This Week in Gillespie 4-H: January 15th

Monday - January 15th, 2024

BB Gun Practice @ 6:00 PM (3rd grade & up)
Extension Office Closed for Holiday
Hill District Grandstand Show
Fort Worth Livestock Show

Tuesday - January 16th, 2024

Fredericksburg Range Judging Juniors @ 4:30 PM
Fredericksburg Range Judging Inter. / Seniors @ 5:15 PM
Cross Mountain 4-H Meeting @ 6:30 PM
Hill District Grandstand Show
Fort Worth Livestock Show

Wednesday - January 17th, 2024
Meats Judging Practice @ 5:00 PM
BB Gun Practice @ 6:00 PM (1st & 2nd grade)
Sheep & Goat Skill-a-Thon Practice @ 6:00 PM
Hill District Grandstand Show
Fort Worth Livestock Show

Thursday - January 18th, 2024
Hill District Grandstand Show
Fort Worth Livestock Show

Friday - January 19th, 2024
Hill District Grandstand Show
Fort Worth Livestock Show

Saturday -January 20th, 2024
Hill District Grandstand Show Ends
Fort Worth Livestock Show

Sunday - January 21st, 2024
Fort Worth Livestock Show

January 31st- DEADLINE for 2024-2025 FAFSA for Seniors!!!
February 1st- D10 Virtual Photography Registration Opens
February 1st-18th San Angelo Livestock Show
February 8th-25th- San Antonio Livestock Show
February 9th-11th- Texas Elite Swine Show
February 15th- DEADLINE Gillespie 4-H Adult Leaders Scholarship Applications
February 15th- DEADLINE State 4-H Scholarships
February 17th- BB Gun County Match
February 19th- DEADLINE D10 Virtual Photography Registration
February 26th-March 17th- Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
March 1st- D10 Spring Roundup Registration Opens
March 8th-23rd- Austin Rodeo & Livestock Show

Club Meetings

**** Meetings sometimes change after dates and locations have been posted. Please

always verify meetings with Club Managers****

New News

SENIORS!!!!!!!!! Important FAFSA Information!!!

FAFSA has rolled out a new form to be used for 2024-2025. They had a soft launch the last couple of weeks, but we believe that it is fully functioning as of Monday, January 8^th. We understand that our scholarship applicants have not been able to submit applications since the FAFSA portion is required on our application. We will be moving forward with an updated requirement, and we need your help communicating this to your families!

Applicants must complete a 2024-2025 FAFSA Application by January 31^st to be eligible for consideration for a Texas 4-H Foundation Opportunity Scholarship.

-In the FAFSA section in the Texas 4-H Foundation Opportunity Scholarship application, applicants will input a “0” for the EFC box.

-In the FAFSA upload spot, applicants will upload a screenshot of their FAFSA account dashboard that shows their form is in review, submission date, and name of applicant. (Example below)

- If applicants already have their report back from FAFSA, they can input it in the appropriate spots.

- If applicants have not received their FAFSA report back by the February 15^th deadline, they need to follow the instructions above using their FAFSA submission confirmation.

The Texas 4-H Foundation Opportunity Scholarship DEADLINE is still February 15^th. Please make sure your applicants are aware that there WILL NOT be an extension on the deadline.

Once applicants receive their official FAFSA report back (after February 15^th), they will submit it using this link: https://fs23.formsite.com/YVsLnb/junaan8zju/index

-The deadline to submit your FAFSA report through this link is March 31^st.

Example of approved screenshot:

You can take this with a phone, snipping tool, print screen, etc. to attach to the application. This can be from the parent dashboard or the applicant dashboard.

Fort Worth & San Angelo passes are available to be picked up at the Extension Office!

Coryell County and Milam County are hosting an invitational Consumer Decision Making contest on Saturday, January 27, 2024. The registration deadline is January 16th. Teams are $40 and individuals are $10 per entry. There will be junior, intermediate, and senior age divisions.

Click Here to Register

The Buccaneer Commission in Corpus Christi, Texas, will be hosting an invitational Food Challenge May 11, 2024. The event will be hosted on Buc Days Festival grounds in the American Bank Center Exhibit Hall where $7,500 will be awarded in prize money.

