Do you have a local volunteer that has served on your local foundation board and has been instrumental in developing fundraising ideas to support 4-H?

Do you know of a volunteer that has been key in raising funds to support 4-H?

Do you have a local person that is not afraid of asking others to support 4-H?

If so, your help is needed...but you might not have to do all the work yourself! Read on...

The Illinois 4-H Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2013 Larry Fischer Leadership and Spirit Award! Learn more about the award and who Larry Fischer is by visiting: http://4hfoundation.illinois.edu/larryfischer/intro

You could:

• forward this information to your local Foundation members and encourage the Foundation board to select a nominee and complete the application
• brainstorm potential county nominees at a staff meeting and identify someone (staff or volunteer) to complete the application
• share the information with other (4-H) committees in the county such as 4-H Youth Committee, Expansion & Review Committee, etc. for potential nominees and assistance in the process

This award was created to honor an individual that has significantly contributed to the local county and/or local county foundation's fundraising success!

Nomination Information:

Nominations Due: **Extended to May 15 (disregard the May 1 deadline on website and forms)**

Nominees must have served on the county 4-H or Extension foundation board or in a similar volunteer role as a fundraiser for county 4-H or Extension programs.

The person nominating the volunteer should print and complete the following application (Larry Fischer Application) and return it along with the following:

• A letter of nomination, which includes the nominee's:
• Significant contributions to the county's 4-H and/or Extension fundraising efforts
• List of outstanding professional accomplishments
• Notable contributions in citizenship and community service
• Other notable honors, special recognitions, civic and volunteer activities, and philanthropic interests
• Three (3) letters of support that focus on the individual's fundraising activity and successes
• Biographical sketch/description of career accomplishments (a résumé or curriculum vitae are also acceptable)

This award will be presented on campus on September 6 at the I-Hotel and Conference Center. Thanks in advance for your consideration! We hope you will nominate a deserving individual!

The Illinois 4-H Foundation welcomes your participation in honoring extraordinary members of our 4-H family by submitting their name for the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame.

Deadline for submission is: May 1, 2013!

Although we strongly encourage it, inductees are not required to attend the State Fair ceremony (this year's event will be Saturday, August, 10) so please do not let that be the reason you do not choose to submit someone that deserves the recognition–we will mail you the medallion and you can honor them locally.

The Illinois 4-H Foundation has some basic criteria and procedures that we would like you to review before making your selection:

• Each unit may select ONE honoree per county annually. This selection can be done directly by the County Director, the unit's professional staff team, the unit leader can appoint a selection committee, or consult with a local board.
• We prefer honorees to be living; however, the individual need not currently reside in your county(ies) or even within the state of Illinois. Please contact us if you want to consider inducting someone posthumously; we want these inductees to be "exceptions" to the rule. We would at least need to have a family member identified to accept the recognition.
• Your honoree should either be a former 4-H member in your respective county(ies), a current or former 4-H volunteer or supporter, or a past 4-H or Extension staff member. Current employees of University of Illinois Extension are not eligible.
• In mid-May, the Illinois 4-H Foundation will send a congratulatory letter to your county's inductee (with a copy to the respective County Director and nominator) and invite them to save-the-date of the Illinois 4-H Family Event at the State Fair on Saturday, August 10, 2013, where all inductees in attendance will be recognized as a group during the program. A formal invitation will follow the first week of July.
• Inductees that attend the event will receive their medallion at that time. The medallions for the inductees that do not attend the event will be mailed to the county/unit office by the end of September.
• We encourage you to also recognize your county's Hall of Fame inductee at a local event or 4-H achievement program sometime this fall.
• You must provide a high quality digital photo (color preferred) of the inductee when submitting the honoree information. The high quality head & shoulders digital photo should be emailed to us at: illinois4hfoundation@illinois.edu
• The submission form must be completed by May 1st at: http://4hfoundation.illinois.edu/hall_of_fame (click the BLUE link at the bottom of this page)

Illinois has been selected as one of five states to pilot the 4-H: Empowering Youth to End Hunger in Their Communities, an effort to heighten awareness of and solutions to reducing hunger and food insecurity in America. This grant opportunity, sponsored by the National 4-H Council with funding from the Howard G. Buffet Foundation is designed to engage and empower youth through service projects addressing community-based food security and hunger relief. Our goal is to engage a minimum of 500 youth and 100 adults in providing 10,000 service hours addressing this important issue. Program information for staff is posted to the Portal under Groups/4-H Contacts/Feeding and Growing Our Communities and includes:

Feeding and Growing Our Communities Overview – background information about the opportunity and useful websites.

