2010 Northern District 4-H Contests, Page 1 of 11
AGENT PACKET AND GUIDE BOOK
2010
NORTHERN VIRGINIADISTRICT
4-H CONTESTS
Date:Saturday, April 17, 2010
Location:CedarLeeMiddle School
Fauquier, VA
Chairs:Registration – Kim Monroe, Loudon Unit
Room Chairs & Judges – Bethany Eigel, Caroline Unit
Facilities – Doug Harpole, Fauquier Unit
A/V & Equipment –
Hospitality –
Fashion Revue –
Contests Available:
Presentations
Public Speaking
Share-the-Fun
Fashion Revue
Due Dates
Submit Participant Registrations to Kim Monroe at
and room chair/judge registrations to Bethany Eigel at
Please note the following deadlines:
March 31, 2010—Names of Room Chairs and Judges Due
Check for accuracy & respect the deadline – no late entries will be accepted!
*Each participating unit must recruit at least two judges and one room chair (read further for descriptions of these jobs).
Questions should be directed to Bethany Eigel (804-633-6550)
April 2, 2010—Participant Registrations Due
Questions should be directed to Kim Monroe (703-737-8880)
Check for accuracy & respect the deadline – no late entries will be accepted!
May 1, 2009—Thank you letters need to be sent by unit agents.
Please send a thank you letter to all Room Chairs, Judges, Hostesses and others you recruited to assist with the Contests.
Schedule for Contest Day
8:00 a.m.Extension Staff arrive to set up
8:30 a.m.Room Chairs, Judges, Hostesses arrive and check-in at Headquarters.
8:40 a.m.4-H’ers arrive and check-in.
*If a 4-H’er is participating in more than one contest area, he/she must check-in twice (Contestant Order will be posted outside contest rooms.)
8:45 a.m.Room Hosts’ & Judges Orientation, Room TBA
9:00 a.m.Room Chair and Judges dismissed to rooms
9:30 a.m.General Contests Begin(We hope to conclude by 1:00 p.m.)
- Presentations
- Share-The-Fun
- Public Speaking
- Fashion Revue
All contestants receive a ribbon –awarded at completion of contest in each room.
Items Needed from Agents:
- Your attendance and participation on Contest Day!
- Easels and/or computers and LCD projectors for contest rooms.
- Volunteers (sent to appropriate chairperson by due date)
1. Room Chairs must be adult volunteers, no teens. They maintain order in the room, see that judges have everything they need, & keep individual room contests running.
- Judges may be teen or adult volunteers. They score competitors against the standard card & offer positive support/constructive criticism in written comments. Judges determine youth ratings of blue, red, or white ribbons.
- Greeters/ambassadors should be teens. They welcome people, give directions to rooms, and assist agents as needed. (Hint: good opportunity for teens in need of more camp training hours)
Each person who you recruit for these positions will be contacted by the appropriate chairperson with all the necessary information they need such as where to be, when, etc. We need one room chair and at least two judges per room, preferably three, so please do your part to recruit volunteers! Failure to recruit could jeopardize units’ opportunities to compete in district contests.
Directions to CedarLeeMiddle School:
Located on Route 17 near Warrenton in FauquierCounty. The address to Mapquest is:
11138 Marsh Road
Bealeton, VA 22712
Competition Areas
(also listed on state 4-H public curriculum website)
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Participants may not use visual aides.
They MUST enroll in the Presentations Contest if they have visual aides.
PRESENTATIONS
- ANIMAL SCIENCE (ANSC):
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Dairy/Livestock
Horse
Team Horse
Poultry
Egg Cookery
Pets
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- CAREERS AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION (CEE):
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Careers
Entrepreneurship
Economic
Education
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- CITIZENSHIP (CIT)
Citizenship
- COMMUNICATIONS & PERFORMING ARTS (COMM):
Photography, Creative Arts, etc.
