Butler County 4-H News

4-H Day – Saturday – February 3, 2018

4-H Day will be here before we know it! 4-H Day is a great time to showcase your talents, get feedback on your presentations and learn from others about projects and topics you might not know about! The event will be held on February 3rd, 2018 at the Butler Community College.

Registration deadline is 5:00 p.m. January 19th. You can sign up online at: 
4-H Day Registration

If you are looking for more information on 4-H Day, here are the guidelines.  Other information can be found on the State website at: http://www.kansas4-h.org/projects/personal-development/communications.html.

Some divisions available are:

Public Speaking, Demonstrations, Readings, Gavel Games, Vocal and Instrumental Solos and Ensembles, Piano, Skits, Dance, and the list goes on!

Please note, there is no Regional 4-H Day this year.

YQCA – Youth for the Quality Care of Animals

What is YQCA?

Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) is a national, multi-species quality assurance program for youth ages 8 to 18.  This program promotes food safety, animal well-being and character development. With YQCA, you’ll discover what it takes to be an informed producer, consumer and employee of the agriculture and food industries.

Frequent Questions:

• Is YQCA mandatory for all 4-H’ers?
YQCA is required to show at the Butler County 4-H Fair.  

• Can someone test out of YQCA?
Not currently, but it is a priority of YQCA to address.

• How much does getting certified cost? 
The online module certification is $12, and the instructor-led training method of certification is $3.

• Does the YQCA certification ID sync with 4-H online? 
Yes, you will sign in using your 4-H Online information.

• I only show horses. Do I need to be YQCA certified? 
No. Right now, YQCA, is not required for 4-H Horse Project Members.

• Do 4-H’ers need to update their YQCA certification number each year? 
Yes they do. Youth should re-certify around the same time they tested each year.

• Do I need to register before class?
Yes! You must register and pay online before attending an instructor-led class. 7 year olds must rsvp to the Extension office prior to attending the instructor-led class.

• Does Butler County 4-H get the registration money?
No, all registration money is online and goes to YQCA.

Youth Leadership Forum

2018 Southeast Leadership Forum

January 20th, 2018
9:15 – 2:45
Lyon County Fairgrounds,
Emporia, Kansas

LEARN ABOUT LEADERSHIP!

SELF is a one-day event in January, where youth
(ages 12-18) and adults across the Southeast Region
come together to learn more about leadership, 4-H and
practice new skills.
• There will be workshops, new friends, hands
on learning and a great speaker, Jake
Worcester.
• Come join us for a great Saturday.
• Cost for the Day is $20 per person, it includes
all workshop materials, snacks and lunch.
• DEADLINE – By January 10, 2018, register
online and take your $20 payment into
your local Extension Office.
https://tinyurl.com/2018SELF

Through the generosity of Kansas Electric
Cooperatives, Inc. and CoBANK each registered
delegate will receive a copy of the book, “Find
Something To Do! No Prop Activities,” by Jim Cain. A
session will be offered for delegates to explore and
learn how to lead some of the activities outlined in the
book. Adults may purchase a copy of the book for $9
through the registration process.

Last Day Reminder!

If you haven’t already completed your 4-H enrollment, make sure to get this done! If you want to exhibit market livestock at the Butler County Fair, you must be enrolled in that project by February 1st. We will lock the 4-H Online enrollment system down for a week at that time so we can run the enrollment reports for market animals.

VIPs are also due by February 1st. If you are a volunteer, make sure to complete the 4-H online enrollment and submit your renewal paperwork.
This includes doing the online background process.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call the office at 316-321-9660.

2018 Citizenship Washington Focus

What: Road trip across the USA stopping to see Philadelphia, Gettysburg, the Liberty Bell and more! Meet, learn, share and tour with youth from other states and respected resource people.Walk among places that have made history and places that are making news today.Visit Capitol Hill, government departments, historic sites, and memorials.Get a close-up view of political process through visits to Capitol Hill.Meet with the Kansas Congressional and Senate delegations to discuss legislative issues.Participate in workshops and assembly groups to learn life skills and discuss possible solutions to domestic and international problems.Interact with 4-H members from other states, learning and sharing about 4-H and other interests and issues. This trip has filled up quickly in the last few years, make sure that you do not delay in signing up to attend!

When: June 14-25, 2018

Where: Washington D.C.

