4-H Event Calendar

The Polk County 4-H Weekly Updates

Due to COVID-19 the Polk County 4-H is sending out weekly updates to keep it’s members and the community updated with events, new programs and any changes that happen due to COVID restrictions. We are working hard to keep the county updated with changes that may occur. If you have any questions please call the office at 715-485-8600, or email Chuck Prissel or Eileen Van Dyk.

***Weekly Update for January 11, 2021

Dear Polk County 4-H Families:

Welcome to 2021!

  • A huge thanks to those who have already re-enrolled in 4-H for the upcoming year.  For those who haven’t there is still time but re-enroll today so as to not miss updates and newsletters which very soon will be using the new 4honline 2.0 e-mail and mail addresses.  Projects can be added or deleted until April 15th.
  • Club Leaders please reach out to last year’s members and encourage families to re-enroll.  We know that 2020 was a difficult year, but we have learned much and have every confidence that you can have a great 4-H experience in 2021.  We have noticed that enrollment is particularly low for K-2.  Please reach out to new families and encourage them to enroll.
  • If your club needs a program for a Virtual meeting, please contact Chuck or Eileen.  We can help brainstorm ideas, suggest topic speakers, or facilitate a program for your club.
  • If you would like to observe a virtual (Zoom) meeting from another club, please contact Chuck or Eileen and we will help you arrange that.
  • 4-H Online is now open for enrollment. PLEASE ENROLL NOW!   New email and mailing lists will be used soon and if you are not enrolled, you will not get the newsletter or the weekly email blast. The enrollment guide is attached.  Although the guide may seem long, please be aware there are sections for new families and re-enrolling families, and instructions for volunteers vs. instructions for youth members.
  • If the link in the guide does not work, use this link to enroll:  https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in
  •  Please email Chuck at charles.prissel@wisc.edu or eileen.vandyk@wisc.edu if you have problems or questions.

4-H Committee Meetings:  County-wide Project Committees are encouraged to meet over the next few months.  Some committee’s may find it more beneficial to wait until into February when we may have a better idea of programming opportunities.  Committee Chairs please reach out to Chuck or Eileen for assistance with scheduling your committee meeting.

Project Leaders wanted to teach and share knowledge on countywide Zooms!!  Would you like to help youth learn a skill or enhance their project knowledge during this virtual time?  Many youth are seeking your expertise and knowledge and now is perfect time to help them gain skills and abilities.  There are county-wide zoom accounts to help you achieve this outreach.  Please reach out to Chuck and Eileen for assistance with promotion and scheduling.

Statewide 4-H Game Night

Connect with 4-H’ers from around Wisconsin on January 15th for a fun and exciting game night! We’ll play multiple virtual games and hopefully learn a few things to take back to your clubs. Register at this link- https://uwmadison.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpceyqqT8uGNx-v6btnLrth_Qff4AlyA-U You won’t want to miss it!

VIRTUAL PROGRAMS AVAILABLE:

VIRTUAL UW-MADISON LIVESTOCK EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

The Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program (WYLP), in connection with the University of Wisconsin Madison Animal & Dairy Sciences Department, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Division of Extension, are excited to offer these LIVE Virtual Zoom educational programs for the winter/spring of 2020-2021. These current topics are for youth and adults alike and occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month from January through May. Each session begins at 7 p.m. CST with a presentation followed by Q&A. You must register in order to receive the connecting information through email.

For more detailed information of each presentation and to register for any or all of the events, please go to: https://go.wisc.edu/r3x8lh. On this webpage you can also complete an educational verification form and turn it into your county fair and or livestock committee to verify your participation. These activities can serve as “county educational requirements”.

January 14 – Roaming the Rumen

February 11 – Feeding & caring for Swine without Ractopamine

March 11 – Lamb Live & Carcass Evaluation; Lamb Culinary products

April 8 – Artificial Intelligence in Animal Sciences using sensors and cameras

May 13 – Meat Science Cookery

For more information visit https://go.wisc.edu/r3x8lh or contact Bernie O’Rourke, UW- Madison Extension Youth Livestock Specialist at (608) 263-4304 or borourke2@wisc.edu.

