1.) New activity for children at the Kansas State Fair
Sidebar: Why 4-H?
Q&A: Why is Kansas 4-H affiliated with Kansas State University?
2.) Which 4-H project is the most popular?
3.) 4-H/FFA Wheat Contest Award Ceremony Set at Kansas State Fair
4.) At Kansas State Fair: 4-H Bake Sale to Fund Scholarships
5.) 4-H State Fair Results on Web
6.) Kansas State Fair: At the Kansas State Fair: 4-H Projects Can Inspire Others
1.) Kansas State Fair:
New Activity for Children at Kansas State Fair
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – A new, interactive activity for children – the 4-H Passport to Fun – will be available in 4-H Centennial Hall during the 2008 Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kan., Sept. 5-14, a 4-H youth development specialist said.
Children are invited to pick up a free passport at the Information Booth in the 4-H building and to use the passport as a guide while viewing 4-H projects on display in the building, said Justin Wiebers, Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H events coordinator.
After exploring the exhibit area, children can return to the Information Booth to have their passport stamped and pick up a free gift, he said.
Visiting 4-H Centennial Hall is typically recommended for families who are considering youth development opportunities, but everyone is welcome, said Wiebers, who is expecting more than 11,000 4-H exhibits at the fair this year.
Visitors of all ages often remark about the quality and creativity of the exhibits, he said.
A 4-H member must be 10 years of age or older to exhibit at the state fair, and his or her project must first earn a top project award at a county fair to qualify for exhibit at the state fair.
“Project exhibits represent more than 30 different 4-H projects and reflect skill-building activities identified with 4-H programs,” said Wiebers, who said that he likes to think of the exhibits as “a snapshot of work that goes on during the year.”
Each project has specific requirements, but also shares goals that are common to educational opportunities offered in 4-H programs: personal growth and development in building life skills while also practicing leadership, citizenship and service.
Exhibits such as such as the geology or insect display boxes may seem similar, yet each reflects the accomplishments of the 4-H member investing his or her time in the project, he said.
Projects allow 4-H members opportunities to explore a variety of interests and larger world while also developing their given talents and nurturing creativity, Wiebers said.
A Sedgwick County 4-H member has crafted a totem pole that will be among the Arts and Crafts exhibits, and another Sedgwick County member knit a different pair of socks each month. Her efforts will be on display in the Fiber Arts project division.
A Cheyenne County 4-H member has recycled barn siding as a decorative cooler cover and stand that will be displayed with 4-H woodworking projects, and a Russell County 4-H club designed and built a miniature, musical carousel themed to a leadership lesson called “Character Counts.” Both will be on display in 4-H Centennial Hall.
Photography project exhibits selected from 1,925 photos qualifying for the state fair this year will highlight heartwarming -- and sometimes unexpected -- views of Kansas and the world. This year, a Cherokee County 4-H member has qualified to enter a photo she had taken in Vietnam. Her father is a Vietnam War veteran and the entry is part of a photo journal of the family’s visit to the country last fall.
A sampling of 4-H foods and nutrition entries will be on display, but most of the more than 1,000 entries will be sold at a bake sale. The sale will be held in 4-H Centennial Hall Sept. 5 from 5 p.m.-9 p.m., resuming at 9 a.m. Sept.6 and continuing until all of the food is sold. Funds raised will go toward scholarships for the Kansas International 4-H Youth Exchange Program.
One other perennial fair favorite -- 4-H demonstrations -- are scheduled in 4-H Centennial Hall each weekend of the fair (Sept 6-7 and 13-14). The demonstrations will begin at 9 a.m. and continue during the day.
A daily schedule of demonstrations will be posted near the demonstration stages.
4-H Centennial Hall is located at the north end of the fairgrounds and is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 5-13, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 14 (closing day).
A complete list of 4-H activities at the 2008 Kansas State Fair is available on the Kansas State Fair Web site: www.kansasstatefair.com. More information about educational opportunities in Kansas 4-H is available on the 4-H Web site: www.kansas4H.org,
Sidebar: Why 4-H?
HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- A perfect cookie, well-groomed calf or obedient (though formerly rambunctious) family dog might each reflect skill-building activities in learn-by-doing 4-H programs, a Kansas State University specialist said.
4-H programs were initially developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture to supplement educational offerings for rural youth, but are open to all youth, said Pat McNally, a Kansas State University Research and Extension state leader, Kansas 4-H.
In 2007 in Kansas, 37 percent of the youth served by 4-H programs lived in central cities with populations of more than 50,000, McNally said. Nineteen percent lived in cities and towns with populations of 10,000 to 50,000; seven percent lived in cities and suburbs with populations of more than 50,000; 20 percent lived in towns and rural areas with populations of less than 10,000, and 17 percent lived on farms.
In 2007, Kansas 4-H youth development efforts served more than 82,000 youth, she said.
Opportunities in 4-H include traditional 4-H clubs, project clubs, after-school programs, military programs, camps, and special events such as the annual Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, a professional development opportunity for teens.
A relatively new offering is Campference, a camp combined with a conference to help students, ages 12 to 14, build self-confidence and self-esteem, said Beth Hinshaw, a Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development specialist based in southeast Kansas.
More information on educational 4-H programs is available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices and on the Kansas 4-H Web site: www.Kansas4-H.org.
BOX:
Q&A: Why is Kansas 4-H Affiliated with Kansas State University?
MANHATTAN, Kan. – 4-H programs are affiliated with the United States Department of Agriculture, which developed the national youth development effort. State 4-H programs are based at land-grant universities, such as Kansas State University, and delivered through K-State Research and Extension’s network of county and district Extension offices by Extension educators. Those educator work together with community volunteers willing to share their time and talents to help youth grow.
Source: Kansas 4-H Office
2.) Which 4-H Project is the Most Popular?
HUTCHINSTON, Kan. – More than 11,000 4-H projects qualified for exhibit at the Kansas State Fair this year, but which of the more than 30 projects available through the youth development program are most popular with 4-H members in the state?
According to 2007 4-H enrollment charts, the top projects included:
* Visual Arts and Crafts, which attracted 6,300 participants, earned top billing.
* Foods and Nutrition, with 5,888 project participants, earned second place.
* Leadership, with 4,897 participants, ranked third.
* Clothing and Textiles, which includes clothing construction and shopping strategies for choosing a wardrobe that wears well at a reasonable price and caring for it (all grouped as Buymanship) is fourth, with 4,654 participants.
* Photography project is fifth, with 4,445 participants;
* Beef project, with 4,354 participants is sixth.
* Swine project, with 3,566 projects is seventh.
* Shooting Sports, with 2,984 participants is eighth.
* Dog Care and Training, with 2,579 participants ranks ninth, and
* Fiber Arts, which includes a variety of imaginative hand crafts, with 2,286 project participants, ranks 10th.
Does that mean that other projects are less important?
“No,” said Diane Mack, Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development specialist based in the northeast area of the state.
With many projects to choose from, 4-H members can explore a wide variety of interests that often will serve as the foundation for their career or a lifelong hobby, Mack said.
Also, 4-H projects typically include skill building activities that offer lifelong benefits and also foster personal development, leadership skills, citizenship and community service.
More information on educational 4-H opportunities is available at K-State Research and Extension county and district offices and on the Kansas 4-H Web site: www.kansas4H.org.
3.) Kansas State Fair:
Wheat Contest Award Ceremony Set at Kansas State Fair
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The 4-H-FFA Wheat Plot Variety Contest is typically considered one of the most extensive 4-H and FFA projects. Youths choosing the comprehensive project pick up seed at the Kansas State Fair and then track crop production of different varieties from planting through harvest, a Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development specialist said.
“While the project might seem complete when the wheat is in the bin, participants may also prepare a display highlighting their crop production and an analysis of each variety and how well it performed in their area,” said Deryl Waldren, state coordinator for the annual contest.
The displays are prepared for county and district fairs. Those earning a blue or purple ribbon will be on display in the Pride of Kansas Building at the Kansas State Fair, Sept. 5-14.
