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Clover Clips
A newsletter for 4-H families
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| Volunteer Role: Mr. & Miss 4-H Program Coordinator | | |
Help support and celebrate teen leaders by coordinating the annual Mr. & Miss 4-H program. This volunteer role focuses on organizing a smooth, positive experience for participants and helping showcase 4-H leadership at the county level.
What you will do in this role:
- Help organize the yearly timeline (applications, interviews, and fair events)
- Share information and encourage eligible 4-H members to apply
- Coordinate judges and assist with the interview process
- Support planning of the coronation event during the county fair
- Stay in touch with participants and families throughout the process
- Work alongside Extension staff and other volunteers throughout the year to coordinate public engagement opportunities (parades, tabling events) as well as newsletter features.
What we are looking for in the coordinator:
- Interest in supporting youth and leadership development
- Organized and good at communicating with others
- Ability to work as part of a team
Time Commitment:
- Varies throughout the year, with most activity in late spring and during the county fair
If you or someone you know may be interested, please email the 4-H Team by April 30th.
| | Updated Project Report Form Preferences | | |
We are introducing a new option for completing the Project Report Form requirement for membership pins. In the past, members were required to submit a Project Report Form that was entered into the county awards judging process as a requirement for membership pin applications. Beginning this year, members will be able to choose how their Project Report Form is submitted:
- Members may complete a Project Report Form to meet the membership pin requirement only. This report will not be judged and will not be considered for county awards related to project reports. Members will still receive their membership pins if all other requirements are met through this option.
- Members may submit their Project Report Form to be evaluated through the Johnson County 4-H Awards judging process and be considered for county awards. All members of each age level (junior, intermediate and senior) who qualify for a project report form award will now receive medallions.
When submitting your Project Report Form, you will declare your choice with this Preference Sheet. This new option provides flexibility for members who want to complete the membership pin requirement without creating an extra burden / barrier for submitting project report forms.
| | 2026 Johnson County 4-H Scholarship | | |
Every year Johnson County 4-H offers a scholarship to two individuals that are either 4-H seniors or former 4-H members. The scholarship application and guidelines for the 2026 Johnson County 4-H Scholarships are posted on the Johnson County 4-H website as well. Applications are due to the Extension office by 5:00 PM on Monday, June 22, 2026. Take note of these requirements if you are applying as a high school senior or 4-H alumni:
- Must be or have been a Johnson County 4-H’er within the past four years.
- Must have been a 4-H Club member for a minimum of five years.
| | During the Paper Clover Campaign, the Olathe Tractor Supply will be hosting a Demo Days on Saturday, April 25th. 4-H youth are invited to showcase their projects outside the store during this event. Demo Days will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If your club would like to participate, you can sign up for a 2 hour time slot. These slots are first come, first serve. Please note: 4-H parents and/or registered volunteers MUST be present with the youth during this event. | |
County Service Project
The Johnson County 4-H Council is leading a service project to benefit the "Cards for Hospitalized Kids" charity. Cards for Hospitalized Kids distributes empowering and uplifting cards to Children's Hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in all 50 States. Clubs and individual 4-H'ers can create cards and deliver them to the Johnson County Extension Office before or at the July 6th meeting of the Johnson County 4-H Council. Take note: the cards do NOT need to be in envelopes. Once all cards have been collected, the club with the most quality cards submitted will receive a donation of $100 from an anonymous donor. For more information and guidelines, please view the flyer or the organization's official website. If you have any questions, please contact council officer, George D.
