PDF of Newsletter

 

A Letter From the Extension Agent


Conflict….  A simple word that sparks a variety of emotions.  For some, it means running it the other direction.  For others, it is an opportunity for growth and improvement.  Regardless of your feelings, conflict is something we will all have to deal with at some point, whether it’s a disagreement with a spouse or child or a confrontation at work or in public.  

Conflict is natural and unavoidable. However, successfully navigating conflict sometimes takes some practice and skills that can be learned.  

The focus of this year’s 4-H leader training is conflict management.  The training is open to all leaders and parents in the 4-H program.  The purpose of the training is to give participants some tools and techniques to navigate conflict in a productive way.  Check out the information on the front page for more information.  I hope you can attend!

Sincerely, 

Allison Kosto, Extension Agent - MSU Extension Broadwater County

 
4-H Scholarships Now Open

Calling all highs school seniors as well as current college students! The Montana 4-H Foundation has opened up the 2024 Scholarships. You can see all of the available scholarships on the Montana 4-H Foundation website. . Applications are done online throught the application website.. You will need two letters of reference and a copy of your transcript. Please keep in mind that one of the reference letters must be from your Extension Agent. Think ahead and talk with Allison about this early, so she has plenty of time to get these letters written. The scholarship application deadline is February 14th.

 

Annual Ag Appreciation Dinner

The Ag Appreciation Dinner will be held on Saturday, February 24 at the Watson Event Center. 4-H members who are 12 and over are invited to serve dinner. Please wear a white button-down shirt and black pants and arrive at the event center by 5:30 pm. If you are interested, please contact FFA Advisor Jemma Loughery at 406.314.3403 by February 15th.

 

County Contest Extravaganza– “Luck of the 4-H’ers”

County 4-H Contests are scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday, March 17th.  The exact schedule will be determined after entries are received.  This event is a fun way for you to share your knowledge, learn new skills and be recognized for your hard work.  Contests are related to communications, cooking and sewing or quilting.  You don’t have to be enrolled in a certain project to participate.  Senior members (13-18 years old) can earn a trip to compete at Montana 4-H Congress.  See page 8 for a list of county contests and descriptions so you can start preparing your entry. Watch out for your County Contest Registration book to be emailed soon! Registration deadline is Tuesday, March 5th at 5pm.

 

4-H Leaders Training

Save the date for the annual 4-H Leaders Training on Tuesday, March 26th at 6:00 pm at the Methodist Church (200 N. Cedar St, Townsend). This will replace the monthly Indoor Committee and Council meeting for March. The training is open to all leaders (club, project, and others) or parents. The focus of the training is conflict management. There will also be a taco dinner. Please RSVP to the office by Friday, March 22nd to ensure we have enough food.

 

4-H Fruit Sales Fundraiser

Crow Creek, Elkhorn, Old Baldy and Radersburg will all be selling fruit as a fundraiser this year! Check with your club leader to see your club’s status. Order forms will be available soon and are due to your club leader around the third week of February.  If you are interested in ordering and your club is not selling, please contact Andrea Dabling 406.600.6799, Jenni Shumway 406.640.2838, Brittany Des Chene 406.224.2231, Daniel Truesdell at 406.980.0640, Dannielle Douglas 406.465.3318 or Danyel Henke at 406.980.0995 

                                                                                                                                                     

Teen Club ‘Baby Welcome Kits’ Drive

The Teen Club is doing a service project to collect items for Options Clinic in Helena. These items will be given to new moms that need help with their new babies. They are looking for neutral colored baby items: blankets, towels, washcloths, onesies, sleep sacks, socks, burp rags, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, baby shampoo, lotion, small stuffed animals, etc. Items should be simple and easy to pack into small, grocery sized bags. Please have all items delivered to the Extension Office by Friday March 15th at 5:00pm. The 4-H club who donates the most items will be treated to an Ice Cream Bar party from the Teen Club. Please see the attached flyer for details on items needed. 

 
Multi-County 4-H Camp

Save the date for June 4-7th for 4-H Camp near Monarch. Today is the last day of the extended Camp Counselor application process. Check your email soon if you applied. Counselors are highly encouraged to attend the training in March in Harlowton.  Participation is highly recommended.  If you don’t come, you miss being part of the decision making process for the theme, groups, and workshop ideas.  Please let Allison know if you plan to attend.