- LEADERSHIP AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (LPD):
Leadership
- SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SET):
Science and Technology
Science Fair/Presentation and Display
- NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (NREE):
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Forestry
Wildlife
Angling Education
Outdoor Adventure
Shooting Education
Environmental Education
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- PLANT, SOILS, AND ENTOMOLOGY (PSE):
- FAMILY SCIENCES (FAM):
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Personal Appearance
Consumer Resource Management
Child Care
Housing and Interiors
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- FOODS, NUTRITION AND HEALTH (FNH):
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Farm to Table GrainsHealth
Food Safety Fruits & VegetablesHuman Nutrition
Food PreservationProtein Food
Beef Ambassador (National Qualifying Event)
** Areas may be combined depending on participation
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SHARE-THE-FUN
- VOCAL – only the voice will be judged
Rap Yodeling Acappella
- INSTRUMENTAL – only the instrumental presentation will be judged
- DANCE – only the dance presentation will be judged
Tap Ballet Jazz Modern Acrobatic Folk Clogging Interpretive
- DRAMA
Play or Scene from a Play Monologue Mime
- VARIETY
Magic Acts Comics Puppetry Impressionists Ventriloquism
Clowning Juggling Circus Acts Tumbling/Gymnastics Step
Lip Sync Bird Calls Karate
- COMBINATION - Two or more of any of the above categories, i.e. singing and dancing, singing and playing guitar, etc. Participant(s) will be judged on all aspects of the act
FASHION REVUE
Category I – Constructed Garments (sewn by the participant)
Category II – Purchased Garments (“ready to wear”, bought by the participant)
Participants should:
-wear their garment and be ready to model.
-bring a change of clothes, so judges may examine garment off the model (both constructed & purchased garments will be examined for workmanship).
-note the categories on the score sheet for judging.
Fashion Revue Publications:
available at your local 4-H office or online at:
All participants mustcomplete the following 3forms & bring to the registration table:
1. Fashion Revue Clothing Record – Publication #346-147
2. Consumer Comparison Worksheet – Publication #346-148
3. A written 5 minute or less narrative to be read while participant models garment (Participants
should use the commentary worksheet to help write paragraph (Publication 346-149), but
submit their own personally written paragraph – not the worksheet)
Contest Rules and General Guidelines
1.4-H’ers are limited to participation in two (2) contest areas, including Horse Bowl, Avian Bowl, Fashion Revue, etc.
- Contest areas will be offered in 3 age divisions (participant age as of September 30, 2008):
Junior - 9 - 11 years of age
Intermediate - 12 & 13 years of age
Senior - 14 to 19 years of age
- Time limits are as follows and points should be deducted when they are not followed:
Presentations
Juniors – 2 – 5 minutes
Intermediates – 5 – 10 minutes
Seniors – 10 – 15 minutes
Public Speaking
Juniors – 2 – 5 minutes
Intermediates – 5 – 10 minutes
Seniors – 10 – 15 minutes
Share-the-Fun – 4 minutes max
Beef Ambassador – 5 – 8 minute illustrated talk
Egg Cookery – 12 minutes maximum
Chicken/Turkey Barbecue – 2 ½ hours maximum
(presentation should be 10 minutes max.)
4.Team Presentations: Allowed for Junior and Intermediate age categories. Senior Team Presentations are allowed ONLY if in preparation for Southern Regionals or Eastern Nationals 4-H Horse Contests. This does not apply to the Horse Team Presentation area.
5.All areas of competition will be judged on merit and each contestant will be awarded a blue, red or white ribbon. The determination of the ribbon color to be awarded to the 4-H member will be made by the judges' overall impressions and the factors listed on the score sheet.
6.No live animals are allowed.
7. Spectators may not ask contestants questions. In all contests, except for Share-The- Fun, judges must ask each contestant two (2), and only two (2), questions relative to the presentation.
8.Use of note cards is acceptable. No cue cards from audience are allowed. Room chairs should monitor for this.
9.There is no required dress code for contestants, but judges tend to prefer nice, clean attire. Appropriateness, neatness, clothing that is not distracting are the main guidelines. For example, a 4-H'er may wear riding clothes when giving a presentation on horse related topics or an apron when cooking. This is acceptable and appropriate.
10.Any contestant may use handouts. It is not mandatory, but okay to have handouts. Recipes are optional except for the beef ambassador program, egg cookery, and original barbecue sauce.
