January 29th, 2025

Welcome to the January Edition of the Extension Waukesha County 4-H Newsletter!

We are excited to share all the upcoming activities, events, and opportunities that 4-H has in store for you. Whether you're a returning member or new to our community, there's always something to look forward to in 4-H. From learning new skills to making lifelong friends, the possibilities are endless! In this month's issue, you'll find:

Explore all that Extension Waukesha County 4-H has to offer by visiting our website at https://
waukesha.extension.wisc.edu/4-h/ and like us on Facebook @Waukesha County 4-H Youth Development.

We are grateful for your continued support and participation. Together, let's make this year the best for our 4-H families and community.

Total Members: 516  Club Members: 332 Cloverbuds: 85  Approved Volunteers: 99

Best wishes, James, McKenzie & Sara

Project leaders & volunteers: please provide project updates including dates, times, location, contact person, age requirements, and additional costs or how the project group plans to communicate to interested members (email, GroupMe, Facebook, text, etc). In order for Educators to communicate and support projects getting out to interested members & families we need the information. Project Leaders are also encouraged to add any Project Meeting Dates and details to the calendar. If you are unable to add events to the calendar please send the details to McKenzie, mknudson@waukeshacounty.gov to have your events added to the calendar. 

Our first Project Night of 2025 on February 12th is set to help youth blast off learning, let their Spark shine and build on their knowledge to name a few exciting opportunities. 4-H members might have time to horse around or create in circles a bit but we’ve heard from our youth & families and know you want MORE! You’ve planted a seed of ideas and we are coming up with colorful new ideas. 
The sessions for this night include: Wreath Making, STEAM Clover Color Lab (K-2) and Horticulture Eco Research (3rd grade+), Jewelry Making, Lego Build Challenge, Horse & Horseless Horse, Rocketry, a New Family Orientation and Adult Craft space. 

We will host the New Family Meeting (6:30-7:15 pm) with Educators to cover some 4-H topics and engage “new” families in Q&A opportunities too. Any family can attend for more info (Even if you’ve been in 4-H for years and have questions, we will be there!) We also have heard some interest for Parents & Grandparents to have some space to craft or explore their own SPARK - so a table of crafts will also be available to see your skills & spark too!

Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844AFA729A3F9C70-54597635-february#/

Save the dates for our upcoming 2025 project night dates: Wednesday, February 26th, March 26th, April 16th & 23rd, May 7th & 21st.

Volunteers if you are interested in helping youth create a SPARK, we are still looking for project ideas and leaders for some April & May sessions. Lead an activity or ongoing project here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844AFA729A3F9C70-54066701-2025#/

More details & sign ups to come! Thank you to the dedicated volunteers that offer their time and expertise in these Project Nights. Together, we are all working to make the best, better FOR OUR 4-H YOUTH!

1. To sign up for a project, log into your families existing account in 4HOnline.
2. Click the 'View' button next to the member’s name.
3. Click on 'Projects' in the navigation pane.
4. Click the ‘Edit’ button.
5. Click the 'Select Projects' button to add additional projects to the member’s enrollment.
6. If you need to remove a project from the member’s enrollment, click the trash can icon next to the project.
7. When you have completed making changes to project, click the 'Close' button.

If you are registering for a project now you should contact the project leader for instructions and next steps. 

*NOTE: Some projects may have specific consents that must be signed before the project will be added to the member’s list of enrolled projects.

Come check out the Annual Waukesha County 4-H Horse Association Annual Tack Sale on Sunday, February 9th, 2025 from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM.
Interested in becoming a vendor? Contact Brenda Wolfe or fill out the form online at https://www.
wc4hhorse.org/4-h-annual-tack-sale.

We want to thank the 120 youth, families, and leaders that participated in the Find Your Spark survey. This information will help our clubs, events and ways to make Extension Waukesha County 4-H programming even better! We will get some of the survey data out to families shortly and your ideas into ACTION in the coming months. As promised, the club that participated in the survey with the most youth percentage completion will earn a Pizza Party from your Extension Youth Educators. The club that had 74% of youth complete the survey was Emerging Leaders! Falls Busy Beavers came in second and we want to highlight both clubs’ successes. We will work with club leaders to finalize those details and deliver some pizza and we want to thank all Extension Waukesha County 4-H members that finished the survey!
As a reminder, if you would like to highlight your club or project, please submit your news to the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qMMyFrJhrcKkPzgwNQ3MoNQhCzKO3v
lrV078J_HXoQ/edit.

