L-R: Mr. Diego Mariscal, 4-H Regional Program Coordinator; Dr. Glenda Humiston, Vice President UC ANR; Dr. Steven Worker, 4-H Academic Advisor; Ms. Lauren Cartwright, Cooperative Extension Area Director, and Mr. Chris Coursey, Sonoma County Third District Supervisor.

The last few weeks have been nothing short of amazing. I discovered the North Bay Science Day event led by 4-H Academic Advisor, Dr. Steven Worker and an amazing team of volunteers in Sonoma County, CA. The event attracted more than 11,000 youth and families (based on available data).

I also met incredible exhibit representatives from such companies and entities as Medtronic, and even a member of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, 3rd District, the honorable Mr. Chris Coursey! We were also joined by 4-H Regional Program Coordinator, Mr. Diego Mariscal, Cooperative Extension Area Director, Ms. Lauren Cartwright and our UC ANR Vice President, Dr. Glenda Humiston. Thank you for joining us on an exciting day of STEM exploration!

Western Region Leadership Conference

I had the distinct pleasure of participating in the Western Region (U.S.) Leadership Conference of the Western Extension Directors Association (WEDA) in San Diego. The keynote speaker encouraged us to lean into our strengths much more than applying energy to attempts to reduce weaknesses- a great idea that aligns directly with existing Positive Youth Development theory that is foundational to 4-H programming!

4-H family, do you know your strengths? You certainly have many of them that you apply in meaningful ways each time you engage in 4-H programming.

Ignite by 4-H Conference

Next, a group of 4-H youth, chaperones and 4-H professionals attended the 2026 Ignite by 4-H Annual Conference. Led by Mr. Ryan Cleland, 4-H Community Education Specialist in the 4-H State Office, the group enjoyed a whirlwind of programming that started most days at 6:30 a.m. and concluded late into each evening. Youth attended impactful sessions in tracks, such as Animal Science, Healthy Living, Civic Engagement and STEM, among others.

The group was favored by a visit from National 4-H Council President and CEO, Ms. Jill Bramble (second from left in photo), as they delivered their Lead to Change presentations. 4-H Lead to Change is a National 4-H Council community action planning program that empowers teens to address local issues.

Stay tuned for more information on a Lead to Change initiative coming this summer to the 4-H State Leadership Conference!

Volunteer Spotlights

We are delighted to highlight volunteers this month who are each leaving a legacy of service to the 4-H community.

Ms. Bri Jokerst- Orange County

Ms. Bri Jokerst has been a 4-H volunteer for 4 years, serving on County Council as Vice-President, supporting the transition to the new VMO structure, particularly taking charge of updating documents, creating operating procedures, and building templates. As Club Leader of the Trabuco Trailblazers (the fastest-growing club in Orange County), and coordinator of the Home School Collaborative, she leads the Countywide Home School Project to bring new volunteers and new, innovative projects alive for youth. Her other leadership roles include County Ambassador Coach; event chair for Presentation Day and Clover-Joyed; Chair of the Incentives & Recognition Committee (now transitioning to the Inspiring Leaders Committee).

Ms. Bri provides support for the 4-H Community Education Specialist, helping with planning for many countywide events, activities, and projects. Her support also includes the events and activities of the SoCal Collaborative and its efforts to engage youth and volunteers across Regions 11 & 12. Ms. Bri is a great problem-solver and open to discussions about program growth and expansion, program quality improvement, and responsiveness to the interests of youth members.