11.It is mandatory to have a finished product in all food demonstrations. However, if a contestant does an illustrated talk in which no food preparation is part of the presentation, then no finished product is required. In foods presentation areas tasting is NOT a part of the presentation and NOT encouraged. Only in the Beef Ambassador, Chicken/Turkey Barbecue, and Egg Cookery areas can judges taste for part of the scoring. Food sharing is allowed only while judges are deliberating.
12.Share-The-Fun: Junior and Intermediate age youth may participate in the same act, but must compete in the Intermediate age division. Only senior acts with all senior members will be eligible to advance to the state contest during State 4-H Congress.
13.Share-The-Fun contestants are required to bring their own equipment, including boom boxes and microphones. The piano is the only equipment that will be provided. No special effects (lighting, etc.) will be provided. Due to lack of stage area, some contest areas will be held in rooms without a stage. Contestants must perform in the area they are assigned. Moving to another room in order to perform on stage will not be permitted.
14.No video taping of presentations except your own child.
15.Public Speaking – No props or visual aids are allowed in Public Speaking. Any person with props or visual aids should be placed in a Presentation area.
16.No firearms, ammunition, weapons, or tobacco allowed on school property by State law.
17.Chicken/Turkey Barbecue - Participants must bring their own grill, poultry and other necessary supplies.
18.If a 4-H member is accompanied by someone other than their parent, the responsible adult must have Health History Forms for every 4-H member in their duty of care. Contest officials and volunteers do not assume responsibility for supervision of members—this is the parent’s job!
Room Chair Duties
1.Please become familiar with duties outlined below before you arrive at the contest.
2.Arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. Check-in at Information Desk (front lobby). Report to the Hospitality Room for orientation and to pick up packet.
3.Immediately following Orientation, go directly to your assigned room. Floor plan of the school is enclosed.
5.Prepare your room for the contest, clear tables, set up easel, arrange chairs, post presentation order, etc.
6.Ensure that the designated area for judges' seating is separated from contestants.
7.Be friendly with contestants as they arrive. As contestants arrive, check them in on the Room Roster which will be in your packet. Be sure to mark no shows on the Roster with "NS" in the ribbon color column. Assist contestants with equipment and other chores as necessary. Hosts are to stay in room with contestants at all times.
8.Remember, 4-H'ers need to remain in their contest area upon arrival. However, 4-H'ers competing in two areas must check-in at both areas. A copy of the Contest Area/Room Roster will be posted outside each door, so that the 4-H’er will know which contest area he/she will be competing in first.
9.Ask guests to remain seated while contestants are presenting. If a large number of contestants are present, please ask guests to give up their seats to the 4-H'ers. If the room becomes too crowed with guests, you may need to encourage them to wait outside the room.
10.Be sure to see that your judges are clear on procedures. (See the attached Guidelines for Judges.)
11.Remind judges of time limits. They are as follows:
Presentations - 15 minutes maximum
Public Speaking - 5 to 7 minutes maximum depending on age division
Share-the-Fun - 4 minutes maximum
Chairperson needs to keep time and supply the judges with this information before they deliberate.
12. Ask judges to verbally make constructive comments to all contestants before they hand out ribbons.
13.Begin contest promptly at 9:30 a.m.
14.Welcome entire group. Explain contest operation and general procedures. NO ONE SHOULD ENTER OR LEAVE THE ROOM DURING THE PRESENTATION. This is disruptive to the presenter. A Door Monitor should be recruited.
15.Introduce yourself and the judges
16.Ensure that everyone clearly understands that only judges are to ask questions and only at the end. Judges' decisions are final.
16.Announce: No video taping of presentations except your own child.
18.Inform all contestants that you will introduce them by name only. Allow time for judges to score contestants before going to the next contestant.
19.PLEASE FOLLOWTHE ORDER AS LISTED ON THE CONTEST AREA/ROOM ROSTER. Allow all contestants (Junior, Intermediates, Seniors) in one area to give their presentations before going on to another area. All contestants in all areas scheduled for your room should give their presentations before the judges’ break for final scoring.
20.While judges are "deliberating", room hosts may also use this time to pass out evaluation forms. Room hosts and Judges should complete an evaluation form also. Please collect completed evaluations and take to Headquarters at end of your contest.
21.Judges should go to the designated Tabulation Room to confer. Contestants are to remain in the contest room until all 4-H'ers have presented and ribbons are awarded, unless they are competing in two areas. (Contestants may use their time to pack supplies, clean room, etc.)
