News from Wayne County

New Year, New Opportunities

By Julie Schultz, 4-H Extension Educator
January 2025 

Happy New Year and 2025! I hope your new year is off to a great start, other than the cold temperatures we’ve been having. It is one of our favorite times of year at Nebraska Extension in Wayne County, ENROLLMENT TIME! It’s time to enroll in Nebraska 4-H and the Wayne County 4-H program. 

What is 4-H? 4-H is the world’s leading youth development organization, serving over six million youth annually. 4-H gives young people the opportunity to find a sense of belonging through 4-H clubs, camps, afterschool groups, or special events. While there are many ways to participate in 4-H that do not require enrollment, Nebraska 4-H Month, coming up in February, is the perfect time to join or complete the annual re-enrollment process. We ask that our families enroll before February 3 to make sure you don’t miss any important updates and deadlines! If you miss the February 3 priority deadline, no worries you can still enroll anytime! 4-H enrollment is open to all youth ages 5-18 as of December 31 of the previous year. 

There are two ways your child/ren can participate in 4-H. If your child is 5-7, there is the Clover Kids level of 4-H membership. Clover Kids can do special projects designed for their age level, as well as taking part in “club projects” of all sorts. Clover Kids may also exhibit at the county fair and will receive comments and encouragement on their exhibits and will receive a special Clover Kid ribbon for each exhibit.

The traditional 4-H program is designed for youth ages 8-18. 4-H members at this level can choose from hundreds of projects and investigate careers and interests to see if it is really something they want to do. Traditional 4-H clubs are the life-blood of the program with 4-H members learning with their friends as parents and other caring adults guide them as 4-H Leaders in the projects and activities. 

With over 150 projects in a variety of topic areas, every young person can find a 4-H project that fits their interests. By enrolling, youth have the opportunity to exhibit their 4-H projects at the Wayne County Fair and the Nebraska State Fair, as well as participate in other contests and events.

4-H is not only for youth! It takes a whole team of adults and volunteers to help make our programs successful! If you are interested in enrolling your child/ren in 4-H, or volunteering, please contact our office at 402-375-3310! 

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Holiday Break Activities

By Julie Schultz, 4-H Extension Educator
December 26, 2024 

Happy Holidays! With this joyous time of year one thing everyone looks forward to is a break from school and work. Except when it’s too cold to play outside and the sun sets early, what do we do when we are inside more of the day? To avoid the blank stare at the TV all day, it is time to think outside of the box and get creative with your families. Here are a few ideas that are more on the educational/developmental (and FUN) side:

1. Ice Tower Excavation – freeze little trinkets (bracelets, foam letters or numbers, dice, etc.) in water using an old juice container or in an ice cube tray.  Freezing a little at a time will ensure that not all your trinkets end up at the bottom. Give kids squeeze bottles, salt, or eye droppers with warm water in it so they can “dig” out the treasures. Using eye droppers can develop fine motor skills. 
2. Build a Fort – we all love a good blanket fort, but can you build a fort from other materials? Newspapers? Sheets? What will you need for support? How big can you make your fort? The possibilities are endless.    
3. Balloon Ping Pong – who doesn’t like to hit a balloon around! This time tape a paper plate to a ruler or popsicle stick to create a ping-pong racquet. Kids can work on hand-eye coordination while maybe not getting as crazy when kicking and flailing with their arms and feet. 
4. Masking Tape Speedway – using masking or painter’s tape, allow kids to create a racetrack around the house. Use any small car, tractor, or truck to race each other. Encourage them not to just go around the kitchen island.  Instead, go over the chair, under the bar stool, around the dog bowl, and up and across the fridge door.  All the up and down while racing will be a good workout!
5. Scavenger Hunt – using items from around your home, set up an indoor scavenger hunt! Bonus if it helps clean up a room or two by putting items away! 

