2024 UConn 4-H Goat Day

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UConn 4-H Goat Day Registration is open!
UConn 4-H Goat Day 2024 will take place on April 6th on the UConn Storrs campus. Workshops include dairy, fiber and meat goat workshops and are open to individuals ages 7 and up. Registration deadline is March 13th. Early registration is encouraged. Event information is available at s.uconn.edu/4-Hgoatday. Registration may be mailed in or submitted online at  s.uconn.edu/goatdayreg.
 
Questions can be directed to Jen Cushman, jennifer.cushman@uconn.edu.

2024 UConn 4-H Expressive Arts Day

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UConn 4-H Expressive Arts Day will be held on Saturday, March 23rd at the Litchfield County Extension Center and the Five Points Art Center, both in Torrington.  This exciting one-day event will include the 4-H Fashion Review, Photography and Art Contests along with the Textile Arts Contest. Workshops and an awards program are also part of this day.  Registration is $10 per person.  Please review the guidelines for each of the contests you will be participating in.  Please note photography entries are due by March 1st to Nancy Wilhelm and general registration is due by March 15th.  Art and Textile Arts entries are brought to the event for judging.

General Overview

Registration Form

Fashion Review Guidelines

Smart Shopper Workbook

Sewn Outfit Judging Form

Art Contest Guidelines

Photography Contest Guidelines

Textile Arts Contest Guidelines

Schedule

9:00 a.m. Registration
Senior Fashion Revue evaluations for Court of Honor begins at 9:15 am

9:15 a.m. Opening Announcements

9:30-10:15 Session I
• Workshops
Participants will be asked to sign up for their workshops on-line. Information will be sent to the online
registration after we receive your registration. On-line workshop registration will close on Sunday March
17 at 5pm – so register early. A variety of interesting and fun workshops are available. Choose from
square dancing, bell ringing, mindfulness art, quilting and 3D string art. Limited to 10-12 youth per most
workshops. First come first serve.

10:20-11:05 Session II
• Workshops Repeated

11:10-12:10 Session III
• Fashion Revue modeling workshop for all Fashion Revue participants
• Some workshops repeated for those not in Fashion Revue

12:15-12:45 Awards Program in
This portion of the event includes the 4-H Fashion Revue and award presentations

 

UConn 4-H Horse Event Day

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The UConn 4-H Horse Event Day will be held on Saturday, February 24 at the Middlesex County Extension Center in Haddam.  It includes Giddy Up Games, the Model Horse Show and the 2024 Horse Poster Contest.

Giddy Up Games is a fun, interactive program where teams of two participate in horse-themed challenges and win prizes at the end of the day.

The Model Horse Show exhibit drop off begins February 10 and goes through February 22.  Model Horse show judging will be February 23, as it takes a very long time to judge.  Model Horse Show awards will be given out following Giddy Up games on the 24th.

Poster can be submitted on the 24th, as the rubric for that is far less complicated.  Registration information for all 3 events is in the registration packet.  Please share with your community.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A HORSE PROJECT TO DO ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES!  All participants are welcome.

Registration Packet

 

 

2024 UConn 4-H Dairy/Beef Day

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UConn 4-H Dairy/Beef Day will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 9:00am to 2:30pm at the UConn Storrs campus.  Check in is from 8:30 to 9:00am in the Chemistry Building.  There will be lots of activities and workshops available throughout the day.  Registration fee is $10 per person.  Registration deadline is February 14th.  T-shirts will be available for both youth and adults.  Anyone wanting a t-shirt must pay the $10.00 registration fee by the February 14th registration deadline, no extras will be ordered.  Snow date is March 10th.

Registration Form

 

4-H Nutrition and Food Show

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The Open 4-H Nutrition & Food Show registration is now open. The event will take place on Saturday, February 24th at the 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm. This year’s program includes an International Food entry competition, workshops, milkshake contest and grilled cheese competition. NEW this year, the top senior team from milkshake and grilled cheese will qualify for selection as the UConn 4-H team to compete in September at The Big E.

 

Registration & Information Packet 

 

Registration is due FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16th 

 

2024 UConn 4-H Sheep Day

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UConn 4-H Sheep Day will be held on February 3rd at the UConn Storrs campus from 9am to 3pm.  Activities include sheep judging and selection, hands on activities with Veterinarians, halter making and quiz bowl.  Registration is $15 per attendee.  Youth must have a chaperon on the premises.  If parent/guardian will not be accompanying a youth participant the adult accompanying each youth must have a 4-H member health form in their possession signed by the youth’s parent/guardian.

Registration Form

Dairy Judging 101

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Dairy Judging 101 will be held on January 27th from 9am to 4pm at the UConn Storrs campus.  This workshop will help participants improve their judging skills and gain skill and confidence in your reasons.  Open to all.  Each 4-H member attending must be accompanied by a parent or approved volunteer as their chaperon for the day.

