Alexander County 4-H Newsletter

picture of DJ Salyer, Alexander 4-H Agent at

From the 4-H Agent

As we head into May, excitement is building here in Alexander County 4-H as we prepare for one of our busiest and most exciting times of the year—Summer Fun and 4-H Camp!

Registration for our 2026 Summer Fun programs is now open, and we are thrilled to offer a variety of hands-on learning opportunities, day trips, and educational activities for youth across the county. From outdoor adventures and skill-building workshops to fun field trips and new experiences, there is something for everyone to enjoy this summer. Summer Fun is a great way for young people to stay engaged, make new friends, and continue learning outside of the classroom.

We are also eagerly counting down the days until 4-H Camp! Camp is always a highlight of the year, giving youth the chance to unplug, explore the outdoors, build confidence, and create lasting memories with friends from across North Carolina. Whether it’s their first time attending or they are returning campers, we know camp is an experience they will never forget.

As school begins winding down, we encourage families to check out our full Summer Fun lineup and get registered early, as many programs fill quickly. We look forward to spending an exciting summer with our 4-H members and making this season one to remember!

Thank you for your continued support of Alexander County 4-H. We can’t wait to see all the fun, growth, and learning this summer will bring!

— DJ Salyer, 4-H Agent, Alexander County

4-H Mini Garden Project for Kids

The N.C. Cooperative Extension-Alexander County Center is looking to engage youth in a garden program. Students will be provided seeds and information material to start their own little garden. This will encourage them to learn about how to grow vegetables. Participants will be asked to share pictures throughout the year on social media. A contest will be held once gardens are producing by having judges come out and look at the gardens. Ages 8-under, 9-12 years and 13-18 years will be judged. Date for judging will be sent out closer to date, but will be in June or July.

Prizes will also be given to those who have the best project books.

Kits are limited to the first 25 families to register, but we will also be taking a waiting list for those who are interested. Registration will be open until full, kits are available for pickup now. For additional questions, please contact DJ Salyer at dj_salyer@ncsu.edu. Use the following link to fill out registration: https://forms.gle/rfBBE6kjASY5TKcn9

ALL 4-H members and volunteers MUST be enrolled in 4-H Online to participate in any programs or clubs that are provided by Alexander County 4-H.

For more information and to start the enrollment process please visit the following link:

https://alexander.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/01/time-to-enroll-in-4-h/

If you have any questions regarding enrollment or need help with enrollment please contact DJ Salyer at 828-632-3125. Again, no child or volunteer can participate in 4-H events without being enrolled.

clipart of 4-H'er presenting a presentation with a 4-H clover

4-H Presentations

4-H Presentations are a huge part of North Carolina 4-H. It is one of the most successful ways to help a young person learn how to do a public speech. It focuses on members teaching others what they know about a particular project/subject matter. They are sometimes called demonstrations or illustrated talk or formal speech.

For a list of 4-H Presentation Categories please go to the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13-ANlm317h8QaUeRzguru1SEcZNcxp7oNsBXS93V7iw/edit?usp=sharing

Here you can find topic ideas and objectives as well as what cash prizes are available at district and state levels.

To view scoresheets, rules and regulations and other helpful information please visit the following link: 4-H Presentation Information

South Central District Activity Day will be held June 17, 2026 in Stanly County.

If you would like to know more about 4-H Presentations or you have an interest in being a presenter to represent Alexander County please contact DJ Salyer, 4-H Agent, at 828-632-3125 or dj_salyer@ncsu.edu.

Programming in Alexander County Schools and County

NC Cooperative Extension-Alexander County held Wake Up to Ag for all 1st graders in Alexander County on Friday, April 24th. Kids were able to learn what agriculture is and how important it is to everyone. A special thank you to the Alexander Central High School FFA Chapter for coming to help out for the day and leading the stations, all the farmers that brought animals for the kids to see and for H&H Arena for accommodating us.

Alexander County Soil and water and Alexander County 4-H hosted a Stream Day for the Environmental Science students in Mrs Cain’s class at Alexander Early College! Students geared up with nets and boots to explore the stream, discovering different macroinvertebrates and learning how these tiny creatures tell us about the stream’s water quality. It was a fun, hands-on learning experience for everyone involved!

The Alexander 4-H Garden Club met in April to learn how to put together seed snails. Kids enjoyed assembling their snails. We can't wait to see what they look like after a few weeks of tending to.

Below is the schedule for the Alexander 4-H Garden Club:
May 7th - Food Chain!
June 4th - All on Insects
July - Sign up for Jr. Master Gardener Summer Camp!
August - NO Meeting
September 10th - Habitats: Build a Burrow
October 8th - Leaf Mosaic or Planting Bulbs
November - NO Meeting
December - NO Meeting

For more information please contact our 4-H Center at 828-632-4451 or email cari_rosenbalm@ncsu.edu.