Notes from Jennifer

For everyone

Colleagues,

I have some great news to share!

Another year of growth in Minnesota 4-H

Congratulations to everyone across the department! In 2026, we reached 63,780 young people across Minnesota, a 10% increase in total youth enrollment over last year. This continued growth reflects our collective efforts and the work we do alongside 4-H youth, volunteers, and partners to connect more young people with meaningful 4-H Youth Development opportunities.

A special thank you to Todd Mehrkens and Amy Grack Nelson for their leadership in enrollment reporting and evaluation, and to everyone who contributed data to help tell the story of our work. Please read Amy and Todd’s accompanying article for more information about our growth and access to the 2026 program year data.

As we celebrate this growth, we also have an important opportunity to share what it means. Beginning now, colleagues will share impact reports with county extension committees, tribal partners, and other stakeholder groups. These conversations help demonstrate our reach, communicate the value of our programs, and illustrate the difference we make in the lives of young people and communities across Minnesota.

Warmly,

Jennifer A. Skuza
Associate dean

Promote the club leader orientation webinar

For local educators and county support staff

Don’t miss promoting the final new club leader orientation webinar on Nov. 17.

Volunteers will gain

An overview of club volunteer roles and how to build a volunteer team

An understanding of the nuts and bolts of how 4-H clubs work:

 Strategies to design the essential elements for thriving clubs. Resources to use and next steps that can support them in the growth of their 4-H club. We encourage you to use the marketing toolkit to promote the event to volunteers, with an emphasis on new(er) club leaders or volunteers looking to step into leadership in the year(s) ahead. The event page with registration is available here.

To see a record of who has already registered or previously participated in the September webinar, visit this Google Sheet.

Jeremy Freeman

4-H volunteer systems director

Announcing the annual Minnesota 4-H statewide service theme

For everyone

The Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors and civic engagement and leadership team are excited to announce the 2026-2027 annual service theme: 

"Helping Communities Thrive"

This theme is intentionally broad and all-encompassing, recognizing that thriving communities look different from one place to another. From meeting basic needs to creating opportunities for people to learn and grow, there are countless ways young people can make a difference.  

Initiatives and projects for this year’s theme are led by the state ambassador service committee, a team of eight youth leaders. They will choose key various topics and create learning and service opportunities and initiatives around helping communities thrive that allow youth to:

• Learn about current, local issues
• Convene and teach others about local issues they care about 
• Lead in community action and response efforts 

Some of the topics we care about within this theme include:

• Food and housing - Help people get healthy food and find safe, stable places to live. 
• Education and reading - Help everyone have a chance to learn, build reading skills and succeed in school. 
• Life skills for youth - Help young people build skills that grow their confidence, keep them safe and prepare them to be more independent.
• And many more to come!

The service committee works closely with Ambassador Advisors of the CEL team to ensure efforts can be scaled and adapted to local 4-H programs, meet real-time community needs, and foster meaningful engagement and positive impact.

What to expect

Throughout the program year, especially from October to May, the State Ambassadors will share educational content, hands-on activities, and various ways to get involved. Keep an eye out for updates via:

• Clover Update newsletters, starting in November
• Social media (Facebook and Instagram)
• Statewide service web page

Youth will also have an opportunity to take part in this service theme at our regional youth leadership workshops: BLU, and our statewide youth leadership conference: YELLO.

What you can do right now

We’re just getting started—and we want to hear from you! Help us make this theme meaningful and inclusive for youth across Minnesota by sharing your ideas, resources, or service project suggestions on our community Padlet through Wednesday, Nov. 11. 

We know there are many important issues beyond this theme to explore and make an impact in! Feel free to utilize learning content and project ideas from past years’ service themes on Disaster Relief and Emergency Response (2025-2026) and Mental Health and Wellbeing (2024-2025), which is also available on the statewide service web page.

More to come—get ready to make an impact!

Amy Collura

Extension educator

Encourage applications for Helping Hands grants

For everyone

We need your help recruiting applicants for one of our grant programs! 

Helping Hands Grant

Apply for the 4-H Helping Hands Grant: Get funded to lead a real, lasting community service project! Grants focus on action over buying supplies—empower your youth to identify a local need, collaborate with community partners, and build lifelong leadership skills. Apply by November 6th!

Learn more and apply for the program.

Anna Wagner Schliep

Senior communications specialist

Miriam Huebner

Stewardship coordinator

Applications now open for the 2027 National 4-H Conference

For educators and county support staff

Applications open today for a national civic engagement event!