Click Here for Information & Registration

Hotel room block information for Texas 4-H Roundup 2024 is now available! Don't wait to book your rooms, contact the hotels now. Roundup will be held in Bryan/College Station June 3-6.

Note: Some hotels were only able to offer us a limited number of rooms at the rates noted. Embassy Suites sold out of their block of double rooms within the first hour, but had some King Suites still available at the rates noted. If you call them direct, they may be able to offer doubles, if available, but they will be at a higher rate. We do compete with other events such as New Student Conference in the early part of the week.

Click Here For Information

Range & Plant I.D. Practices!!!

Fredericksburg Practice

Tuesdays, starting January 16^th until May 7^th, 2024. 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm. for Juniors, 5:15 pm- 6:15 pm for Intermediates and Seniors

We will meet the first couple of practices at the Gillespie County Extension Office, then start meeting at Lady Bird park.

Harper Practice

Need four interested kids to hold practice in Harper. Will likely be either Mondays or Wednesdays.

Participants will get to learn the names of local plants, how to evaluate an area for livestock use and what indicates if a grassland is healthy or not. Contests are on Saturdays except for the district contest. Participation in the contests is not mandatory.

Please contact Beth McMahon at 830-997-3452 or Elizabeth.mcmahon@agnet.tamu.edu to sign up.

_____________________________________________________________________________

TEXAS 4-H FOUNDATION OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP

The Texas 4-H Foundation Opportunity Scholarship is now OPEN! All graduating seniors who are Texas 4-H members are encouraged to apply. Applications are lengthy, so it is wise to start now.

Scholarship Application/Information

Youth Day

4-H, FFA, & FCCLA members from across South Central Texas gather at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo to showcase their talents, organization activities and project work. Members set up exhibits and hands-on activity booths for visitors and guests attending the Stock Show & Rodeo. An additional activity to this event is the Wagon & Wheelbarrow Parade. Youth Day is hosted by the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo School Tours Committee on - Saturday February 10, 2024.

The link to register for youth day is https://www.sarodeo.com/f/75

Below is a schedule for the day's activities.

8:30 a.m.	Open for Exhibitors
10:00 a.m. - 4:30p.m.	Interactive & informative Exhibits and Activities
12:00 Noon	Youth Day Best of Show Awards Presented
2:30 p.m.	Line Up for Wagon & Wheelbarrow Parade
3:00 p.m.	Wagon & Wheelbarrow Parade
4:30 p.m.	Exhibits close

The deadline for entries is January 12th, 2024.

Include the total number of youth and adults that you expect to participate in activities and your exhibit. List the address of a school or county extension office as these are the only locations passes will be mailed. You are invited to participate in as many Youth Day activities as you would like but please note that there will only be one exhibit table for each club or chapter.

School Tour Guide Information

For more than 30 years, 4-Hers from around the state have volunteered to lead San Antonio-area K-3^rd grade youth around the San Antonio Stock Show Grounds. It doesn’t matter what county you are from, you can still volunteer to be a tour guide! The dates for these opportunities are:

· Tuesday, February 13, 2024

· Wednesday, February 14, 2024

· Thursday, February 15, 2024

· Friday, February 16, 2024

· Tuesday, February 20, 2024

· Wednesday, February 21, 2024

· Thursday, February 22, 2024

· Friday, February 23, 2024

The Website to register your youths to be a tour guide is https://www.sarodeo.com/f/124 On here, you will select 4-H or FFA, and select “tour guide”…the lunch bunch option are typically filled by SA Area FCCLA programs. I am planning on doing a training in January for agents and youths that are not familiar with the school tour guide program. Please note, that for your 4-Hers to be eligible for the SALE school tours scholarship, they MUST participate as a tour guide! Additionally, if your youths show and place an animal for auction, you can put their name on our list in the Freeman Coliseum, and the committee will try to do an add-on.

