Nebraska 4-H News

Nebraska 4-H recently recognized Kamryn Wanser, Kennedy Powell, and Brooklynn Nelsen with a Nebraska 4-H Gives Back Award. After seeing their peers struggle with food insecurity, the three Lancaster County 4-H members began working on plans to establish a new Little Free Pantry in their community.

“We are so proud of this team of 4-H’ers who saw a local problem and creatively found a way to a solution,” said Dr. Kathleen Lodl, Nebraska State 4-H Program Administrator. “It’s this kind of leadership and passion that is critical to their future and the future of Nebraska.”

Together, the youth recruited a local business, Healthy Heads, to house the public pantry and worked with a craftsman to design and build the pantry box. They gathered food donations and support from a local HOA, White Electric, Old Glory Farms Boutique, Rotary Club 14, VFW, FoodNet, Little Free Pantries, Lancaster County 4-H Council, and The Fantastic 4 4-H Club. The youth collected $319 and over 1,700 food items to establish their Little Free Pantry.

“We believe the pantry will serve the neighbors, those that work in the area as well as our customers,” wrote Healthy Heads staff. “We couldn’t be happier to support this great cause.”

“Food insecurity is an issue many Lincoln, Nebraska residents experience,” said Tracy Anderson, Lancaster County 4-H Extension Educator. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Kamryn, Kennedy, and Brooklynn, there is one Lincoln neighborhood that is experiencing less of it.”

Over the first 28 weeks, a weekly average of 46 items were taken from the pantry located in the Indian Village neighborhood. Community members continue to take more items continue each week, and the teens continue to collect donations to keep the pantry stocked for those in need.

"We have learned that working together we can solve a problem in our community," the teens shared. "We feel confident that this will serve a need in the community for a long time to come.”

The Nebraska 4-H Gives Back Award celebrates the spirit of service learning. The program recognizes youth who have made significant and lasting impacts in their community. 4-H members create, coordinate, and implement a service-learning project of lasting impact and significant size or scope.

“We invite youth to submit project proposals that showcase the application of their time and talents in service to their community,” says Dr. Jill Lingard, Nebraska 4-H Gives Back program coordinator.

For more information about the Nebraska 4-H Gives Back Awards program, please visit 4h.unl.edu/ne4h-gives-back.

Nebraska 4-H, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Animal Science, offered the fifth year of the Nebraska 4-H Fed Steer Challenge in 2022.

The Fed Steer Challenge cultivates the next generation of leaders in the Nebraska cattle industry by providing youth with real-world opportunities in the beef sector. This challenge enhances the educational value of traditional 4-H beef projects and provides affordable options to reward production merit and market animal carcass value; accurate and complete record-keeping practices; industry and research knowledge; and producer engagement with the 4-H member.

The youth selected, purchased, exhibited, harvested, and analyzed carcass data on a steer while networking with industry professionals. Additionally, working as a learning cohort, they participated in monthly educational opportunities led by industry professionals and Animal Science faculty.

Alongside these youth, large crowds at the Nebraska State Fair receive expert instruction from a commercial cattle buyer about sorting and evaluating steers. This exemplifies real-world industry standards of carcass merit, grade ability, and finish. Unanimously, the youth participants agree the Fed Steer Challenge helped them gain valuable knowledge regarding the beef industry - namely, how to feed a market animal more efficiently. Because of their program involvement, participants plan to stay in the cattle industry to become future beef industry advocates.

The 2022 Nebraska participants and award winners included:

• Claire Ahrens, Sherman County – Third Place Overall, Third Place Growth Performance, Third Place Record Book
• Leah Christen, Pawnee County
• Abigail Gorecki, Buffalo County
• Nathan Gorecki, Buffalo County
• Eldon Haack, Franklin County – Second Place Carcass Merit
• Jaleigh Hallsted, Cuming County – Second Place Overall, First Place Record Book, Second Place Industry Interview
• Madison Hirschman, Howard County – Fourth Place Overall, Second Place Growth Performance, First Place Industry Interview
• Cassidy Maricle, Boone County
• Klaira Rasmussen, Howard County
• Nickolas Rohr, Frontier County
• Conner Snyder, Frontier County – First Place Overall, First Place Growth Performance, First Place Carcass Merit, Second Place Record Book, Third Place Industry Interview
• Treygan Srajhans, Fillmore County
• Noah Summers, Buffalo County – Third Place Carcass Merit
• Skyler Summers, Buffalo County – Fifth Place Overall, Second Place Industry Interview

The winners of each category receive cash prizes, and the overall winners will receive an additional $500 scholarship to the Nebraska College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Youth from across Nebraska put their agronomy knowledge to the test at the annual Nebraska Youth Crop Scouting Competition. The contest, held on August 3, 2022, at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center, allowed youth to work as teams and gain hands-on experience scouting actual plots. 

Receiving first place and a cash prize of $500 was Kornhusker Kids team coached by Chris Schiller. Team members were James Rolf, Logan Consbruck, Isaac Wooldrik, Levi Schiller and Ian Schiller. Second place went to Colfax Co. 4-H Team #1 coached by Steve Nelson. Team members were Josh Eisennman, Mic Sayers, Rylan Nelson, & Hayden Bailey and they received $250. Third place with a $100 cash award was Colfax County 4-H #2 team also coached by Steve Nelson. Team members were Callen Jedlicka, Cody Jedlicka, Daphne Jedlicka and Justin Eisennman.