National 4-H Conference - April 2027 - Washington, DC

Applications for the 2027 National 4-H Conference will be open October 26-November 22, 2026. This premier leadership experience gives 4-H members the opportunity to expand their skills, connect with other youth leaders from across the country, and be inspired to make a positive impact in their clubs, communities, nation, and world.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

• Minnesota 4-H members in grades 10-12 who are 15-19 years old as of January 1, 2027 and able to commit to full participation.
• Grade 13 members may be considered; however, priority will be given to youth who are still enrolled in high school.

Application Process

How to apply

• Youth can apply using the National 4-H Conference application packet.
• Applications are due November 26, 2026.

Participant Cost

The estimated value of this opportunity exceeds $2,400 per delegate. Selected youth will be asked to contribute $250 toward trip expenses and are expected to fully participate in all conference activities and preparation requirements. Youth with financial need may reach out to local 4-H programs to assist with the $250 fee.

Do You Work With Teens Ready for Something Like This?

Help promote this opportunity as part of their leadership growth pathway!

You can support interested youth by:

• Reviewing the application packet with them.
• Encouraging youth leaders in your area to apply. For many teens, this may be the next step in developing their leadership skills.
• Offering to review application materials before submission. The selection process is competitive, and a strong application is important.
• Practicing interview skills with youth who are invited to participate in interviews. Interview details will be shared directly with selected applicants.
• Identifying local funding opportunities that can help reduce or eliminate financial barriers to participation.

State Office Promotion Plan

The State Office will promote the opportunity through the following channels:

• October 26: 4-H Online email to eligible youth (a copy will be shared with local staff)
• Beginning October 26: Social media promotion
• November 1: Clover Update article
• November 16: Follow-up 4-H Online email to eligible youth (a copy will be shared with local staff)

Randi Schwartz

4-H program manager

Jacquie Lonning

Civic engagement and leadership director

2027 Building Leadership and Understanding updates

For everyone

Minnesota 4-H's Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU) workshop has a couple updates for 2027. Planned by the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors and Civic Engagement & Leadership team again this this year, BLU will offer both overnight and one-day experiences at five locations across the state, providing more opportunities for youth to participate.

Key changes include:

• BLU is now open to youth in grades 6-10.
• Registration will occur through one event in 4-HOnline, with participants selecting their preferred location when they register.
• To improve transparency and county budgeting, staff will receive registration and payment status reports after registration closes and again after all events conclude. Counties will only be billed in March for participants with unpaid registration fees.
• The chaperone cost is included in the registration fee.

Staff are encouraged to review the 2027 BLU updates document for complete details on event dates, registration deadlines, fees, transportation, chaperone expectations, workshop proposals, and youth leadership opportunities. Familiarizing yourself with these updates will help ensure a successful BLU season for youth and families across Minnesota.

Meg Clark & Jacquie Lonning
On behalf of the civic engagement and leadership team

Submit workshop proposals for BLU 2027

For educators

Strong youth leadership experiences start with engaging presenters and creative ideas. If you have a workshop concept that can inspire young people to learn, lead, and connect, we encourage you to submit a proposal for 2027 Building Leadership and Understanding events.

Call for workshop proposals

Do you have a great idea for a hands-on, youth-focused leadership session? We are now accepting proposals for 1-hour workshops at 2027 BLU events. Workshops should help youth in grades 6+ build leadership skills, connect with others, and explore the world around them.

We welcome proposals from:

• Extension staff
• Volunteers
• Youth leaders
• Faculty
• Community partners
• Youth co-presenters (especially encouraged!)

Workshops will be offered on Saturdays between Feb. 7-20, 2027. Proposal deadline: Friday, Nov. 13.

Whether your topic focuses on leadership development, communication, teamwork, civic engagement, career exploration, wellness, or another area of youth growth, we want to hear your ideas. Interactive sessions that actively engage participants are strongly encouraged.

Ready to share your expertise and inspire the next generation of leaders?

Submit your workshop proposal.

We look forward to reviewing your ideas and building another exciting year of BLU programming for Minnesota youth.

Meg Clark & Jacquie Lonning
On behalf of the civic engagement and leadership team

Take a look: Our final enrollment numbers are in!

For educators

We’ve wrapped up another year of reporting and want to express our gratitude for everyone’s hard work, especially the last few months, to ensure we captured the data essential to telling our local and statewide impact stories. 

You can now access our final enrollment numbers in the enrollment dashboard. You’ll notice that statewide we continue to be on a year over year upward growth trend. This year we saw a 10% growth in total youth (with increases in both individual and group enrollments), 11% growth in new members, and 5% increase in new members from first generation families. 

