Union County 4-H had a strong showing at this year’s Big 9 Sub-Regional Achievement Day, which was held at the First Baptist Church in Dandridge in May.
This competition included participants from the surrounding counties of Blount, Claiborne, Cock, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox and Sevier. Well over 100 elementary- and middle-school-aged students turned out for the all-day event, many with their parents, siblings and Extension Agents accompanying them. It was a full day and a packed house!
For the Achievement Day competition, each county is allowed to send one 4th grade participant in each project area. Students were selected to participate based on how well they competed at the county level.
They were then invited to spend the day competing in their chosen project areas against other students from schools all across the nine counties that make up the Big 9 Sub-Region, of which Union County is part.
Students could select nearly any topic of interest to them to build their presentation around. Project areas ranged from several animal science categories including beef, dairy, goats, horses, sheep and swine to areas such as Citizenship, Clothing and Textiles, Computers and Technology, Food Science, Forestry, Photography and many other diverse categories.
Contestants created or collected their visual aids and props well in advance to practice their presentations before the day of the competition. On the day of the competition itself, they had to set up their area and present to a room full of judges, parents and other students.
Judges scored them on their appearance and speaking skills, as well as how clearly and convincingly they present their chosen topic. How well each student organizes his or her subject matter and provides accurate and up-to-date information on their topic also factor into the placings. At the end of their presentation, competitors field questions from the audience to further demonstrate how well they know their subject.
Union County 4-H was thrilled to send three 4th graders from Luttrell Elementary School to this year’s Achievement Day.
Bree Williams was awarded first place in Veterinary Science. She gave an excellent presentation on how to give a dog a vaccination, complete with a demonstration of the steps on how to do it.
Landon Jessee spoke very knowledgeably on the topic of how an engine works, walking his audience through several key components of its inner workings. He won first place in Engineering/Safety Science.
Ava Chamberlain gave a thorough presentation on America Sign Language, including showing the audience how to sign letters of the alphabet. Several audience members followed along as she showed them how to form the letters with their fingers. She won second place in Communication/Public Speaking for her presentation.
The Union County Extension staff are very proud of these students’ hard work and congratulate them on their success.
All 4-H students in grades 4 through 8 are eligible to compete in Achievement Day.
While the county is limited to one student participant per grade per project area in grades 4th and 5th, there is no limit to the number of 4-H members who may participate from each county in grades 6th through 8th.
Union County Extension encourages all students and their families who are interested in participating in this, or other 4-H programs, to contact the office at (865) 992-8038 or come by and see us at 3925 Maynardville Hwy., Suite 3.
You can reach 4-H Agent Ann Ramsey at: aramse12@tnstate.edu.