2013 Illinois Challenge Grant Application – application form for use by 4-H clubs and extension staff in applying for funding.

4-H Ending Hunger Toolkit – a compiled source of resources, activities, and workshop suggestions to increase awareness of hunger and food insecurity and the Invest An Acre program for farmers and landowners.

Illini Fighting Hunger Community Partner Handbook – a step-by-step resource is provided by the Illini Fighting Hunger organization for groups interested in organizing a meal-packaging event to fight hunger in their community, county or region. Illini Fighting Hunger is a student led volunteer organization serving the UIUC campus and expands their reach into the state. If you are interested in observing and learning more about a meal-packaging event join Chancellor Phyllis Wise on April 20 as the U of I Campus community volunteers gather to assemble 146,000 meals representing 1,000 meals for every year the University of Illinois has been in existence.

This information will be posted to the State 4-H website and a notice will be emailed to 4-H leaders who had members enrolled in vegetable gardening during the 2011-12 4-H program year.

How can you get involved? Please communicate this opportunity to all 4-H clubs in your county/unit and challenge them to practice BIG M as they engage as a group to learn about hunger/food insecurity in their community and how they can become part of the solution in alleviating this significant need.

Feeding and Growing Our Communities Webinar – plan now to attend the Feeding and Growing Our Communities Webinar scheduled for Friday, April 19 from 1:30 – 2:30 PM. Following is the registration link:

https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=8182

Once your registration is complete you will receive a confirming email with the Meeting ID and Password.

2013 Illinois 4-H State Robotics Competition

The coach and team packet and judging scoresheets have been added to the 2013 Illinois 4-H State Robotics Competition Challenge page.

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/events/4hroboticschallenge2013.cfm

Anyone who would like to volunteer at the event as either a general event volunteer or as a judge should contact Bob Smith rasmth@illinois.edu.

Many youth are involved in community service activities – one example might be cleaning a river or stream bank in their community; youth may also be involved in learning something new, for example reading a book about improving their environment.

BOTH of these experiences positively impact youth; however a much bigger impact is made when youth look at the results from a water study; collect and analyze water samples; document their results; share the information with local community partners or a local pollution control agency; and discuss the impact these results may have on the future of the community. This would be an example of engaging youth in SERVICE LEARNING!

Register today for the Service Learning – Engaging Hands AND Heads Webinar, on Wednesday, April 17, 2013; from 1:30 – 2:45 PM where you will gain strategies to use as you move volunteers and 4-H clubs toward engagement in service learning experiences where adults and youth are equal partners in all elements of planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Register using the link below:

https://webs.extension.uiuc.edu/registration/default.cfm?RegistrationID=8076&

The April/May 2013 issue of the Illinois Leader is now available for download from the portal under Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It will also be posted shortly to the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Leader Resources: Illinois Leader. Please share this newsletter with your 4-H leaders via email, by linking it on your county/Unit web site, by including it in your county/Unit newsletter, or by providing paper copies at leader meetings.

4-H Professionals,

Please join us to participate in an interactive, online training opportunity to learn how to train volunteers and community partners in 4-H Science programs. 4-H National Science e-Academy Educational Highlights include:

• Participants will come away with the knowledge they need to train volunteers and community partners in 4-H Science programs.
• Subject matter experts, from across the country, will lead you through more than 22 hours of interactive learning sessions.
• Educators from within 4-H Science will make themselves available to answer questions and share their valuable experience and expertise.

We can promise that this virtual learning conference is unlike any other online learning opportunity that you have participated in previously. Please watch a short video Orientation of the E-Academy to learn more about this professional development opportunity.

Visit the E-Academy web page on 4-H.org for more information and to register for this training.

An overview of the sessions are as follows:

Day 1 (Feb 26): 4-H Science 101: 4-H science resource exploration, self-assessment and the tie in to high quality positive youth development

Day 2 (Feb. 28): Working with volunteers for 4-H science programs

Day 3 (Mar. 5): Working with limited resource and multicultural audiences in 4-H science programs

Day 4 (Mar. 7): Inquiry-based learning and Next Generation Science Standards

Day 5 (Mar. 12): 4-H Science evaluation and fund development

Day 6 (Mar. 14): An in depth look at some of our organizations' best practices and developing individual implementation plans

Once you register also be a on the lookout for weekly emails leading up to the conference announcing the 4-H Science Multi-Media Challenge, the opportunity to share your best practices and programs in a Virtual Poster Session, and an opportunity to win prizes!