Registration Flyer

 

 

10 Ways to Volunteer with UConn 4-H

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group of 4-H members and their leaders at the Beardsley Zoo
Linda Tomas (second from the right) has mentored over 150 youth in her 35 years as a UConn 4-H volunteer with the Beardsley Zoo.

No matter how much time you have, volunteering with UConn 4-H makes a difference by helping youth explore and discover the skills they need to lead for a lifetime. There are lots of ways to get involved! Please note, your volunteer experience and/or opportunities may be happening virtually or in-person. Contact UConn 4-H for more information and apply to be a UConn 4-H volunteer today at s.uconn.edu/helpus.

Help youth lead a club

  • Assist a youth club leader with organizing meetings, speakers, and other logistics.
  • Assist and/or mentor a 4-H volunteer who is serving as a project leader.

Teach a skill

  • Organize a club, or share your skills by teaching a club meeting workshop, devoted to your area of specialty.

Judge projects

  • Serve as a judge for 4-H exhibits, competitions or performances, providing encouragement and suggestions for improvement.

Plan or help at an event

  • Volunteer at a county/state special event; from set-up or clean-up to serving food or taking registrations, there are a lot of ways to get involved.

Serve on an advisory board/committee

  • Sit on a local advisory or county governing board to help determine program priorities.

Help with a specific 4-H project

  • Advise a 4-H member in their project work: help youth identify and set goals, create and implement a plan, and reflect on what they learned and would do differently next time.

Assist with program delivery

  • Volunteer at an after school program, a summer program, camp program event or club meeting.

Volunteer on a fair organizing committee

  • Volunteer at a local fair – be inspired by the talents and creativity of the next generation while promoting the country’s largest positive youth development organization!
  • Work in the food booth or help in the 4-H exhibit hall or at the 4-H show ring.

Utilize your professional skills

  • Share your technical skills and knowledge to develop subject matter for curriculum/project sheets.
  • Utilize your professional skills to assist with with creating marketing tools, graphic art, word documents, webpages, videos, online training modules, etc.
  • Intern at your local Extension office with the 4-H program, a great resume builder.

Share your experiences

  • Share your hobby/passion – inspire a young person as a guest speaker or short-term instructor.
  • Share your career path – invite a 4-H’er to shadow you for the day.
  • Share your educational path/give a testimonial – how did you get to where you are? (If you are a college student – how did you choose your school, what are you pursuing, what are you aspiring to do?)

Apply to be a UConn 4-H volunteer today at s.uconn.edu/helpus

UConn 4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension. 4-H has access to research-based, age-appropriate information needed to help youth reach their full potential through UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). The mission of 4-H is to assist all youth ages five through 18 in acquiring knowledge, developing leadership and life skills while forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of their families and communities.

UConn 4-H uses the thriving model in our Extension youth development programs, and these align with all the strategic initiatives in CAHNR. These include climate adaptation and resilience; promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion; enhancing health and well-being; ensuring sustainable agriculture and food systems; and fostering sustainable landscapes at the urban-rural interface. Learn more at s.uconn.edu/4-H.

Youth are Invited to Apply for Biotechnology Program

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girl with a strand of DNAYouth are invited to apply for a new biotechnology career readiness program with UConn Extension’s 4-H program. Cohorts of teen 4-H members will build knowledge and career awareness through the program, while also visiting laboratories, meeting with biotechnology professionals, and developing a biotechnology video game.

Applications are available now for this new program at s.uconn.edu/biotech – youth ages 14-18 with an interest in learning about biotechnology and exploring career opportunities are invited to apply. 

Selected participants will join a cohort, visit agriculture, food, and biotechnology companies in the state (including participating in field trips), explore careers in food, agriculture, biotechnology and STEM, and help build online games. Each group is limited to 20 youth, ensuring that all participants receive ample opportunities to interact with program leaders and industry professionals.

“Our project is propelling innovative biotechnology and STEM career work in our 4-H youth development program to the next level. We will sustain project outcomes through ongoing support from our partners. This is a strategic growth area for the 4-H program and Extension,” says Jennifer Cushman, the principal investigator on the grant. Cushman is also the co-team leader for the UConn 4-H program.

Youth will also experience the 4-H fundamentals of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. These all align with a Whole Child approach through the 4-H Thrive Model. Evaluation will include the 4-H Common Measures validated instrument.

Visit s.uconn.edu/biotech for more information on the new project and for the youth participation application.

UConn 4-H is the youth development program of UConn Extension.  As part of the University of Connecticut, 4-H has access to research-based, age-appropriate information needed to help youth reach their full potential.  The mission of 4-H is to assist all youth ages 5-18 in acquiring knowledge, developing leadership and life skills while forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing members of their families and communities.

This work is supported by the Food and Agriculture Nonformal Education program, grant no. 2022-68018-36094 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.