 

Countywide 4-H Activities


Committee & Council Meetings

4-H COUNCIL:  The next meeting will be Tuesday, February 27th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (Flynn Building, 416 Broadway, Townsend). Contact Karen at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.

INDOOR COMMITTEE: The next meeting will be Tuesday, February 27th at 6:30 pm at the Extension Office (Flynn Building, 416 Broadway, Townsend). Contact Karen at 406.949.4852 if you have any questions or agenda items. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.

LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE:  There will be a special meeting for Fair Book changes on Tuesday, February 6th at 7:00 pm. The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, March 5th at 7:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend).  If you have any questions or agenda items, please contact Jason Noyes at 406.949.4851. Agenda items must be submitted by noon the Friday prior to the meeting.  

TEEN CLUB: The next Teen Club meeting will be Thursday, February 22nd at 6:30pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Teen Club is open to all Middle or High School aged members. If you are not currently in Teen Club, but want to find out what it is about, please come to a meeting! Please RSVP to Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.

INTERSTATE EXCHANGE CLUB: The Interstate Exchange club will be meeting on Friday, February 2nd at 8:00am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 1st. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Beatty at 406.490.1362 or Todd Beatty at 406.490.1361.

 

4-H Animal Project Activities

 

Livestock Quality Assurance

A quality Assurance workshop is planned for Monday, March 18th at 6:30 pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds.  All 4-H members who plan to enter market livestock (beef, sheep, swine, goat, rabbit, or poultry) and breeding projects in the Fair are REQUIRED to take livestock quality assurance (QA) every other year in order to participate.  Contact the Extension Office with any questions or to see if it is your year to take the class.

 
Swine Tagging

All market hogs must be in your possession by April 15th.  Due to biosecurity measures, no tagging and weigh-in will be held.  It is your responsibility to get tags from the Extension Office to tag hogs May 1st.   A Market Swine Form needs to be turned into the office by that date.  There is no limit to the number of hogs tagged, but only two hogs can be entered in the Fair. Every hog tagged must be assigned to a designated 4-H/FFA member. Fair entries must match the tagging form and all animals who are housed in the Livestock Building at Fair must be entered in the Fair. Tagging forms are attached to this email, available online, or can be submitted via google form. Contact the Extension Office or Hugh Braaten at 406.439.8873 if you have any questions.

 
Beef Workshop

There is a workshop scheduled for Monday, February 19th at 3:00pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds. Join us for a fun afternoon of Beef Cattle Trivia. This Trivia event is open to ALL Broadwater County 4-H and FFA members and families! There will be refreshments for all and prizes for top scoring teams. Trivia questions will focus mostly on the cattle industry, with some other livestock trivia as well as 4-H specific questions. Questions? Contact Samantha Ferrat 406.949.0869 or John Ferrat 406.949.7911. Looking forward to seeing you there! Please RSVP to Samantha by Feb. 14th.

 

Dairy Goat

The next workshop will be on Saturday, February 3rd at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Meat goat members are welcome as well. Any member wanting to do a demonstration at one of the meetings is welcome to do so. If you have any questions, please contact Danyel Henke at 406.980.0995

 

Rabbit

The next rabbit project meeting will be Sunday, February 4th at 3:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend) If you have any questions, please contact Dannielle Douglas at 406.465.3318.

 

Poultry

The next poultry meeting is scheduled for Sunday, February 25th at 3:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). There are two more Poultry meetings scheduled for Sundays March 24th and April 28th. If you have any questions, please contact Alice Kroeger at 406.547.4343.

 

Horse

There will be a Horse meeting on Wednesday, March 20th at 6:30pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds. If you have any questions, please contact Jann Finn at 406.266.4992 or Donna Richards at 406.521.0717.

