FLORIDA 4-H
HERE COMES THE JUDGE 4-H COMPETITIVE CONTESTS ENABLE YOUNG PEOPLE TO DEVELOP SKILLS FOR ADULTHOOD
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ust about everyone agrees that society should provide opportunities and experiences for young people to help them mature into thriving adults—who will then contribute back to society. This means they need to be able to have a wide variety of educational activities. As young people mature, these continuing activities, along with tutelage from caring adults, help them gain life skills and develop competencies that will put them on a trajectory to thrive. One fantastic opportunity for young people in 4-H is the chance to learn about and participate in a competitive judging contest. It might sound like a stretch: How does
Left, Chandler DeCubellis judges a leghorn hen during a 4-H poultry contest. At right is a proud prizewinner. Opposite page, a much-younger Chandler tries his hand at judging.
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ranking four dairy cows from highest to lowest quality, or four sows from most desirable to least, or how good four chickens are at laying, help youth develop skills to translate to other areas of their lives? The answers might just surprise you! In a typical judging contest, young people learn a tremendous amount of detail about their topic. For example, 4-H members in poultry judging will learn to evaluate how prolific a layer a hen is based on some easily identifiable factors. They also learn to grade eggs similarly to how a U.S. Department of Agriculture grader would evaluate the eggs.
LEFT PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS DECUBELLIS
Written by: Chris DeCubellis