Ms. Tami Davies Hughes and Ms. Corey Borghino -

Humboldt County

Ms. Tami Davies Hughes (Freshwater 4-H) and Ms. Corey Borghino (Arcata Bottom 4-H) have been dedicated 4-H parents, volunteers, and Community Club Leaders, respectively, for years. Since the Covid lockdown, Ms. Tami and Ms. Corey focused on revitalizing the 4-H Camp Program on the North Coast. They added the titles of Camp Director and Assistant Camp Director to their 4-H Volunteer resumes. Both knew how impactful 4-H Camp can be for youth because of their firsthand experience of sending their own kids to camp. On an average day at 4-H Camp, they will be serving campers during mealtimes, overseeing various stations throughout the day, consoling homesick campers, leading water sports during the day, and sing-alongs around the campfire at night. If you are lucky, you may even hear them singing songs or reciting the 4-H Pledge during nightly cabin checks to make campers laugh and feel at ease. Both exemplify what it means to be a 4-H Volunteer and a Leader in our community. The North Coast 4-H Camp Team sends Ms. Tami off with well wishes after her 20 plus years of service and we look forward to another year of 4-H Camp with Ms. Corey as Camp Director.

Honoring Our 4-H Volunteers

April is National Volunteer Month. We want to take this moment to personally honor and thank our incredible 4-H volunteers here in California.

Spring Tractor Supply Paper Clover

Exciting things going on with Spring Paper Clover!

April 17- May 3, 2026.

This year we have something special planned with our partnership with Tractor Supply that should provide a fantastic boost to Paper Clover sales.

Demo Days – Saturday, April 25

Demo Days is a hands-on event at Tractor Supply where customers can visit their local store and test drive riding mowers around an obstacle course before making a purchase. The event gives people a chance to see the equipment in action, ask questions, and learn more about tools for their property.

This year, we want to encourage 4-H programs to partner with their local TSC store and have 4-H’ers participate in store on that day. Not only does this create a great atmosphere in the store (4-H’ers bring the good vibes!), but we also know it’s a sure-fire way to significantly increase the funds raised in-store.

TSC is offering two special incentives

• $50 Gift Card for Participating Stores: Each store will have one $50 gift card available for a participating 4-H program. If multiple clubs participate, local 4-H staff can determine how the card is distributed (for example, to a specific club or retained by the county office). Please note that each store will have only one card available.

• State Fundraising Match: The Tractor Supply Foundation will match the funds raised by the highest fundraising state on April 25 with an additional donation to that state’s 4-H program. Donations will also be provided to the second- and third-place states at a lower level (we’ll follow up soon with the exact amounts, but they will likely be in the $1,000–$5,000 range).

If your 4-H club or camp plans to participate in the store on Demo Days, April 25, please contact your county 4-H Community Education Specialist as soon as possible. They will need to register to make sure the stores have the necessary gift cards and logistics in place. Please reach out to your local TSC and work with them on specifics as well. This information goes to the corporate side of Tractor Supply to ensure they have the proper resources in place.



We know this is a busy time of year, but this is a great opportunity to raise some extra funds for your 4-H program—and it sounds like a really fun experience for your 4-H families as well.

Alt text: Flyer on bulletin board of vintage 4-H camp images. Flyer reads, "Paper Clover April 17 thru May 3, 2026. Funds support 4-H camp scholarships & leadership activities." with 4-H clover and Tractor Supply logo

Social media tips

Social media graphics and information about Demo Days is on the Resource Center.

• Use #PaperClover 
• Include the alt text description when you use the campaign image.
• Tag us @ca4H (Instagram) and @california4H (Facebook) for us to share your post on the state 4-H channels.
• Tag Tractor Supply @tractorsupply (Instagram) and @TractorSupplyCo. (Facebook). Include #YesTSC to give them permission to share your content on their channels.

Healthy Living Monthly Discussion

Monthly Healthy Living Topic

Join the Healthy Living Advisory Committee for discussion and guest speakers on different health topics each month!

Coming up:

May 7, 2026 6-7 p.m. Gardening

June 4, 2026 6-7 p.m. Food Preservation

Download full schedule here (PDF, 1.38MB)

Celebrate Graduating 4-H Seniors at State Field Day

Join us on May 23 to honor the Class of 2026

State Field Day is a time to celebrate achievement, leadership, and the next steps in our graduating seniors’ journeys. We invite graduating 4-H members, their families, friends, and supporters to join us on May 23 for a special senior celebration.