 

Swine

There are a few upcoming workshops scheduled for swine.  These are:

February 20th 6:30 pm at Headwaters Livestock (25 Wheatland Rd, Three Forks). This will be a hands-on selection workshop put on jointly with Gallatin County 4-H.  We will discuss the selection process and how to pick the pig that will accomplish your goals. February 26th 7:00 pm at the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds. This meeting will center around feed and how to manage weight. This was an area that the survey respondents felt they needed the most help with. To get the most out of this meeting you should have an idea of what feed you will be feeding and bring information with you about it. May 20th 6:30 pm at the Livestock Pavilion at the fairgrounds. This will be a hands-on showmanship meeting. To get the most out of this meeting you will be able to bring your pig and work it in the showring if you have basic control of it.  If you have not walked your pig outside of its pen, please don’t bring it. They don’t have to be totally broke but you need to have some control over them. There will be an opportunity for senior members to give short presentations on different aspects of daily care and show prep if they would like extra points.  If senior members would like to do this, you must talk to Hugh by April 30th to discuss topics. If you have any questions, please contact Hugh Braaten at 406.439.8873.

 

Important Market Livestock Deadlines
Swine:
Posession- April 15th, 2024
ID Forms w/ Tag #s (turned in to office)- May 1st, 2024
Lambs & Goats
Posession- May 15th, 2024
Tagging and Weigh In (in person event) -Exact date TBD (Mid/end of May)
Poultry & Rabbits
Posession- June 25th, 2023
Identification Form (turned in to office) -June 26th, 2023

 

The Extension Office will be closed on Monday February 19th for President’s Day! 

Yes! We do realize that many workshops may overlap with each other or with other meetings. Unfortunately, every one’s schedules differ and there is never a time that works perfectly for everyone.

It is your choice on which activity to attend. Some projects can be completed mostly at home by working through your project book, while others require more hands-on activities.

If you are debating on whether or not to miss a club meeting, talk with your club leader to see what they think.

REMEMBER- All of our leaders (club and project) are volunteers- so these workshops and project meetings DO have to work for their schedule as well.

 
4-H Non-Animal Project Activities


Cloverbuds

The next Cloverbuds meeting will be held on Sunday, February 18th at 3:00pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Cloverbuds is the project for our 4-H members aged 5-7. 4-H members who are 8 can choose to take Cloverbuds as their project or to be a full 4-H member and take any of the other 4-H projects available. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jessica Lancello at 406.860.5355.

 

Sewing

The next sewing workshop will be Saturday, February 10th at 9:30 am at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Sewing workshops are planned for the second Saturday of the month until April. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Holland at 406.266.3473

 

Leathercraft

The first workshop is scheduled for Thursday February 22nd at 6:00pm at the McDaniel Ranch (168 Lower Confederate Rd, Townsend). If you have any questions, please contact Tancy McDaniel at 406.980.0456.

 
Scrapbooking

There are two scrapbooking workshops scheduled for March. These will be on Tuesday, March 5th and Monday March 25th at 6:30pm in the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). These meetings may need to be held in the backroom of the office, watch for instructions. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852.

 

Cake Decorating

Cake decorating workshops are scheduled for Fridays, February 9th and 23rd at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). There will also be workshops on March 8th and 22nd and April 12th.  If you have any questions, please contact Roxanne Six at 406.980.1204.

 

Visual Arts

There are two workshops scheduled for February. These will be on Monday, February 5th and Monday February 26th at 5:30pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Feb 5th: The focus will be form drawings, and we will make Valentine cards and wrapping paper. Students should bring markers and colored pencils if they have them. Your leader will provide specialty papers and have some colored pencils and markers to share. Feb 26th: The focus will be oil pastels with watercolors. Your leader will have specialty papers and some oil pastels and water colors and brushes to share, but students are encouraged to bring any of these supplies they may have. If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact Renee Kockler at 406.220.2820

 

Photography

There will be a 4-H Photography workshop on Sunday, March 10th at 1:30 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Please bring your camera to this workshop! The workshop will be taught by 4-H alumni, Bailey Taves. Contact Karen Noyes at 406.949.4852 with any questions.

 

Sportfishing

There will be a Sport Fishing Workshop on Ice Fishing Safety with guests from Broadwater County Search and Rescue on Friday, February 2nd at 7:00pm at the Search and Rescue building (600 North Pine St, Townsend-Tan bldg. With 4 garage doors.) There are also plans for a group ice fishing day for either Saturday, February 17th or 24th, depending on ice conditions. No gear required except appropriate clothing. If interested in attending, please reach out to your project leader so you can get updated details. Sam Des Chene 406.223.5718.

