Learning from 2020: Clark County 4-H Adapts 4-H Achievement Event

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“4-H is so much more than participating in the county fair,” says MU County Engagement Specialist in Youth Development Katie Hogan. 4-H offers youth opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with others through a variety of experiences including project meetings, community service projects, camps, conferences, and judging events. One of those events is 4-H Achievement Night which provides 4-Hers opportunities to practice public speaking and decision making. In 2020, due to restrictions implemented due to the COVID-19 world pandemic, Clark County 4-H was forced to restructure their traditional event holding just five of the seven events normally offered and using a virtual platform called Flipgrid where youth uploaded videos for demonstrations, collections, table place setting, fashion revue, photo contest, and judging classes. The experiences of 2020 helped the Clark County 4-H program to see that we can adapt and change and several noted that it was nice to have more time to complete events than cramming them all into a few hours one evening. Approaching 2021 4-H Acheivement Night with this new perspective, the Clark County 4-H Council elected to hold this year’s event in a hybrid format with some events being held virtually through Flipgrid, some in person and one event with the option for in-person or virtual. This structure also provided the opportunity to add two additional events- sales pitch and career connections.

Using technology, information was launched June 1st and member had until June 15th to complete and upload their digital entries for table place setting, collections, and judging classes. Demonstrations could be uploaded by June 15th, or presented in person on June 16th,along with photo contest, interview, fashion revue, career connections, and sales pitch. All events were open to all enrolled 4-H members ages 8-18 in Clark County and Clover Kids ages 5-7 who participate in an non-competitive format.

In table place setting, youth create and display a table place setting using their creativity and then answer some questions about the choices they made in their design and how they could use the setting. Aynsley Harmon received a blue ribbon for her entry.

For collections, youth create a display of something that they collect. Collections are judged on neatness, creativity, and their explanations to the judged about why they collect the items, where they found them, and why they find the collection interesting. Receiving Clover Kid ribbons for their collections were Wade Davis with his rock collection, Piper Brookhart with her Barbie collection,  Payson Duer for his Car collection, and Maggie Hogan with her rock collection. Weston Davis received a Blue ribbon for his Switch games collection and Wyatt Davis received a Blue ribbon for his Shed collection.

Judging classes offer youth the opportunity to practice their decision making skills and public speaking. Youth are presented with several scenarios, select four and rank the options provided best to worst for each scenario. They then provide the reasons for their placings on one of the scenarios. Cloverkids Maggie Hogan and Wade Davis received Clover Kid ribbons. In the Junior Division, Walter Dunlap, Weston Davis, and Bennett Harmon received Blue ribbons. Wyatt Davis, Axell Kingm and Aynsley Harmon received Blue ribbons in the Intermediate Division. Ronee Scott also received a Blue ribbon in the Senior Division.

Demonstrations provide members with an opportunity to share something that they have learned with others and practice their public speaking. Maggie Hogan and Piper Broohart received Clover Kid ribbons for their demonstrations. Receiving blue ribbons for their demonstrations were Weston Davis, Walter Dunlap, Bennett Harmon, Aynsley Harmon, and Wyatt Davis. Bennett Harmon’s demonstrations was selected to represent Clark County in the 4-H Building at the Missouri State Fair.

Interview skills offers youth the experience of being interviewed where they will be evaluated on their grooming, posture, and speaking abilities. Clover Kids Piper Brookhart, Maggie Hogan, and Tanner Snead received Clover Kids ribbons for their interviews. Juniors receiving blue ribbons were Walter Dunlap, Weston Davis, and Bennett Harmon. Lindy Nye, Wyatt Davis, Irelyn Plenge, Axell King, and Carlee Riney received Blue ribbons in the Intermediate divison.

Photo Contest allows members to compete in the categories of animals, people, and landscapes with a photograph they have taken. Seven youth participated in the contest this year. Landon Nye and Tanner Snead received Clover Kid ribbons for their entries. Kallie Walker, Ryleigh Yaters, Walter Dunlap, Lindy Nye, and Axell King received Blue ribbons. Walter Dunlap’s entry was selected as the top photo in the People category. Lindy Nye was awarded the top photo in the Animals category and Tanner Snead’s phot was selected as the top Landscape.

For Fashion Revue members model either an outfit they have made or purchased and explain the choices they made in selecting their ensemble. Some participants were selected to respresent Clark County at the State 4-H Fashion Revue held in the fall. Clover Kids Piper Brookhart and Maggie Hogan received Clover Kid ribbons for their entries in the Clothes You Buy category. Walter Dunlap received a blue ribbon for his entry in the Clothes You Buy- Junior Division and was selected for the State Fashion Revue. Carlee Riney was selected for the State Fashion Revue in the Clothes You Buy- Intermediate Division and also received a blue ribbon. In the Clothes You Make- Intermediate Division, Irelyn Plenge received a blue ribbon and was selected for the State Fashion Revue.

A new event this year, sale pitch offers youth the opportunity to market a product that they have created through one of their 4-H projects. In the Junior category, Carley Church received a blue ribbon. Axell King received a blue ribbon in the Intermediate category.

Also new this year, youth competing in career connections take one of their 4-H projects and explore how that interest can translate into a potential career. This requires them to investigate needed education or training, financial investment required, and potential employers, as well as where these careers may be located geographically. All of this information is then presented to a judge. Aynsley Harmon connected her sign language project with an interest in a career as an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter and earned a blue ribbon. Wyatt Davis also earned a blue ribbon connecting his wildlife project with a potential career as a Wildlife Biologist.

Eighteen Clark County 4-H members participated in the nine events offered during the 2021 Clark County 4-H Achievement event. 4-H is a youth development program offered through University of Missouri Extension for youth ages 5-18. For more information or to register contact the Clark County Extension Office at (660)727-3339. University of Missouri Extension provides equal opportunity to all participants in extension programs and activities, and for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.