Dear Waukesha County 4-H Families,

We hope that you and your family are doing well. Spring has arrived! April was packed with activities, projects, and plenty of learning and fun. Take a moment to explore this newsletter and see all that’s happening in Waukesha County 4-H.

During National Volunteer Week (April 19-25) we proudly celebrated the dedication of the adult volunteers who support youth development as club and group leaders, project and activity leaders, and committee members. Your service is what makes Waukesha County 4-H thrive.

4-H volunteers are essential to the success of our programs. Because of you, young people gain confidence, build lifelong skills & friendships, and find a sense of belonging that extends beyond their 4‑H experience. One our greatest strengths in Waukesha County is the dedication and leadership of our 4-H volunteers. Simply put, 4-H would not be what it is without you.

This year, more than 150 adult volunteers enrolled and were approved to serve in Waukesha County 4-H. Please know that your time, commitment and passion for supporting youth are truly appreciated. Thank you for everything you do for 4-H and the young people we serve.

We are also excited to recognize Caitlin Stevenson (pictured above), who was nominated for recognition by Sarah Tetzlaff for her outstanding dedication to Waukesha County 4-H. “Caitlin helps both at the club and county level for various activities. At the club level, she has helped support cupcake decorating, charcuterie, and wreath making. At the county level, she graciously supports Rabbit Hopping, cupcake decorating, and the Youth Leadership Group, and she assists with many fun activities during county project sessions. Without Caitlin’s contributions, oftentimes behind the scenes and unnoticed, we would not be as successful as we are. Let’s show Caitlin some love and thank her for all she does for our 4-H community!”

The printable PDF version of the newsletter is still available! Click below to view it in PDF format. 

4-H Rocket Launch - Waukesha County 4-H members ages 9-19 who have a finished rocket to launch are invited to the Waukesha County 4-H Rocket Launch on Friday, May 8th from 5-8 p.m. (rain date May 10th). A parent/guardian must be present, and there is a $5 fee to offset material costs. 

Nature Extravaganza 2026 - Get ready for the 2nd annual Waukesha County 4-H Nature Extravaganza STEAM event at Lapham Peak State Park on June 6th from 1-5 p.m. As part of this unique, competition-style learning event, teams will find geocaches, artistically and scientifically photograph living things, remove trash and invasive plants, track fitness, participate in a citizen science bee survey, and identify all the plants and animals photographed to earn points for their team.

Youth Leadership Group - The Waukesha County 4-H Youth Leadership Group will meet on May 6th at Project Night to lead a session on working at the 4-H Food Stand at the Fair in July. This group is always accepting new members and participants of any age—they just need a desire to grow their leadership skills! Upcoming 2026 meetings include: 6/11 and 7/14. To sign up a NEW youth leader, click HERE. 

2026 Summer Camp

Camp is now full! We are very excited to see many returning campers, as well as many who are first-time campers. Your counselors (pictured left) are working hard, finishing up their trainings, and perfecting all the songs, skits & fun to prepare for a fantastic 4-H camp!

Save the Date for Camp Orientation!
Date & Time: Tuesday, July 28, 6 - 7 p.m.
Location: Waukesha County Courthouse - AC 255 

Meet the counselors, volunteers, and staff; review logistics, schedules, expectations, and supervision; and
get answers to your camp questions.

This is where clubs can provide a brief update. This may include events, activities, and happenings within each club in the past month. A club officer or leader may provide a write-up or highlight a project or activity update with pictures to show off the social, recreational, educational, or business activities occurring within your club. Please provide this by filling out a Newsletter Submission form and emailing any photos to Sara at stomjanovich@wisc.edu by May 20, 2026.

Melissa Darelius, 4-Leaf Club parent: At the April Meeting, we had the President & CEO of This Time Tomorrow Foundation, Joe Kurth, come in-person to receive a donation of funds raised last month at our club's Sweet Treat Auction. I shared a little of my story, and Joe shared about This Time Tomorrow; and youth, Adam presented him with a check. For more info about This Time Tomorrow Foundation go to: www.thistimetomorrow.org.

Payton, Countywide Service Project: A love bug is a friendly bug that can help make a child's day. Here is an opportunity for all youth & families to participate in a countywide community service project! Our goal is to make 100 of these to be distributed to local police and fire stations in our communities. View the project flyer for details, or listen to Payton explain the project. Huge props to Payton and her mom for spearheading this Service Project!

The Waukesha County 4-H office will have a collection bin for bug forms and we will also have them at our Project Nights on 5/6 and 5/13 with a final project stuffing & sewing date on June 18th, 5-8 p.m. at the Waukesha Library. Download the Love Bug sewing pattern.

Faye, Clever Clovers 4-Leaf Club: At our last Clever Clovers meeting we had a SPARKS activity and a butterfly house building activity, both were led by club members. Our sparks activity involved recognizing our sparks as well as sharing them with our members to see what we had in common. For our butterfly house activity we assembled the houses and then decorated them.

The following projects are available to all enrolled Waukesha County 4-H members (subject to age restrictions). If you are interested in a project or would like more information, contact the Project Leader listed on the 4-H website. Meeting dates should be verified by checking the 4-H Calendar or contacting the Project Leader.

2026 Waukesha County Fair

GET YOUR KICKS!
July 15 -19th, 2026

Questions? Contact the Fair at (262) 544-5922 or info@waukeshacountyfair.com or attend the Fair Q&A Sessions at the May 6 and May 13 Project Nights.

Family Fun/Youth in Action Stage - Interested in performing on stage during the fair? Demonstrations, instrumental, vocal, dance, skits, all performances are welcome! For more information on available days and times, contact Susie Higler at mshilger92@yahoo.com.

4-H offers a wide variety of opportunities for youth to get involved beyond the club and county level. A few upcoming events are highlighted below, or click button to see all statewide opportunities. 

STEAM GAZE: A Creative Fusion of Art & Science!

STEAM GAZE is a full-day, hands-on learning experience for curious and creative youth in grades 3–5. Participants will explore a variety of STEAM topics, including chemistry, environmental science, theater, music, and visual arts.

Wisconsin 4-H is made up of:

WI 4-H Members live in...

Top 5 Project Areas

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

Erin Russell

4-H Program Support

erin.russell@wisc.edu

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.