 

Hunting/Wildlife

The next workshop will be Saturday, February 3rd at 3:00 pm at the Extension Office (416 Broadway, Townsend). Topics will be cold weather hunting, hunter orange, mapping your hunt, ballistics and many more. If you have any questions, please contact Brandon Henke at 406.980.0992

 

Archery

Archery workshops will be held on Tuesdays from 6:00-8:00 pm in the 4-H Building at the Fairgrounds (189 US Hwy 12E, Townsend) until March 5th.  If you have any questions, please contact Jason Noyes at 406.949.4851.

 

Shotgun

Workshops for Shotgun will be starting in March! Watch for more information!

 

Statewide 4-H Opportunities

 


Leadership Academy Monthly Workshops

Join the Montana 4-H Leadership Academy on Sunday afternoons. The leadership academy is a network of Montana 4-H members interested in exploring and developing their own leadership skills while serving their county 4-H program in new ways. Each month the officer team members will present a different workshop topic that they have found to be important as they have grown their own leadership abilities through a virtual platform.   The workshops are on Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:00pm. The dates are February 11 and March 10.  Registration is done online at the Youth Leadership website.. Click on the blue ‘register now’ button. Once registered, the zoom links will be shared monthly. 

 

March 1-3: Montana 4-H State Shoot

The 29th Annual Montana 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational will be held in Bozeman on March 1-3, 2024. This event is open to all enrolled 4-H members ages 9-19 in the Shooting Sports Projects. The registration will open on January 12, 2024. Registration slots are filled in a first come, first serve, so register soon!Please see the State Website for all information regarding the State Shoot. The events held at the State Shoot are Air Rifle, Air Pistol, Smallbore Rifle, Smallbore Pistol, Target Archery, and 3D Archery.

The State Shoot will serve as the qualifier for the Air Rifle, Air Pistol, Smallbore Rifle, and Smallbore Pistol events. The top 4 individuals in each event will be invited to represent the State of Montana at the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships to be held in Grand Island, Nebraska, June 23-28, 2024. 

Registration can be done through the Montana 4-H State Shoot website. 

 
Montana 4-H 2024 REC LAB 

What is Rec Lab? It sounds like a funny name for a 4-H event. Rec Lab stands for Recreation Lab and means that everything is hands-on and fun! This event is a 4-H member favorite: It provides an opportunity for youth and adults to enhance their leadership, communication, and team building skills in an action-packed and interactive setting. Rec Lab programming provides participants with tips and tricks for being a better club, camp, and community leader. The event is April 19-21 and is close to home this year in Boulder.  This event is ideal for younger senior members to attend as a first-time state event. It allows them to form relationships with 4-H peers from across the state, broaden their skills, and widen their network.  Youth participants must be 13+ as of October 1, 2023. Watch for more information on when registration will be live!

 

Montana 4-H Rec Lab – Workshop Proposals! 

District 5 invites you to submit workshop proposals for the 2024 Montana 4-H Rec Lab. Both Teen and Adult workshop presenters are welcome. The theme for this year’s event is “Going For Green!”

Here is some Rec Lab information to keep in mind as you brainstorm ways to share your talents, while incorporating the theme. From montana4h.org: “This event provides an opportunity for youth and adults to enhance their leadership, communication and team building skills in an action packed and interactive setting. Rec Lab programming is designed to provide participants with tips and tricks for being a better club, camp and community leader.”

If you are interested in this, please contact the office for the workshop proposal form. Proposals are due February 7th. 

 

 

4-H Congress July 9 – 12 – Save the Date!

Montana 4-H invites all members 4-H age 13 and older to the Montana 4-H Congress event on the Bozeman campus of MSU. Congress provides youth from cross the state an opportunity to come together on campus in Bozeman for four days and participate in an event like no other. Congress offers both youth and adults a venue in which to learn, be challenged, and most of all, have a great time with their peers. Montana 4-H'ers have been attending an event like Congress for decades. Congress has become an important tradition and is the signature event for the Montana 4-H Program.  Congress' purpose is to provide a safe and fun environment for youth to experience all that 4-H Congress has to offer including contests, workshops, entertainment, social events, and much more. Watch for more information in the spring!

 

People Partner Grants - Montana 4-H Foundation

These grants, up to $500, provide incentives and financial support to 4-H clubs, groups and individuals for programs that enhance the quality of living for people in their communities. Applications should meet the following criteria:

•    Youth should be involved in determining, planning, conducting, and evaluating the project.

