Rowan 4-H December Newsletter

From the 4-H Agent,

Laura Allen:

As we gear up to close out our 2023 year, I want to thank you for your participation and involvement in Rowan County 4-H this year! We have had a full and wonderful year. I'm looking forward to 4-H in 2024!

Now is a great time to help your child start and/or finalize their 4-H Project Record Books, Portfolios, and/or Achievement Plans, which showcase their 4-H work from 2023. There is also the chance to apply to the Rowan County 4-H'er of the Year or to apply for NC 4-H Honor Club! There are some helpful links further down in the newsletter.

Click here for Rowan 4-H page on Facebook

Click here for Rowan 4-H page on Instagram

If you need anything, please contact me at:
laura_allen@ncsu.edu or 704-216-8970.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Laura

IMPORTANT!

As I finalize some of my 4-H event reporting for 2023, you MAY see notifications from 4-HOnline. I will be adding youth to events they participated in. If you get these notifications, please ignore them.

ALSO:

4-HOnline will close down in mid-December. It will reopen for 2024 4-H Enrollment in mid-January. I will send out information in 2024 when it is open.

Once 4-HOnline opens for 2024, please go ahead and re-enroll your child in a timely manner. It will save a lot of the 2023 enrollment information, but PLEASE take time to make sure the saved information (especially allergies, medical info, emergency contacts & who can pick up your child) is still accurate. If it is not still accurate, please make any necessary changes before you submit enrollment for 2024.

Once you have submitted your enrollment, it is too late to make changes. You will then have to submit any changes to the 4-H Agent at laura_allen@ncsu.edu so we can update it in 4-HOnline.

Upcoming Meetings

County Council: for youth ages 12-18 years old as of January 1

**If your child is 12-18 as of Jan 1 and they are interested in County Council, please email Laura to get on the County Council email list for all reminders and updates for this group!

-Next County Council meetings:
-Thursday, December 18 from 6-7 PM at the Extension office (we will be voting on 2024 officers and working on Achievement Night script & plans)

PALS: These meetings are for any parent, alumni, leader or supporter of Rowan County
4-H. If you are interested in 4-H or new to 4-H, you are invited to attend these meetings as well! Please come share your ideas for 4-H and help us find ways to support Rowan County 4-H.

-Join us on Zoom on Monday, December 11 at 7 PM. This is an important meeting to finalize and vote on the PALS 2024 budget and officers.

Zoom link: https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/99579797690?pwd=Z2gvbE9yZzFBNXZsbHhlMVdBd2hpUT09

4-H Shout Outs

Congratulations to Barrett Devine, Easton Hellard, Bryan Meza & Justin Meza who participated in the NC 4-H Egg-cellent Egg Contest. Bryan and Justin each placed 1st in their age/category and Easton placed 3rd in his age/category. Great job to all!

Olivia Stirrup competed in the National 4-H Egg Chef Challenge competition on November 16 in Louisville, Kentucky. She demonstrated her "Scrambled Eggs with a Twist" recipe while also giving a presentation on egg knowledge and nutrition. She placed 3rd in the nation, winning a pin and $175. Congratulations to Olivia!

Thank you to all those who participated in the NC Kids Voting-Rowan citizenship event on November 7. We had 41 youth "vote" in this kids-only election. You can click here to find the kids-only election results.

Congratulations to 4-H Volunteer Cassie Foster who was elected as the President-Elect of the South Central District Volunteer Leaders' Association during the VLA Fall Day on Nov. 4. Special thanks to Cheryl Oster who has served as the SCD VLA Treasurer for the past two years.

Thanks to all those who donated tissues to the 4-H Tissue Drive. We brought in 150 boxes and 32 small individual packages. Tissues were donated to China Grove Elementary, Corriher-Lipe Middle School, Millbridge Elementary, Mt. Ulla Elementary, and South Rowan High School.

PREPARE NOW for completing:

-4-H Achievement Plans (all 4-H ages eligible)

-Rowan County 4-H'er of the Year application (13-18 as of Jan 1)

-NC 4-H Honor Club application

Achievement Plans & Rowan County 4-H'er of the Year, and NC 4-H Honor Club applications due to Mrs. Laura no later than 5 PM on January 26, 2024.

Achievement Plan (Have your child fill out this form annually and add to it to document their 4-H experience and to get recognized at Achievement Night. This will also be helpful for 4-H awards & college scholarships in the future!)

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Rowan County 4-H'er of the Year application.

CLICK HERE to learn more about NC 4-H Honor Club. (please submit to 2-3 weeks prior to deadline so I can critique it prior to final submission)

Rowan 4-H Volunteer Reporting for 2023

If you are registered as a 4-H Volunteer in 4-HOnline it is super important that you report your hours and contacts! This greatly assists Laura with her Extension reports every year, since your hours and contacts must be reported!

Please go to go.ncsu.edu/2023monthly4hreportrowan and complete your reports. Reports are due 10 days after the end of each month (January contacts due by Feb. 10). Email reminders will be sent to those who should be completing reports. It should only take about 5 minutes!