State awards will be announced and presented on Sat., Sept. 6 at 11:30 a.m. in the display area, said Waldren, who is based in northwest Kansas. The top project exhibit (deemed Champion) will earn a $250 cash award provided by Kansas Wheat; the Reserve Champion exhibit will earn a $100 check provided by the Kansas Crop Improvement Association; and project participants earning first through fifth place will each receive a commemorative contest plaque and a cash award provided by the Kansas Grain and Feed Association.
Participants must be 10 years of age or older to exhibit at the Kansas State Fair. Many who enroll in the project may choose food production or agribusiness as a career, Waldren said.
Not all who choose the project, which requires about a one-acre test plot, live on a farm; some may farm with a grandparent, family member or local food producer who volunteers a portion of his land to help nurture a future food producer.
More information on the 4-H-FFA Wheat Plot Variety Contest is available by contacting Waldren at 785-462-6281or dwaldren@ksu.edu or the Kansas 4-H Office at 785-532-5800.
4.) Kansas State Fair:
4-H Food to Sale to Fund Scholarships
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Visitors to the Kansas State Fair Sept. 5-6 will have an opportunity to sample award-winning 4-H foods, said Dana Hinshaw, a former Kansas 4-H member and volunteer coordinator for the 4-H Bake Sale.
The sale, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Sept. 5, will be held in 4-H Centennial Hall at the north end of the fairgrounds. It will continue until 9 p.m. when the building closes, and resume at 9 a.m. Sept. 6 and continue until all food is sold.
To enter a foods and nutrition project at the state fair, a 4-H’er must be 10 years of age or older and have earned a top award on the project at a county fair earlier this year.
More than 1,800 4-H foods and nutrition entries have qualified for entry in the Kansas State Fair this year, but school and other community commitments prevent many 4-H members from bringing the fresh foods to Hutchinson, said Diane Mack, coordinator for the 4-H foods and nutrition exhibits at the state fair.
Mack, who is a Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development specialist based in northeast Kansas, is expecting 1,000 to 1,200 entries. She will ask judges to choose representative samples for display before offering remaining entries for sale after judging is completed.
Display space is limited, said Mack, who explained that making the fresh foods available for purchase allows for the foods to be enjoyed and raises money for scholarships.
Monies raised at the bake sale will fund scholarships for the Kansas International 4-H Youth Exchange Program or IFYE, Hinshaw said.
The international exchange program was introduced in 1948 and has offered opportunities for Kansas youth every year since, said Mary Kay Munson, a former Geary County 4-H member who traveled to India as an IFYE.
Munson, who has devoted her career to Extension efforts in Kansas, Iowa and Illinois, serving a state specialist and interim state director, still values her experiences with the program. Currently, she serves as volunteer state coordinator to create opportunities for others, which she said: “help youth and young adults develop a greater understanding of the larger world and global culture as they also build self-esteem, and improve communication and problem-solving skills.”
This year, thanks to the IFYE program, eight Kansas 4-H members have traveled to Japan, Costa Rica, Finland, Australia and Germany.
The travel opportunities vary, Munson said. Students visiting Japan are may enroll in a 3-1/2 week language and culture program before their month-long visit to Japan.
Students enrolled in the program are typically ages 14-19; 4-H alumni, ages 19-25, also can apply for the travel opportunity and may spend up to six months in the IFYE program.
The program works both ways, said Munson, who noted that IFYE participants from Costa Rica, Taiwan, Germany and Norway chose Kansas as their educational site this year.
Past and present IFYEs will be staffing the bake sale and are available to answer questions about the program and the opportunities it provides, Munson said.
More information on the Kansas IFYE Program will be available in 4-H Centennial Hall during the Kansas State Fair Sept. 5-14, and is available throughout the year at K-State Research and Extension county and district offices and on the Kansas 4-H Web site: www.Kansas4-H.org.
More information about 4-H activities and events at the Kansas State Fair are available at: www.kansasstatefair.com.
5.) Kansas State Fair:
4-H State Fair Results on Web
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Results from 4-H judging at the 2008 Kansas State Fair will be posted on the Kansas 4-H Web site as soon after judging as possible, said Justin Wiebers, Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H youth development events coordinator.
