February 4-H Newsletter

February Calendar

FAIR BOOK  COVER CONTEST  

Get your cameras ready! Fair Time is creeping up on us quicker than you might expect. It’s time for the cover contest. The contest is open to 4-H members, regardless of age. A $40 gift certificate to North Forty will be awarded to the winner. Due to the Extension Office: Friday, April 17, 2020. Picture resolution needs to be as high as possible. Picture may be in color or black & white. No panoramic pictures. Picture will need to cover 5” W x 7 1/2”H portrait style. Pictures may include people, but should not be the primary subject. Member must take the photo. The following elements must be added to the picture: Judith Basin County Fair, August 4-8, 2020 Stanford, MT  

QA TRAINING

QA training will take place on February 9, 2020 at the Judith Basin County Courthouse conference room in Stanford at 2pm. Make sure you are up to date on your QA. If this is your first year of having an animal project  or are 4-H age 14 with an animal project you will need to attend this training.  Anyone needing an updated QA will need to attend.

SPECIAL EVENT CITIZENSHIP WASHINGTON FOCUS

There will be another opportunity for youth to participate in  Citizenship Washington Focus  trip. There is the annual trip in June and one for the presidential inauguration January 16/17-20, 2021.  If you are interested in being a delegate or chaperone please contact the JB County Extension for an application. Applications are due by February 15, 2020.

FAIR BOOK ADS

Fair book ads have been distributed. Make sure to fill  out and  cut the bottom portion of the ad form off and give it to the customer. This is their receipt. Members please go talk with or call your ad sponsors in yourself. Many sponsors like to see the members they are giving the support to.  Return all ad forms with payment to the  Extension Office by March

20, 2020. MCDONALD’S AND 4-H

The McDonalds restaurant owners in Montana recently committed to a $7500 sponsorship of Montana 4-H youth development programming.  Each restaurant will coordinate with their marketing firm to promote 4-H throughout the coming year.  Communities might see  4-H buttons on crew shirts, promotional pieces for volunteer recruitment or financial contributions, social media posts, or other promotional ideas still in process.  Please also recognize your local McDonalds restaurant for they contribution to your 4-H market sale as this sponsorship will not replace support of local programs.
 
An emphasis for McDonalds is the benefit of “getting your first job” and the skills learned along the way.  Owners are interested in partnering with a 4-H member currently working at McDonalds and accompanying them to a local radio station for an interview about 4-H employability skill development as well as how working at McDonalds allows for practice of these skills.   REC LAB 2020
Keep your calendar open for April 24th - 26th. Rec Lab is at Hobson, MT this year. Get ready for a fun filled time!

SUCCESSFUL RECORD BOOKS

Start your record book at the beginning of the 4-H year. 

Write goals for the year at the BEGINNING of the year.  You should try to write at least three goals for each part of the book.

My 4-H Year 

The front page must be completed including three goals and leader’s signature.  Every  section must have something listed, including promotion and communication.  If nothing was done in an area or section of a record sheet, write “none.”  You should have a project journal for every project listed on the My 4-H Year sheet.  Your picture should be attached.

Non Animal Project/Financial Journal

Project/financial journals are needed for every project.  Project sheets need to contain the name of the project and the year these records were kept.  Every section needs to have something written in it.  Including three goals and financial records.  Transfer financial totals to back page.

Animal Record & Journal

Animal journals need to be included for every livestock project, including cat, dog, and pocket pet.  These are for all animal projects, not just market projects.  Include animal category (i.e., beef, dog, etc.), your name and the years the records were kept, plus a leader or parent’s signature.  One Animal Record & Journal can be used if the same animal is used in more than one project.  Each section should be complete or if nothing applies, write “none.” To help organize yourself - either make a “sloppy copy” of your forms or use a calendar as you go through the year.  Keep up with this and then the job of completing your record book at the end of the year is easy!

Make sure your record book is complete. 

This is a “record” of your year - your 4-H story.  It is really fun to look back in the future to what you did while in 4-H.  Make it complete enough that a person who is not familiar with your project could pick up your record book and look through it and it will make sense to that person. Additional things you may wish to include in your record book (not required):

•  Additional pictures of any of your 4-H
• experiences, projects, etc.
• Ribbons or pictures of ribbons.
• Certificates or awards received.
• Newspaper clippings.
• Other items you wish to add to your book.

February 4-H Newsletter