We had a very successful Youth Planning Meeting in January. Our next meeting is set for February 27th from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Waukesha Public Library. We will lead & encourage youth leaders to work together to develop a Food & Nutrition youth cooking challenge event. Any new youth leaders that are interested in attending should email Sara directly and will be added to the communication list for upcoming meeting info.
In January, the leaders also used their heads to create an educational video of the 4-H pledge. See attached video & please share with new families, younger youth who are in the process of learning the pledge and anyone who could use a refresher. We’d love to hear clubs continue to learn, re-learn and practice the pledge so all members can use their voice at meetings!

Archery practices started up on January 24, 2025 and will run through April at Buck Rub Outfitters, N13 W24800 Silvernail Road. This is a Countywide Project. The 4-H Archery Project is open to any 4-H member, 3rd grade and up to one year past high school. Clover Buds CANNOT do this project. To participate in the Archery Project, you MUST be registered in the project and status must be APPROVED, NOT INCOMPLETE OR PENDING. This is in part due to insurance requirements.

The remaining practices will be on the 2nd and 4th Friday’s; the dates are, February 14 & 28, March 14 & 28, April 11 & 25. The time is from 4:30 PM to 5:45 PM and the cost to shoot is $4.00 and rentals are $6.00. NOTE: If you rent equipment, due to Buck Rub’s policy, you will ONLY receive “blunt tipped” arrows.  In this case, you will need to supply your own arrows, or Flash will have some arrows to borrow for use. Questions regarding the archery project, please email Flash G. at flash_rescue31@hotmail.com.   

The first project meeting is January 28th from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Citizens Bank of Mukwonago - Waukesha Branch 2109 Corporate Drive, Waukesha and will include a NEW Family Orientation, Poultry Classification (How do I know what I have/sign it up for fair?) and a fun Kahoot activity. For more information contact: Jenny & Matt B., mjlrkb@yahoo.com. Remaining meetings are: 2/25, 3/28, 4/29, 5/27 and June (TBD).

The first project meeting is January 31st at Waukesha County Expo Center Arena Building. If you are interested in more info on this project please contact Donna T., dlwoolees@centurytel.net.

This project meets the first Tuesday of the month on Zoom and also at the Extension Waukesha County Project Nights at the Waukesha County Expo Center. If you are interested in more information about this project contact Brenda W., wolf.equestrian@gmail.com.

This project meets the first Tuesday of the month on Zoom and also at the Extension Waukesha County 4-H Project Nights at the Waukesha County Expo Center. If you are interested in more information about this project please contact Maureen M., mmnmartin332@gmail.com.

The first dog project project meeting is February 5th at Waukesha County Expo Center  Forum Building - South Hall. If you are interested in more info on this project please contact Vicky L.,  waukesha4Hdogproject@gmail.com. 

Shoutout to Falls Busy Beavers 4-H club for a great club meeting earlier this month. Sara had an opportunity to provide a Stem lesson to youth members. Thank you to the adults for all of your hands-on help!  

Big props to Ottawa 4-H club where they decorated cookies to donate and deliver to the Fire Station in Dousman. Awesome work kiddos! 

Also, sparks to Saylesville youth made Valentine’s crafts & decorated cookies to round out their club meeting. It’s great to see activities in each club and youth so engaged!

As a reminder, if you would like to highlight your club or project, please submit your news to the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qMMyFrJhrcKkPzgwNQ3MoNQhCzKO3v
lrV078J_HXoQ/edit.

Extension Waukesha County is committed to supporting quality educational experiences for our youth as well as supporting our volunteers and families. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or if you need any assistance.

James Boling

4-H Program Educator

james.boling@wisc.edu

Sara Wells-Tomjanovich

Associate 4-H Educator

stomjanovich@wisc.edu

McKenzie Knudson

4-H Administrative Support

mknudson@waukeshacounty.gov

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