Also participating were two teams from Johnson County 4-H coached by Jon Schmid. Team members from Johnson County #1 included Wesley Schmid, Sophia Schmid, Bo McCoy, and Elliot Werner. Johnson Co. #2 team consisted of Levi Othmer and Cameron Werner. Arlington FFA also competed with Kali Agler as the coach and Aaron Fuchs, Braden Monke and Ethan Hilgenkamp competing.

An in-person regional competition will be held among Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Missouri teams at the Beck Agricultural Center near West Lafayette, Indiana on September 15 hosted by Purdue Extension. Participants from Kornhusker Kids 4-H and Colfax County #1 are able to compete representing the state of Nebraska.

For more information on the Youth Crop Scouting Competition, visit cropwatch.unl.edu/youth.

Twenty-two 4-H members will represent Nebraska at the 2022 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska from June 26 to July 1. The event will bring together 4-H members from across the nation. Approximately 685 competitors from 39 states will convene in Grand Island to compete. The event features competitions across nine shooting sports disciplines including compound archery, recurve archery, air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, .22 pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading, and hunting skills. 

The Nebraska 4-H shotgun team, coached by John Lilly, includes: 

• Syras Boston, York County
• Sheyenne Morgan, Rock County
• Andrew Koehlmoos, Holt County
• Michael Day, Sarpy County

Members of the Nebraska 4-H air rifle team, coached by Darin Gruenke, include: 

• Keiziah Connell, Dixon County
  
• Rachael Thomas, Stanton County
  
• Dylan Glendy, Custer County

Youth on .22 rifle team, coached by Todd Knutson, include:

• Kurissa Mizner, Holt county
  
• Risken Dawson, Holt County
  
• Kyle Rote, Garden County
  
• Maya Knutson, Cedar County

The compound archery team, coached by Matt Carmin, consists of: 

• Taylor Rath, Douglas County
• Lilly Hanley, Lancaster County
  
• Bo Behlen, Platte County
  
• Sam Bissell, Buffalo County

The recurve archery team, coached by Jeff Goble, includes:

• Parker Walahoski, Dawson County
  
• Dylan Naslund, Cherry County
  
• Isaac Olsen, Banner County

Members of the muzzleloading team, coached by Mike Erickson, include: 

• Matt Koehlmoos, Holt County
  
• Kelsey Howard, Holt County
• Kylee Howard, Holt County
• Justin Warembourg, Hayes County

The 2022 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships are hosted by Nebraska 4-H and the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee. For more information, visit 4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports/national. 

Twenty-two adult volunteers, one 4-H member, and a family of volunteers are being recognized with Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Awards.

The Kristy and Dave Hattan Family from Lancaster County is receiving the Multi-Generation Family of Volunteers Award.  Additional family members include:

• Jill Hattan
• Tyler Hattan
• Tammy Wollen
• Brandy Brock

This award recognizes a family with at least three generations of active 4-H volunteers.

Marlie Mundt, 4-H member in Lancaster County is receiving the Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award. This award recognizes a 4-H member, ages 14-18, who has made a meaningful impact on their local 4-H community.

Eleven individuals are receiving Emerging Adult Volunteer Awards. These awards recognize current volunteers who have served less than three years in their local 4-H community. One individual is recognized for each Nebraska Extension Engagement Zone. Recipients include:

• Wendy Scheenan, Sheridan County 
• Krista Thoene, Garfield County
• Matt Weideman, Lincoln County
• Mary Ann Whitebear, Phelps County
• Mercedes Barg, Madison County
• Joy Harris, Nance County
• Cathy Hill-Klein, Platte County
• Hunter Purcell, Dodge County
• Sadie Hammond, Lancaster County
• Lisa Paul, Jefferson County
• Natasha Vavra, Cass County

Eleven individuals are receiving Outstanding Adult Volunteer Awards. These awards recognize current volunteers who have served more than four years in their local 4-H community. One individual is recognized for each Nebraska Extension Engagement Zone. Recipients include:

• Bill Riggs, Dawes County
• Jolene Dunbar, Loup County
• Dean Batie, Buffalo County
• Jo Teter, Red Willow County
• Doug McKibbon, Madison County
• Kathy Gorecki, Howard County
• Brigen Kinnison, Platte County
• Kim Jackson, Burt County
• Kath Conroy, Lancaster County
• Michael Scholz, Saline County
• Kim Cawley, Cass County

The Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Awards honor individuals who are making meaningful and lasting contributions to their local 4-H communities. 

"All across the state, Nebraska 4-H volunteers do incredible work to provide opportunities for our youth," says Jill Goedeken, 4-H Professional Development and Volunteer Extension Educator. "These volunteers generously give their time, energy, and creativity to help develop the next generation of leaders, and we are thrilled to be able to recognize their contributions." 

Recipients will be celebrated during a recognition ceremony at the 2022 Nebraska State Fair.

For more information about Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Awards, please visit 4h.unl.edu/volunteer-recognition.