Who: Youth 15-18 years old by January 1 of the current year

Registration: Click Here to Register

Registration Fee: $1,850

Registration Deadline: January 15 or Until 50 Spaces are Filled

 

Kansas Junior Sheep & Beef Producer Days

Registration is now open for Kansas Junior Sheep Producer Day and Kansas Junior Beef Producer Day!

The K-State Youth Livestock Program, K-State Research & Extension, and the K-State Department of Animal Science and Industry will be hosting two junior producer days in March 2018. We invite you to participate in Junior Sheep Producer Day and Junior Beef Producer Day! These are biennial events, with swine and meat goat days held in odd years and the beef and sheep programs held in even years.

Specie producer days are held to provide educational material and hands-on experiences for youth, parents, leaders, and extension agents. Various speakers share information on topics such as selection, nutrition, showmanship, fitting, reproduction, feeding, and disease control. Talks, demonstrations, hands-on activities, and door prizes are present at all events.  Beef and Sheep days are held in the even years and Swine and Goat days are held in the odd years.

*Education materials from previous events are located on the Education Materials page to the left.

 

2018 Junior Sheep Producer Day

March 17, 2018
Weber Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Early Registrations Due:  February 23, 2018
Flyer

 

2018 Junior Beef Producer Day

March 24, 2018
Weber Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Early Registrations Due:  March 2, 2018
Flyer

 

Click HERE to register online!

 

 

 

Leadership Opportunity for 4-H’ers

The Kansas State University Animal Sciences Leadership Academy is an intensive four-day educational experience designed to enhance the leadership skills and animal science knowledge of students in ninth through 12th grades. Students from across the country with an interest in the livestock industry and related careers are encouraged to apply each spring (due April 1).

Hosted by the K-State Department of Animal Sciences and Industry and sponsored by the Livestock and Meat Industry Council, the academy’s goal is to develop young leaders within the livestock industry and prepare them for a successful future in this field.

We look forward to welcoming new students to the K-State campus each June. Our 2018 class will join 225 students who have completed our program, as we begin our 10th year. Thank you to our applicants and those who helped share information about this opportunity.

“The experiences gained through KASLA will help develop your understanding of the industry and ignite your potential as a young leader in agriculture,” said past participant Molly Bertz of Mayview, Missouri. “I would highly recommend participation. Whether you come from a strong agricultural background or are curious to learn more about the industry, KASLA is providing students with an inside view of the food production system.”

The program’s itinerary will feature interactive workshops, tours and faculty mentor time with animal science professors. Industry leaders will also join the participants frequently to share their knowledge and expertise. Throughout the week, participants will work in teams to evaluate current events within the animal science industry and educate others. This experience will culminate with team presentations and a closing reception on Saturday morning.

The program also focuses on developing personal leadership skills through workshops and activities. “One of my favorite parts of KASLA was learning more about our individual strengths through the Strengths Finder Assessment. As we learned more about our strengths, we were also able to learn how to capitalize on them and use them effectively in group settings such as the agriculture issues team project. KASLA truly developed us as leaders in the agriculture industry both inside and out,” Bertz said.

Only 20 students are accepted to ensure individualized attention from counselors, professors and industry leaders. Participants will stay on campus in university housing with program staff for the duration of the event. Transportation to and from the event is the responsibility of the participant, along with a $50 deposit to reserve his or her space. The Livestock and Meat Industry Council generously provides all other sponsorships.

For questions about the academy, please contact Sharon Breiner, Director, at sbreiner@ksu.edu.

View KASLA flyer

Using Hashtags and Why You Want To!

By: Amy Sollock

New to social media? Are you a Gen X or Baby Boomer and just don’t get what a #Hashtag is or why you’d want to use one?  The use of hashtags gained popularity on Twitter, but they are commonly used on all social media platforms.  You’ll see them on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest and others.

A hashtag is a label for content.  It helps others who are interested in a topic, quickly find content on that same topic. Anyone posting or sharing content on a relevant topic can add a hashtag label to their message. Other people can than search for that same label to find similar content on the same social media platform.  Proper hashtag etiquette is to use no more than 3 hashtags at a time.

For example, when creating a Facebook post about the local county 4-H club day event, it could read, “Lucky Clover 4-H members participated in a Model Meeting and received a top blue.  Learning leadership skills and having fun at the same time! #KS4H #4HGrowsHere ”

Because so many of us utilize social media to promote and share our local 4-H programs, it is necessary that we all start using the same hashtags.  Please help us create a larger social media presence by using #KS4H and #4HGrowsHere.  Please also encourage your