CLOVERLINE
Inside this Edition
Program Announcements 1-3
Upcoming Events & Opps 3-5
4-H Happenings..........................5-7
Upcoming Dates
July 14 Regional Fashion Revue
July 23 Deadline for PA 4-H State Presentation and Public Speaking Contest Entries
July 29 Mandatory Fair Set-up for Beef, Sheep, Market Goat, and Swine Exhibitors, Chester County 4-H Center
July TBD Fair Entry Forms Due
August 2, 4-9 Chester County 4-H Fair
August 6 Chester County 4-H Livestock Sale
August 12-14 Ag Progress Days, Pennsylvania Furnace, PA
August 23 District Horse Show, Montgomery County Farm, Home and 4-H Center
September 1 Deadline for PA 4-H Diamond Clover Award Year 2 Final Submissions
September 20 Chester County 4-H Center Annual Auction and Fundraiser
US A FOLLOW!
Sometimes emails get missed!
Volunteers, parents, and members are encouraged to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay current on all upcoming opportunities and deadlines. Check updates on ZSuite too!
PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENTS
A 4-H project is a hands-on learning experience where youth explore their interests and develop skills through a planned sequence of activities. These projects, guided by adult mentors, cover a wide range of areas like science, animals, healthy living, and leadership, to name a few. 4-H members set goals, learn new skills, and participate in club and camp meetings and activities such as exhibits, demonstrations, and community service.
All Chester County 4-H clubs and camps are centered around a project or multiple projects, and all 4-H members are encouraged to fully engage and complete the project(s) which includes showcasing your work for feedback. We provide the opportunity for all 4-H members to showcase their work as part of the Chester County 4-H Fair August 2 & 4-9, 2025, at the Chester County 4-H Center in Honey Brook. The 4-H Fair Exhibitor’s Guide was emailed to all families in late May. If you need another copy it can be found on our Cloverlink site. If you are working on a project and you are not sure about the requirements, contact Toni or Audrey ASAP at 610-696-3500, to ensure you have an opportunity to participate in the Chester County 4-H Fair.
Mandatory Livestock/Market Animal Fair Set Up
There is a MANDATORY Fair set up for all livestock/market animal members at the Chester County 4-H Center on Tuesday, July 29, at 6:00 p.m. Parents and Volunteers, if you have any of the following items to help with the set up/cleaning, we can use: old t-shirts or rags, two quart buckets, leaf blowers, power washers, and tools. These items all come in handy!
Club Meeting Attendance
4-H meetings serve as a crucial platform for youth development by fostering learning, leadership, and community engagement. Club meetings and activities provide a safe space for members to participate in hands-on projects, develop skills, and build positive relationships with peers and adult mentors. 4-H members are required to attend at least 60% of club meetings. Some clubs may require more in order for members to complete their 4-H project(s).
Clover Awards
Now is the time to start working on your Clover Awards. The Clover Award program is open to ALL Chester County 4-H members. Applications are due to Toni by September 30th each year.
The Purpose: To encourage 4-H members to engage in a variety of projects and activities, in addition to enabling members to acquire the seven Leadership Life Skills – Communicating, Decision Making and Problem Solving, Getting Along with Others, Learning to Learn, Managing, Understanding Self, and Working in Groups.
Background: The Pennsylvania State 4-H Clover Award program encompasses the progression of leadership skill development in 4-H members as they grow in the 4-H program. The application can be found in ZSuite or in our Clover Awards Cloverlink folder.
Some Clover Award event examples are below. Community Service events can be club or county events. 4-H fundraising may be club or county-wide.
County Level Events (may include but are not limited to):
• Round-up/County 4-H Fair
• Horse Show
• Livestock Show and Sale
• Day Camps
• County (Teen) Council Events
• Presentation Nights/Events
• County-wide Training/Project
State Level Events:
• 4-H State Leadership Conference (SLC) and SLC Junior
• 4-H State Competitive events
• Animal Science Camp
• Wildlife and Fisheries Field Day
• Pennsylvania Farm Show Exhibit or Volunteer
• State 4-H Animal Shows
• 4-H Booth at Ag Progress Days or Pennsylvania Farm Show
Regional (Multi-County) Level Events (may include but are not limited to):
• 4-H Camp (Camper, CIT, or Counselor)
• Regional Communication Contest
• Regional Officer Training
• District Animal Shows
• Teen and Pre-Teen Retreats
• Fashion Revue
• 4-H Robotics Invitational
National Level Events:
• Leadership Washington Focus
• National 4-H Conference
• National 4-H Competitions
• National 4-H Congress
• Ignite Conference
• Shooting Sports Invitational
• National Judging Contest
If you have any questions, please contact Toni Stuetz at 610-696-3500 or tmm113@psu.edu
4-H Members Driving
Pennsylvania 4-H policy is that 4-H members are not allowed to drive for 4-H business, for example, delivering fundraising products to other 4-H members or families, and driving other 4-H members to and from events. A 4-H member can drive themselves and siblings to and from club meetings, and county, regional, or state events. 4-H members cannot drive non-related members to and from 4-H events.
