Upcoming Events
Morris County 4-H Events and More:
4-H Service Project Challenge
January: Hands
Middlesex and Ocean Counties are sponsoring a "New Year - Better You" 4-H program. All 4-H members are invited to participate in four monthly challenges related to the Four H’s! January’s challenge is the HANDS Challenge in honor of the MLK Day of Service. Complete a service project by the end of January, working alone or with friends. Record your results and get a certificate with the hours you volunteered! For info on ideas for service projects click here and to record your project visit https://forms.gle/ssDbWQ6Wnuu9zvvp7.
For more info contact: lbovitz@njaes.rutgers.edu or amelia.valente@njaes.rutgers.edu
Link to log your project by January 31 for the HANDS challenge.
4-H teens in grades 9-12 with an interest in becoming champions for foods-systems in their communities (today and in the future) are invited to represent NJ at the National Youth Agri-Science Summit. While at this summit, participants will gain knowledge in the rapidly emerging areas of animal and plant sciences and technologies, learn about the challenges facing global food security and sustainability, meet with agricultural scientists, researchers, politicians, and advocates, and increase their awareness of career opportunities in agri-science. Learn more and apply to represent NJ 4-H by January 15th.
Tuesdays in January - February, 4:30-5:30pm
January 25th - Fun Winter Crafts (grades K-4)
*adult supervision may be helpful for this session
February 1st - Arts (4th grade and up)
February 8th - Winter Animal Adaptions (4th grade and up)
Brrr it's cold outside! Are you wondering how animals stay warm in the winter? Join us as we learn about the amazing animal adaptions to survive the winter. To prepare for this program, please research an ecosystem and choose an animal. We will be uncovering that animals' structures and functions together. Fun animal trivia will be included!
February 15th - Mindfulness and the Message
This interactive program guides youth in some mindfulness activities and also teaches communication skills with improv games.
February 22nd - Starting a Windowsill Garden (4th and up)
Starting a Windowsill Garden… Learn how to Grow Your Own Salad, lettuce, radishes, carrots, and dill indoors. Seeds will be provided.. all you need is some potting soil and a container.
Winter Fun Programs information and registration
Once youth are registered you will receive an email about a week before each session with additional info and the Zoom link.
Wednesdays: January 19, February 16, March 16
Each session will provide an opportunity to network with volunteers across the region and discover new activities and ideas to enliven your work with youth.
January 19 - Re-engaging & motivating youth
Hear from a panel of fellow volunteers as they share out-of-the-box and interesting ways to connect with youth.
February 16 - Designing captivating & fun activities
Feeling in a rut? Check out a showcase of activities and explore effective practices for designing and delivering dynamic activities that all youth will enjoy.
March 16 - Expanding possibilities for youth
The pandemic has increased isolation and diminished opportunities for many youth. 4-H can offer youth ways to expand their world. We will discuss how volunteers can mentor youth and help them make connections, try new things, and take positive risks - even during a pandemic.
Deadline to enter: January 20
All 4-H members and parents are invited to take part in this virtual competition by creating a dish or meal and sharing the preparation via a video entry. All contestants will receive ribbons and judging results, top winners in categories receive trophies.
Enter by January 20, 2022 at https://tinyurl.com/20224HTOPCHEF.
Video entries are due by January 29th.
Practice sessions: Thursdays January 20 - February 21
Event dates: February 26, 27
Entries and fees due: February 11
ALL youth interested in participating in the 2022 Horse Bowl Contest are welcome to join us Thursdays from January 20-Februry 21 to practice for the virtual Horse Bowl Contest. Practices will begin at 7:30 pm and will last for about an hour. Link will be available here.
Teams need to be entered by February 11 for the actual event on February 26 and 27. Check out the Horse Bowl Registration Packet and Horse Bowl Rules
Thursdays, January 20 - March 3
Have you ever thought to publish your own writing? In partnership with John Wiley and Sons, youth are invited to learn about the process of publishing, careers in publishing and will work on a team to publish their own product!
Youth researchers will walk through the author's journey to create content that will be published online by global publishing powerhouse, John Wiley and Sons. Friends, family, teachers, and the public will be able to view their published work live online. Youth will learn about academic research publishing and tips to spot out non credible and credible research. Youth researchers will craft their own content with support and guidance from professionals that work across the publishing landscape. Youth will also have a chance to share some of their pre-written work to learn to improve their work for publication.
