Archive for Saturday, August 2, 2008

Archive for Saturday, August 2, 2008

4-H members to learn project results Tuesday

August 2, 2008

Advertisement

Isaac Chacon presents his 4-H Entomology Club project on grasshoppers at a group meeting July 16. Chacon is among a large numbers of 4-H members who've entered projects into the Moffat County Fair and will find out results Aug. 5.

Isaac Chacon presents his 4-H Entomology Club project on grasshoppers at a group meeting July 16. Chacon is among a large numbers of 4-H members who've entered projects into the Moffat County Fair and will find out results Aug. 5.

This year's General 4-H projects have been judged, but exhibitors won't know the results until 6 p.m. Tuesday. That's when the doors to the exhibit area under the grandstand at the Moffat County Fairgrounds will open, and everyone will be able to view the projects. The exhibitors will also be treated to an ice cream social.

Judging took place during 4-H Completion Day on July 29 at the Fairgrounds in Craig.

To name a few, General 4-H projects include: rocketry, woodworking, small engines, insects, forestry, shooting sports, leathercrafts, photography, cake decorating, clothing and veterinary medicine. And there are many more.

When a 4-H member enters a project at Completion Day, it's put into a class according to age. Classes include: junior (ages 8 to 10), intermediate (ages 11 to 13), and senior (ages 14 to 18).

Depending on the project, there are several levels or units that can be completed throughout the years in 4-H. For example, wildlife has six units, photography seven units and cake decorating nine units.

Each project has its own requirements for completion which might include finishing activities included in a workbook, putting on a demonstration, making sample items, or others. But each 4-H member prepares an exhibit and finishes a record book. Leaders help the members with area skills.

Requirements for the exhibit vary from project to project. For example, in beginning woodworking (Unit 1), the member makes an item from wood, choosing from suggestions in a workbook. The workbook, including such activities as measuring, identifying tools, and safety has to be completed. So does a record book which requires a story about what was learned and pictures showing stages of project preparation.

However, in Unit 1 of projects such as small engines and veterinary medicine, 4-H members make a display board of visuals with a message about something learned during the project work.

The rules for using display boards are precise. The boards are made from lightweight cardboard, with a 1-foot-wide wing on each side so that when the board is opened up, it will stand up on a table by itself.

Members learn how to use lettering, photographs and other visuals on the display boards so that their messages can be read in as little as three minutes.

An interview with the judge is part of the judging process, but exhibitors are not required to be interviewed.

The 4-H entries are judged using the Danish System. Each project receives a blue, red or white ribbon. Then a champion (flat, purple) ribbon and a reserve champion (flat, lavender) ribbon are chosen from the blue ribbon winners in each class. Each champion winner also receives a state fair qualifying ribbon.

Then, an overall section (such as animal sciences, small engines, model rocketry) grand and reserve champion are chosen from champion ribbons. They are rosette ribbons..

Children ages 5 to 7 can join 4-H as Cloverbuds. Leader Betty Ann Duzik said Cloverbud members meet once a month, beginning about the end of February and ending the first part of June. This year, there were 16 Cloverbud members.

During meetings, Cloverbuds complete simple projects, choosing from a list that Duzik prepares. The members decorate cookies, decorate T-shirts, make bird feeders, plant potatoes, make leathercrafts and more. Members also put on demonstrations.

At Completion Day, Cloverbuds exhibit their record books and some of their projects. They are also "interviewed", this year by Alisa Comstock, 4-H youth development agent.

Will it be blue, red or white? On Tuesday, 4-H members will find out.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

This site is best viewed with Spreadfirefox Affiliate Button or the latest version of Internet Explorer