This event is a chance to recognize the young people who are stepping into their next chapter Beyond Ready- whether that means college, career, military service, apprenticeships, or another meaningful path. Inspired by the “How It Started; How It’s Going” theme, we’ll celebrate where graduates started in 4-H and where they’re going next.

Come share your story

Every 4-H journey tells a story.

From first project meetings and presentation days to leadership roles, community service, competitions, and lasting friendships, our seniors have built skills that will carry them far into the future. At State Field Day, we want to honor those experiences and celebrate what comes next.

Seniors are invited to come share:

• Where you started in 4-H
• How 4-H helped shape who you are
• Your plans after high school

Pick up your senior celebration items

Complete this quick survey and we'll reserve these gifts for you:

• a yard sign
• a green and white honor cord
• a certificate

These items are a small way for us to recognize your hard work, dedication, and all you have contributed through 4-H.

4-H Graduates Are Beyond Ready

4-H helps young people build more than memories. Through 4-H, youth develop real-life skills like leadership, public speaking, confidence, time management, and purpose—skills that prepare them for work, life, and community impact. This celebration reflects the broader message of recognizing youth for the paths they choose and the strengths they have developed along the way.

Event Details

Senior Celebration at State Field Day

Date: May 23, 2026

Who: Graduating 4-H seniors, families, friends, and supporters

What to Expect: A celebration of senior stories, future plans, and recognition items for graduates

Help us celebrate

Come celebrate the accomplishments of our 4-H seniors and the exciting futures ahead of them. We are proud of where they started, proud of how far they’ve come, and excited to see where they’re going next.

Join us on May 23 at State Field Day and celebrate the Class of 2026.  

Healthy Living Video Contest

Win a $50 gift card

The California 4-H Healthy Living Advisory & Program Committee is hosting a video contest to promote healthy eating of California grown fruits and vegetables. This contest is open to all California 4-H youth. 

Requirements: 

• Video is no longer than 1 minute.
• Every youth in the video must be 4-H enrolled and have video consent on file in Z-Suite.
• All 4-H policies must be followed (no cursing, promotion of alcohol, etc).
• No personal identifying information. Youth should be identified with first name only and with county name or club name.
• Any language is allowable (e.g. English or Spanish).
• California 4-H logo must be shown at some time during the video.
• Signed entry form with consent to allow California 4-H to share video as they see fit.
• Video must be created by youth. No AI allowed.
• Choose from any of the following: Show how to prepare the food; talk about the benefits of the food; how to grow the food at home; a fun fact about the food; the history of the food; talk with a farmer about how it is grown and sold.
• Highlight 1 fruit or vegetable on the list below:
• cucumber
• sweet potato
• snap peas
• broccoli
• spinach
• butternut squash
• strawberries
• peaches
• blueberries
• kiwi
• mandarins
• persimmons: Fuyu

Deadline: May 11, 2026.

How to submit: Please upload videos to this Video Contest Entry Form. 

Prize: $50 gift card per video winner, 2 per month (popular vote and Healthy Living Advisory & Program Committee vote). Winners will be notified via email provided by the end of the following month.

Contact: Ally Lemmer (alemmer@ucanr.edu) or Dr. Kimberly Holmes (ksholmes@ucanr.edu).

State Field Day 2026

May 23 in person at UC Davis campus

May 3-7 virtual State Presentations

May 14-16 virtual State Interview Contest

State Field Day is the largest state event and one of the longest-running events put on by California 4-H. Youth members have the opportunity to exhibit skills they have honed or learned through their 4-H work, and the event offers fun for the entire family.

The event has a lively picnic-like atmosphere! 4-H families split their time watching the youth contests and relaxing in the May sunshine. Educational and interactive activities offer 4-H members, families, siblings, and guests of all ages things to engage with between participating in contests!

