A wide horizontal graphic featuring "Happy New Year" written in black script with a gold firework accent. The left side is decorated with hanging gold stars and stylized fireworks, while the right side displays a green 4-H four-leaf clover logo.

January 2026
4-H Newsletter

Upcoming Events

4-H Holiday Party Recap

The spirit of the season was in full swing at our recent 4-H Holiday Party! With roughly 50 members, families, and volunteers gathered at the Marie Boe Building, it was an afternoon filled with creativity, community, and—of course—plenty of sugar.

Festive Flavors & Fellowship

The event kicked off with a delicious shared lunch, where families caught up and settled in for the festivities. The Marie Boe Building was transformed into a holiday workshop, with every table buzzing with excitement.

Crafting Memories

Our young makers were busy at work! The “Arts and Crafts” stations were a major highlight. From assembling 3-D printed snowmen and wood & string crafts to exploring various creative projects, the talent and imagination of our 4-H members were on full display. It was wonderful to see older members mentoring younger ones as they worked on their holiday masterpieces.

The Great Cookie Exchange

The true “sweet spot” of the afternoon was our first-ever (or annual!) Cookie Exchange. The diversity of treats was staggering—from classic gingerbread and frosted sugar cookies to creative chocolate creations. Each participant brought a dozen of their favorites and left with a personalized assortment of twelve different treats. The cookie table was a sight to behold overflowing with holiday spirit.

Thank You!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, contributed to the craft materials, and helped make the craft stations so successful. It’s events like these that remind us how lucky we are to have such a vibrant and supportive 4-H community.

Wishing all our 4-H families a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! We can’t wait to see what projects you tackle in 2026.

A group of adults and children sit around long tables in a well-lit community room, engaged in a winter-themed craft activity. The tables are covered with light green cloths and scattered with craft supplies, including paper, stickers, and small decorations. Other people stand and talk in the background near a set of glass exit doors.
Children are seated at a long table covered with a light green tablecloth, busily coloring and crafting. The table is filled with various art supplies, including boxes of crayons, markers, and holiday-themed coloring pages. Adults are visible in the background, standing and watching the children work.
Several platters and containers of various cookies and treats are arranged on a long table covered with a light green tablecloth. The spread includes gingerbread men, chocolate-covered treats, brownies, and small round cookies, some labeled with "Allergy Info" cards. A string of warm white holiday lights is draped along the edge of the table.

GiveOrcas Campaign a Huge Success

A huge thank you to Kathy Morris, Fur & Feathers 4-H Club Leader, for her hard work and dedication in championing 4-H during the Orcas Island Community Foundation’s GiveOrcas campaign.

Our grant request to support 4-H youth educational activities was fully funded! Thank you to everyone who contributed, shared the campaign, or helped spread the word.

Logo for 'GIVE ORCAS' featuring an orange heart shape containing a teal map of Orcas Island.

WSU 4-H Scholarship Applications – Open Now!

Hey 12th graders! The 4-H Scholarship application is now live!

Check out our website for requirements and details on how to apply.

Applications must be submitted in 4-H Online by March 15th. Don’t wait!

Complete Scholarship Application

Promotional graphic for the 4-H Scholarship Application. The text states that applications are open through March 15th and provides a link and QR code to apply. The 4-H clover and WSU Cougar logos are displayed at the bottom on a dark green background.

San Juan Islands Ag Summit Registration Now Open

Early Bird Registration is now open for the 2026 San Juan Islands Agriculture Summit.

For Adults, the Ag Summit will take place February 27 & 28 on San Juan Island.

For Youth, the Ag Summit will have a separate track on February 28th on San Juan Island. Direct Link to Youth Registration

More information, registration details, and current scheudle can be found on the Ag Summit webpage.

Save the Date – April 10 & 11th 2026

The annual Whatcom County Youth Fair appears to be back for 2026! Save the dates of April 10 & 11 for this amazing educational opportunity. Registration is set to go live on February 15th. Educational Scholarship funds will be available through the San Juan County 4-H Leaders Council.

A promotional banner for the Whatcom County Youth Fair features a central circular logo with a blue ribbon, evergreen trees, and water, stating "EST 1989". Surrounding the logo are four black-and-white photos of animals: goats, a cow in a halter, sheep, and a bulldog licking its nose. The text on the banner reads, "WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!" and "APRIL 10-11, 2026".

If you’d like to contribute anything for the monthly 4-H newsletter, please contact Clinton by email or phone.