To check results, go to www.Kansas4-H.org and click on the link to “State Fair Results.”
Being able to check results on the Web is helpful for families who need to return home before the results are posted and others, such as grandparents and friends at home, Wiebers said. Fairgoers also will be able to check results on computers in 4-H Centennial Hall, at the north end of the fairgrounds. The building is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 5-13, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 14 (closing day).
6.) Kansas State Fair:
At the Kansas State Fair: 4-H Projects Can Inspire Others
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Visiting 4-H Centennial Hall at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kan., Sept. 5-14 is recommended for families who are considering youth development opportunities, said Justin Wiebers, Kansas State University Research and Extension 4-H events coordinator.
Seeing the completed projects often can help children and their families make choices, but most who visit the building also say they are inspired by the quantity and the quality of the 4-H projects, said Wiebers, who is expecting more than 11,000 4-H exhibits at the fair this year.
To qualify for exhibit at the Kansas State Fair, a 4-H member must be 10 years of age or older, and first have earned a top award in his or her project category at a county fair, he said.
Projects within any one category will vary, said Wiebers, who previewed some of the unusual project exhibits accepted this year:
* A miniature, musical carousel, created by members of the Fossil Creek 4-H Club in Russell County will be on display near the southwest doors in 4-H Centennial Hall, which is located at the north end of the fairgrounds.
Members of the club chose a leadership lesson called “Character Counts” as the basis of for their booth at the Russell County Fair this summer, said Andrea Krauss, 4-H parent.
“We are a young club, and, after much discussion, the 4-H members chose the carousel concept because, as the carousel rotates, it offers different choices, and that is similar to the choices young people must make each day,” Krauss said.
The carousel is about 4 feet tall, and built from materials such as hog show sticks and PVC pipe. It sits on a plywood base and, thanks to a giant wedding cake stand, rotates, she said.
* A totem pole, crafted by Alexander Crownover, a member of the 4-H Achievers in Sedgwick County, will be on display with 4-H arts and crafts projects.
Crownover used a cardboard tube (from a roll of carpet) and various layers of different paper products to create his 5-ft. tall totem pole.
The project, he said, was inspired by a flat totem pole owned by a neighbor, which prompted Crownover to research totem poles and the meaning of the symbols on them. His totem pole has three characters: an owl, representing knowledge, wisdom and power at the top; a middleman (in warm color tones), which represents a man trying to do what it takes to get to the top; and, on the bottom, a more well rounded man (in cool blue and greens) who understands the importance of being well rounded and able to stabilize the foundation.
Crownover is considering a career in architecture, and said that he has enrolled in a variety of 4-H projects, such as foods and nutrition. He is relatively new to the arts and crafts project, and appreciates the opportunities for creativity.
*A picnic cooler cover and stand made from scraps of old barn siding has earned its creator, Jude Faulkender, a member of the Pleasant Hill 4-H Club in Cheyenne County, a spot in the 4-H woodworking exhibit at the state fair this year.
Faulkender worked without a pattern, but measured carefully to make sure the stand would fit the family’s cooler, which is now dressed up and ready for family get-togethers.
* Got socks? This year, Grace Schmied learned to knit socks and liked doing it so well, she now knits one or two pairs a month.
Schmied had asked an aunt who spins, weaves and knits to teach her to knit. She has since made several scarves and a purse, and thought knitting socks a new, but practical challenge – she could wear the socks.
A local knit shop owner is offering a sock-a-month challenge for her customers, and Schmied, a member of the Bel Aire Blazing Stars 4-H Club in Sedgwick County, took the challenge to heart. She first tried the knitting concept with pencils (substituting for needles), and now chooses to knit socks with two circular needles to make her projects more portable.
Schmied’s socks earned top marks at the county fair and the socks will be on display in the fiber arts division at the state fair.
Each of the 4-H projects on display at the Kansas State Fair reflects the age and interests of a member, but is only a sampling of 4-H activities that occur during the year, Wiebers said.
4-H Centennial Hall is located at the north end of the fairgrounds, and open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 5-13, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 14 (closing day).
-30-