This year we are offering the following contests:

●     Forestry

●     Insect ID

●     Photography (virtual only)

●     Plant Science (State Qualifier)

●     Robotics

●     State Interview Contest (virtual & in-person)

●     State Fashion Revue (State Qualifier)

●     State Presentations (virtual & in-person)

Registration

Registration is open now through May 1 at 11:59 p.m. Register for as many contests as you wish. A flat fee of $15 for in-person competitors (this year includes lunch) and $10 for virtual contests will apply. Fee waivers are available upon request.

EVERYONE should register

We kindly ask everyone attending State Field Day in-person to register. This includes family & friends, Primary Members (ages 5-8), evaluators, event volunteers and 4-H staff. If you are attending to watch the event, please register as a "Spectator."

Order lunch with registration

When you register, order lunch for yourself and those you register for. Lunch is included in competitor registration fees. You are also welcome to bring your own food to the event. We will not have food trucks at the event this year.

Registration is critical so we can plan for food and logistical supplies to accommodate everyone at the event.

Questions? Contact us at 4hsfd@ucanr.edu.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Enrollment System Rollover

ZSuite Enrollment closed June 23 to July 14

Families and volunteers will no longer be able to self-enroll in ZSuite on June 23 at 12 p.m. We anticipate families' and volunteers’ self-enrollment functionality will be restored on July 14, 2026.

Families are encouraged to delay re-enrollment for the 2026-27 program year until the system is open for self-enrollment on July 14.

If enrollment or re-enrollment is necessary during the interim period the systems are offline, your county staff will work with you to complete the enrollment process.

Please note: Any early enrollments in ZSuite before the official opening of the system will be deleted. All dates listed are subject to change based on our vendor and California 4-H needs. Any changes will be broadly communicated by the State 4-H Office.

State Leadership Conference 2026

2026 CA 4-H State Leadership Conference: Get Involved!

The 2026 California 4-H State Leadership Conference (SLC) is just around the corner, and we’re looking for passionate, dedicated individuals to help bring this incredible event to life!

This year’s State Ambassador educational platform, Passion to Purpose, is all about transforming passion into purpose and begins with identifying what truly matters to you and using your spark to make a meaningful impact. This year’s platform encourages youth to discover their passions, empower those around them, and communicate with confidence while respecting diverse perspectives.

Join the SLC Team!

We are currently recruiting for several key roles:

• Program Assistants

Help support the overall flow and success of the conference. Apply by April 25.

Program Assistant Application

• Teen Facilitators

Lead, inspire, and guide your peers through engaging sessions and activities. Apply by April 24.

Teen Facilitator Application

• Workshop Presenters

Share your knowledge, skills, and passion by leading an interactive workshop. Submit proposal by May 1.

SLC Workshop Proposal

• Chaperones

Support and mentor youth participants while helping create a safe and positive conference experience.

Apply to be a Chaperone

Why Get Involved?

SLC is more than just a conference. It’s a chance to:

• Grow your leadership skills
• Connect with youth and adults from across the state
• Make a lasting impact on the 4-H community
• Turn your passion into purpose

Whether you’re leading a workshop, supporting behind the scenes, or mentoring youth, your involvement helps make SLC a powerful and inspiring experience for everyone.

Be part of something meaningful! Apply today and help us bring Passion to Purpose to life!

Questions? Email 4hslc@ucanr.edu

Las Vegas Shoot

Fresno County 4-H'er places third in The Vegas Shoot 

Avery N. proudly represented Lone Star 4-H Club of Fresno County and California 4-H at The Vegas Shoot on March 27-28, 2026! This prestigious event is the largest indoor archery tournament in the world, bringing together over 4,000 competitors from all 50 states and more than 50 countries.

Congratulations, Avery! We are so proud of your hard work, dedication, and success!

We are thrilled to share that Avery earned a spot on the podium with an amazing 3rd Place finish in the Cub Female Bowhunter Division!

