Nebraska 4-H News

Nebraska 4-H members from across the state will showcase their designs during the 15th annual Omaha Fashion Week runway showcase.

The 4-H showcase will take place on Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Omaha Design Center, 1502 Cuming St., Omaha. Nineteen youth from 11 counties will model garments they sewed as 4-H projects in 2022. Participating youth are:

• Abigail Nelson, Gordon (Sheridan County 4-H)
• Alexa Smith, Lincoln (Lancaster County 4-H)
• Alison Schimmer, Grand Island (Hall County 4-H)
• Ava Caldwell, Omaha (Douglas/Sarpy Counties 4-H)
• Chloe Jeffers, Wauneta (Hayes County 4-H)
• Clara Johnson, Walton (Lancaster County 4-H)
• Danica Romshek, Bellwood (Butler County 4-H)
• Dayton Jons, Lincoln (Lancaster County 4-H)
• Emily Barfknecht, Juniata (Adams County 4-H)
• Emily Nelson, Gordon (Sheridan County 4-H)
• Karla Herrarte, Lexington (Dawson County 4-H)
• Kate Cox, Valentine (Cherry County 4-H)
• Kylie Hansen, Lincoln (Lancaster County 4-H)
• Lora Sonderup, Fullerton (Nance County 4-H)
• Maura Tichota, Yutan (Saunders County 4-H)
• Maya Soria, Kearney (Dawson County 4-H)
• Saidi Ringenberg, Lexington (Dawson County 4-H)
• Sydni Ringenberg, Lexington (Dawson County 4-H)
• Vanessa Peterson, Lincoln (Lancaster County 4-H )

The Midwest’s largest fashion event, Omaha Fashion Week, takes place twice a year, in February and August, and showcases young and emerging designers from throughout the region. For more information on Omaha Fashion Week, visit Omahafashionweek.com. Tickets for the 4-H showcase are available online at: https://omahafashionweek.ticketleap.com/ofw-spring-2023-metro-community-college-student-night/.

Every year, Nebraska 4-H Month brings thousands of young people, parents, volunteers, and alumni together to celebrate all the ways in which 4-H helps youth find a place where they belong. Across the state, Nebraska 4-H invites community members to celebrate:

• 4-H Spirit Day - Tuesday, February 7, 2023
  • Wear green, the 4-H emblem, or your favorite 4-H T-shirt!
  • Share your 4-H spirit on social media using #NE4HMonth, #iBelong, and #Opportunity4All
• 4-H Weekend of Service - February 11-12, 2023
  • Coordinate your own 4-H community service project, such as picking up trash, holding a food drive, collecting items for a local shelter, or making care packages. For more inspiration, check out these 4-H civic engagement ideas. After the project is complete, be sure to submit your community service project for a chance to see it showcased by Nebraska 4-H.  
  • Contribute to other groups' community service projects.
  • Volunteer your time with a local non-profit organization.
• 4-H Volunteer Appreciation Day - Tuesday, February 14, 2023
  • Send handwritten thank-you notes or make and deliver 4-H-themed treats or goody bags to your club and project leaders.
  • Shout out your club and project leaders on social media using #NE4HMonth.
  • Nominate your favorite 4-H volunteer for a Nebraska 4-H Volunteer Recognition Award.
• 4-H Supporter Appreciation Day - Tuesday, February 21, 2023
  • Ask your local Extension office for the contact information for a 4-H donor and sponsor. Send them a handwritten thank-you note.
• 4-H Professional Appreciation Day - Tuesday, February 28, 2023
  • Send hand-written thank-you notes or make and deliver 4-H-themed treats or goody bags to your local Extension office.
  • Shout out your local 4-H educators, assistants, and staff on social media using #NE4HMonth.

Many local celebrations and events will also be hosted throughout the month of February. Contact your local Extension office for more information about local celebrations. 

In addition to celebrating, youth are invited to join 4-H and complete the annual enrollment process during February. By becoming enrolled members, youth have the opportunity to join a club, exhibit projects at the county and State Fair, participate in contests, and apply for special awards and recognition. Enroll now at 4h.unl.edu/enroll.

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.