Additional program year data can be found in the monitoring and evaluation reports page on the YD Intranet. You’ll find data about retention, county fair/showcases, project enrollment, groups, events, and the youth outcomes survey. 

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to me. 

Enjoy digging into the data!

Amy Grack Nelson

Evaluation specialist

Todd Mehrkens
Academic technologist.

Dive into Youth Outcome Survey data

For educators

Congratulations on another successful year of collecting Youth Outcomes Survey data! This truly is a statewide effort. We gathered 5,249 surveys this year, a 6% increase from last year. Thank you everyone for your dedication to collecting this crucial data, which enables us to more effectively communicate our impact and public value.

There are a number of resources available on the YD Intranet to support you in both reporting the Youth Outcomes Survey data and using it for your own improvement. Resources include the following:

Youth Outcomes Survey dashboard 

This year we have a new way of reporting Youth Outcome Survey findings across the state and for each county. You’ll find it all in one easy to use dashboard! You can see your individual county or regional report by using the filters at the top of the dashboard.

Community service thematic analysis

The Youth Outcomes Survey includes an open-ended question that provides insight into the  valuable ways youth serve their community through 4-H. Here you will find an analysis of these open-ended responses summarized by categories of service. 

Youth Outcomes Survey guide

This guide details the purpose of each individual survey question in relation to Minnesota 4-H goals and outcomes, which is helpful for understanding how to interpret the survey results. 

Youth Outcomes Survey sample sizes over time

This spreadsheet provides data about the number of surveys collected in each county over time.

Keep an eye out for a summary of state level Youth Outcomes Survey highlights in a future YD weekly.

Amy Grack Nelson

Evaluation specialist

Use these links for the 2026 Give to the Max campaign

For everyone

Hello from the Extension development office!

Give to the Max season happens between Nov. 1 and Nov. 19 in Minnesota, culminating with Give to the Max Day on Thursday, Nov. 19. Minnesota 4-H is encouraging our supporters to find the local 4-H program they care about and support it with a gift! If you choose to run a Give to the Max campaign for your county this year, please ask donors to give through this link. They can use the drop-down menu on the right side to choose the 4-H county they want to support. You can also find sample posts, sample images, and the updated links you will need for other forms of giving in this Give to the Max Campaign guide.

If you have any questions or have any trouble accessing the resources, please reach out to us at mnextdev@umn.edu. Good luck with your campaigns!

 - The University of Minnesota Extension development team

Rebecca Froehlich

Communications specialist in donor relations

Join the summer 2026 hiring webinar this Thursday

For educators, campus staff, and program leaders

Will you be supervising a summer intern in 2027?

Join the first webinar on the summer intern hiring process on Thursday, Oct. 29 from 10 to 11 a.m.

A formal calendar invitation was sent to those who indicated plans to hire a summer intern on the summer hiring plans sheet. If you did not receive an invite and plan to hire an intern, add your hiring plans to the sheet as soon as possible.

Stephanie Grimes

YD hiring coordinator

Welcome Emma Chapman to Hennepin County

For everyone

Emma Chapman started as the Extension educator, 4-H Youth Development in Hennepin County on Oct. 21. Emma is a graduate of St. Olaf College with a bachelors in biology and later attended Hamline University for a masters in natural science and environmental education. In addition to Emma’s academic background, she has spent the last decade working in environmental learning centers all around the country. From the Great Smoky Mountains to Olympic National Park, Emma has had a chance to learn and grow with some phenomenal organizations. Most recently, she has worked as an outdoor educator with Three Rivers Park District at the Baker Outdoor Learning Center. Please welcome Emma to the central region.

Leah Larson

Program leader

Encourage change-makers to attend YETI Fest at Camp Friendship

For educators, county and regional support staff

Get ready for a weekend that’s all about creativity, connection, and change-making! Invite youth to join us Nov. 21-22 at True Friends Camp Friendship in Annandale.

At YETI Fest, we’re diving into what supports youth thriving and understanding our physical, social, mental and emotional selves. Open to youth in grades 6+, YETI Fest brings together teens across the state for hands-on art, meaningful conversations, wellness exploration, and collaboration. Through this leadership style summit, youth will have plenty of time to create, connect, and build lasting friendships with people who spark ideas for change!

Register by Friday, Nov. 6.

Contact me or Kathryn Sharpe with questions.

Promotional flier: YETI Fest 2026.