For more information go to the Wisconsin Youth Livestock Program.

    • Website – https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/youthlivestock/
    • YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1mPVKo63rmBr5s3kFyvX9g
    • Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wisconsinyouthlivestock/
    • Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wiyouthlvstk/
    • Twitter – https://twitter.com/wiyouthlvstk

NATURAL SCIENCES:

Natural Sciences:

Watch bald eagle events online on Jan. 16, 23 & Feb. 6, 20, 2021

Sauk Prairie’s Bald Eagle Watching Days, Wisconsin’s longest-running bald eagle watching extravaganza, is going virtual for 2021! Watch these and other exciting events from the comfort and safety of your own home during the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • Release of a rehabilitated bald eagle back into the wild
  • Nose-to-beak learning with education eagles and other raptors
  • “Eagles In Native American Culture”
  • Live reports on eagle viewing spots along the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway and a new self-guided tour directing you to them.

These and other events and presentations are recorded in advance or presented live and streamed over the Internet on Jan. 16, 23 and Feb. 6, 20. Watch all programming via www.ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org

For those live events, only the presenter and technical staff are allowed on site but virtual participants can ask questions of the presenters. Programs will be archived for later viewing but some events are available for a limited period.

In addition, a self-guided tour, accessed through www.ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org, will help you view eagles along the Lower Wisconsin River on your own in a COVID-safe manner.  While touring for eagles we invite you to enjoy what this area of Wisconsin has to offer.

ARTS AND CRAFTS:

Join us for Arts & Crafts Mini-Camp!

    • via zoom from 6-7PM, Tuesdays Feb 23-March 16
    • Cost:  $12.00  per participant
    • This program is geared towards 3rd – 5th graders, but Cloverbuds (with parental assistance) and older youth are also welcome
    • Registration Link:  https://forms.gle/ZizhqioNzeWeNqAg9
    • Registration is open through January 26.  First class will be Feb 23.
    • Explore art principles and mediums.  We’ll work with clay, textiles, paper, and paint.
    • Feb 23- discuss symmetry while making paper snowflakes
    • March 2- make a pinch pot and discuss texture (we might be making our own air-dry clay with glue and cornstarch!   Stay tuned…)
    • March 9- make felt stuffies (design your own animal plus sew your felt stuffie)
    • March 16- explore elements of design and paint over a wax crayon design
    • Supplies will be provided except for scissors.  A date and time for supply pick up and payment drop off will be coordinated after registration closes.

2021 Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted

The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation will award more than $15,000 in scholarships to outstanding Wisconsin 4-H members and alumni pursuing higher education in 2021.  To be considered for financial support, applications must be received by the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation via email by Monday, March 15, 2021.

To be eligible for Wisconsin 4-H Foundation scholarships students must have been a Wisconsin 4-H member for at least three years; have a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and be enrolled or planning to enroll at a university, college or technical school during the 2021-2022 academic school year.  Scholarship winners from previous years are not eligible to receive a second 4-H Foundation scholarship.

The application is a one-page resume and a one page cover letter, both of which give the 4-H youth a chance to share their 4-H achievements, as well as their future plans.  Applicants are asked to treat this process as if applying for a job. Cover letters and resumes must be submitted as one PDF document and emailed to scholarships@wis4hfoundation.org.  For detailed information about what to include in and how to prepare the application documents, 4-H youth can visit www.Wis4HFoundation.org/scholarships.

 

ZOOM 4-H ACCOUNTS AVAILABLE: The Polk County 4-H Leaders Federation has purchased three Pro-Zoom Accounts for Polk County 4-H use.  These accounts can be used for Club virtual meetings, county-wide project meetings, or county committee meetings.  To access one of these accounts, please contact Matt Babcock, 4-H Leaders Federation Treasurer at babber85@gmail.com or Chuck Prissel at charles.prissel@wisc.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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