Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion County 4-H

05/19/2026

Congrats to Olivia Koch from Champaign County on this achievement!

05/19/2026

The popular 4-H statewide fishing spring fishing tournament is back in 2026. This year’s tourney will again be a virtual event held between the dates of May 1 – July 31. Catch-measure-picture-upload…repeat!

Nearly 500 entries submitted in 2025! Enter catches here now through July 31: https://go.illinois.edu/4-HFishing

If you need reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact the State 4-H Office.

05/19/2026

This training is open to adults and youth ages 15 and up.
Learn more or register at go.illinois.edu/CFPM-CFIV

University of Illinois Extension is offering the Certified Food Protection Manager Course at three locations this year. This one-day training (9 AM-7 PM) covers key food safety topics like contamination, hygiene, safe food handling, cleaning and sanitizing, and HACCP systems. It meets Illinois Department of Public Health requirements, and participants must attend the full session to take the exam. Lunch is included.

Dates & Locations:
• June 1 - Vermilion County Extension Office (Danville)
• July 27 - Ford-Iroquois Counties Extension Office (Gilman)
• December 1 - Champaign County Farm Bureau Auditorium (Champaign)

Cost: $60 youth | $100 adults (includes materials, exam, and lunch)
Space is limited—preregistration required.

Learn more and register: https://go.illinois.edu/CFPM-CFIV

05/06/2026

Congrats to our amazing 4-H Educator, Mynda, on her achievement!

Congratulations to our 4-H Youth Development Educator, Mynda Tracy, on being selected for this year's Chancellor's Staff Excellence Award. In her role as a 4-H educator, she has consistently demonstrated dedication and commitment to serving the youth and adults of Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion counties.

Her achievement in receiving this award highlights her work in developing and delivering food-handling and Certified Food Protection Manager training for both youth and adults. Additionally, she has been instrumental in establishing the College of ACES' first-ever dual-credit course in food management and safety.

To learn more about Mynda's achievement and her fellow Chancellor's Award recipients, follow the link below.
https://news.illinois.edu/fifteen-employees-honored-with-2025-chancellors-staff-excellence-award/

05/01/2026

4-H fair entry is now open! Register by May 31 to exhibit in this year's summer show.

Check out the 4-H Show Resources at go.illinois.edu/cfiv4h

04/30/2026

We're thrilled to welcome the newest members of the Youth Leadership Team, including Daniel Surowka of Vermilion County!

The Youth Leadership Team takes on extensive planning and leadership roles, with teens serving on statewide committees and boards. This includes the Illinois 4-H Foundation Board of Directors and the Illinois Farm Bureau Youth Education Committee.

Congratulations Daniel, and stay tuned for more new YLT member spotlights!

04/30/2026

We are excited to invite you to be part of the 2026 4-H General Project Show at the Illinois State Fair! The State 4-H Office is seeking enthusiastic volunteer judges, project assistants, and other volunteers to help create a memorable and rewarding experience for Illinois 4-H members.

Event Details:
Dates: August 14-16 (Friday through Sunday)
Location: Orr Building, Illinois State Fairgrounds (Fully air-conditioned for your comfort!)

Volunteer Requirements:
Project Assistants: Must be 16 years or older; expertise in the project area is not required.
Judges: Must be 19 years or older and have expertise or experience in the project area they wish to judge. This could include knowledge of the project area as a career, hobby, or general interest in the project area.
Other Support Roles: Must be 14 years or older; expertise in the project area is not required.

How to Get Involved:
Sign up at go.illinois.edu/statefairhelp to join us for one, two, or all three days of the State Fair. Assignment details for volunteers will be emailed in July. We would love to have you on our State Fair team!

04/28/2026

We are rescheduling last night's 4-H Reading and Art Hour due to the impending weather. Email Sara at [email protected] for updates!

This is the final opportunity to join Ford County 4-H at the Paxton Carnegie Library for our 4-H Reading and Art Hour!

We would love to share a time of reading and art projects with friends in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.

To learn more or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/ArtLitPaxton

04/22/2026

Congrats to Hunter on this awesome achievement. We're so proud!

Scholarship spotlight!

Animal Science Scholarship recipient Hunter Shike of Champaign County shared, "4-H has been an opportunity for me to meet new people, try new things, and push myself. It’s helped to direct me towards a career path in animal sciences."

Congratulations to Hunter and all of our award recipients!

04/22/2026

We truly appreciate our amazing volunteers that make up the heart of 4-H!

4-H volunteers share their skills and experiences to help transform the next generation of confident, young leaders and are the spark that inspires future generations! You all make a difference in the lives of young people by teaching them skills they can use for the rest of their lives!

A HUGE thank you to our amazing volunteers!