Young Researchers: A Youth Club on Publication Registration Link
Next: January 20, 8pm
Bridge to 4-H is a monthly virtual 4-H club for youth in grades 6 and up, exploring leadership, healthy living, and life skills. From the 4-H From Home website: "Join us as we learn about how to make a menu of food we like while keeping a budget, adopting healthier habits, and caring for ourselves inside and out. Make friends across the state of NJ! We meet on the third Thursday of every month over Zoom." Click here to register.
Join us for Globe Tasters 4-H Cultural Cuisine S.T.E.P. Club—Session 9. Learn to make tasty morsels from around the world that are designed to stimulate one's appetite before a meal. Sessions run on Mondays 4:30–6:00 p.m. beginning January 24th, February, and March.
Deadline to submit: January 31
January’s theme invites you to share your perspective. Show us how you see the world or use your subject to ask the question.
You should receive comments from the juror mentors by the end of February.
Directions for joining and submitting your photos to PhotoCorps
Are you a middle or high schooler who likes using your imagination to create characters? Would you like to learn more about improvisational theatre and playwriting? Then join the Monologue and Scene Writing STEP club, a virtual program by the Middletown Township Public Library. Sessions run the first and third Mondays of the month, January 3–June 20 from 7–8:30 p.m.
More information including how to register for the Teen Improvisational Theatre
Deadline to submit: February 14
Open to all 5th grade students
The Species on the Edge Art & Essay Contest empowers 5th grade students to advocate for an endangered or threatened species from New Jersey through a well-researched, creative essay and original art piece.
Simple, Fun, and Free to Enter!
One winner from each county in New Jersey will be selected. Open to all New Jersey fifth grade students.
The contest kit (including rules, species list, & entry form) and more details can be found here: http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/education/edge/
Saturdays March 5-26, 10:30 am
For grades 9-12
Youth will work with Rutgers University College Students who are also 4-H CS Educators where they will explore the many areas of computer science including coding, sequencing, decoding, debugging, algorithms, game design, etc. Youth will learn both important computer science/STEM skills while practicing computer science with and without (unplugged) a computer. Students will be invited to join other students from Northern NJ from this program to participate in a 4-H CS Pathways Showcase. There will also be opportunities for youth to learn more about the various computer science fields (from computer science professionals). Sessions run on Saturdays, March 5–26 from 10:30–12:00 a.m.
Deadline to submit: March 7
Event Date: March 26
Work individually or as a team to create short educational videos (3:30 minutes or less) about alpacas, cats, cattle (beef/dairy), dogs, goats, herpetology, horses, llamas, poultry, rabbits, sheep, small animals, and swine to enter in the 4-H Animal Science Video Contest. The deadline is March 7 (see website for details). A selection of videos will then be shared at the film festival in the Round House at the Rutgers Cook Campus Farm during an afternoon session of the Junior Breeder Symposium on Saturday, March 26. The top scoring videos will receive awards, including gift cards. Videos will be scored on educational value, creativity, clarity, pacing, and technical quality (sound, lighting, etc.) – 20 points each, total of 100.
Have fun and be creative in designing you video entries!
Details: http://nj4h.rutgers.edu/animals/film-festival. The top four scoring videos from each of the past six years are also featured on the website.
Save the date: Saturday, March 26, 2022, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., for the Junior Breeder Livestock Symposium. This event is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Junior Breeder program in cooperation with Rutgers Cooperative Extension faculty and staff. Hands-on workshops are presented in the following tracks: Equine, Dairy, Small Ruminant (Goats and Sheep), and often rabbits as well.
Currently planned for in-person event on Cook Campus of Rutgers University Saturday, March 26, 2022 -- subject to Rutgers Cooperative Extension in-person programming policy. Supplemental online programs to launch on April 2, 2022. More details to be announced soon.
Details here: https://nj4h.rutgers.edu/animals/junior-breeder/
Registration is open
Looking for a fun time this summer? Check out the L.G. Cook 4-H Camp in Branchville NJ, located in the beautiful Stokes State Forest in northern NJ. Each week / session has a theme. The activities sound like a lot of fun, the staff is excited, and past campers can't wait to go back! For ages 8-16.
Check out the Camp Info and Welcome Guide and website for more details
Register here: https://nj4hcamp.rutgers.edu/