Chester County Teen Talk Line
Have you heard about the Teen Talk Line in Chester County?
Teen Talk Line is a peer support line which teens can call or text to chat about whatever is on their mind.
This is a free resource available to all teens of Chester County!
Donate to Chester County 4-H
Chester County has several options for giving to support the program. If you are interested in making a donation to the program it can be done at raise.psu.edu/Chester4HFund
If your company offers employee matching or donation for your service time, please contact the Penn State Extension Chester County Office at 610-6963500 or ChesterExt@psu.edu for more details.
Invite PA 4-H State Council to Your Next Event!
State Council is available for visiting clubs and presenting at county events, virtually or in-person! Submit a request form here.
Save the Date
Mark your calendars for the Chester County 4-H Center Annual Auction & Fundraiser which will be held on Saturday, September 20th! More information will be provided soon. If you have any questions, please contact Audrey Reith at alr762@psu.edu
UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
FREE Business Camp
Chester County
4-H is partnering with the Housing Authority of Chester County to share this FREE business camp!
Please email mwalker-smith@haccnet.com for the application and more information.
National 4-H Congress
National 4-H Congress is a premiere experience for 4-H members between 16 and 18 years old. Yearly, 4-Hers from across the United States and Puerto Rico gather in late November to celebrate the successes and accomplishments of the 4-H program. National 4-H Congress provides lifechanging experiences for members around the country, as they participate in educational workshops focused on diversity, leadership, and team building; community service activities; and cultural events around Atlanta, all while creating new 4-H friendships to last a lifetime!
Chester County is able to send up to two local 4-H teen leaders to this national event. To be considered for participation please send a letter and activity resume to Toni by July 15, 2025.
UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
State Project Ambassador Applications Due July 31
State Project Ambassadors (SPAs) will bring youth perspective and input to statewide program areas. In this prime example of youth-adult partnership, young people selected for this role will be partnered with state program specialists and educators who work closely with that project area. As 4-H staff work on new projects, program events, and more, they will consult with their corresponding SPAs to gather ideas and feedback. SPAs also work to further promote their project area to others who may be interested in participating.
Eligibility:
• Application Deadline: July 31, 2025
• Apply in ZSuite: https://4h.zsuite.org/event-registrations/39908
• 4-H age at the time of applying is 13-17.
• Must be a member in good standing and active in ZSuite.
To be able to provide the best experience possible to both leadership positions, SPA members will not serve on the Pennsylvania 4-H State Council during the same year. Currently, outgoing or former Council members interested in this role may apply.
2025 Penn State Ag Progress Days: August 12 – 14
Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, held annually during three days in August, is Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition. With over 400 exhibitors from the United States and Canada, there is something for everyone to enjoy at no cost, as parking and admission are free.
The show is hosted by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and highlights educational programs, current research, and the latest innovations in agricultural equipment and technology. Exhibits open at 9:00 a.m. daily at the Russel E. Larson Agricultural Research Center in Pennsylvania Furnace, PA. More information can be found here: https://agsci.psu.edu/apd.
Summer Day Camps
There is still an opportunity to register for one of our remaining day camps! Join other Chester County 4-H members for a day of fun! See the flyers below for more details. Log into ZSuite to register.
4-H members can register here: https://4h.zsuite.org/event-registrations/37037
Non-4-H participants can register here: https://4h.zsuite.org/external-event-registration/37037
Registration closes July 13th.
4-H HAPPENINGS
Chester County 4-H Livestock Judging Contest Results
On June 12th, forty-eight Chester County livestock members took part in the annual Chester County 4-H Livestock Judging Contest. The judging contest included six market or replacement classes for members to evaluate, fifteen tools, equipment, or feed to identify, and five cuts of meat to categorize. Melinda Stoltzfus volunteered as the official judge and arranged two on-screen market hog classes for youth to evaluate, as well as providing placings and reasons for each class.
Top 10 Junior Members
Lyla Engle
Amaris Turner
Lillian Petersheim
Mack Phy
Emily Walsh
Juliana Osowski
Tyler Mahoney
Melody DeLong
Mackenzie McCafferty
Jonathan Hertzler
Top 10 Senior Members
Sawyer Lease
Lexi McCafferty
Gretchen McCafferty
Brianna Bulfaro
Jordan Preston
Cameron Johnson
Owen Prince
Mark Petersheim
Kendall Bulfaro
Abigail Bulfaro
Ten adults also tried their hand at judging this year. It is always good to see a strong showing of support and interest in our children’s interests! Please consider learning more about similar events and supporting our new Livestock Judging coach and 4-H alumnus, Mindy Beam.
Thank you to all the volunteers and parents who jumped in and stepped up to make the Chester County 4-H Livestock Judging Contest run smoothly. Thank you to the families who provided livestock for the “live” classes.
