News Releases

4-H members demonstrate skills at 2026 State Dog Show
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – 4-H members from across the state recently demonstrated their skills during the Illinois 4-H Dog Show, held Aug. 22 at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. The show is open to 4-H members who are enrolled in the...

4-H volunteers honored for exceptional service
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois 4-H volunteers empower and prepare youth for success as the program relies on its more than 15,000 volunteers to fill key leadership and mentoring roles. Longtime volunteers and former staff members were recently...

Lake and McHenry County 4-H Members Shine at County Fairs
Springfield, IL - The Lake County and McHenry County Fairs represent the culmination of months of learning, preparation, and dedication by local 4-H youth, volunteers, families, and community partners. This year's exhibitors once again demonstrated the incredible...

LCAHCE and Illinois Extension Partner to Sew Quilts for Children in Need
GRAYSLAKE, Ill. — In an effort to ensure every local child has a warm, comfortable bed and blanket,  the Nimble Thimbles Unit of the Lake County Association for Home and Community Education (LCAHCE) has partnered with Illinois Extension to sew quilts for children...

Welcome fall season with new Illinois Extension Four Seasons Gardening webinars
URBANA, Ill. — It is that time again when shifting seasons are near. Keep the gardening conversations growing with two new webinars from University of Illinois Extension’s free Four Seasons Gardening...

Extension launches Health and Community Wellness, Center to strengthen Illinois communities
URBANA, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension is launching its new Health and Community Wellness (HCW) program area to better meet the needs of Illinois residents as communities and families face challenges related to health, food and nutrition, family relationships, and financial well-being....

Everyday Environment series returns with nature-based solutions for home and community
URBANA, Ill. — Discover the power of working with nature. University of Illinois Extension’s natural resources series, Everyday Environment...

Help shape solutions to food waste by taking the Illinois Household Food Waste Survey
URBANA, Ill. — From farm to table to trash can, what happens to food is bigger than leftovers. Producing food uses valuable resources like water and fuel, and when uneaten food ends up in landfills, it...

Give a Sip Fundraiser to Support University of Illinois Extension Programs in Lake and McHenry Counties
Mundelein, IL — The Lake County Extension Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to generate resources that enhance the programming of Extension, will host its first “Give a Sip” Garden Social Fundraiser on Friday, August 28, 2026, at The Country Bumpkin...

Add sunshine and new Illinois Extension Four Seasons Gardening webinars to summer
URBANA, Ill. — Summer activities around the garden can be fun and a way to spend a little more time outside. Take a break from the sun to watch two new webinars from University of Illinois Extension’s ...

2026 Illinois 4 H Robotics Challenge: ArchaeoBot
On Saturday, April 25, youth from across Lake and McHenry Counties gathered at the College of Lake County Fitness Center to participate in the 2026 Illinois 4‑H Robotics Challenge: ArchaeoBot. The Robotics Showcase brought together 22 youth teams...

Planting Roots for the Future: Youth and Community Restore Native Oak Savanna in Round Lake Beach
Round Lake Beach, IL - On April 25, in celebration of Arbor Day and Earth Week, more than 40 youth and their families came together in Round Lake Beach for a hands-on conservation effort focused on restoring Illinois’ native oak savanna landscape. The tree planting...

4-H Green Communities Program marks fifth year with 1,150 new oak trees planted across Illinois
Urbana, Ill. -- Illinois 4‑H and the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD) Forestry Committee celebrated a major milestone this spring as the 4‑H Green Communities Tree Program completed its fifth year of statewide oak savannah restoration efforts. In...

U of I Extension to Host Educational Programs on Illinois Ticks and Small Ruminant Management on Monday, May 4
Lake and McHenry Counties- University of Illinois Extension in Lake and McHenry Counties will host two educational programs on Monday, May 4, offering Illinois residents timely information on the movement of invasive ticks and small ruminant health and management. Dr....

Illinois Extension and 4-H showcase statewide impact at inaugural Day at the Capitol
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension staff gathered in the state Capitol on March 25 to showcase how Extension and Illinois 4-H strengthen communities statewide and to call for an increased...

Celebrate spring’s arrival with new Illinois Extension Four Seasons Gardening webinars
URBANA, Ill. — Springtime brings visions of beautiful butterfly gardens and dreams of delicious vegetable varieties growing in a garden or porch pots outside the window.Garden planning and the countdown to a new growing season continue with two new webinars...

Empowering Early Childhood Providers Through the Eight Dimensions of Wellness
Lake and McHenry Counties —A new professional development opportunity is being offered to Illinois early childhood educators, focusing on strengthening both classroom practice and provider well‑being. The Eight Dimensions of Wellness for Early Childcare Providers is a 1...

After the storm: Illinois Extension shares resources for storm recovery, rebuilding, disaster preparedness
URBANA, Ill. — After strong storms swept across much of Illinois, many communities are facing damaged property and stressful situations. The hours and days following a major storm are often filled with urgent questions. Residents can navigate those decisions using research-based resources from...

Illinois 4-H names new class of statewide youth leaders
Champaign, IL – Thirty-nine outstanding 4-H members from across Illinois have been selected to serve on Illinois 4-H's ambassador teams, recognizing their dedication, leadership, and excellence within the...

ACES marks 150 years of the Morrow Plots, our nation's oldest research field
URBANA, Ill. — A lot has changed on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus since its founding in 1867, but a storied plot of land near the south quad has been preserved nearly intact for a century and a half....