4-H Youth Development

4-H age is determined by the age as of January 1 of the current year:

• 4-H members — ages 8 to 18
• Cloverbuds — ages 5 to 7 (Cloverbuds are welcome to participate in 4-H but cannot take large animals to the fair.)

Visit 4-H Online to enroll today. Returning 4-H members and volunteers can re-enroll (re-enrollment instructions-pdf).

All returning members and volunteers must follow a Code of Conduct and be enrolled by April 1. New members may enroll at any time but must be enrolled by the first Friday in June to participate in the current fair. Members taking animal projects must be enrolled by the following project deadlines:

• Market beef — March 1
• Market swine — April 1
• Market lambs and meat goats — June 1

Membership fees, project fees and fair fees may apply. Cost may vary but the basic membership fee is $5. Call UI Extension, Camas County for more information.

Idaho’s 4-H program wouldn’t exist without its thousands of volunteers. In every part of the state, 4-H volunteers coordinate 4-H community clubs, lead 4-H projects and help to plan and conduct local, regional, state and national 4-H events. Visit the University of Idaho Extension 4-H Youth Development website to learn more about volunteering.

The county fair is a way for 4-H and FFA youth to showcase their project work and receive recognition for their efforts, but it can also provide important opportunities for positive youth development.

Learn more about the activities in UI Extension, Camas County by visiting the 4-H calendar and to sign up to receive the Scoop newsletter, an excellent source of information for 4-H families. Contact the UI Extension, Camas County to be added to the distribution list for the newsletter and please specify if you would like to receive it by mail or email.

UI Extension, Camas County provides several 4-H camps each year. The goal of these camps is to:

• Provide youth a camp type atmosphere
• Give teens an opportunity to increase their leadership skills
• Give youth opportunities to increase knowledge and skills by learning from caring adults and teens
• Provide fun activities where youth can apply their new knowledge and skills
• Generate confidence in youth by recognizing them for their participation

Camp is planned and conducted for various content such as:

• 4-H Wildlife Camp
• Idaho Swine Camp
• 4-H Lamb Camp
• 4-H Summer Camp
• 4-H Beef Camp

These topics are consistently requested and have continued on an annual basis where camps are hosted by different counties each year.

Day camps target one specific topic and are geared toward first- and second-year members and may also include advanced sessions for more experienced or older members.

Overnight Camps

Contact the UI Extension, Camas County to learn about this year’s events.

Livestock Judging

• This camp focuses on livestock evaluation with an emphasis on oral reasons.

4-H Summer

• This camp is held in Ketchum each summer.

Lamb

• This camp is held each summer in Gooding.

Day Camps

Swine, Expo Idaho

• This camp is held each summer in Boise.

Dog

• Held each May in Shoshone.

Beef

• Held each May in Gooding.

Small Animal Clinic

• Held each year in Gooding.

Visit the 4-H Youth Development website for 4-H camps in your area.

A variety of contests are available at the county, district and state levels. To find a list of the state contests, go to the UI Extension 4-H Youth Development website.

• County: County Demonstration Day is held in July. Contact Connie Funkhouser for more information.
  
  • Southern district 4-H demonstration score sheet (doc) 
  • Southern district 4-H illustrated talk score sheet (doc) 
• District: 
  • Horse, dog and rabbit shows; Public speaking; Style revue (Sept.)
  • Livestock skill-a-thon challenge (Dec.)

4-H Youth Development programs empower youth to be well-informed citizens and contributing members within their communities. Opportunities to connect to their community and adult leaders give youth a clear understanding of their role in civic affairs and the ability to build their decision-making skills. To find a list of programs, go to the UI Extension 4-H Youth Development website.

Each project will list the required documents to turn in to UI Extension, Camas County for a completed 4-H project.

Horse Project

• 4-H project record book (ZSuite online application)
• 4-H Permanent horse identification and health record (PDF)
• 4-H Involvement report (PDF) (optional)

Livestock Market Project

• 4-H project record book (ZSuite online application)
• 4-H Involvement report (PDF) (optional)
• Camas County 4-H & FFA livestock bill of sale (Word)
• Market beef planning sheet and growth chart (PDF)
• Meat goat planning sheet and growth chart (PDF)
• Market sheep planning sheet and growth chart (PDF)
• Market swine growth chart (PDF)

Below is a list of college scholarships. Please review their application due date.