The February/March 2013 issue of the Illinois Leader is now available for download from the portal under Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It will also be posted shortly to the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Leader Resources: Illinois Leader. Please share this newsletter with your 4-H leaders via email, by linking it on your county/Unit web site, by including it in your county/Unit newsletter, or by providing paper copies at leader meetings.

Just a reminder that there are some great resources online related to the 4-H robotics curriculum.

Online facilitator resources and professional development modules can be found at: http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/curriculum/4-h-robotics/facilitator-resources/professional-development/#Expand3

For example, there is a professional development module on Community Resource Cultivation: Participants develop strategies for building community support and continue to develop the action plan started; this includes strategies and templates for recruiting, funding and marketing a robotics program.

State 4-H Award Selection for the 2013 4-H award trips starts just after the first of the year. Here are a couple of items that you need to know:
1) The Transmittal Form for the 4-H member award applications has been posted to the 4-H Contacts Portal under Awards, Scholarships & Recognition. This form is to be sent in with ALL 4-H award submissions for National 4-H Congress, National 4-H Dairy Conference and the 4-H LCP Award. Award applications must be submitted to the State 4-H Office postmarked no later than January 4, 2013.

2) The Illinois Farm Bureau 4-H LCP Award is for members age 17 and older by December 1, 2012. The award focuses on Leadership, Citizenship, and Professionalism. Counties are permitted to submit TWO applications to the state selection process. The application is fairly simple - most of the items are "check if you've done it". There are two-tiers of awards for this program. The top ten scoring 4-H members are invited to the Premier 20 Leadership Conference in April - an elite conference for only 20 youth (10 4-H members and 10 FFA Section Presidents). The second awards are presented at the Illini Summer Academies 4-H Celebration Banquet in June. ALL counties should be able to submit at least ONE applicant to this program - it's a wonderful way to recognize those teen leaders who have successfully grown within the 4-H program.

3) We are asking counties to recruit volunteers for the State 4-H Awards Judging process. Judges will assist on Saturday, January 26 in Champaign by scoring the State 4-H Award Applications. The day starts at 9:00 a.m. with an orientation and recent judging has been completed by 3:00 p.m. We provide mileage reimbursement and if the judges live more than 1-1/2 hours from Champaign, we will also provide a shared hotel room for Friday evening, January 25.

Judges cannot have ANY personal ties to ANY of the applicants - relatives, same 4-H club, volunteers/staff who have assisted youth with their applications. Staff who are interested in assisting are welcome, but should have permission from their County Director to participate. Please email Deb Stocker if you are interested in helping. We will need all judges confirmed by January 11 so that we can finalize hotel rooming lists.

Award application information was covered in the 4-H 101: Recognition for Excellence Part 2 Webinar held April 12. If you are a new staff member or just want a review regarding the Competition level of the Recognition program, I encourage you to listen to the recording of the session: http://media.itcs.illinois.edu/telenet/.

The December 2012/January2013 issue of the Illinois Leader is now available for download from the portal under Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It will also be posted shortly to the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Leader Resources: Illinois Leader. Please share this newsletter with your 4-H leaders via email, by linking it on your county/Unit web site, by including it in your county/Unit newsletter, or by providing paper copies at leader meetings.

Nearly 60 llinois 4-H staff attended the 2012 NC Region Science Academy in St. Louis. An exciting followup to this professional development opportunity is being offered as the 2013 4-H Science E-Academy.

Over 12 interactive, online sessions will be offered over three weeks. All staff involved in supporting 4-H science volunteers are encouraged to participate. "Master" volunteers who play a role in supporting and/or training other volunteers are also invited to participate. Sessions will be accessed online. Each participant is encouraged to be at their own computer. More information on the session topics will be provided soon.

SAVE THE DATES!!!!

