2016 Kendall Classic Steer Show

Youth Agricultural Lifetime Leadership

Taylor County 4-H Horsemanship School

Wildlife Conservation Camp

Please help us spread the word that the deadline for applications for the Wildlife Conservation Camp for high-schoolers, sponsored by the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society, has been extended.  The camp will be held at the Davis Mountains Preserve, Fort Davis, TX on July 17-23, 2016.  The application deadline has been extended to May 31, 2016 (scholarships are available).  Please visit the website for more information (http://www.wildlifecamptx.org/).

Request for magazines

We have received a request from the Tech Wizards in our 4-H CAPITAL program for some magazines.  They are looking for 10 to 20 magazines with "global" and/or science photos.  These could be magazines such as National Geographic, Smithsonian, Discover, Texas Parks and Wildlife, etc.  These magazines will be used by youth in a "Passport to Imagination" project. 

If you feel you can contribute to this effort by June 3, please contact Meredith O'Reilly here at the office. 

D-10 Leadership Lab

For more information on dates, fees, activities, and the Do's and Don't, click here and scroll down to District events.

Invitational 4-H Hippology Contest

The hippology contest is a fun way to learn about horses, without requiring a child to learn about horses.  The contest will include:  

·         Two Judging Classes (50 points per class = 100 points) – youth will evaluate the confirmation of 2 halter classes and place (rank) the four animals in each class

·          Slide Show Test (picture test) (Seniors 50 Questions—100 points; Juniors 25 questions—50 points) - ID what you see! View picture on slide show and select answer from multiple choice options.

·          Multiple Choice Written Test (Seniors 50 questions - 100 points; Juniors 25 questions - 50 points) – Read and answer multiple choice questions.

·          I.D. Stations (10 stations = 100 points) - youth will visit 10 stations to identify or answer questions presented to them. Each station is numbered and represents a particular subject. (Example but not limited to: #1 - Parts of the Horse, #2 - Breeds of Horses, #3 - Leg and Face Markings, #4 - Styles of Riding, #5 - Nutrition, etc.) Each station will have 5 items related to that subject to identify or answer using multiple choice.

·          Team Problem (25 points) - the team will work together to solve a “problem”. Team will be given a scenario/situation and will have 10 minutes to develop a plan and team presentation to address the problem. Teams will have 5 minutes to deliver oral presentation to a panel of judges. 

Late registration is currently going on in 4-H Connect and will end May 18.  

Piney Woods Conservation Adventure Camp

To access the camp flyer, itinerary and registration form, click here and scroll down to Summer Camp Opportunities.

2016 Travis County 4-H Photography Contest

The photos that were entered in the 2016 County Photo Contest have been turned into a slideshow.  Each photo will indicate the photographer, their club and their award.  If you would like to check out these photos, please click here.  Congratulations to all who participated!

Record-book Covers

Last week at the Record-book Workshop we had very few record-book covers available.  We have since received our re-order quantity.  If you would like to purchase one for $3.00, please see John at the Extension office.

District 10 Contest Results

Congratulations to all of our youth!

The 2017–18 FAFSA®: Changes for an earlier, easier process.

We’re always looking for ways to make the process simpler for students applying for federal student aid. And two big changes to the 2017–18 FAFSA process will do just that:

1.     Students can submit the 2017–18 FAFSA earlier. In the past, students had to wait until January 1, but now they can submit it a full three months earlier on Oct. 1, 2016.

2.     They’ll use earlier income and tax information, too. For the 2017–18 FAFSA, students (and parents) must report their 2015 income and tax information rather than their 2016 income and tax information. This makes it easier because most people will have already filed their 2015 taxes, and they may be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to automatically import their tax information into the FAFSA.

Now, you’re probably thinking, “But wait, what will these changes do to my yearly calendar and schedule?” If so, don’t worry. We’ve got tons of resources and communication materials to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Resources for you:

Fact Sheet for Partners, Mentors, and Counselors. This PDF outlines the new changes and answers the questions that partners, mentors and counselors have about the updates.

Download the Fact Sheet

Presentation for Partners, Mentors, and Counselors. This presentation outlines the new changes to the FAFSA and can be used to provide updates to colleagues.

Download the Presentation

2017-18 FAFSA Messaging and Planning Calendar. This document provides you with resources to help plan your communications during May and June. Then, in June, we’ll offer suggested messaging for August 1 until the FAFSA is available. (Look for an e-mail reminder about it coming in June.)

Download the Calendar

2017–18 FAFSA Talking Points. This Word document offers messaging you can use when discussing the 2017–18 FAFSA changes. We’ve provided a general message along with variations tailored to different audiences.

Download the Talking Points

FAFSA Announcements Page. This is where you can find the latest news and documents related to the FAFSA.

Visit the FAFSA Announcements Page

Resources to help your students and their parents:

Changes to the FAFSA Process for 2017–18 Graphic. Feel free to use this downloadable image to help students and parents understand the timing and income and tax information requirements for the 2017–18 FAFSA. You can download it and use it in any of your communications.

Download the Graphic

Download a Text-only Version
(for 508 accessibility)

Fact Sheet for Parents and College Students. This PDF helps parents and students understand the 2017–18 FAFSA changes and addresses likely questions.

Download the Fact Sheet

Presentation for Parents and College Students. These presentation slides can be used to share the 2017–18 FAFSA changes with parents and students.

Download the Presentation