| | Johnson County 4-H Speakers Bureau | | We want YOU to join the Johnson County 4-H Speakers Bureau! The 4-H Team will soon be launching a survey for community groups, schools and civic organizations to request speakers. Whether you are a youth member wanting to gain experience with public speaking or an adult volunteer, we welcome all to take the Speakers Survey, so that we can properly match you when a group requests a speaker. Taking a moment to fill out this interest survey will help us develop this bureau! | |
2026 Food Stand Poster Contest
We are calling on our artists again to help create a food stand poster that highlights:
• The food and drink items offered at the 4‑H Food Stand
• How Food Stand proceeds support Johnson County 4‑H members
• Eye‑catching artwork, photos, or drawings that will grab fairgoers’ attention
Please submit your design by June 22nd to the 4-H Team so the committee has time to review entries and have posters printed before fair. View this document for examples of past posters and for a list of past food & drink offerings.
| | Adding/Dropping Projects & Enrollment Status | | The project add/drop deadline for new and returning 4-H’ers is May 1. 4-H members must be enrolled in the project by May 1 and be approved in 4-H Online to be eligible to exhibit in the corresponding project area at the Johnson County Fair. Project enrollment is an important component of the project experience. 4-H families can update this information any time in 4-H Online by simply clicking the Edit button in the Projects tab within the 4-H member’s profile. This option will be available through May 1 and after that the system will not allow any changes to be made to a 4-H member’s projects. If you have questions about project enrollment or the May 1 deadline, please contact Christin Bartels. | |
Save the Date: Countywide Social Event
Mark your calendars and plan to join the Council at the County Social on Saturday, September 26th from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Stay tuned for more details!
| | Johnson County 4-H is hosting a Show N’ Grow Open House! This open house is designed with inclusion in mind; welcoming youth with accessibility needs and their families to discover how 4-H can be a great fit. Join Johnson County youth, Extension Agents and current families to explore hands-on projects and opportunities at the Johnson County Fair! Join us on April 22nd from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at the Johnson County Extension Office and see how 4-H is growing something for everyone! | | | |
When presenting at events or competitions, we often show up right before our talk and leave right after, never leaving much time for improvement or feedback. Attending the Johnson County Communications Project Workshop will give you the opportunity to watch presentations and learn from an experienced judge and presenter, Randy Doerksen. Whether you are brand new or a seasoned presenter, this workshop will be the perfect opportunity to bring your skills to the next level. Learn about the various types of presentations available at 4-H events including Project Talks, Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks, and Public Speaking categories.
All skill levels are welcome to attend and learn about the many aspects of preparing and delivering a presentation, from choosing a topic to adding inflection and everything in between.
Join us at the Johnson County Extension Office (Room 1060) on Saturday, April 25th from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM to build a skillset that will benefit you in every aspect of life. If you plan on attending, please RSVP by April 20th.
For more information, please contact the Extension Office or George D.
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Learn more about the workshop leader:
Randy Doerksen
The quote: “You never quite know the moment in a child’s life when you’ll make a difference for a lifetime...and that moment might be right NOW!” forms the foundation of Randy Doerksen’s philosophy of education, leadership, and learning.
Growing up a Reno County 4-H’er, Randy enjoyed sharing each of his projects through his love of public speaking. As his skills developed, he incorporated the leadership project, helping younger 4-H’ers become more comfortable on the stage. Those early “coaching” opportunities have led to many years of judging Public Speaking at the Kansas State Fair. He also serves as KSHSAA judge for Regional and State Speech and Drama.
Randy currently teaches Kindergarten – 6th grade music at Graber Elementary in Hutchinson, KS.
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YQCA
The Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) program is an annual certification process. Certification can be done by taking a minimum one-hour in-person training or an online training. Both types of trainings are registered for and paid for by going to the YQCA website. All registrations and payments are handled through the YQCA website and must be done before attending either type of training. The online training is $12 per youth and the in-person training is $3 per youth. (If a family needs financial support, contact the Extension Office.)
Johnson County 4-H will hold one more in-person training at the Extension Office on Tuesday, May 5th at 6:00 PM. Registration is required to attend a training. If you cannot attend one of the in-person trainings that our county offers, you may also attend a training in another county. It is not required that you complete your certification in the county you show in. To find other counties' trainings, view other available dates on the YQCA website.
