Date:  Saturday, May 2, 2026

Time:  8:30 am - 9:00 am - Check-in will be in the main lobby of Frank B. Morrison Hall.  Program starts promptly at 9 am and end at approximately 4 pm.

Location:  CALS Animal Science, 507 Tower Rd., Frank B. Morrison Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853.

Parking:  Parking is free on Saturdays in the large lot adjacent to the south end of Morrison Hall (“O” lot) or in the Peterson lot at the corner of Judd Falls and Tower Roads across the street from the Dairy Bar.  If participants are in need of handicap parking, please notify the event coordinators when registering prior to the event.

The program is geared to enrolled 4-H youth involved in the beginning stages of their 4-H animal science projects. Youth are strongly encouraged to attend with their parents or chaperones. Suggested age range is 8-12, however, all youth 8 and up are welcome.

• $30 per participant (including chaperones)

Lunch will be provided for both youth and chaperones. Please indicate on the registration any dietary needs.  We will also be providing Animal Cracker t-shirts to all registered participants as well.

Transportation to and from the event is at the participant’s own expense. Some CCE Associations charge additional fees to cover transportation & chaperone expenses.

Participants should make payment directly to the local county CCE Office, not sent to Cornell University.

Educators:  The County Association who submitted the registration will be invoiced after the event. Each participant must be registered separately, but registration fees can be combined so that only one payment is needed. You do not need to send separate checks or pay individually via credit card for each individual youth.

Cancellation/Refund Policy: Cancellations prior to the event deadline will not be charged. Cancellations after the deadline will be billed. Substitutions or same program replacements are allowed, but need to be registered and approved by the event coordinator before arrival. No-shows will be charged in full.

• Registration Being:  Wednesday, March 18th
• Registration Deadline:  Wednesday, April 22nd
• Cancellations:  Because we must order lunches by April 22nd, cancellations must reach us by April 22nd or they will be billed.

When registering participants, CCE Staff will need the following information:

• Participants full name, address and contact information
• Youth’s age
• Participants t-shirt size
• Does the youth have a phone/media release form on file
• Parent's full name(s) and current email address
• Will this parent be acting as the youth’s chaperone
• Will more than one parent be attending?  If so, full name of that parent and contact information
• Chaperone's full name and current email information
• Any dietary needs for both youth and chaperones

Educators:  Each participant must be registered separately at the link below.  Your county association will be billed shortly after the completion of the event. 

• CCE Educators or Staff Only - Register Youth & Chaperones Here

If you have any questions regarding registering youth for Animal Crackers, please contact Brian Aukema at jms943 [at] cornell.edu (bja14[at]cornell[dot]edu).

General 4-H Policies and Information for Chaperones

Everyone (youth and adults) are expected to create an inclusive and welcoming environment, respect the diversity of conference participants (e.g. race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, cultural background, etc.). Everyone will be expected to uphold the NYS 4-H Code of Conduct. All youth and adults are expected to model appropriate behavior and follow NYS 4-H guidelines. In addition, all Cornell property and Cornell program presenters should be treated respectfully. County participants acting inappropriately will be sent home at their cost/inconvenience.

For Animal Biosecurity, all participants should plan to wear clean clothes and extra shoes that were not worn on the day of the event for home farm chores. Disposable booties will be provided.

Adult chaperones are responsible for behavior and safety of their attendees. Counties are expected to provide chaperones in about a 1 to 6 ratio for youth attending in each species track. Chaperones may be shared with other counties. Every participant must have a designated chaperone. Chaperones may be expected to supervise youth from other counties during program times and in the absence of a 4-H Educator, chaperones may need to make decisions on their Educator’s behalf. Any disturbances or emergencies should be reported to participant’s chaperone first and then county educator and event staff if needed. Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are strictly prohibited.

Lead 4-H Educator: Each Association is expected to identify a Lead Educator designated as a main contact for registration purposes, for volunteer supervision, and for crisis and incident management. Lead educators also need to communicate with their attendees to assure they are oriented and aware of other registered county delegates.

For more information on NYS 4-H General & Chaperone Policies, visit the NYS 4-H Policies webpage.

Conference participants will be asked to help us learn about the program’s effectiveness by completing a survey or sharing their reflections. Participation in program evaluation efforts is completely anonymous, voluntary, and there is no impact on program participation if someone decides not to complete a survey.

We are committed to providing universal access to all of our events. Please have your 4-H Educator contact Brian Aukema at jms943 [at] cornell.edu (bja14[at]cornell[dot]edu) before the registration deadline to request disability accommodations. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

The members of the 2026 Animal Crackers Planning Committee listed below have given their time and expertise to make the Animal Crackers program a success. Thank you to all for your support of this program and of the NYS 4-H Program.

Cornell University

• Brian Aukema, Youth Livestock Specialist, CALS Animal Science - Co-Chair
• Linzi Chambers, Extension Aide, CALS Animal Science
• Debbie Grusenmeyer, Dairy Youth Specialist, CALS Animal Science
• Brieanna Hughes, CALS NYS 4-H Equine Specialist
• Jessica Tyson, NYS 4-H Horse Educ. Events Coordinator - Co-Chair
• Jessica Waltemyer, Small Ruminant Extension Specialist, CALS Animal Science

Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Educators

• Kristina Gabalski, CCE Orleans County
• Carmen Hostetter, CCE St. Lawrence County
• Katharine Perz, CCE Suffolk County
• Kristin Ruggiero, CCE Rockland County
• Kyle Yacobucci, CCE Fulton County

Special Thanks

• NYS 4-H Youth Development
• Cornell Cooperative Extension
• NYS 4-H Foundation
• Willman Fund
• Wegmans

For more information about the 2026 Animal Crackers Program, contact your local county Cornell Cooperative Extension Office,  Brian Aukema at bja14 [at] cornell.edu (bja14[at]cornell[dot]edu) or Jessica Tyson at jms943 [at] cornell.edu (jms943[at]cornell[dot]edu).