CLUB CORNER 4-H HAPPENINGS
2025 VEX Robotics World Championship
Congratulations to our 4-H Clover Rovers VEX VRC team! They qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, TX this year and were selected for the judges award in their category.
Criteria to be considered for the Judges Award are:
Team displays special attributes, exemplary effort, or perseverance at the event.
Team stands out to judging volunteers as being deserving of special recognition.
Team interview demonstrates effective communication skills, teamwork, professionalism, and a studentcentered ethos.
Horsemanship Skills Levels Testing Results
Congratulations to Clayton and Shirley Its Me (Q), Makenzie and Zappers Lady Bug (Lady Bug), and Jazz and Moxie (Moxamillion) for passing PA 4-H Level 2 Horsemanship Skills! Each had some issues to overcome. Clayton had to retest Level 1 because he began using a different horse this year, Kenzie had to deal with a mare in heat who was sure she was being separated forever from her best buddy, and Jazz had to manage a pony who was, well, doing his best to be a Grumpy Pony Who Was Forcibly Removed from a Perfectly Fine Pasture for This.
Thank you to our volunteer examiners: Karen Zmuida, Melanie McCartney, Wendy Twaddell, and Betsy Ullrich!
4-H HAPPENINGS
Penn State Livestock Judging Individual Results
The Penn State Livestock Judging Contest was attended by volunteer coach Mindy Beam, and 4-H members, Lillian Petersheim and Lyla Engle. Lillian Petersheim earned great scores for her second event. She tied for 10th place in the market hog class, while Lyla Engle snagged a 1st place score!
Lyla Engle continued her scoring with a 2nd place finish in the sheep class and 5th place for sheep reasons. She also earned 2nd place overall Junior Individual.
Congratulations, Lillian and Lyla!
July 14
PA 4-H State Horse Judging Contest
Jazz Sapp attended the PA 4-H State Horse Judging Contest. Classes judged included: yearling quarter horse geldings, aged quarter horse mares, hunters in hand, ranch horse conformation, hunter under saddle, and reining.
2024-2025 Calendar of Events*
Regional Fashion Revue
July 18-19 PA 4-H Dressage Show and Horse Camp
July 23
July 25
July 29
Deadline for PA 4-H State Presentation and Public Speaking Contest Entries
Deadline for Fair General Project Registration Entries
Mandatory Fair Set-up for Beef, Sheep, Market Goat, and Swine Exhibitors, Chester County 4-H Center
July 31 State Project Ambassador Applications Due
August 2 & 4-9
August 6
August 12-14
August 23
September 1
September 1
September 20
September 27
Chester County 4-H Fair, Honey Brook, PA
Chester County 4-H Livestock Sale
Ag Progress Days, Pennsylvania Furnace, PA
District Horse Show, Montgomery County Farm, Home and 4-H Center
Deadline for PA 4-H Diamond Clover Award Year 2 Final Submissions
Labor Day – Extension Office Closed
Chester County 4-H Center Annual Auction and Fundraiser
Warwick Fall Festival, Warwick County Park
September 30 Clover Award Applications Deadline – Due in the Chester County Extension Office
September 30 Farm Credit Award Application Deadline
September 30
October 15
Livestock Record Books & Award Application Deadline
PA Farm Show Jr Market Livestock Deadline
October 18 PA 4-H SLC Jr Conference
October 23-26 PA 4-H State Horse Show, PA Farm Show Complex
*Dates, events, and locations are subject to change.
Chester County Penn State Extension 4-H Team
Toni M. Stuetz, 4-H Extension Educator
Audrey Reith ,4-H Extension Educator
Bo Holobovich, 4-H Program Assistant
ADDRESS
Kim Myers, Office Manager
Jen Cerimele, Administrative Support
Denine Chemnitz, Business Operations Manager
Amy Bradford, Client Relations Manager
Stay Connected
Penn State Extension, Chester County
601 Westtown Road, Suite 370
West Chester, PA 19382 WEBSITE
http://extension.psu.edu/4-h/counties/chester
WEBSITES TO REMEMBER
Chester County Penn State Extension
https://extension.psu.edu/chester-county
Chester County 4-H
4-H Enrollment System 4h.zsuite.org
https://extension.psu.edu/programs/4-h/counties/chester
Pennsylvania 4-H
http://extension.psu.edu/4-h
4-H Mall Catalog http://shop4-h.org
Club Officer Training Modules
http://extension.psu.edu/4-h/members/officer-trainingmodules
Building a Safe Penn State - Reporting Child Abuse Training http://lrn.psu.edu/
E-Learning for 4-H Volunteers https://extension.psu.edu/4-h-volunteer-orientation
Reserve Romano 4-H Center of Chester County Romano4hcenter@gmail.com
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a non-formal educational youth-development program of the United States Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring and contributing citizens. To find your local program, visit the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/ programs/4-h
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Pennsylvania State University encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact Chester County Extension Office at 610-696-3500 in advance of your participation or visit.
The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information, or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: oeoa@psu.edu, Tel 814-863-0471. © The Pennsylvania State University 2025