Peoria Clover News. Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit

Dear 4-H Families, March 2017 Peoria Clover News Fulton-Mason-Peoria-Tazewell Unit It s almost Spring! Along with the warm weather that will soon be here there are several 4-H activities coming up. Please be sure to read the newsletter so you don t miss any fun activities or important deadlines. With spring break around the corner, I hope you are all beginning to think about working on 4-H projects. Some of you may have already started on them but if you haven t this would be a great time to start. Remember this newsletter is our way of communicating with you, but it s up to you to read it. If there is any way we can help you get more out of 4-H please don t hesitate to call the Extension office. Sincerely, Cathy Ludolph Extension Program Coordinator 4-H Youth Development Paper Clover Campaign returns in April Dates for the Spring Paper Clover Campaign, held in conjunction with Tractor Supply Stores and National 4-H Council, will run April 26 to May 7. During that time, patrons may make contributions to their local 4-H programs at any Illinois TSC store. The campaign runs twice a year. Last fall, more than $900,000 was raised nationwide for 4-H. Information for the spring Clover Campaign in Peoria County will soon be sent to club leaders. Scholarship Opportunities High school senior should check out the Taco Bell scholarship program. Tell your story in a 2- minute video. The scholarship is not based on your grades or how well you play sports. There s no essays, no test scores, and no right or wrong answers. Taco Bell is looking for the next generation of innovators, creators, and dreamers. Its foundation will award $1 million to 100 young adults this year. Learn more@ https://www.livemasscholarship.com/#what Travel the world as an International Chaperone The following international travel opportunities are open. One chaperone is needed for the 4-week Japanese exchange with travel dates of July 12 August 10 and chaperone fee of $1,750. Costa Rica is open with travel dates of June 18 July 17 and chaperone fee of $1,050. Contact Miriam Rosenbohm, Illinois for 4-H international coordinator, rosembohm07@comcast.net

4-H Shooting Sports Spring Adult Certification Training Nothing s hotter than Illinois 4-H Shooting Sports. By summer, we will have certified more than 1,000 volunteer instructors for the program in nine years. Your next opportunity to get trained is May 5-7. Volunteers are required to complete the entire weekend training, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday until 2 p.m. Sunday. The training is held at 4-H Memorial Camp near Monticello. We will offer certification in the following disciplines: archery, rifle, shotgun, pistol, and hunting & outdoor. We will also offer certification in the shooting sports coordinator role. Cost of $125 per instructor will be sponsored by Extension. Interested volunteers MUST work through their local Extension office to conduct background and reference checks. No adults can attend without the approval of the local county Extension staff. Learn more online @ https://4h.extension.illinois.edu/programs/shooting -sports Peoria County 2017 Shooting Sports Schedule: Archery Starting April 2017 (Dates to be announced) Shotgun Mondays, June 5 July 10 Air Rifle Starting in the fall of 2017 (Dates to be Announced) Watch for e-mails and upcoming newsletters for more information. Shooting Sports Volunteers Needed Men and women, ages 21 and older, are eligible to apply to become Shooting Sports Instructors or Assistants. All 4-H volunteers begin the application process by completing a 4-H Volunteer packet and interview. Shooting Sports Instructors are required to go through training held by the Illinois 4-H Office. This training is offered twice a year, fall and spring. The 2017 spring adult certification training for the 4-H Shooting Sports program will be May 5-7 at the 4-H Memorial Camp in Monticello. All interested individuals are invited to attend the next Peoria County 4-H Shooting Sports Committee meeting on Monday, March 6, 5:30 pm at the Peoria Extension office. At this time we are in need of the following: 1) Additional Air Rifle Instructor 2) Additional Archery Instructor 3) Additional Shotgun Instructor 4) Instructors for new disciplines: - Hunting & Wildlife - Pistol Contact Cathy at Ludolph@illinois.edu or call (309) 685-3140 for more information Peoria County 4-H Shooting Sports Committee Meeting: Monday, March 6, 5:30 pm at the Peoria Extension office Summer Sizzle Shoot 2017 June 3, 2017 The Bureau, LaSalle & Marshall-Putnam County Shooting Sports program is hosting the shoot in partnership with Chillicothe Sportsmen s Club. This is open to any 2016-2017 4-H Shooting Sports Member. There will be three age divisions in Archery; Air Rifle,.22 Rifle and Shotgun. More information will be available March 15 on our website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp

Teens Leaders We re Looking for YOU! Want to make your mark on the statewide Illinois 4-H program? Apply for one of our statewide 4-H Teen Leader opportunities that are opening this spring and summer. All the applications will be available this spring @ https://4h.extension.illinois.edu/programs/leadership. - Illinois Farm Bureau Youth Education Committee Two Illinois 4-H members are selected to serve alongside two Illinois 4-H Livestock Ambassadors as the 4-H representatives to this committee of industry representatives and 4-H/FFA youth representatives to plan various programs throughout the year. If you enjoy agriculture, consider exploring this option. Terms run July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. Applications will be available by mid-march and are due May 1. Applicants must be 17-19 to apply. - Illinois State 4-H Youth Leadership Team This team of 22 4-H members and recent alumni plan, teach, implement, and evaluate the Illinois 4-H Jr. Leadership Conference and Speaking For Illinois 4- H program. They also assist at various statewide events throughout the year and have opportunities to travel to national conferences. Applicants must be 16-19 years of age by September 1, 2017 in order to apply for the 2-year teams. Interviews are required. Applications are available by mid-april and are due in June and late July for interviews at the Illini Summer Academies or State Fair. - Illinois 4-H Teen Leadership Conference Planning Committee If you attended the NEW Teen Leadership Conference in January, you may be interested in applying for the planning committee for the 2018 Teen Leadership Conference. We ll be looking for teens to work with us throughout the year to explore new options for next year s event. Applications should be available by mid-march and will be due May 1 as this group starts meeting during the summer months for this January 2018 event. Welcome New Members Jubilee Patriots Adam Davidson Laura Winners Julianne Kielion Ready4Life Challenge Exhibit Our mission in 4-H is to empower and prepare youth for successful futures. Now, we ve added an exhibit class that lets you show us what your future might be. Every project has a Ready4Life Challenge exhibit option. We created the challenge to encourage and recognize 4-H members who take their project to the next level by becoming experts on one or more of the careers related to the project or by starting a business using their project as the product, service, or tool of trade. Follow these steps: Enroll in a project area you like Prepare a physical/visual display representing your business, product, service, or career related to the project. Be prepared to offer verbal or written explanation that shows your knowledge of the related career or business, historical and emerging trends, requirements for success in the field and an action plan for preparation that may include items such as an educational pathway plan, a resume, and/or business plan. Just so you know, the judging for this class is MORE about your knowledge of the career/business side of the project and LESS about the skill in the project itself. For example, if you enter the Woodworking Ready4Life Challenge class, a judge will focus in on your knowledge of the woodworking business (training opportunities, your business plan, a portfolio of designs, etc.). Sure, they ll want to see something you ve made, but that WON T be the focus of their judging of the project. An EXTRA exhibit entry in EVERY project has been added to the state fair this year. Upcoming Meetings March 6 - Shooting Sports Committee / Extension Office, 5:30 p.m. March 7 - Livestock Superintendents & Auction Committee Mtg. / Kickapoo Township Hall, 7 p.m. March 28-4-H Leaders Meeting/Training / Extension Office, 6 p.m.

