Dear 4-H Families -

I thought this would be a great time to remind you that Wisconsin 4-H Policies are updated annually.  To review all Wisconsin 4-H Policies please visit: https://4h.extension.wisc.edu/4h-resources/wisconsin-4-h-policies-update-for-2023-24/

A couple of changes to highlight:

Membership and Participation Policies

Member Grade/Age Policy (Updated Policy)

This revised Member Grade/Age Policy clarifies that Youth in 5K (five-year-old Kindergarten) AND who are 5 years old by September 1 or older are eligible to be 4-H members. This clarification was necessary as there is a perversion in Wisconsin State Statute that allows youth that are 4 years old to enter Kindergarten under certain conditions.

Open Meetings Law (New Policy)

Related to the Attendance Policy, the Wisconsin 4-H Open Meetings Law Policy states that Wisconsin 4-H Clubs and Groups are not considered governmental bodies as defined in Wisconsin State Statue 19.82(1) and therefore are not subject to the Open Meetings Law.

Attendance Policy (New Policy)

The Wisconsin 4-H Attendance Policy states 4-H Club and Group meetings, committee meetings, project meetings, community service activities and recreational events can ONLY be attended by 4-H members, 4-H volunteers, parents and/or an adult who is responsible for the member, siblings and invited guests including potential new 4-H members. It also states that as a best practice, attendance should be taken at all 4-H Club and Group meetings, committee meetings, project meetings, community service activities and recreational events.

Have a great week,

Marie Witzel

4-H/Youth Development Educator

marie.witzel@wisc.edu

920-386-3790

If clubs or groups have items to share, send them by noon on Thursday to be included in that week’s issue.  Anything received after 12 p.m. Thursday will be considered for the following week. The articles should be sent to Marie at marie.witzel@wisc.edu. You can also contact the office with any questions. Thanks!

Neosho Utopians (Charlotte Klink) We made valentines for veterans and someone from our club is going to drop them off at the post office so veterans can get the valentines. In February we are planning to enter a chili cook-off. We also decided that in our March meeting, we will have demonstrations and food.

Hyland Prairie (Isabella Radichel) 4-H members collected school supplies to donate to Prairieview Elementary as a "Thank you" for letting us host our monthly meetings in their lunchroom.  They were very appreciative of the supplies! 

The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation will award more than $20,000 in scholarships to outstanding Wisconsin 4-H members and alumni pursuing higher education in 2024.  To be considered for financial support, applications must be received by the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation via email by Friday, March 1, 2024, 5:00 pm.

The Dodge/Jefferson Co. Beekeepers Association are pleased to announce the 2024 Youth in Beekeeping Scholarship. It is available for up to 2 youth, from Dodge or Jefferson County, to apply for a complete hive with bees and engage in one full year of beekeeping. Recipients will be selected through an application process. Applicants must be age 12-17 years old and must be currently enrolled in public, private, or homeschool. Other eligibility rules and requirements apply.  For more information visit dodge-jeffersonbeekeepers.com. Application deadline is February 4, 2024.

The following scholarship applications are all due by March 1, 2024:

REGISRATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 22, 2024

 The Wisconsin Pork Association is looking for college students who have a vested
interest in the swine industry and want to expand their knowledge and understanding of it. 

The purpose of this 10-week summer internship program is to provide an opportunity for a young person to serve as the official youth representative of the Wisconsin Pork Association. The WPA Intern will work in the following areas: Producer Outreach – Wisconsin State Fair - Promotion/Consumer Information – Communication

Applications are due no later than February 1st, 2024.

The Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) is once again offering Youth Pig Project
scholarships. These scholarships are designed to assist 4-H and FFA members in establishing swine projects that can lead to development of life skills and career opportunities in the Wisconsin pork industry.

4-H and FFA youth are eligible to apply for a $100 scholarship used to offset costs associated with their 2024 pig project. Scholarships will be awarded in three age divisions: Ages 9-12, 13-15, and 16-19 (as of January 1st, 2024).Once selected, youth are also asked to participate in an educational webinar to receive their scholarship funds. 

Completed applications must be emailed or postmarked no later than February 1st, 2024. 

Mark your calendars:
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Building, UW Madison Campus

Have you been to your local meat market or grocery store lately and think you could choose the best cut of meat out of the case? Have you ever watched a live animal contest and thought you could choose what animals would provide the best meat products? This is your opportunity to put those skills to work. This contest tests the knowledge of youth in the placement of carcass and retail cut classes, carcass grading, and retail cut identification. Top senior teams earn the opportunity to compete at national competitions. Registration Deadline: January 20, 2024

Compeer Financial Discovery Barnyard is a staple of Ag Village at Wisconsin State Fair. It provides an opportunity for fairgoers to learn about Wisconsin Agriculture, engage in ag-focused learning activities, and visit baby animals. Wisconsin State Fair is seeking dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to help make Discovery Barnyard great!
 
There are two methods of involvement for Compeer Financial Discovery Barnyard this year:

Apply to be a member of the Discovery Barnyard Core 4 Superintendent Team: 

Core 4 Team members must be available to work between the hours of 8:00am – 10:00pm, July 30 – August 12. Due to the demands of this role, Core 4 team members are not able to show in any open or junior shows.

Apply to be a Volunteer Group of the Day: 

Gather your group (FFA chapter/alumni group, 4-H club, or community club) and join us as a Volunteer Group of the Day. Each group is responsible for hosting the educational stations and welcoming fairgoers to Discovery Barnyard over the course of one (1) complete day during Wisconsin State Fair.

What you do makes a difference!  We are excited to share that our state will be participating in the 4-H Volunteer Impact Study of volunteers in the North Central Region.

This survey is being conducted as a part of 12 state effort to document the impact of volunteering.  

It will focus on three areas:

·         the personal benefits of your volunteer experience;

·         the impact you have on the organization by volunteering; and

·         how your volunteer efforts contribute to your community in which you live and work.  

A random sample of volunteers of 1000 volunteers from each state will be surveyed.  This study will be conducted through an electronic survey. If you are selected, you will receive an email to let you know you have been selected to participate.

You may be picked!!! If you are, please respond.  We want to hear from you and learn from your volunteer experiences.  

Your comments will be used to quantify the personal, organizational and public impacts of volunteers involved with 4-H Youth Development Programs in our twelve-state region.  

Your impact is great, and we want to hear from you!!!

Plan a "4-H Benefit Night" for your club. Contact local restaurants to learn more details.

If you are 18 years or older and interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer, we can help! We will provide new volunteers with (VIP) Volunteers in Preparation Training about how to work effectively with youth and what resources are available to volunteers. We will also ask you to participate in a Mandated Reporter Training to learn more about how to protect youth from child abuse and neglect. Finally, to ensure the safety of all youth and volunteers, a Volunteer Behavior Expectations Agreement and background check are required. Answers to questions about reporting and training are available on our FAQ page.

JANUARY

24 - DYAC Meeting - 7:30 pm (Administration Building)

29 - Communication Festival - 6:30 pm

FEBRUARY

20 - 4-H Leaders Association - 7:00pm

24 - Family Learning Day (Dodgeland)

4-H Learning Resources from Positive Youth Development Media Collections

Visit the Wisconsin 4-H Website

WI 4-H Policy Updates

An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension
Dodge County 4-H
Extension Dodge County  127 E. Oak Street  Juneau, WI 53039-1329
tel: 920.386.3790    fax: 920.386.3928