Union County 4-H Youth Development

05/30/2026

We have a few last-minute openings available in our 4-H Summer Fun camps.

Spots are limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Available spots:

Around the World" (ages 5-7): 1 spot available | June 8-12
Millstone Overnight Camp (ages 8–14): 2 male spots available | June 21–26
Exploring 4-H (ages 5–7): 5 spots available | August 3–7

To claim a spot, please email Autumn Baucom at [email protected] with the name of the camp(s) you are interested in.

If all spots are filled before we receive your email, your child will automatically be placed on the waitlist.

05/29/2026

This is a great opportunity for all of our 4-H’ers who have been snapping photos all year long! We would love to see lots of entries from Union County youth.

05/28/2026

Summer is coming and colorful crocheted headbands were on the May agenda! It was so much fun to learn this versatile pattern with friends! Join us back in August for our next meeting!

Till then-keep on casting!~your club reporter, Elli 🥰🧶🎉

05/26/2026

If your artist loves drawing, painting, or getting creative, this is for them!

North Carolina youth ages 5–18 are invited to enter the new NC Youth Dairy Art Contest for June Dairy Month. Youth can create original dairy-themed artwork featuring cows, dairy foods, farm life, creative products, and more.

We are excited to try something new for June Dairy Month by hosting a North Carolina Youth Dairy Art Contest!

Youth ages 5–18 are invited to create original dairy-themed artwork celebrating dairy cows, dairy foods, farm families, and the dairy industry.

Contest Theme: Farm Fresh Creativity
Participants are encouraged to create artwork that highlights:

Creative dairy foods and recipes
Value-added dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream, flavored milk, and specialty dairy products
Unique ways dairy farmers and businesses transform milk into products people use and enjoy
Dairy-inspired inventions, packaging, marketing ideas, or future dairy products
Farm-to-table concepts and healthy living
The creativity, innovation, and hard work behind the dairy industry
All artwork should positively promote the dairy industry.

Age Divisions & Deadlines
Division 1: Youth Division
Ages: 5–12
Submission Period: May 25 – June 12
Voting Period: June 13 – June 20
Winner Announced: Following the close of voting in June
Prize: $25 Gift Card

Division 2: Teen Division
Ages: 13–18
Submission Period: June 8 – June 26
Voting Period: June 27 – July 4
Winner Announced: Following the close of voting in July
Prize: $25 Gift Card

Artwork Requirements
Participants may submit:

Hand-drawn artwork
Paintings
Mixed media art
Any original artwork that can be physically created by hand

Voting Structure

Voting will be conducted through our page!
All submissions for each division will be posted on June 13 or June 27, depending on the division. Voting will remain open for one week. Community members are encouraged to continue commenting and engaging with the posts afterward, but only interactions received during the official voting period will count toward the final totals.

Likes, reactions, and comments will each count as points for the artwork submissions. The piece with the highest engagement in each division will be declared the winner.

One winner from each division will receive a $25 gift card.

How to Submit
To enter, participants must submit:

A scanned digital image or a clear photo of the artwork
A completed parent/guardian permission form
Entries should be emailed to [email protected] by the appropriate division deadline.

We encourage you to get creative and help us celebrate dairy this June by sharing and promoting this opportunity with youth across North Carolina!

**Mullet cow attached just for attention ☺️

05/22/2026

Looking to grow your livestock judging skills this summer? Here are two great opportunities for youth interested in livestock judging, animal science, and skillathon contests!

NC Livestock Judging & Skillathon Clinics
June 15–16
NCSU E. Carroll Joyner Beef Education Unit

This two-day event is perfect for youth wanting to learn the basics of livestock judging and skillathon in a fun, low-stress environment. Participants will get hands-on experience while learning from experienced leaders and past State Team members!

Virginia Tech Livestock Judging Camp
June 19–21
Blacksburg, VA

This camp offers:
• One-on-one oral reasons coaching
• Species-specific judging sessions
• Performance data and genetics instruction
• A chance to experience campus life at Virginia Tech

This program is especially great for youth interested in exploring collegiate livestock judging pathways and future careers in animal science.

For more information about the Virginia Tech camp, contact Matthew Miller at [email protected].

Please reach out if you have any questions about these opportunities!

05/21/2026

We are super excited to welcome three interns to Union County 4-H this summer: Miles, Kaylee, and Sabrinah. Each of them brings unique skills, passions, and goals to our team, and we cannot wait to see the impact they make this summer.

Kaylee hopes to share her knowledge about animals and agriculture while making a lasting positive impact on current 4-H members.

Miles is excited to help create a fun and educational summer for campers. He hopes to teach youth more about the environment around them while making a positive impact on campers, Extension/4-H, and the community as a whole.

Sabrinah is looking forward to bringing creative ideas and new ways to engage youth throughout summer camps and activities.

We are excited for a great summer filled with learning, leadership, creativity, and fun!

05/19/2026

The Dr. Kim Ingold NC 4-H Photo Contest is now open for entries. Whether you love capturing animals, nature, black and white photography, or showing 4-H in action, this is a great opportunity to showcase your photography skills.

Contest Details:
• Entries are due August 14, 2026 by 5:00 PM EST
• Open to North Carolina 4-H members ages 8–18 and adults 19+
• Cloverbuds ages 5–7 may participate in a non-competitive division
• Youth participants must be enrolled and approved in 4-HOnline
• Photos must have been taken between September 2025 – August 2026

Categories include:
• 4-H in Action
• Nature’s Beauty (No Animals)
• Animals
• Black and White

Youth may enter one photo per category for a maximum of four entries total.

Please make sure to carefully read all rules, file naming requirements, and submission instructions before entering. Photos must be submitted electronically.

Questions: [email protected]

We cannot wait to see the amazing photographs our 4-H’ers capture this year!

05/13/2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 Artistic Expression and Creative Writing Contests through North Carolina State University 4-H Horse Program!

Youth can showcase their creativity through a variety of horse-themed art and writing categories. Entries are open until June 10, with entry fees due by June 15. Artistic projects will be submitted and judged during the NC 4-H State Horse Show in Raleigh, where they’ll also be displayed and recognized.

These contests are a great opportunity for 4-H’ers to express their creativity, build skills, and share their experiences with horses—no horse ownership required.

05/12/2026

Good luck to our Union County 4-H Young Riders and Southern Spurs club members as they get ready to compete at the South Central District Horse Show!

Our youth have been working hard, practicing their skills, building confidence, and preparing for the show ring. We are so proud of all the dedication and effort they have put in this year and cannot wait to see them represent Union County 4-H.

Be sure to wish them good luck as they head into competition!

05/12/2026

Are you still interested in gaining entrepreneurial skills focused on being an amazing babysitter? Our last school year Super Sitter class will take place May 12 and 19 from 6-8 pm at the Union County Agricultural Center. Super Sitter is a two-part class focused on infant and child development, safety, first aid and CPR skills (non-certification), communication, and entrepreneurship. New this summer, we are offering a summer bootcamp held on June 27 or August 15 from 10 am - 2 pm. The cost for any sessions are free. Both sessions are open to ages 12-15. The bootcamp will include a catered lunch. Interested in participating, please e-mail at [email protected] to learn more or register at https://go.ncsu.edu/supersitterbootcamp.