• Idaho Angus College Auxiliary Scholarship (pdf)
• Western States Perpetuating Memorial Scholarship (pdf)
• American Angus Auxiliary Scholarship
• Idaho Friends of 4-H Scholarship
• Idaho Farm Bureau
• Gooding County Farm Bureau (Gooding uses the state form, due March)
• Idaho Irrigation
• Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce
• Frank Rodgers Livestock College Scholarship (pdf)
• Western Idaho Fair Scholarship Program
• www.expoIdaho.com
• Idaho Cattle Association Scholarship Program

Also ask about scholarships from banks, civic groups, churches and associations your family is a member of. Download this list of scholarships we use at our Scholarship Workday held in January. The event is a “must attend.”

Leadership

Youth involved in the 4-H program can become actively involved in growing and developing their leadership skills, from first becoming involved in a club committee to serving on state and national planning committees. Area-wide and county activities are created to provide involvement and educational programming across county lines. They are designed to provide youth and volunteers with learning and leadership opportunities.

Most scholarship applications ask for:

• Leadership
• Activities (involvement)
• Honor and awards

Received in:

• School
• Community
• 4-H/FFA or extracurricular organizations
• 4-H leadership

Get Involved

Attend and help plan other events. Doing so gives you travel and college opportunities. Check out the calendar or call the UI Extension, Camas County to find out where you can get involved.

We also highly encourage all youth to use the 4-H Involvement Report (pdf) to record all your activities, including school, church and community items.

Related Publications

• Why is our handshake so important? (pdf)
• Dress to impress (pdf)
• Speak up with confidence
• Scholarships, where, how and why? 4-H Scholarship Workday (pdf)
• Officer handbook

If you are interested in attending any of these events, please contact the UI Extension office. Scholarships are available.

• 4-H Ambassadors — For 4-Hers ages 14 and up who have completed at least two years of 4-H projects and activities. 4-H Ambassadors work year-round to promote 4-H in their counties and attend an annual training held each November in McCall. Learn more about 4-H Ambassadors.
• TALK Retreat — Teen Ambassador Leadership Kit (TALK) is an annual retreat held in Albion, Idaho, to polish public speaking skills of teens who become 4-H ambassadors. Check out TALK Retreat.
• Know Your Government — Known as KYG, this conference is held in Boise each Presidents’ Day weekend while the Idaho Legislature is in session. Designed for students in grades 8-9, KYG is a project ;as well as an experience. Learn more about KYG.
• Teen Conference — Join teens from around the state each June for five days of fun and educational activities on the University of Idaho Moscow campus. For teens who have completed grades 8 and up. Learn more about Teen Conference.
• College Scholarships — Your involvement in 4-H can open many doors for you in the form of college scholarships. Learn more about 4-H scholarships.
• National Opportunities — Teen 4-Hers are invited to step outside their comfort zones and apply for one or more of the four national 4-H conferences that take place in Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, D.C., or Madison, Wisconsin. Each has a rich history and purpose. Delegates selected as representatives of Idaho 4-H make new friends from around the country and enrich their own lives and those of others through their commitment to 4-H. Learn more about national opportunities for 4-H’ers.
• Camp Counselor — This position is for teens ages 14-18 who are enthusiastic and interested in working with younger children. Counselors will supervise campers, promote the health and safety of camp, actively participate in camp activities, show leadership and be a POSITIVE role model. They must attend leadership training and camp counselor training. Contact the office about day and summer camp activities.

The following articles are helpful for the management of market beef projects. The articles were written in the point of view as if I (Cindy Kinder) enrolled as a beef project member.

Just as members do, I weighed-in my steer “Cowboy” in March and my fair date is Aug. 30 at the Open to the World Steer Show at the Twin Falls County Fair.

• I weighed-in my steer, now what? (pdf)
• Feeding, weighing and clipping. Oh my! (pdf)
• Cowboy says it’s HOT! (pdf)
• See you at the fair! (pdf)
• SHOWTIME! (pdf)
• Cindy’s record book — profit or loss? (pdf)
• The meat we eat (pdf)
• The grocery value (pdf)

The following articles were written as a follow up to the above articles and contain additional management tips.

Remember when Cowboy did this?

• I weighed-in my steer, now what? (pdf)
• Feeding, weighing and clipping. Oh my! (pdf)
• Cowboy says it’s HOT! (pdf)
• Practice, Practice, Practice and Ultrasound! (pdf)
• Bovine Beautician! (pdf)
• Fitting for Showtime (pdf)

• Can I afford a market project? (pdf)
• Breeding project cash flow/budget worksheet (xlsx)
• Which animal should I choose from the pen? (pdf)

The following articles are helpful for the management of market swine projects. The articles address some of the challenges of feeding and raising a project pig. The articles were written in the point of view as if I (Cindy Kinder) enrolled as a swine project member.