Families are responsible for turning in a printed copy of their YQCA certificate or emailing a copy to the Extension Office by June 15th, 2026. No late submissions (after June 15th) will be accepted. Additional details can be found on the Johnson County 4-H Livestock webpage.
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Livestock Tagging
All market and commercial breeding animals, including beef, sheep, goats, swine, and bucket calves, must be tagged on or before the designated tagging deadlines to be eligible to show in the 4-H division at the Johnson County Fair. The cost of the Kansas 4-H EID ear tag is $3 per animal.
Tagging deadlines are the following:
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Last date to tag beef: March 15th
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Last date to tag swine, sheep, goat and bucket calf: May 1st
As all in-person tagging opportunities have now passed, to tag your animals by the deadline you must either bring your animal(s) to the Extension Office or pay a $50 farm fee for Extension staff to travel to the location of the animal(s). All animals must be tagged on or prior to their species' last date to tag. Animals tagged after these dates will only be allowed to show in open class where there is open competition at the county fair unless prior arrangements have been discussed and approved by Extension staff, the Livestock Superintendent, and the Department Superintendent. Please note that these tagging deadlines are for county fair eligibility. If you are ONLY tagging for state / national shows, the deadlines follow state nominations. Reach out to the Extension Office with any questions.
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State Livestock Nominations
4-H members planning to show their animals at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show (KJLS) and/or the Kansas State Fair must submit nominations to the KSU Youth Livestock office. Market beef nominations are due by May 1. Commercial heifer, swine, sheep, and meat goat nominations are due by June 15. Information regarding state livestock nominations, ordering DNA envelopes, and the nomination process can be found on the webpage.
| | Fiber Arts Project Meeting | | Join Fiber Arts project leaders for the next county-wide meeting on Sunday, April 26th, at 5:30 PM at the Olathe Starbucks (15225 W. 135th St Olathe, KS, 66062). Questions? Contact Emily. | |
Foods Project Information Session and Q&A
Join our Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health Agent, Chelsea King, and the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Superintendent, Sue Pio, for an information session designed to help exhibitors prepare for the fair’s food projects. The meeting will take place on April 30th from 6:00 - 7:00 PM via Zoom. We’ll walk through the fair book together, highlighting key rules and guidelines, and cover practical tips, such as calculating your frosting percentage, to ensure your entries meet judging standards. The session will conclude with a Q&A, giving you the chance to ask questions you may have around foods for the fair.
Join Zoom Meeting (Meeting ID: 968 5534 1730 and Passcode: 480521)
| | Johnson County Dog Club Shows & Trainings | | The JoCo Dog Club has two upcoming shows. A Rally-O & Agility Show will be held on Saturday, June 20th and the Invitational Show will be held on Saturday, July 11th. Registration opens at 8:30 AM, with each show beginning at 9:00 AM. Pre-registration is encouraged but walk-in entries are also accepted. We will have multiple judges to help make it a faster show. Both shows will be at the Johnson County Fairgrounds and are great shows to attend if you are needing to qualify for the Kansas State Fair 4-H Dog Show. For more information contact the Dog Club. If you pre-register, each event is $10. Walk-in registration will be $15 per event. | |
Tailwaggers Dog Show
The Tailwaggers Invitational Dog Show will be held on Saturday, June 27th at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. This show is a State Qualifier Dog Show for the Kansas State Fair 4-H Dog Show. Walk-in entries will be accepted but pre-registration is encouraged. For more information on the show, contact Donna or Audrey.
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4-H Calendar Events
Check out all the available 4-H Projects and Events coming up in the next few weeks.
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Thursdays, April 16th, 23rd & 30th 6:30 - 8:30 PM
County-Wide Sewing Meetings
All levels welcome. Bring your sewing machine!