Speaking for Illinois 4-H Training, May 6 Look to advance your leadership skills and become part of the state Speaking for Illinois 4-H leadership team! If you are 14-18 years of age and looking to take a new step in leadership, join us May 6 at the Effingham Extension Office. This all-day training will prepare you to help your local 4-H program in soliciting donors, speaking to community groups, and keeping county board members informed of local 4-H impact. On a state level, those attending will be invited to participate in 4-H Legislative Connection events at the state capitol and tell their story to our Illinois Representatives and Senators. Cost is $10. Registration is open @ go.illinois.edu/sfi4h. Get Healthy; is your robot up to the challenge? The theme for the 2017 Illinois State 4-H Robotics Competition has been announced, and we think your robots will be jumping for joy. if they do, they might earn points for it! HEALTH BOT 2017 will have a Healthy Living theme. You ll compete as a team of up to 10 members while you design a course and program your robots to complete tasks related to healthy living: jogging, weight lifting, playing soccer, cheering, visiting the library, filling a plate, getting vaccines and helping the needy. We can t wait to see all the ways your promote HEALTH. All the fun happens Saturday, May 6. The contest has a new location The Orr Building on the state fairgrounds in Springfield. Find out all the details and WATCH THE VIDEO describing the challenge @ go.illinois.edu/4hrobotics 4-H ers serve as True Leaders of Service during National 4-H Day of Service 4-H clubs across the nation will be using their hands to larger service as part of the first National 4-H Day of Service during April 2017. 4-H ers can work on projects at any time during the month of April, however April 29 as been identified as the date to celebrate the culmination of service outreach. The goal of National 4-H Day of Service is to encourage 4-H members in every county to make an positive difference. National 4-H Day of Service is open to everyone in the community, 4-H members, families, volunteers and community partners. Service projects can be done by individuals or as an entire county 4-H program. No matter what the project, this will be a day to make a difference. 4-H National Headquarters, National 4-H Council, and State 4-H Partners are working with the National 4-H Citizenship Leadership team to create a tool kit and website that will be launching soon to provide tools and resources to plan success service experiences across the nation. Included will be: National 4-H Day of Service Planning Guide; Service Project Ideas; Project Implementation Timeline; Web-based Service Project Registration and Reporting Resource; and a media tool kit. Watch for National 4-H Day of Service resources that will be released soon as you begin identifying the difference you will make! Think Summer and Register for Camp Registration for Summer Camp at 4-H Memorial Camp will open January 9. Go online at go.illinois.edu/4hcamp. Choose from four 5-day camp weeks: Week 1: June 4-8 Week 2: June 11-15 Week 3: June 25-29 Week 4: June 30 July 4 If you ve always loved camp, but are too old to attend, consider serving as a camp counselor or camp staff member. Applications are available online.

State fair age change means all 4-H members are eligible Become part of the solution to hunger in Illinois - Join the 4-H Feeding and Growing Our Communities team It is estimated one in five Illinois children, almost 745,300 children under the age of 18, face hunger and food insecurity on a recurring basis. To respond to this sad reality, Illinois 4-H is continuing to address this hunger challenge through the 4-H Feeding and Growing Our Communities program. Illinois 4-H club members are encouraged to accept the challenge of addressing hunger in their community. We want 4-H members, volunteers, families and whole communities to be part of the solution for alleviating hunger where you live. Here are some ways you and your 4-H club may help: Establish a community 4-H garden where members grow fresh vegetables to be given to local food pantries, soup kitchens, or shelters serving individuals in need. 4-H members enrolled in vegetable gardening can Plant a Row for the Hungry and donate their extra produce to local food pantries, churches, and other organizations serving families facing food insecurity. Encourage other gardening enthusiasts to Plant a Row for the Hungry and pledge to donate their extra produce to local food pantries, and organizations serving families in need. Conduct a canned food drive to support a local food pantry. Contact your local U of I Extension office for more ideas or details how you can help fight hunger in your community. Grants are available to help fund your Feeding and Growing project. All Illinois 4-H members who were 8 to 18 years of age on