The School Tours Program offers students a wonderful opportunity to practice the leadership skills that 4-H, FFA, and FCCLA strives to develop in our youth. As we prepare for the upcoming San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, we are looking for enthusiastic, responsible students in grades 9 -12 (Special exceptions can be made for deserving 8^th grade students) to take part in this unique leadership opportunity. Your students will grow by being tour guides to younger children and by educating them on agriculture and its’ importance to our daily lives.

Please read the following information prior to filling out the entire School Tours Guide Registration Form, for more information or questions about the School Tours Program please email schooltours@sarodeo.com

Tour dates are assigned on a first come, first serve basis
Be sure to provide us with the number of students you can commit on the days you chose to volunteer
Students must commit to volunteer from 7:45 am to 2:30 pm on their tour day
Do not schedule students on the day they sift, classify, or show an animal
Additional correspondence will be e-mailed after we receive your initial commitment
Final count and list of student names is due by 5:00 pm on January 12, 2024
If you have a senior who cannot attend your tour date, we will work with your student's schedule to ensure they are included in all scholarship opportunities
Remember to make arrangements to have your students excused from school for their tour date(s)
Registration is handled by the County Agent or Advisor/Sponsor for FFA, 4H and FCCLA
Parents, DO NOT contact School Tours to register your student
Registration Deadline is December 15, 2023 at 5:00 pm

Non-Livestock Opportunities!

Listed below are opportunities for youth to volunteer to sing the National Anthem and recite the American, Texas Pledges, the FFA Motto and the 4-H Pledge at the market shows for Rodeo Austin

Market Steer Show (British, Shorthorn, Brahman, ABC, Black Cross - Friday, March 8th - Show starts at: 8:00 a.m.
Market Steer Show (Red Cross and Other Cross) - Saturday, March 9th - Show starts at: 8:00 a.m.
Market Poultry Show - Monday, March 1th -Show starts at: 10:00 a.m. (approximately)
Jr. Wether Dam & Doe Show - Wednesday, March 13th - Show starts at:8:00 a.m.
Market Lamb & Goat Show - Friday, March 15th - Show starts at: 8:00 a.m.
Barrow Show - (Duroc, OPB-Dark, OPB-White, Hampshire, Yorkshire)- Sunday, March 17th - Show starts at: 8:00 a.m.
Barrow Show - (Light Crossbred, Crossbred) - Monday, March 18th - Show starts at : 8:00 a.m.
Jr. Breeding Heifer Show Wave 1 (American) - Thursday, March 21st- Show starts at: 8:00 a.m.
Jr. Breeding Heifer Show Wave 2 (British / Continental) - Saturday, March 23rd - Show starts at: 8:00 a.m.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EA9AE2AA57-44691184-2024

For those interested in this leadership opportunity, please sign up using the above link to the online form. You will need to plan to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the species show in which you are volunteering.

When you register, please select the option to use alternate name and in the "First Name" box , list the first and last name of the youth member. In the "last name" box, list the 4-H County or FFA Chapter in which the youth is a member.

Youth interested in singing the National Anthem, submit a video at the link below. Selected submissions will be able to select from dates available on the link. Currently all dates are “filled” and will be released to those youth selected to sing.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScze0AJEy_FSxjmrO2zwtkOqc6oxPPteCplFiL4CQ7LLNTRYw/viewform - Video Link Submission

If you have questions, please email Cory at Cory.hundl@ag.tamu.edu

Livestock Corner

Good Luck to everyone at all the upcoming stock shows!!!!

If you ever need help with your project please contact our office and set up an appointment with Brad or Emily.

4-H Spotlight

Our January Clover Kid Experience focused on livestock. The kids had a great time learning about validation procedures, and then they got to visit with some real sheep! We love seeing our younger kids get excited about 4-H!

If you have someone you would like to nominate for 4-H spotlight please email emily.grant@ag.tamu.edu

STAY CONNECTED WITH GILLESPIE COUNTY 4-H

There are ALOT of opportunities available for 4-H youth on a county, district, and state level and through external organizations. We do our best to keep you updated with these opportunities through the following methods! If you have any questions please let us know.

The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

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