Last weekend we took two high school 4-H’ers to Rock Eagle to participate in Northwest Georgia 4-H Junior/Senior District Project Achievement. Jordan Fraser competed in the Performing Arts–Dance section, and Kara Wilson competed in Environmental Science. Both students prepared portfolios listing their activities for the past year that were related to their project areas, their community service, and their 4-H involvement. Those portfolios were turned in two months ago, and comprised 50 percent of their total score. The other 50 percents of their scores were earned during their presentations at Rock Eagle.
Photos: Left, first-year Dade County 4-H BB team members practicing the prone position in preparation for competition; below, Dade County 4-H'ers enjoying a break before the NW Georgia District Project Achievement at Rock Eagle 4-H Camp in Eatonton, Ga.
Over 500 students in the seventh through twelfth grades from all over the northwest Georgia 4-H district competed in over 50 topic categories. Students arrived at Rock Eagle on Friday afternoon, competed on Saturday, and heard the final winners on Saturday night and Sunday morning. In between there were activities such as Hula Hoop Contest, 3 on 3 basketball contest, 90 second Talent Contest, Lawn Mower Driving Challenge Course, and a dance on Saturday night.
The candidates for Junior and Senior boards campaigned from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon right before voting began. Both of our Dade County students were able to be voting delegates. The assemblies featured silly 4-H songs, a slide show of each county’s activities for the year, introduction of next year’s Junior and Senior boards, and announcement of DPA winners.
We will be starting DPA portfolio workshops this summer to get a head start on next year’s competition. Call or come by the Extension office if you would like more information on District Project Achievement. It is a great program that gives students experience in public speaking and portfolio writing.
Our BB teams are practicing every week to prepare for their first competition coming up on March 30 in Gordon County. This is a qualifying match for the state 4-H BB competition. They have been practicing all four competition positions: standing, sitting, kneeling and prone. Those targets are looking better every week!
NW Georgia 4-H Junior and Senior board members entertaining the DPA competitors at a Rock Eagle assembly.
It is time now to come to the Extension office to put down your $75 deposit for Cloverleaf 4-H Camp at Rock Eagle the week of June 3-7. We leave from the Ag Center on a Monday morning and return on a Friday afternoon. The $305 total cost includes food and housing for the week and transportation to and from camp. We have registration forms at the Extension office, which is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m.
This is the last week to sign up for the chicken project. The registration fee of $25 for 10 chicks is due by Friday, March 15. We will be ordering Barred Rock chicks, which will arrive in mid-to-late May. You may turn in registration and payment at the Dade County Extension office at 114 Pace Drive, in the lower parking lot of Dade Middle School.