Sept. 1, 2016 are eligible to show in BOTH the Junior Livestock Show and the 4-H General Project Show of the State Fair. Last year, we had a 28% growth in general project exhibits and many of them were 8- and 9-year-olds. If you are an active member of FFA who is 19 to 21 years of age, you may also qualify to exhibit at the Junior Livestock Show if you meet one of these criteria: Maintain active membership on the roster of their local high school FFA Chapter; Maintain active membership in a collegiate FFA Chapter in a post-secondary institution of higher education in the State of Illinois; or Maintain active membership in an Illinois FFA Alumni Chapter. Since 4-H age ends at 18, the only way to exhibit at the state fair junior livestock show if you are 19 to 21 is to be an active FFA members as verified by Illinois FFA. 4-H members exhibiting in the General Project Show must be selected as a delegate at their county 4-H show. Do your part to help at ISF Have you ever thought about judging at the Illinois State Fair? Last year, more than 3,200 4-H exhibits were judged in just four days. It takes almost 150 judges and helpers a day to make the 4-H Show successful. We are accepting applications for judges and helpers NOW online @ https:// web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/? RegistrationID=15711. You can select the project area you have expertise and the days you are available to judge. Your application will be reviewed and someone will get back with you to see if your help is needed this year. Let this year BE THE YEAR you help. Dates Set for Illinois State Fair Junior Show If you are one of the 2,000 4-H members who exhibit livestock at the Illinois State Fair, pay close attention to the revised schedule for 2017 s fair. The NEW livestock show book will be available soon online at the state fair website. The Junior Show and Open Show information is now together in ONE BOOK. Illinois 4-H is proud to partner with the Illinois Department of Ag and support the efforts of the Illinois State Fair.

Get your buzz on! FREE STUFF FOR CLUBS Become a 4-H Citizen Scientist Hands to larger service, the third H of the 4-H pledge, is what awaits Illinois 4-H members interested in taking science to a new level in the 4-H Citizen Scientist program. Thanks to the generous support of Archer Daniels Midland, this program will provide junior and senior high youth interested in environmental science opportunities to extend learning beyond current 4-H project work into the world of hands-on research. Members observe and record information on a given site, collect data from samples taken at their site and contribute their data to the growing field of scientific research related to water quality. The program is open to current 4-H members and volunteers, as we well as youth and adults who are not current members but wish to learn how to improve their local environment. Counties are encouraged to recruit teams of 1-2 adult volunteers and 3 5 teen youth interested in environmental education around water quality. Participating teams will receive specialized training at no cost. Unit offices will receive a tool kit of equipment for use by 4-H citizen scientist teams in their data collections. Participants are required to attend a one-day session through the Illinois RiverWatch organization. The following training is in our area: April 29--Peoria registration due by April 19 Click on this link to register: at http:// events.constantcontact.com/register/event? llr=wx7o69dab&oeidk=a07edl7h880f8b38664. Special instructions for 4-H members and volunteers. 4-H members must select "payment by check" and list their organization as their 4-H club & county so that the Illinois 4-H office can pay your registration fee. NOTE: there needs to be at least one adult 4-H volunteer who will be guiding the 4-H Citizen Scientist team attending the training with the team. Honeybees and other pollinators play an important role in our food production. These same pollinators are under stress from a number of factors: pests, disease, lack of habitat, and more. By planting a pollinator garden, your club can help increase honeybee populations. The program is sponsored by GROWMARK and FS. Clubs which want to participate get lots of free stuff from Growmark: ¼ pound of seed for each club. Planting and care instructions. Educational signage. A customized press release to use in your local newspaper. Publicity for the program through our SOURCE magazine, FS member cooperative newsletters, and social media. Clubs that participated in the program last year are automatically re-enrolled in the program. Clubs will need to: Locate a public place and secure permission to plant a pollinator garden. This could be in a park, near a school, along a well-traveled road, at the fairgrounds, or any visible location. Look for a location with approximately 700 square feet, or multiple locations that add up to that size. Please do this before filling out the application. Complete an online application by March 31, 2017: www.bit.ly/20174hpollinator Prepare the planting site per provided instructions. Plant the seed once the danger of frost has passed in your area. Place provided educational signs near the garden. Tend to the garden throughout the summer. Keep it looking nice and neat, and water if necessary. Share photos of the garden and the pollinators it attracts with GROWMARK and your local media. Work with your local FS cooperative to offer advice and answer questions you may have about pollinators or agriculture in general. For more information, contact Karen Jones (kjones@growmark.com or 309-557-6184)