Contact: Martha Powell
Location: Johnson County Extension Office
Monday, April 20th 6:00 PM
Johnson County Entomology Project Meeting
You are invited to join us on the third Monday of each month at the Johnson County Entomology Project Meetings. At these meetings we dive into the art of collecting and learning about insects! Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting out, this hands-on meeting is perfect for anyone looking to improve their skills and take their insect collection to new heights. All skill levels welcome!
Registration: None required
Contact: Patrick Delancy
Location: Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church (Room #115) 13145 Blackbob Road, Olathe, KS 66062
Wednesday, April 22nd 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Show N' Grow Open House
This open house is designed with inclusion in mind; welcoming youth with accessibility needs and their families to discover how 4-H can be a great fit.
Contact: Lexi
Location: Johnson County Extension Office
Saturday, April 25th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Johnson County Communications Workshop
Join Randy Doerksen for a communications workshop to bring your skills to the next level. Learn about the various types of presentations available at 4-H events including Project Talks, Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks, and Public Speaking categories.
Registration: RSVP by April 20
Contact: George D.
Location: Johnson County Extension Office (Room 1060)
Sunday, April 26th 5:30 PM
Johnson County Fiber Arts Project Meeting
Join leaders and other members for an evening of crafting.
Contact: Emily K.
Location: Olathe Starbucks (15225 W. 135th St Olathe, KS, 66062)
Thursday, April 30th 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Johnson County Foods Project Information Session/Q&A
Join our Nutrition, Food Safety, and Health Agent, Chelsea King, and the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Superintendent, Sue Pio, for an information session designed to help exhibitors prepare for the fair’s food projects.
Contact: Chelsea King
Location: Join Zoom Meeting
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
County-wide Sewing Meeting
Join this bonus sewing meeting to get in some extra work on your upcoming fair project(s). All levels welcome, bring your own machine!
Contact: Martha Powell
Location: Johnson County Extension Office (Room 1060)
Monday, May 4th 7:00 PM
Johnson County Council Meeting
The county council meets on the first Monday of the odd-numbered months.
Contact: Cyla or Lexi
Location: Johnson County Extension Office
Tuesday, May 19th 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Johnson County Horticulture Project Meeting
Join us for the monthly horticulture meetings. At the April meeting we’ll be taking a stroll through the Dennis Patton Garden Gallery, focusing on plant identification, getting a closer look at what’s growing around us, and beginning to delve into our Hort. Judging plant list.
Please plan to dress for the weather and come ready to spend time outdoors!
Registration: Sign up required
Contact: Anthony or Markis
Location: Johnson County Extension Office, Room 1060
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April 17 - Meat Goat Showmanship Clinic Registrations DUE
April 20 - Communications Workshop RSVP DUE
April 20 - Final date to order DNA envelopes for Market Beef State Livestock Nominations
May 1 - 4-H Enrollment and Project Add/Drop Selection in 4-H Online DUE
May 1 - Market Beef Nominations DUE
May 1 - Small Livestock Tagging Deadline for County Fair Eligibility
| | State/National Events & Updates | | The 2026 Discovery Days will be held June 3rd - 5th in Manhattan KS. Discovery Days is a mini college experience designed for youth who are 13-18 years of age as of January 1. Youth will have the opportunity to select classes and attend social functions. The primary purpose of 4-H Discovery Days is to gain new ideas and expand your 4-H experience. You experience this through action-oriented learning activities, fun tours, and great evening social events. You will meet new people, build leadership skills, and grow as a person! Registration is now open! | |
FCS Judging - New Updates for 2026
The FCS Experience will be held in Manhattan, KS on June 4th and will include the Family and Consumer Sciences Judging Contest, lunch on campus, workshops, and a campus tour. The FCS Judging Contest includes: Consumer Decision Placing classes and reasons (individual participants), Skill-a-thon identification (individual participants), and Group Think – which is a presentation inviting the team's perspective in response to a situation presented on the day of competition (team presentation to a judge).