In addition to this outstanding achievement, Avery was also awarded a $500 scholarship from the National Field Archery Association and the Easton Foundations.

Thank you to Elizabeth Ramirez for sharing this great story and photos!

Accessibility Deadline: April 24, 2026

Starting April 24, 2026, all 4-H digital content must be accessible in order to meet federal rules. Digital content includes websites, webinars, social media, email newsletters and all documents shared online.

What does it mean to be accessible?

• People can see it even if they have vision challenges.
• People can understand it easily because it's written in simple language.
• People can use tools like screen readers, captions or keyboards to help them access the information.

We are committed to work with you to make 4-H resources and information available for everyone. We'll be sharing tips as we move forward. Together, we'll make 4-H information accessible to more audiences.

Do you have a 4-H website or social media?

If your 4-H club, camp, Volunteer Management Organization (VMO) or other 4-H group has a website or social media account, please add it to our list so we can:

• Include you in updates on accessibility resources
• Give you technical support to make your site and content accessible

We are here to support all 4-H members, volunteers and professionals to gain new skills in sharing digital content in an accessible way.

You do not need to manage the content yourself to submit it.

If you are aware of content in your county, please include it. This is simply to help us understand what exists so we can prioritize accessibility support needs. Responses will only be used by UC ANR and UC 4-H staff supporting accessibility efforts. We may follow up to provide assistance if needed.

Accessible Social Media Posts

See the following tips for making your social media images accessible. Stay tuned for more information about color contrast!

Use minimal text on images

Event flyers are NOT accessible on social media. Text on images is lost when it cannot be read because it is too small or not readable using a screen reader.

Do this:

• Minimize text on an image. For example, add only the event title and date to the image.
• Use images that support your message.
• Optional on images: include a custom short URL without the https://portion. Only do this if your custom URL describes where it links. Example: bit.ly/4-H-State-Field-Day goes to the State Field Day website. Custom shortened links can be made using link shorteners such as bit.ly, which require a subscription.
• Include detailed text in the post copy. Include your shortened links in your post copy.

Image with example text you can use in the post.

Include alt text on all images

All text on an image must be included in Alt Text. Alt text is a description of the image so those with assistive devices will know what you are sharing.

Crop Professional Certificate

Level up your future in agriculture—before you graduate high school

What if you could earn a college-level, industry-recognized credential in agriculture while you’re still in high school—and have the tuition covered?

The 4-H Agronomy E-Learning Academy Scholarship gives students in grades 9–11 the chance to explore real careers in crop science, sustainability, and agricultural technology through Purdue University’s Crop Professional Certificate program—at no cost to accepted students.

Why this opportunity stands out

This isn’t just another online class. It’s a pathway into one of the fastest-changing and most important fields in the world: feeding people and protecting the planet.

Through three flexible, self-paced digital badge courses, you’ll learn:

• Agronomy Essentials (Summer 2026)
• Nutrient Management (Fall 2026)
• Precision Agriculture (Winter 2027)

Complete all three and you’ll earn a Purdue Agronomy Crop Professional Certificate- a credential that signals real career readiness to colleges and employers.

Designed for busy high school students.

Each course takes about 30 hours over 12 weeks, and they’re asynchronous, which means you can work on them around sports, clubs, school, and 4-H activities. Plus, you won’t be doing this alone. 4-H educators provide support during the course.

What you’ll gain (besides a certificate)

Students who complete programs like this often discover:

🌾 new career interests in agriculture, science, and technology

📊 stronger college applications

🧠 real-world STEM skills

🤝 connections with professionals in the field

🚀 confidence about what comes after high school

Who should apply?

You’re a strong candidate if you:

• are a current 4-H member
• are in grades 9–11
• have solid academic performance
• are curious about agriculture, science, or technology careers

Important deadline

Applications are due April 20, 2026.

Spots are limited, and California students have access to reserved openings through this special opportunity.

Download the application here.

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