Explore life at U of I s ACES Learn about chocolate, put your hand inside of a cow, taste hot pepper sauces, and learn about the opportunities awaiting you in Washington, DC! Explore ACES, a two-day student-run event, acquaints prospective and admitted students with ACES (College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences) faculty, academic offerings, and countless student organizations. More than 100 exhibits showcase academics, research, and innovative student projects. Learn about study abroad programs, what students can do with their ACES degrees, and how to apply for more than $3.5 million in scholarships. Join the more than 2,000 students who will attend Explore ACES on Friday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, March 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Help Illinois win $20,000 Starting March 1, we need every 4-H alum to raise their virtual hand and be counted by National 4-H Council. It s easy to do. Go to: http://4-h.org/raise-your-hand and complete the online form. You ll even have a chance to donate $10 if you want to help Illinois 4-H. That s up to you. The state with the most hands raised during this campaign wins $20,000. So, spread the word and tell all your friends tweet it, post it, chat it, email it. you can even speak it aloud! Watch our social media channels March 1 for the BIG PUSH to raise all the hands of Illinois Alum! Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday, March 12 How well do you know your equine? The State 4-H Horse Judging Contest will be held Saturday, April 8 at Black Hawk College, 26230 Black Hawk Road, Galva. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with the contest following at noon. The contest is open to all 4-H members; one does not need to own a horse or be enrolled in a horse project to participate. Participants must bring signed horse judging cards with them to registration. The cards require an Extension staff signature and are available from the local office. Youth will judge six classes of horses, at least two being halter classes. Youth 14 years of age and older may also choose to participate in oral reasons following the classes. For those not participating in the oral reasons class, one question class will be required. AQHA Ranch Riding has been added to the list of possible performance classes to be judged. Top-placing youth will be invited to participate in an invitational judging contest where the national team will be determined. Lamb and Goat Weighing & Tattooing Listed below are the closest locations for weighing and tattooing for 2017 State Fair lambs and goats. These are the ONLY locations that 4-H and FFA members can weigh sheep and goats that will possibly be shown at this year s state fair. If you have any questions, please contact the Extension Office. Dates and locations closest to our area are: McLean County Fairgrounds, Bloomington April 29 / 9 a.m. - noon McDonough County 4-H Fairgrounds, Macomb April 29 / 9 a.m. - noon Western Illinois Vet Clinic, Quincy April 29 / 1:00-3:00 p.m. Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield May 13 / 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

NEW ACADEMIES, MODERN DORMS, EXTRA NIGH Experience college life at 4-H Illini Summer Academies Registration is now open for the 2017 4-H Illini Summer Academies. Dates this year are Sunday, June 25 through Thursday, June 29. You ll stay in the newer living quarters on campus, Bousefield Hall. We have new academies including Agricultural Communication, Journalism and Filmmaking, Theatre Arts HIP HOP, Theater Arts Costuming, as well as an advanced session in Human Development/ Family Studies. Imagine getting to work alongside university professors while you re still in HIGH SCHOOL! Imagine getting to hang out on a college campus. Imagine spending five days with kids your age from all across Illinois. That s what happens at Illini Summer Academies, so stop imagining it and just do it! This program offers teens the opportunity to explore the University of Illinois campus and many degree programs and careers. The cost of the Conference varies depending on which Academy of study you