February 26 & 28

March 5 & 7

March 12 & 14

Daily Schedule: (Central Standard Time)
Plenary Session - 11:00-11:45
First Interactive Session - 12:00-1:30
Second Session - 2:00 - 3:30
Coffee House - 3:45 - 4:15

Clover Challenge Grants for 2012 – 13 Now Available

Applications for the 2012-13 4-H Clover Challenge Grant program are now available for downloading from the Illinois 4-H Foundation website. Thanks to DuPont Pioneer and the Illinois Soybean Association for sponsoring this opportunity for a second year. Staff and members can download the applications at: http://4hfoundation.illinois.edu/financial_support.

Staff are encouragedto review the applications on line as the information included will answer many of their questions. In addition to meeting both age and project requirements as listed in the application, selected applicants will be expected to:

• Secure an adult mentor (non-parent) to discuss their plans and seek advice/guidance and will meet with their mentor at least two times during the year
• Submit a Plan of Action detailing the steps they will follow to complete their study, secure the signature of their local 4-H Youth Development educator and their Mentor and return a copy to the State 4-H Office
• Agree to share their results using a minimum of two different methods to communicate with the public

Please note: all 2012 State FairExhibitors in Crops and Foods and Nutrition projects meeting the age requirements andreceived a Superior ratingwill receive a special email invitation to participate. Applications are due December 1 and program acceptance will be communicated with all applicants before January 1. Applicants will have between January 1 and July 31, 2013to complete their plan and report their accomplishments.

Please let me know if you have additional questions. Bill

The October/November 2012 issue of the Illinois Leader is now available for download from the portal under Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It will also be posted shortly to the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Leader Resources: Illinois Leader. Please share this newsletter with your 4-H leaders via email, by linking it on your county/Unit web site, by including it in your county/Unit newsletter, or by providing paper copies at leader meetings.

Webinar: 4-H Fiscal Issues and New Policies: An Introduction

This webinar will be held Thursday, August 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The intended audience is County Directors and 4-H YD and Metro Educators. This is an overview session. The major new policy changes and new tools and resources to implement those policies will be shared. Discussion will include how the major changes are to be integrated into the larger Extension organization. This will give you a "heads up" to guide 4-H program support staff and clerical support staff as they prepare materials for the new 4-H year.

A second webinar for 4-H Program Support Staff, Clerical Support Staff doing 4-H work as well as Educators and County Directors will be held on Thursday, Sept. 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon. I would strongly encourage either the CD or YDE be present with other staff for this second webinar! Another notice will be going out about this webinar but please remind all staff of the date. A previous notice was sent out by Denise Legvold on July 24. This session will be the "nuts and bolts" of the new policies, resources, and implementation strategies for the new 4-H year.

For the August 30 meeting, the meeting ID is 3687 and the password is 7654. The meeting place web address is https://meetingplace.aces.illinois.edu/a/db017998041145cc39bcfb09e70b9776. The session will be recorded but we encourage you to be present on this day if at all possible! If you can't attend, please plan to listen to the recording (once it is posted) but prior to the Sept. 6 webinar.

This year we will be providing Unit Management Handbooks for each County Director, each YD and Metro Educator, and each county office. It will also be posted on the portal and hopefully incorporated into a file that can be downloaded to your iPad. The Unit Management Handbooks should arrive in your office prior to Sept. 6.

A number of new/revised materials will be posted to MyExtension Portal (staff use) and to the Illinois 4-H web site (for staff as well as volunteers, parents, and members). This will be completed prior to the Sept. 6 webinar as well.

Please do not prepare new 4-H year packets for clubs, members, or volunteers until you have listened to the August 30 webinar and/or when the new materials are posted. We appreciate your patience on this matter but know that you have 4-H DMS enrollment finish up to do on your end as well. (See Dan Horn's message earlier today!)

August/September 2012 issue of Illinois Leader posted

Webinar provided by National 4-H Council
Wednesday, July 18th
Topic: Implementing Junk Drawer Robotics Curriculum

Please share with current and potential robotics leaders! This is a great way to get introduced to this new curriculum. It is designed for group learning and is great for camps, workshops and SPIN club activities. It can also be adapted for individual member use and is a low cost way to get involved in robotics. No kits required; just inexpensive and everyday items.

