Clay, Coles, Cumberland, DeKalb, Ford, Hancock, Iroquois, LaSalle, Logan, Marshall-Putnam, Menard, Moultrie-Douglas, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Tazewell, Vermilion August 10-11 Illinois State Fair Junior Beef Cow Heifer Show Illinois State Fair General Project Show for Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Clark, Crawford, DeWitt, Edgar, Greene, Henry, Jasper, Jersey, Johnson, Lee, Macon, Macoupin, Massac, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Peoria, Perry, Pulaski- Alexander, Randolph, Rock Island, Scott, Stark, Union, Winnebago Illinois State Fair Junior Breeding Sheep Show Illinois State Fair Junior Meat Goat Show Illinois State Fair Junior Sheep Showmanship Illinois State Fair Junior Swine Gilt Show Illinois State Fair Junior Swine Showmanship August 12 Illinois State Fair General Project Show for Cook, DuPage, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Hamilton, Jackson, JoDaviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Lawrence, Livingston, McHenry, McLean, Pope-Hardin, Richland, Saline, Shelby, Wabash, Wayne, White, Williamson, Woodford August 12 Illinois State Fair Junior Swine Barrow Show August 12 Illinois State Fair Junior Market Lamb Show August 12 Illinois State Fair Junior Heifer & Steer Show August 12 Illinois 4-H Foundation Hall of Fame Ceremony in Springfield August 13 Illinois State Fair General Project Show for Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Grundy, Henderson, Jefferson, Kankakee, Knox, Madison, Marion, Mason, McDonough, Monroe, Ogle, St. Clair, Stephenson, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will August 13 Illinois State Fair Junior Dairy Goat Show August 14 Illinois State Fair Junior Rabbit Show
Page 11 August 16-18 August 19 August 19 August 21 August 26 & 27 September 9 September 16 September 30 Illinois State Fair Junior Dairy Show Superior Young Producer Scholarship Dairy Contest Illinois State Fair Junior Pygmy Goat Show Eclipse in Southern Illinois State 4-H Dog Show State Archery Shoot, Panther Creek Bowhunters Archery Club, Chatham State Shotgun Shoot, Brittany Shooting Park, Bunker Hill State Rifle Shoot, CIPS Central Illinois Precision Shooters, Bloomington