choose. Payment is requested at the time of registration via credit card. Payments made by check must be received within 1 week of registration or the registration will be canceled. Registration closes May 15. Financial need scholarships will be available from Illinois 4-H Foundation donors. The conference is open to youth who have completed 8 th grade by the conference and will be at least 14 by Sept. 1, 2017. Cancellations & Refunds must be sent in writing to us @ illinois4h@illinois.edu. Requests received before April 1 will receive a full refund. Requests received from April 1 to May 1 will receive a 50% refund. No refunds will be permitted after May 1. Academies for 2017: Journalism: Activating Your Voice of Inclusion in the Media Aerospace Engineering: Animal Science Chemistry Illinois Informatics Institute: Design Thinking with Digital Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping Electrical & Computer Engineering Exploring Human Development & Family Studies Exploring Theatre & Fashion for Stage and Film at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Exploring Theatre & Hip Hop at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Grand Challenges in Family Science Entomology: Honeybees & Beekeeping Molecular & Cellular Biology Anthropology Ag Communications Veterinary Medicine For more information please contact the Extension office at 309.685-3140 Federation Meeting All 4-H members age 12 and up are invited to attend the next Federation Meeting Tuesday, March 14, 6 to 8 pm at the Peoria Extension Office. AWESOME! Thank you to all the 4-H clubs that donated Birthday Bags for our Unit Community Service Project. Together we collected over 80 birthday bags that will be donated to food pantry s in the Peoria County area.

QAEC - Quality Assurance & Ethics Certification Online ethics certification required for everyone taking 4-H animal projects All 4-H members enrolled in an animal project area are required to complete the online Quality Assurance and Ethics course one time in order to stay enrolled in an animal project area. The certification must be done if you are enrolled in one of the following projects: beef, dairy, cats, dogs, goats, horses, poultry, rabbits, sheep, and swine. Members who don t complete the certification before the show will be removed from the project and not be allowed to show. Anyone who has already taken the certification does not need to retake the test. The local office has a list of those already certified. The website is located online at: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/qaec/. This rule applies to 4-H members who exhibit live animals AND poster exhibits. Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Certification The PQA Certification must be renewed on an ANNUAL basis. This year we will not be scheduling a class for this certification. Members must now take the class on-line. Members must go to www.pork.org/login If first time you will need to set up an account. Youth ages 8-12 must have a parent register for them. Written exams are available to members that are ages 12-19 years if you choose to do it that way. Please contact our office for details. We will be sending out an email to the members currently enrolled in swine that need to be recertified. Farmers Share Breakfast Saturday, March 11 7 to 11 a.m. Exposition Gardens Don t miss out on a big farm breakfast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, milk, juice and coffee for only 70 cents. There will be some fun things for the kids and other farm displays. There will also be an Silent Auction with proceeds going to the Ag Literacy program and scholarships for students pursuing a degree in an Ag-related field. This breakfast is sponsored by the Peoria County Farm Bureau. 4-H Day with the Cardinals Don t forget to get your ticket orders in for a game with the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, May 20. The Cardinals play the San Francisco Giants at 6:15 p.m. With your ticket order you can purchase chances to throw out the first pitch and other nice prizes. All orders must be postmarked by April 10. But the sooner you send in the better. Tickets sell out quickly and go to first come, first served. Order forms can be found on the website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/fmpt/4h.html Food Share Can-A-Thon Sunday, March 19 Information was sent to all the club leaders. This is a good Community Service Project for all 4-H Clubs. For more information, contact Pepper Bauer at 309-697-5762.

Peoria County Executive Council 4810 N. Sheridan Rd. Peoria, IL 61614-5928 Telephone: (309) 685-3140 PRSRT.STD. U.S. Postage Paid Lewistown, IL 61542 Permit No. 35 Peoria County 4-H Newsletter If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in any program, please contact the Extension Office at (309) 685-3140. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.