Registration

2026 Cook County Junior Master Naturalist Program

Thank you for your interest in participating in the University of Illinois Extension Junior Master Naturalist 4-H Special Interest Club!

As a participant, you will explore local ecosystems through hands-on, outdoor activities led by trained educators and environmental experts. You should expect to spend time outdoors in various weather conditions throughout the seven-week program, and will learn alongside other young naturalists, build skills in observation and teamwork, and deepen your understanding of what it means to care for the environment and your community.

Program Schedule (Spring 2026)
*Sessions are tentatively scheduled to be held on the following dates at Sand Ridge Nature Center and Sandridge Community Center.

Date Time Topic
03/28 9 AM – 12 PM Stewardship
04/04 9 AM – 12 PM Geology and Landforms
04/11 1 PM – 3 PM Wetlands and Ecology
04/18 1 PM – 3 PM Botany and Native Plants
04/25 1 PM – 3 PM Weather and Climate
05/02 9 AM – 1:30 PM Naturalist Project Workshop
05/09 9 AM – 1:30 PM 4-H Mini Fair

Please reach out to Rainah Folk with the University of Illinois Extension with questions or concerns at rfolk2@illinois.edu

Create an account

Contact Information

First Name

Last Name

Street Address

Street Address 2

City

State

ZIP

Daytime Phone

Evening Phone

E-mail Address

Parent/Guardian Email Address

Parent/Guardian Phone Number

Below are a few questions to help us get to know you better. Because space is limited, your responses will help us build a group with a variety of interests, experiences, and perspectives. There are no right or wrong answers—please respond to each of the questions as completely and honestly as possible.

Briefly state why you would like to participate in the Junior Master Naturalist program.

What do you enjoy about being outdoors or learning about nature? This can include things you already do or things you want to try.

Describe a problem in your community or environment that you wish people would pay more attention to.

At the end of this program, what would you hope to understand or be able to do that you can’t do yet?

How do you usually contribute in group settings? Select all that apply

Listening and supporting

Sharing ideas

Taking the lead

Helping with hands-on work

Asking questions and learning from others

Helping everyone feel included

Organizing materials or staying on task

Creative work (drawing, building, writing)

This program meets once per week for seven weeks. Because activities build on each other, regular attendance is important. We understand that occasional conflicts may happen. Are you able to attend weekly sessions for the full seven-week program?

Yes

Not sure

If you selected “no” or “not sure,” please explain below:

Participants will work individually or in small groups to design a creative final project representing what they learned during the program. Projects will be shared during a final event in a supportive, 4-H fair–style format. Are you able to participate in the final presentation event?

Yes

Not sure

If you selected “no” or “not sure,” please explain below:

Please indicate how old you will turn in 2026

Please select your current grade level.

What school do you currently attend?

Is there anything that might make participation difficult for you? (Examples: Transportation, schedule conflicts, accessibility needs, clothing, etc.) If no, please leave blank.

Is there anything you would like us to know to better support your participation in this program? If no, please leave blank.

Civil Rights Compliance - Participant Info

As part of our commitment to providing equal opportunities in our programming, University of Illinois Extension is required to collect and report overall statistics about the race, ethnicity, and gender of program participants. Your responses are voluntary and appreciated.

Gender

Ethnicity

Race

Illinois Extension

Registration

101 Mumford Hall (MC-710)

1301 W. Gregory Dr.

Urbana, IL 61801

Phone: 217-333-5900