4-H Team Contests Winning at Life Skills!
Nancy Noyes-Ward
4-H Youth Development of Douglas County
Program Assistant
One of the first things a 4-H member will do after enrollment is their project selection.
Many project areas have a competitive contest, skillathon or judging aspect. These contests are integral to project work in Horticulture, Horse, Photography, Poultry, Meat Science, Family Consumer Science and Livestock, for example.
The first experience with any competitive judging may be practice in the local club setting. This will prepare the interested 4-Her to progress to competition with a team at county fair, and as they gain skill and proficiency, they then may be on a team to compete at state contests. Oftentimes members progress to events on the national level.
As youth begin learning the skill of judging or evaluating, they also learn skills that come along with this experience:
-They must learn how to communicate. The team members may give oral reasons to justify their placings of photographs, animals, plants, household furnishings, methods of cookery, etc
-youth are learning decision making. They learn the industry standards of each of the (cattle, horse, sheep) species and breeds. They must make decisions by comparing the four animals they are looking at against the breed standards they have learned. They learn to offer reasons for what puts a placing higher but also offer concessions and faults for each. This is an essential negotiation skill.
-Self-esteem is another life skill that youth gain from judging experiences. Young adults are building their self-esteem every time they get in front of a judge to speak or practice with their teammates and coach.
Research studies found 4-H judging team participation influences education and career decisions. It positively affects the development of life skills, including many of those that respondents listed as being important in their current jobs. Problem solving, self-motivation, and self-responsibility were listed by study
participants as having the highest importance in jobs; beyond these, 4-H judging teams also developed skills in learning to learn, teamwork, and decision making.
4-H Judging experience benefits may be summarized by the following statements:
- Judging has youth utilize skills and abilities to solve everyday situations.
- There is a reward for 4-H members for knowledge gained in a subject matter area.
- It provides a competitive setting in which attitudes of friendliness and fairness prevail.
- It allows participants to process information, analyze complex problems and make informed decisions regarding current agricultural, environmental decisions and industry issues.
- In many instances participants seek higher education opportunities and careers related to their project area and judging experience.
I would encourage all members to start small by participating in a practice judging contest in their community club or in a project meeting to prepare for county fair contests; which are a whole lot of fun!
Image 1- Harford Co, MD skillathon practice
Image 2- Douglas Co Horticulture Judging Team practice at The Flower Farm, Gardner, KS
Image 3 - Leavenworth Co Fair Horticulture Judging contest