•    The project will make it possible for people to accomplish something educational and worthwhile that helps them reach a higher quality of life.

•    There is community support and acceptance of the project, as evidenced by “partners” listed in the grant application, additional funding sources, and resource persons and agencies involved.

•    The project has lasting benefits.

Applications can be found on the Montana 4-H Foundation website. and must be postmarked by February 1.

 

Shooting Sports Events

There are tons of statewide shooting sports events happening! To keep up to date with these opportunities, please visit the State Shooting Sports website. They update regularly with newly added events. See the box below for information on some of the upcoming events.

Location                 Date                          Competition                                         Contact

Red Lodge          2/3/2024             Carbon County Archery Invitational                     [email protected]

Baker                  2/3/2024                          Carter County Shooting Stars Inv.                       [email protected]

Victor                  2/10/2024                        Bitterroot 4-H Archers Inv.                                   [email protected]

Conrad                2/10/2024                             Pondera 4-H Shooters In-Person and Postal       [email protected]

Great Falls           2/17/2024                         Cascade County Invitational                                [email protected]

Big Timber          2/17/2024                         Sweet Grass 4-H Archery Shoot                          [email protected]

Ronan                 2/17/2024                         Fred Grant Memorial Invitational                          [email protected]

Fort Benton        2/24/2024                          Choteau County Archery Inv.                             [email protected]

Dillon                     2/24/2024                             Beaverhead County Inv.                                            [email protected]

POSTAL              ends 2/24/2024                        Custer County Shooting Sports                               [email protected] 

Bozeman      3/1/2024 – 3/3/2024                 MT 4-H State Shooting Sports                            [email protected]

Grand Island, NE    6/23/24-6/28/24                National Shoot                                                   [email protected]

 

Qualifiers 2024

Location                  Date                          Competition                                        Contact

Bozeman                          3/1/2024 - 3/3/2024        State Shoot                                   [email protected]

Livingston                        4/5/2024                           Archery Pre-Qualifier                    [email protected] [email protected]

Livingston                        4/21/2024                         Muzzle-loader Qualifier                 [email protected] [email protected]

Livingston                        5/5/2024                            Archery Qualifier                          [email protected] [email protected]

Logan                              4/20/2024                          Shotgun Qualifier                          [email protected]

 
National 4-H Opportunities
 

CITIZENSHIP WASHINGTON FOCUS (CWF):  A Leadership Summit Through the Lens of American Democracy

CWF is the civic engagement event for teens to learn leadership and communication skills through history, democracy, and our amendments in Washington D.C.

Who: open to 4-Hers ages 14-19 at the time of the program

When: Week 1: June 15–22, 2024 or Week 2: June 20–27, 2024

Note: The MT 4-H delegation will participate in 1 of the 2 week options – whichever week works best for the majority and/or chaperone(s) availability.

Where: Hyatt Regency – Bethesda, Maryland

Approximate Cost: $1,495/youth delegate for 7 nights double room occupancy includes program activities and most meals; cost of airfare/transportation is additional.

For more information check out the Citizenship Washington Focus website. Applications are due Feburary 13th and are available on the Citizenship Washington Focus application site..

 

NATIONAL 4-H CONFERENCE:  Calling All Change Agents!

National 4 H Conference is the pinnacle experience in 4 H Civic Engagement for teens. At the conference, delegates will have the opportunity to participate in round table discussions and present to federal partner agencies as well as engage in service-learning.

Who: open to 4-Hers ages 15-19 at the time of the program, geared for juniors & seniors in high school

When: April 19-24, 2024

Where: Hyatt Regency - Crystal City, Arlington, VirginiaApproximate Cost: ~$810/youth delegate (cost based on 2023 registration) for Apr 19-23 double room occupancy includes program activities and most meals; cost of airfare/transportation is additional

Applications are due February 5th and are available Montana 4-H National Conference website..

 

Other Opportunities


Chatcolab Northwest Leadership Laboratory

Grounded in experiential learning, fostered by small group connections, fueled by spontaneous creativity, and enriched by a profound history of cultivating leadership in a recreational setting, Chatcolab offers a distinctive experience. Participants return home revitalized, with new ideas, and equipped with newfound skills.