To learn more and to register, follow this link:

http://www.4-h.org/Templates/professional-development.aspx?id=59999&dt=7/18/2012

It is time to start promoting employment opportunities for the 2012 Illinois State Fair Junior Department! The REVISED State Fair Jr. Department Job Application and Job Listings have been posted on the Illinois 4-H website Fair & Exhibits page: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state4h/members/fairsandexhibits.cfm. We have openings for youth ages 14-15 (limited); 16 and over (LOTS) and adults as judges, project assistants, livestock crew, superintendents, and set-up crew. Please assist us with promoting these opportunities to your members, parents, volunteers, and others who may be interested.

We have also updated the 2012 Fashion Revue Narrative Instructions; those are also posted on the Fairs & Exhibits page. Please make sure to either download the information for your members or direct them to the webpage following your Fashion Revue Contest this spring/summer. Information is due by August 1 for those counties who are not requesting late entry status. Information from counties who have late entry status is August 7.

As a reminder to all staff, entries for the General 4-H Exhibits will be due August 1 to Dan Horn (via the State Fair DMS program) UNLESS you have contacted Dan by July 15 regarding late entries. Late entries are permissible only for those counties who have late 4-H Shows (July 30 or later).

The April-May issue of the Illinois Leader has now been posted to the Portal under Groups: 4-H Contacts: Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It has also been sent to our web folks to post on the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. Please consider a variety of methods to share this information with your 4-H leaders: print copy in newsletter, link on your county 4-H web site, email file to leaders, distribute copies at face-to-face meetings.

Register for upcoming 4-H 101 webinars via the updated registration site.These training opportunites are appropriate for 4-H staff, office support staff and county directors since each staff role has a unique part in supporting the Illinois 4-H program.

Once completed, 4-H 101 Webinarrecordings, powerpoints with notepages, and related documentswill be archived on the Portal; 4-H Contacts; Staff Development; Webinars.

Registration is open for these upcoming webinars:

Monday, March 12, 2012 - 1:30 PM - Think Green
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - 1:30 PM - 4-H Fiscal Issues
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - 10:30 AM - 4-H Shooting Sports
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 10:00 AM - SPIN Clubs
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 1:30 PM - State Fair Online
Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 1:30 PM - Recognition, Part II
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 1:30 PM - PYD BIG-M, Part I
Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 1:30 PM - PYD BIG-M, Part II
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 - 1:30 PM - State Fair Update


Click here for more information or to register: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=6575
NOTE: A confirmation for each 4-H 101 Webinar will be sent to your email account when you register. Save all email confirmations so you do not duplicate your registration.

Be aware that webinar times and days of the week vary and note those dates and times on your calendar.You are encouraged to register at least five days prior to each webinar as topic-specific information may be shared with participants prior to some sessions.

The IL 4-H Shooting Sports program will be holding an adult certification training May 18-20 at the 4-H Memorial Camp, Monticello, IL.

Adults, aged 21 and older, who are interested in becoming trained in the disciplines of archery, rifle (air and small bore), shotgun and coordinator can become certified to teach by attending this training. The training is scheduled from Friday the 18^th from 6:00 p.m. to Sunday the 20^th ending at 2:30 p.m. Cost for the training is $115.00, which covers all meals, 2 nights lodging, curriculum manual and all expendables, including ammunition.

Currently, 73 of Illinois' 102 counties are 'eligible' to deliver the program in their respective counties, and have trained 351 adults statewide. For counties that are not yet eligible to participate we are looking for adult volunteers interested in starting the program. Please contact your local Extension office for further information or contact Dan Dawson dddawson@illinois.edu State Coordinator, for additional information.

Event: 4-H Robotics

Description: Recruiting Volunteers and Community Partners to support 4-H Robotics Programs

Presenters: Amy Rhodes and Ann Sherrard, Extension Educators, 4-H Youth Development, University of Maryland Extension

Host: Partner Ops Aconnect 2

When: Wednesday 22 February 2012, 02:00 PM - 03:15 PM Time Zone: (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US and Canada)

To register for this event, please go the following link:

http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/e3werlhoaua/event/registration.html

Register for any or all of the upcoming 4-H 101 webinars.

This is a training opportunity for 4-H staff, office support staff and county directors, since each staff role has a unique part in supporting the Illinois 4-H programs.