22.Award all blue, red and white ribbons. Ribbons will be located in Tabulations Room. Judges should pick up the blue, red, and white ribbons needed for your contest areas before they return to the contest room after judging is completed.
- DO NOT give 4-H'ers their score sheets. Score sheets should be taken to Headquarters with packet. Agents will mail score sheets to contestants.
24.Thank judges and congratulate contestants. Encourage 4-H'ers to continue their project work. They are all winners!!
25.Remind contestants to pick up all their equipment and take it to their car after the contest.
26.Be sure the room is left as you found it. Do not move tables and chairs from one room to another.
27.Before dismissing judges or returning Contest Packet to the Headquarters, be sure to check for the following:
.“No shows” are noted on the Roster
.Ribbon Color awarded is noted on roster(s) for each contestant
.Score sheets are in packet
.Completed Evaluation Forms are in packet
Don't forget to return any supplies borrowed from Headquarters, e.g. easels.
28.MANY THANKS! The Chairperson's professional handling of each contest makes a quality program for all involved.
Guidelines for Judges
1.Judges should arrive by 8:30 a.m. report to the Headquarters/Information Desk to check-in. All Judges will attend an Orientation at 8:45 a.m. in the Hospitality Room.
2.The 4-H District Contests are meant to be a learning experience for each 4-H'er. The reasons why a youngster participates in the contest are:
- To share information learned in the project with others;
- To gain poise, self-confidence, and self-assurance;
- To become skillful in assembling, organizing facts & thoughts present this information to an audience through speech & demonstration.
3.Judges are asked to help put the participants at ease by keeping a warm, friendly atmosphere during the contest. However, please ensure that the judging is rigorous enough so the 4-H’er knows they “earned” their ribbon color.
4.Each 4-H'er will receive 1 of 3 ribbon types awarded:
Blue ribbon -- above average
Red ribbon -- good, acceptable, average
White ribbon -- fair, needs improvement
The ribbon type awarded to the contestantis based on the judges' overall impressions factors listed on the score sheet. Do not give all blue ribbons because you don’t want to hurt feelings. Be sure you clearly indicate on the judging form reason(s) for the ribbon that was awarded.
5.The Room Chair in each room will introduce each 4-H'er before he/she starts in presentation; however, the 4-H'er may also introduce himself/herself to the audience. The Chair will give you time between each presentation to write comments. Let the Chair know when you are ready for the next contestant to be announced.
6.It is very important that judges make helpful, constructive, written comments on the score sheet. Participants will receive these score sheets later and use the comments to make improvements for future contests. Therefore, comments should be written in terms of suggestions for improvement.
7.Judges are encouraged to first write something pleasant about the 4-H'er. Regardless of a poor performance, there is always something nice a judge can write about a 4-H'er. If possible, use the "sandwich" effect when writing comments: first, write a pleasant comment; second, write helpful, constructive comments; third, end with a nice comment.
COMMENTS SHOULD BE MADE IN EACH SECTION BY EACH JUDGE.
8.Time limits are as follows and points should be deducted when they are not followed:
Presentations:
Juniors – 2 – 5 minutes
Intermediates – 5 – 10 minutes
Seniors – 10 – 15 minutes
Public Speaking
Juniors – 2 – 5 minutes
Intermediates – 5 – 10 minutes
Seniors – 10 – 15 minutes
Share-the-Fun – 4 minutes max
Beef Ambassador – 5 – 8 minute illustrated talk
Egg Cookery – 12 minutes maximum
Chicken/Turkey BBQ – 2 ½ hours max(includes cook time; presentation =10 minutes max)
9.No live animals or live models are allowed.
10.In all contests, except for Share-The-Fun, judges are to ask contestant two, and only two, questions relevant to the presentation. Questions should be asked at the end of the presentation, except for beef ambassador, chicken/turkey barbecue, egg cookery, and fashion revue (See specific rules)
11.Use of note cards is acceptable. No cue cards from the audience are allowed.
12.There is no required dress code for contestants. Appropriateness, neatness, clothing that is not distracting are the main guidelines. A 4-H'er may wear riding clothes when giving presentations on horse related topics. This is acceptable and appropriate.