• My pig pen (pdf)
• What do my pigs need for feed? (pdf)
• Healthy piggy! (pdf)
• How do you do Mr. Pig? (pdf)
• Fit and show! (pdf)

Develop problem solving and critical thinking skills with these science activities. Science programs create hands-on learning experiences to encourage young minds and help fill our nation’s shortage of young leaders proficient in science, engineering and technology. Agriculture will continue to use science and technology to feed the world.

Below are experiments that are “Bringing out the Science.”

• Bringing out the science in 4-H leaders forum (pptx)
• 4-H Book of experiments (pdf)
• Bringing out the science article (pdf)

ADG supplemental activity 2 (pdf)

Livestock judging is a part of 4-H and FFA youth programs that youth can do very well and get excited about. They gain many benefits from competing on a livestock judging team. They interact with current and future leaders of the livestock industry. They also build life skills in critical thinking, oral presentations and personal confidence.

Livestock Evaluation

• Judging 101 — Teach youth “How to Judge” five different species. Groups of participants rotate between classrooms, learning about all species using PowerPoint presentations and publications.
• Judging 201 — Offer detailed species information and more hands-on with livestock. Live animals are used for teaching differences in muscle, structure, condition etc. Demonstrations of oral reasons are given and youth work directly with a personal coach to understand reasons format.
• Judging 401 — Offer advanced topics in animal selection and scenarios, breeding and EPD’s. Classes also provide youth opportunity to advance their oral reason skills.
• Southern Idaho Livestock Judging Camp — A three day advanced camp that hones participants oral reasons skills while they work with junior and senior college students. Youth and adult participants from six states have attended the annual event the last six years.
• Judging Contests — Coordinated and networked with breed associations, summer show sponsors, FFA Chapters, the College of Southern Idaho judging team and U of I Ag Days to host multiple contests throughout the year.

Resources

• Judging Beef Cattle and Oral Reasons 101 (PNW 669)
• Judging Meat Goats and Oral Reasons 101 (PNW 678)
• Judging Sheep and Oral Reasons 101 (PNW 679)
• Judging Swine and Oral Reasons 101 (PNW 677)

How to Run a Judging Contest

• Registration forms
• How to set up classes and official placing
• Cards
  
  • Judging card (PDF)
  • Judging question card (PDF)
• Questions and oral reasons

A challenge or contest contains a series of one to six stations where participants test their animal and production knowledge and demonstrate their skills on a variety of production topics. Livestock species include, beef, sheep, goats and swine. Skill-a-thons have two parts; individual competition and team competition. Read the state contest guidelines for more details. 

Common Skill-a-thon classes for the individual competition

• Livestock equipment identification
• Livestock breed identification
• Retail meat cut identification
• Hay and wool judging class (judge the class and answer questions)
• Quality assurance exercise (demonstrate a skill)
• Livestock industry quiz (multiple choice)

Common Skill-a-thon classes for the team competition

• Quality assurance exercise
• Meat and carcass evaluation
• Animal breeding scenario and exercise
• Evaluation of performance and marketing information
• Livestock feeding

Example Skill-a-thon cards

These cards have various formats. Challenge youth with the different format so they are accustomed to change.

Individual cards

• Beef skill card (pdf)
• Sheep/goat skill card 1 (pdf)
• Sheep/goat skill card 2 (pdf)
• Swine skill card (pdf)
• Horse skill card (pdf)
• ID cards: General livestock card 1 (pdf)
• Feeds: General livestock card 2 (pdf)
• Cooking: General livestock card 3 (pdf)
• Jackpot: General livestock card 4 (pdf)
• District – Junior breed & equipment (pdf)
• District – Junior meat & wool (pdf)
• District – Senior breed & equipment (pdf)
• District – Senior meat & wool (pdf)
• NAILE meat card

Situations

• Money management: Beef situation 1 (pdf)
• Money management: Beef situation 2 (pdf)
• BBQ: Beef situation 3 (pdf)
• Carcass: Beef situation 4 (pdf)
• Carcass: Beef situation 5 (pdf)
• Hay judging: Beef situation 6 (pdf)
• Money management: Sheep/goat situation 1 (pdf)
• Money management: Sheep/goat situation 2 (pdf)
• Hay judging: Sheep/goat situation 3 (pdf)
• Money management: Swine situation 1 (pdf)
• Money management: Swine situation 2 (pdf)
• Performance and marketing: Swine situation 3 (pdf)
• Grain judging: General livestock 1 (pdf)
• Ear tagging: General livestock 2 (pdf)
• Injections: General livestock 3 (pdf)

Team activity cards

• Team: General livestock 1 (pdf)
• Team: General livestock 2 (pdf)
• Team: General livestock 3 (pdf)
• Team: General livestock 4 (pdf)
• Team: Feeds (pdf)