This judging opportunity is open to all youth ages 9-18 (youth can participate as individuals or a team of 3-4 youth in the same age group). Intermediates are ages 9-13; Seniors are ages 14-18. There will not be a limit to the number of participants from a local unit. There is a fee per participant.
Contest classes will be selected from topics featured in the 4-H Family and Consumer Sciences National Competition and Conference Study Guide. Additional rule guidelines and what to expect documents will be available soon.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please reach out to Cyla or Lexi to register by May 6th.
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Japanese Exchange Host Opportunities
Now is the perfect time to consider hosting a Japanese delegate this summer. Host families do not have to be enrolled in 4-H. If you know a family that would be interested in hosting, please share this information! Families just need to be welcoming, curious, and willing to share everyday Kansas life with these exchange students.
The Kansas 4‑H Japan Exchange Committee is looking for 22 host homes this summer. Delegates are ages 12–18 and are eager to learn about our way of life here in Kansas. Even if your summer is busy, that’s often the best environment for these teens—they want to experience real family life, not a curated schedule. If you need a little inspiration, here’s a short video. For more information on the program and to learn more about global citizenship, visit the webpage.
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Save the Date: 2026 Insect Spectacular
Beetles, bugs, dragonflies and more! It’s time to get registered for the 34th Insect Spectacular. The State Entomology Workshop will be held Friday and Saturday June 19th and 20th. Activities will be based at the North Community building in Iola, Kansas.
Registration for the workshop will open April 24th and run through May 25th. Once registration closes, it will not be reopened. There will be no cancellations or refunds of money after registration closes. Cancellations before registration closes are eligible for a 50% refund. A parent from each family must pay full registration and attend the workshop. A parent is to stay with your child or children at the workshop.
View the event flyer for more trip details.
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Rock Springs Summer Camp
Summer Camp Registration is OPEN - secure your spot today! Camp offerings include a mini camp, half week and full week sessions, teen leadership programs and several new specialty camps. All camp sessions are offered on a voluntary three-tiered pricing model based on the needs of families. For a description of the tiers and the pricing list, please visit this webpage. For families who are unable to pay the Tier 3 pricing, camperships are available through the generosity of donors to the Kansas 4-H Foundation. To apply for a campership, please complete the Campership Application.
Registration is also open for the Counselors in Training (CIT) and Leaders in Training (LIT) sessions. Registration for the Leaders in Training (LIT) and Counselors in Training (CIT) programs will be covered by generous philanthropic support from the Patterson Family Foundation. To apply, youth must complete a letter of interest.
Check out Kansas 4-H Camp at Rock Springs Ranch for information and registrations. Transportation from Olathe is offered for sessions 1-8.
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Remake Learning Night
Shawnee Parks and Recreation is proud to present Remake Learning Night! Science fair meets art fair meets REMAKE LEARNING NIGHT! This event will be held Friday, May 8th from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Shawnee Civic Centre. Booth spaces are FREE for youth to share their talents, creations and passions, either display only or sell! 4-H'ers have been invited to share some of their projects or businesses. If interested, please register for this event.
| | Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign | | This spring, from April 17th to May 3rd, Tractor Supply will be hosting the National 4-H Paper Clover Campaign. Stop into your local store to support 4-H and our partnerships! Since 2010, Tractor Supply has partnered with 4‑H to prepare youth to be ready for work and life. The success of the Paper Clover campaign has raised more than $24 million to impact local youth with the technical skills and life skills that prepare them for whatever comes their way. Did you know that 100% of funds raised through the bi-annual Paper Clover campaign directly benefits 4‑H youth? 90% of donations directly support 4‑H youth in the state where the funds were raised, and the remaining 10% supports the overall mission and growth of 4‑H nationally. | |
All-Extension Volunteer Appreciation Event
You are Nacho Average Volunteers! Extension volunteers aren’t just "average” but are known for going above and beyond. Come hungry on Tuesday, April 21st for the All-Extension Volunteer Appreciation event and enjoy free tacos or nachos from the on-site food truck.