Bri Hall
Extension educator

Help promote: Explore agriculture around the world!

For local educators

We’re looking for your help spreading the word about an exciting virtual learning opportunity for Minnesota 4-H youth! From Nov. 10 to Dec. 8, youth can join a 4-week adventure exploring agriculture in Turkey, Ghana, and Mexico. Participants will discover crops, foods, farming practices, and traditions from around the world through guest speakers, hands-on activities, and connections with Minnesota 4-H Agriculture Ambassadors.

This free virtual series is designed for youth in grades 6-8, but older youth are welcome to participate. It’s a great opportunity for young people to explore global agriculture, learn about different cultures, and discover how food and farming connect us around the world. The program will also incorporate Raspberry Pi to add computer programming and coding.

How you can help

Please share this opportunity with your local 4-H families through your county newsletters, emails, social media, and other communication channels. Help us reach youth who are curious about agriculture, food, travel, and exploring the world!

• Dates: Nov. 10 - Dec. 8
• Cost: Free
• Registration deadline: Nov. 5

Thank you for helping us share this opportunity and connect more Minnesota 4-H youth with agriculture around the world!

Learn more and register.

Anja Johnson, Brian McNeill, and Mindy Grant

Check out the new Minnesota 4-H STEM and agriscience website

For everyone

The new Minnesota 4-H STEM and Agriscience website is now live! While the site is designed for the public—youth, families, educators, and community partners—we want to make sure 4-H staff know it is available and where to find it.

The site brings together STEM and agriscience programs, resources, and opportunities from across Minnesota 4-H. It's a handy place to send families, volunteers, schools, and community partners who are looking for ways to get involved. And, there’s more to come! Watch for program highlights, curriculum features, and new opportunities as we continue adding to the site.

Take a look, share it with others, and keep it bookmarked as a resource for your county programming!

Anja Johnson
Extension educator

Ready, set, lead! Essential tools for Minnesota 4-H Ambassadors and officers

For educators

Fall is the ideal time to plan and prepare for the upcoming 4-H year. To help set our clubs, youth leaders, and volunteers up for success, we’ve gathered essential reference materials for Local Ambassador programs and Officer Training. All resources can be found on the YD intranet. Please connect with your regional Civic Engagement and Leadership Educator for support on these topics.  

Local Ambassador program 

Minnesota 4-H Local Ambassadors are youth in grades 6 through one year past high school who want to make a difference in 4-H and their communities. 

4-H Local Ambassadors use their skills in leadership, civic engagement, communication, and teamwork to promote 4-H, plan events, guide younger youth, and serve their communities.

Learn the foundations

Start with these resources to understand the framework, scope, and digital hub for the 4-H Local Ambassador program. 

• Local Ambassador Program Guide: A foundational guide for staff and volunteers launching or sustaining a high-quality youth leadership program in your county or Tribal Nation.  
• Ambassador Resource Center (Google Site): A comprehensive digital hub tailored for staff and volunteers navigating and learning the program. 

Prepare your leadership team

Onboard advisors and set youth leaders up with a clear orientation.

• Ambassador Advisor role description: Clarifies responsibilities and expectations for advisors supporting youth leaders. 
• Local Ambassador Program orientation: An introductory guide and outline to welcome and prepare new youth ambassadors for their roles. 

Plan and co-create your year

Tools to help youth take the lead and structure the annual program year in partnership with adults 

• Annual Plan Template: A customizable calendar template designed to keep essential program components on track throughout the year. 
• On Sara’s Pond: A planning framework designed to engage youth voices in true partnership with adults, empowering youth to make choices and direct their program year. 

Officer training resources

Strong club officers keep 4-H clubs organized, welcoming, and youth-led. Use these materials to host officer training workshops or to equip club leaders with the tools they need for their specific roles. 

• Officer Training Club Toolkit: This toolkit contains numerous lessons and activities to equip officers with the skills and knowledge to be successful in their roles. The toolkit is broken into three parts: lessons on parliamentary procedure skills and leading a meeting; a brief description of various officer roles; and additional resources.
• Virtual Club and County Officer Training: This training is an adaptable set of lessons that can easily be adapted for multiple settings. This training includes a 75-minute lesson for all officers and an additional 15-30 minute session for the main officer roles of president/vice president, treasurer, secretary, and historian/reporter.
• Officer Training Workbook: The workbook is an accompanying handbook for club and county officers as they go through training. The workbook includes a brief self-guided activity for each of the main officer roles.

Sutton Stewart, and Cassie Girling