Nebraska 4-H News

November is National Entrepreneurship Month! Did you know youth entrepreneurship is a program priority for Nebraska 4-H? Through various programs, Nebraska 4-H connects youth to important careers and strengthens their entrepreneurship skills. Entrepreneurship programs aim to increase the number of youth returning to rural communities in business and professions and to increase the number of youth who are entrepreneurs.

In celebration of National Entrepreneurship Month, teachers and educators are also invited to utilize a toolkit of free resources, including:

• Calendar of fun, easy activities to use as bell-ringers, energizers, and simple ways to engage students in entrepreneurial thinking
• Lesson plans designed to introduce students to entrepreneurship and building an entrepreneurial mindset by developing their non-cognitive skills
• Virtual field trips to connect students to real people working as entrepreneurs
• Spark to Start activity book containing activities, games, puzzles, and more to help students learn about starting a business

A sample Spark to Start activities book is also being sent to all 4th-grade teachers in Nebraska. To access the free resources, simply complete the classroom sign-up form. 

Congratulations to the 27 4-H members who participated in the 2020 State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest. The contest which is typically held at the Nebraska State Fair, was held virtually this year from October 5th through the 12th. Eleven intermediates and 16 seniors competed in the virtual contest, and a total of 12 counties were represented. 

Intermediate Individuals

1. Brooke Hilgenkamp, Washington County
2. Cora Payne, Seward County
3. Justine Wilkinson, Scotts Bluff County
4. Hannah Koziol, Richardson County
5. Kaid Hogan, Lincoln County

Intermediate Teams

1. Seward County - Cora Payne, Masa Brown, Ava Fischer
2. Washington County - Brooke Hilgenkamp, Aaron Fuchs, Ethan Hilgenkamp

Senior Individuals

1. Chase Racicky, Custer County
2. Allison Engelman, Jefferson County
3. Jenna Ruge, Madison County
4. Jacey Leech, Richardson County
5. Kaitlyn Hanson, Saunders County

Senior Teams

1. Richardson County - Jacey Leech, Abby Stalder, Hannah Kozial, Peyton Schaardt

Top Five Special Award Winners

1. Chase Racicky, Custer County
2. Allison Engelman, Jefferson County
3. Jenna Ruge, Madison County
4. Jacey Leech, Richardson County
5. Kaitlyn Hanson, Saunders County

Since 1976, when the initial group of 235 campers arrived at the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center to enjoy a week of summer fun, our mission has been to serve the youth of Nebraska and provide opportunities for them to Discover, Learn, and Grow. Over the past 44 years, we have been successful in supporting our mission through a variety of program options, including adult and youth retreat, outdoor education, summer overnight camp, and day camp programs.

As you know, COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the world that we once knew, including having significant impacts to our camp program. In early April, we made the very difficult decision to cancel all of our in-person programs including spring outdoor education and summer camp events. As a primarily seasonal business where most of our operating revenues are collected during the summer months to support our operations year-round, this decision had a significant impact on our budget. Thankfully, as sound fiscal managers, we had a reserve revenue fund to continue to operate through this time to continue programming virtually and salaries for five full-time employees. Unfortunately, we have come to the end of this reserve fund and discussions have turned to our next steps.

As part of the process, we explored how the Nebraska 4-H camp program can better reach youth where they are with innovative programs, utilizing research-based curricula delivered with a hands-on experimental learning model by talented youth development professionals. We are pleased to announce a NEW environmental education program series that will include both virtual and place-based programs for schools, home-school families, and afterschool programs. Of course, current and future 4-H members will always be among our key clients. As part of our goal to reach more youth, and with thoughtful consideration of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, our state 4-H team, and the Nebraska 4-H Foundation, we have made the extremely difficult decision to cease all operations at the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center in Gretna effective August 1, 2020.

While we may not have the same site presence, one thing that remains the same is our commitment to our partnership with you to help us work toward our mission to provide opportunities for youth to Discover, Learn, and Grow and we invite you to consider continuing your partnership with Nebraska 4-H in various ways.

Although we are disappointed in the closure of the Eastern Nebraska 4-H Center, we are hopeful that our renewed commitment to broader environmental education offerings for youth will bring a new era of Nebraska 4-H Camping.

The 2020 State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest will be held on Sunday, September 20th at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Animal Science Complex. Registration/Check-in will be at 7:00 AM that morning with the contest beginning at 8:00 AM. As of now, the National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest is moving forward as planned, and our state-level contest is vital for a team to qualify for the national level.

There will be changes to this year's contest:

• This will be a senior division only contest. Each team will be limited to 5 contestants and only one coach and one other chaperone if needed.
• Everyone attending the contest will wear a mask and hand sanitizing stations will be present throughout the facility.
• Livestock classes will be arranged in a more spread-out fashion and we may implement a 2-round system for the placings portion of the contest.
• Youth will maintain at least a 10-foot distance from the reasons takers during that portion of the competition.
• We will not arrange a live awards ceremony on site. Awards will be announced online. Awards will be mailed.
• We will not provide any pencils, clipboards, paper, etc. Each team must bring their own materials. We will only handout placing cards and contestant numbers in the team packets.
• We will not provide lunch. We plan to have the contest finished by 1:00-2:00 PM. If a hotel room is needed for Saturday night, the Staybridge Suites I-80 will be providing a special rate.

If hotel rooms are needed for Saturday night, the Staybridge Suites I-80 will be providing a special rate.

Registration is open now and will close at noon on Wednesday, September 16th. Registration must be completed through county Extension offices. 

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 (RHDV-2) has been identified in the southern and western states in the United States. The State Veterinarian, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA), Nebraska 4-H, and the Nebraska State Fair are in on-going communication to determine how this disease will impact the State 4-H Rabbit Show.

At this time, RHDV-2 has not been diagnosed in Nebraska; we will continue to watch closely for any cases and stay updated with the NDA. The NDA is also collaborating and staying in close contact with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to increase awareness and surveillance if needed should the NDA receive any reports indicating an increase in deaths in our wild rabbit populations in the state.

With the increased concern of RHDV-2, all 4-H rabbits exhibiting at the 2020 Nebraska State Fair must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) within 15 days of the exhibition. The CVI must list the Nebraska State Fair as consignee and will need to have the official identification (ear tattoo) listed on all rabbits being exhibited during the State Fair. The health papers will be checked by a representative of the State Veterinarians' Office.

Each CVI must:

• Be issued by an accredited licensed veterinarian.
• Show name and address of own or exhibitor.
• Show that the rabbit does not have signs of RHDV-2.

The NDA has created a link for rabbit owners to review information, guidance, and links for public knowledge to increase awareness and provide guidance regarding this disease. For more information, please visit Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (NDA).

Additionally, the 2020 State Fair Rabbit Show format will follow the NDA's biosecurity recommendations.

• Exhibitors will arrive the morning of the rabbit show (Sunday, August 30) and bring their own carrier(s) to keep their rabbits housed through the morning/afternoon. Rabbits will not be housed not he fairgrounds as they have in the past.
• Exhibitors will show their rabbits and go home after the exhibition.
• Bring your own carpet square to place your rabbit on during the show.
• All rabbits should be quarantined for 30 days after returning from the show and all equipment and cages should be sanitized once you return home. 

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep exhibitors apprised of any other changes that need to be made.