Chatcolab is for youth who are interested in leadership training, recreation, community building, making the world a better place, escaping from the daily routine – all within a summer camp setting! The date for the program is June 15th-20th at Twinlow Retreat Center in Rathdrum Idaho. Registration fees are $450.00 which includes a cabin bed, meals, program, most supplies and a unique experience you will not find anywhere else. Scholarships and housing upgrades available based on need. Learn more at the Chatcolab website. .

 

MontanaFair Junior Livestock Show 

The event will be August 9th-17th in Billings. Animals participating in this show must be tagged on the following dates: (Beef tagging has already passed) Swine/Sheep/Goat on Saturday, May 4th from 8:00-Noon. Tagging events are at the Public Auction Yard in Billings. For more information, contact the Extension Office.

 

The Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp

The Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp is now taking applications for July 14-19, 2024. A flyer is attached to this email. 

For 38 years, the Montana Natural Resources Youth Camp has provided youth an opportunity to study in an outdoor classroom. Today's scientific principles, economic realities, historical heritage, and social perspectives help these future leaders in their quest to gain natural resources perspective that is informed and progressive. Campers learn about forests, streams, soils, geology, rangeland, wildlife, and recreation and spend half-day rafting the Clark Fork River's Alberton Gorge. In between the field sessions, professionals who volunteer from various natural resources-based agencies and industries, specialty evening programs, guest speakers, and hands-on learning through discovery and campfires provide for a lasting summer camp experience.

More information about the camp can be found on the MSU Forestry website . 

There are many scholarship opportunities available to cover camp fees and/or transportation costs.  

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Christina Oppegard, Camp Director, at MSU Extension Forestry (406) 243-2773 [email protected].  

 

Virtual Show Pig Conference 

We have come across a free virtual show pig conference for show pig families and the show pig community. 

This event is held through RingCentral, a virtual online conference platform (think in person conference, only online).  The live conference is free! Individuals sign up for their free ticket, at the Show Pig COnference website..  The conference is on Saturday February 3rd from 11am-5pm EST. 

The conference will feature over twenty speakers who are excited to help youth and their families learn and succeed.  Attendees will be able to listen to mainstage speakers, breakout group sessions, enter virtual expo booths, and ask show pig experts the questions that they have always wanted answered.  If individuals and families are unable to attend live, the organizers have options for them as well.  

This is hosted by an educator who has a passion for helping kids.  He wants to help 4-H families across the country have success with their show pig projects.  

Go to the Facebook page for more information.

 

What are the County Contests? 


Here are the descriptions of each of the contests being held at the County Contest Extravaganza! Read through them and decide which contest you want to enter!

Communications—This contest recognizes the importance of developing high level communication skills as an essential life skill. Here you have an opportunity to practice and demonstrate communication skills through a variety of different methods. The following are components of the contest:  illustrated talk, commercial, impromptu speech, demonstration, video, career communications and prepared speech. You may participate in one or multiple components of the contest. Each component of the contest has a unique set of rules, so be sure to review them before participating.

Fashion Revue— This contest emphasizes skill development in selecting, constructing, accessorizing and modeling garment(s).  You also develop skills in communication, self-confidence, poise and decision making. There are two categories of the contest.  The traditional category is where you bring a new garment that you made.  Items can be sewn, hand-knitted or crocheted. The refashioned category is where you take an existing clothing item and repurpose it into a significantly wearable garment or look. Participants interview with a judge in addition to modeling the item.

Hooked on Cooking – This is an opportunity for members to demonstrate cooking skills. It is open to junior members (8-13 years old) as individuals or teams. The contest emphasizes having fun while cooking and developing skills for safe, nutritious and proper presentation of food. Each year is a new theme and participants create a meal and place setting and interview with a judge. 

Stir-Ups— This is an opportunity for participants to showcase cooking skills and nutritional knowledge.  It is open to any members who are 13 years old or older as individuals or teams. Participants will prepare an appealing, nutritious meal and participate in an interview with the judge.  Each year there is a new and a list of possible ingredients. Participants must use specific ingredients from the provided list to come up with your own creation.

Quilting —Participants in this contest demonstrate the principles of design and an understanding of the techniques required to construct a quilt or quilted item.  Participants will interview with the judge while he/she looks at the construction of the quilt.