The following 4-H 101 Webinars have already been completed and the powerpoints with notepages and related documents are available on the Portal under Groups; 4-H Contacts; Staff Development; Webinars:

Registration is open for these upcoming webinars:

• Thursday, February 16, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - Starting New 4-H Clubs
• Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 10:00 a.m. - SPIN Clubs
• Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - 4-H Ag Premium Fund
• Monday, March 12, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - Think Green Initiative - DATE CHANGED
• Tuesday, March 6, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - Recognition - Part I
• Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - 4-H Fiscal Issues
• Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - State Fair Online
• Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - Recognition - Part II
• Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - PYD BIG-M, Part I - NEW ADDITION
• Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - PYD BIG-M, Part II - NEW ADDITION
• Wednesday, May 30, 2012 - 1:30 p.m. - State Fair Update

Click here for more information or to register.

NOTE: A confirmation for each 4-H 101 Webinar is sent to your email account when you register. Please check for those email confirmations so you do not duplicate your registration.

Note that webinar times and days of the week vary. Please register at least 5 days prior to each webinar, as topic-specific info may be shared with participants before the sessions.

The 4-H Shooting Sports program recently held its first state advisory committee meeting, in Eureka, Illinois. The committee's purpose is to assist the program's overall efforts in the areas of: program policies and procedures, marketing, funding, competitions, including a state shoot, and general program direction.

The committee discussed several topics which included: the role of the committee; the current status of the program; Illinois adult volunteer certification trainings; current disciplines offered and adding wildlife/hunting; number of Illinois' Nationally trained instructors; recommend project manuals for the shooting disciplines; county project exhibit requirements; and competitions.

Members of the committee include: Don Wulf, Sangamon County; Paul Burton, Woodford; Tina Odle, Kankakee; Steve Dolniak, McLean; Andy Davis, Champaign; Bill Mohn, Sangamon; Paul Zeidler, (NWTF rep.); Pete Fandel, Woodford; Addison Phillips, McLean (Youth Rep.), and Kristin Wheeler, Sangamon (Youth Rep.), Dan Dawson, State Coordinator and Dr. Denise Legvold 4-H Director.

The committee selected Pete Fandel as Chairman. Meetings will be held periodically though out the year.

The February-March issue of the Illinois Leader has now been posted to the Portal under Groups: 4-H Contacts: Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. It has also been sent to our web folks to post on the Illinois 4-H web site under Volunteers: Volunteer Support: Illinois Leader. Please consider a variety of methods to share this information with your 4-H leaders: print copy in newsletter, link on your county 4-H web site, email file to leaders, distribute copies at face-to-face meetings.

We are still in need of about 5-6 judges for January 28 State 4-H Award judging. Details were in the blog posted dated December 15th.

Hotel requests for those over 1-1/2 hours away must be made by Tuesday, January 17 at the latest. Judging preferences (a form I send to those indicating interest) must be returned by Friday, January 20.

This is a great opportunity to recruit parents of members who haven't yet started the process or that aren't quite old enough to submit! Contact Deb Stocker if you or a volunteer may be interested!

State 4-H Award Applications are due to the State 4-H Office in January and must be postmarked by Wednesday, January 4 to be accepted. This includes applications for the 4-H LCP Award, sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau. The Illinois 4-H Award Applications are being submitted for selection to National 4-H Congress and National 4-H Dairy Conference. The 4-H LCP Applications are being submitted for selection to the IFB Premier 20 Leadership Conference and Illinois 4-H LCP (Leadership, Citizenship, & Professionalism) Award.

The Transmittal for these awards has been posted to the 4-H Contacts portal: Awards, Scholarships & Recognition.

New staff will want to review the 4-H Award Procedures and Policies in the Recognition for Excellence Illinois 4-H Awards Program Guide for Units that was sent to all county offices in early August. Depending upon your county award procedures, nominees for State 4-H Awards may already have been selected from your county/unit. Those youth have from now until the January 4th deadline (or earlier if you so choose) to update and revise their award applications before submitting them to the state process.

If you have questions on how to help your members complete these forms, please contact me and I will be glad to walk you through the process so that they can prepare the applications to their best advantage.

I am also seeking volunteers to help with the State 4-H Award Selection process on Saturday, January 28 in Champaign. Judges cannot have ANY personal ties to ANY of the applicants submitted....this includes parents, siblings, grandparents, 4-H leaders, and/or Extension staff who have helped members with their applications. Extension staff may assist if they have the permission of their county director. We will furnish hotel rooms for judges who are traveling more than 1-1/2 hours from Champaign. (Extension staff will need to initially pay for their room, then we will provide reimbursement.) I will be contacting past judges in early December about this process, but if you are interested (or have volunteers interested), please let me know.