These are just a few of the hundreds of activities you can find online. Try not to spend hours searching, instead select one or two and try them out. Days during the holiday break can get long but can be a great time to be active indoors with your children. Another option, leave these activities for your babysitter when you go out! Or babysitters, take these ideas with you. A parent will call you back if the kids talk about your fun games for days! Happy Holidays to you and yours! 

Creating Family Memories

Julie Schultz, Extension Educator
November 28, 2024

The holidays are upon us, and it is the time of the year when we reflect on what, and who, we are thankful for. Many families gather to share a meal (or two) together during the holiday season. Family time during the holidays can look very different, but one thing is certain, family traditions are important. Maybe a little Black Friday shopping is your family tradition, you look forward to sorting out all the best deals and plotting your most efficient shopping route. Or watching that annual, rival football game in-between turkey-induced naps. Whatever your traditions, I hope they bring up the memories of days gone by and create new ones as new family members become involved. 

Happy childhood memories most commonly center on activities that are shared as a family. Simply being together and delighting in each other’s company is the key. We can’t program a happy memory or one that will last a lifetime. But we can take an ordinary event and look for positive ways to make it fun or enjoyable because it’s family time together. Family traditions can be started from the simplest of activities, resulting in memories that last for years. Here are just a few ideas of simple traditions that you could start with your family this year. 

1. Community Service – There is nothing better, on this day of giving thanks, than helping another family. Sign up to volunteer at a food pantry or shelter for part of the day. Or ask extended family members to bring things they no longer need to donate locally. Your family will bond, knowing that they helped make someone else’s day. 
2. Gratitude Chain – Cut strips of construction paper in various colors. Ask each family member to record thankful thoughts on the paper. Link the papers together to make a chain. Hang this up by the dinner table and continue adding to it each year. As the chain grows, it will be a wonderful reminder of the years past and how much we really have to be thankful for. 
3. Table of Thanks – Cover your table with colored Kraft paper and provide crayons or colored pencils. Invite family members to fill the table with Thanksgiving blessings. When everyone is done, go around and share what each person wrote. If you would like to make this activity more permanent, use a solid-colored tablecloth and fabric markers. Year after year, you can bring out this tablecloth and keep adding to it.
4. Writing Thank You notes to someone who has impacted your life, to a veteran, teacher, etc. to show your appreciation of how they have helped you throughout the year. A short note goes a long way and can mean so much to those who receive it.   

The list of popular family activities that help cement the bonds of togetherness can be a long one. The activity isn’t as important as the fact that the activity is a vehicle for strengthening family connections. Enjoy time with your family, while creating lasing memories this holiday weekend.

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Giving Thanks!

Julie Schultz, Extension Educator
October 31, 2024 

        As we find ourselves on the cusp of fall one of the many things that comes to mind is Thanksgiving and giving thanks for what we have. Thank you. Two simple words that are often underused. As we head into the holiday season, there is value in writing down a few words and sending them to someone who helped you recently.

        Why write a thank you note? To give someone recognition and thank them for their support, show how much you care, and to keep the connections you made last into the future. All of these can be shared in a simple note in the proper format.

        The anatomy of a good thank you note has the following:

• A respectful and personalized greeting at the top.
• A few lines thanking the person for what they did for you.
• A few personal details about yourself and how their guidance helped you thrive.
• One final thank you message and a closing salutation
• Sign your name (preferably not printed)

The anatomy of a thank you note is simple. Start with a respectful and personalized greeting addressing the person you intend to thank. Next write a few lines thanking them for specific ways they guided you. Add a few lines that are more personal, about you and how they helped you on your journey. End your note with one final line of thank you followed with a closing salutation and your name. It is best if you can physically sign the note and not just print your name.

        Saying thank you is extremely important, but often overlooked or forgotten. This time of year usually brings a time of reflection. As you reflect back on your year, do you have anyone to thank. Send a note of appreciation! A short note goes a long way and can often lead to opportunities later in life. Saying thank you is extremely important. I encourage you to write a thank you note today to show someone how much you appreciate what they have done for you!