The event will be from 4:00 - 6:00 PM and is for all the volunteers in Extension including 4-H volunteers! Join the community of Extension volunteers for food, fun and networking. Please RSVP by April 16.
| | The Overland Park Chamber Foundation is partnering with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber Foundation to host the third annual National Civics Bee in Northeast Kansas! The National Civics Bee is a nonpartisan competition aimed at improving civics education and literacy among middle school (6th-8th grade) students, their families, and communities. To enter the competition, students must submit essays showcasing ideas to benefit their local communities. This event will take place on Tuesday, April 21st at Johnson County Community College. To learn more about the Civics Bee and for details on the competition, view their webpage. | | Meat Goat Showmanship Clinic | | Smith County 4-H Council is organizing a Meat Goat Showmanship Clinic on Sunday, April 26th from 3:30 - 5:30 PM at the Smith County Fairgrounds! This will be a hands-on experience with goats, among other opportunities to learn more about the project. There will be a class for beginners, in the middle, and one for more advanced showmen looking to improve their skills and knowledge. K-State Extension Post Rock District invites all enrolled Kansas 4-H members to participate. Questions? Contact Emma Anderson, Post Rock District 4-H Program Coordinator. Registration is $5 per participating 4-H'er and all registrations are due by April 17th. | |
FFA/4-H Night at the ProRodeo
You are invited to the FFA/4-H Night at the ProRodeo on Thursday, April 30th. The evening kicks off at 5:00 PM with food trucks and shopping, followed by the rodeo performance at 7:00 PM, and live music afterward. Come help us celebrate and support the youth involved in agriculture! If you are interested in reserving seats, please fill out the interest form.
Email with any additional questions.
| | RoeFest Community Partner Booth | | |
RoeFest is looking for community organizations to partner with that will provide an educational, interactive booth during this festival on Saturday, October 3rd from 1:00 - 6:00 PM and will be located on Roe Blvd in the Price Chopper/Lowes parking lot. Johnson County 4-H has been invited to participate as a community partner booth. Does your club want to host a kid's craft tent? Lead a hands-on activity? Provide a few animals for a little petting zoo? Be creative and share 4-H! Take note: booth space is typically 10'x10' or 10'x20' and you must bring your own set-up supplies (tables, chairs, tent).
Another way to participate (other than a booth) is to volunteer at this event by helping with things like crowd management, ticket taking, and general support. Individuals must be at leat 16 years old to volunteer in these roles.
Whether you would like to host a booth or volunteer, please contact Cece Riley by June 1st.
| | Help Spread the Extension Word! | | |
How can you help spread the word? One simple way you can help that will have a big impact is to interact with Extension on social media. By doing this, you help the algorithm help us: your small actions send out ripples that carry trusted information farther into our communities. Social media has changed the way it decides what people see. Instead of pushing out everything, platforms now elevate the content that real people find valuable — content they like, comment, share, save, or send to someone they know. That means our members can play a powerful role in spreading our impact.
| | Read the latest Reporter's Corner to stay up to date on club happenings. | |
Clover Clips Submission
The deadline for submissions for Clover Clips will be on the 15th of each month. If you have a submission that you would like to have considered for an edition of Clover Clips please send it to Erin at Erin.Yeung@jocogov.org
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Lexi Ray - 4-H Agent
Cyla Gardner - 4-H Agent
Christin Bartels - 4-H Office Professional
Erin Yeung - 4-H Event and Communications Coordinator
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K- State Extension Johnson County
Kansas State University
11811 S. Sunset Dr. Suite 1500
Olathe, KS 66061-7057
(913) 715-7000
| | For all 4-H related information, links, forms and resources | | | Johnson County Extension resources and programs | | K-State Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. | | | | |
