Submitted by Michelle Gobert
Youth Artists and Volunteers Needed: We are looking for youth ages 3rd grade and above interested in helping brainstorm, create and paint a patriotic mural for the Forest County Veterans Memorial on the Courthouse Square. We are currently gathering names and contact information and will plan to meet shortly after Spring Break to get started on the project. If you and/or your child is interested, please contact Michelle at michelle.gobert@wisc.edu and we will add your name to our list!
4-H Sparks Club: Currently there are two monthly 4-H Sparks Clubs in Forest County that are open and free to all families in the county. The Argonne Sparks Club meets on the 1st Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the Argonne Town Hall. The Laona Northwoods Clovers Sparks Club meets the 3rd Monday of the month at 4:30 p.m. at the Laona Library. Each month we focus on a different hands-on 4-H activity that encourages youth to discover an activity that SPARKs their interest.
This month, the Argonne Club conducted weather-related science experiments and filmed their own Kids Weather Channel forecasts. Next month we will meet on Thursday, April 6th and will explore a Rabbits project just in time for Easter.
The Laona Northwoods Clover Club will meet on Monday, March 20th at 4:30 p.m. at the Laona Library. We will be introducing the Lego Robotics project that encourages robotic and coding skills.
4-H Horse Project Updates and Scholarships: Forest County’s 4-H Horse Project hosted a very successful bake sale last month. Funds from the Bake Sale will be used to fund local 4-H scholarships that will allow Horse Project members to attend an equine educational event this spring. The next Horse Project meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 12th. Please contact Project Leader Amy Kuebler with any questions.
County Government Day: Each April, the National Association of Counties hosts National County Government Month to encourage counties across the country to elevate awareness of county responsibilities, programs and services provided by local county governments.
As part of this celebration, UW-Extension will once again be hosting County Government Day for local students at the County Courthouse on Monday, April 17th. Students will be introduced to county government work through their interaction with county department heads and a local tour. Youth will also be invited to meet with their county representative at the Annual County Board meeting held on Tuesday, April 18th at 1:00 p.m.
Youth interested in this opportunity can talk with their school principal about the opportunity, and/or contact Michelle at michelle.gobert@wisc.edu to sign up.
4-H Summer Academy
UW-Madison Extension is excited to announce a new youth opportunity: the Summer Academy!
This program is open to any Wisconsin youth in grades 7-10 and will be held from June 19-22, 2023 on the UW-Madison campus. Students will be able to experience life in a residence hall, with the chance to build lifelong friendships with other students from across Wisconsin.
The theme of the inaugural Summer Academy is “Exploring Your WHY,” with the goal of providing students the resources to discover pathways to their futures. There will be chances to learn about higher education from UW-Madison and Madison College, as well as career discovery and networking opportunities.
Students will be able to choose from 7 SPARK tracks to learn what it takes to have a career or hobby in a field that fits them the best. These tracks are:
- Arts & Communication
- Leadership & Civic Engagement
- Agriculture & Animal Science
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
- Human Services (Head, Heart, Hands, and Health)
- Construction & Trades
- Hospitality Management & Culinary Science
During the event, there will also be fun activities and entertainment from the Wisconsin 4-H Leadership Council, the Wisconsin 4-H Drama Company, and more!
Local educator Michelle Gobert will be attending the Academy as part of the Leadership & Civic Engagement team. Michelle, in partnership with the Wisconsin Historical Society PK-12 Education team, will be leading youth on an interactive exploration of the history of civic engagement and leadership in Wisconsin.
Forest County youth interested in any of the SPARK tracks at the Summer Academy can contact Michelle for more information. Registration opens in April and local scholarship funds are available.
For more information about UW-Extension programming in Forest County, please visit our website at https://forest.extension.wisc.edu.
