4-H Judging Teams

By: Sheldon D. Barker

While riding a pontoon boat on Reelfoot Lake one can’t help but be awed by the plants and animals adapted to live in such a unique place. For those of us who had never been to Reelfoot Lake, and for those who had, there could be no better way of seeing or learning about the lake. The Sequatchie County Senior High 4-H Wildlife Team had just such an opportunity three years ago. Learning about the wetland environment, and the plants and animals that live there was just part of the trip. The other was the opportunity to represent Tennessee at the National 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest. Since then the team has traveled to the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and to Natchez Trace State Park, learning firsthand about the wildlife of Tennessee.

One of the many great opportunities 4-H offers is Judging Teams. My best memories as an agent and as a 4-H member are Judging Team trips. Over the last few years Sequatchie County has had four state winning Judging Teams (that we can find records for), two state winning Forestry Teams in 1970 and 2011. The 2011 Forestry Team placed third at the National 4-H Forestry Invitational in 2012. The Sequatchie County 4-H Land Judging Team which, although runner-up at the state contest, competed at the National Contest in Oklahoma in 1975. In the Family and Consumer Sciences area, there was a 1989 Diary Products state winning team, and a 1995 Interior Design winning team. Add to this a long list of regional winning teams. Sequatchie County has a great history of competitive judging teams.

Judging teams are a great way to learn about a subject area, as well as develop skills such as teamwork, leadership, goal setting, and decision-making. Currently, Sequatchie County has four active judging teams Wildlife, Forestry, Consumer Decision Making and Life Skills.

Life Skills

Being a part of the Life Skills Judging team allows junior high youth (6,7,8 grades) to participate in a fun and competitive way while learning valuable life lessons. Youth have the opportunity to become sales clerks counting back correct change, baby sitters choosing appropriate toys and games, a fitness coach selecting the appropriate exercise routine or a myriad of other scenarios that prepare them hands-on for life. Each team will compete in four various stations that have a Family and Consumer Sciences emphasis.

Consumer Decision Making

Do you love to shop? Consumer Decision Making is just the team for you! Youth in grades 9 -12 learn how to evaluate different products by value, purpose and quality. Teams then compete to make the best purchasing decisions based on this knowledge. Students may “shop” for sunglasses, jeans, ipads, backpacks and so forth. Consumer Decision Making trains young people to develop a critical eye for quality, a keen sense of value and excellent decision making skills while enjoying the thrill of competition. Judging team members when comparing alternative items for purchase. Team members are also challenged to represent themselves well through oral reasons.

Wildlife Judging

What do black bears need to survive? Or wild turkey? Could you identify a song sparrow by its song? Wildlife judging is an opportunity to learn about wildlife: how to identify various species, what they eat, what are their habitat needs. Participants have to identify wildlife species, evaluate habitat, and complete a test. Wildlife Judging is open to all 4-H members.

Forestry Judging

Is it an oak or a maple? What bug is this eating on my tree? 4-H Members in Forestry Judging learn to identify trees, insects and diseases that affect trees, how to measure a tree, and how to make forest management decisions. Forestry Judging is open for 4-H Members in 4th to 11th grades.

Photo: Members of the 2011 Senior 4-H Forestry Team preparing for National Contest 

Saving For College: Graduating With the Least Amount of Debt

February is National America Saves month.  One of the greatest debts we can ecru is that of paying for our child’s education beyond High School.  By June most recent high school graduates know what college they are going to, but many of them may still not know how they are going to pay for it. We’ve heard the stats that the average debt students have upon graduation has skyrocketed to $35,200, according to a recent Fidelity survey, and that the costs of attending college increase 6% each year. College is still a great investment for most students, especially with some planning ahead of time to help keep debt to a minimum. It’s still true that those with a bachelor’s degree will earn $1 Million more over their lifetime than those who only complete high school.

The challenge is to graduate with as little debt as possible.  Katie Bryan, America Saves, lists three ways to help keep student debt to a minimum:

1. Create a College Savings Plan

Just like savings for retirement, it’s good to save early and often. There are many ways out there to help you save, from a 529 account to Savings Bonds. Tip to find extra money to save: If you can save an extra $300 a year ($25 a month at 5% interest, compounded monthly for 18 years) you will have an extra $8,766.43 to put towards tuition bills.

Haven’t created a college savings plan yet? Pledge to Save with America Saves and you can set your savings goal and create a plan to reach it. You can even sign up for text message tips and reminders to help you reach your goal of saving for college.

2. Shop Around For Schools and Free Money

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created atool to compare the costs of different colleges. Their tool will let you compare financial aid offers so you can see how all those numbers impact your payments down the road.

Apply for as many scholarships as you can. $500 here and $1,000 there can go a long way to helping pay for college. Many students also stop looking for scholarships once they enter college, but keep applying each year. Need some inspiration? Check out the article “How I won$100,000+ in college scholarships” by Ramit Sethi.

3.  Find Ways to Reduce Spending (or Earn Money) While in College

Live at Home – Living on campus can cost anywhere from $7,500 to $9,000 per year. Consider living at home during college (if you can) and you can save nearly $40,000. You can still get a full college experience by joining clubs and being active on campus.

Get a Part-Time Job – Look for a job on campus or a paid internship to supplement your income and pay for expenses like food, books, and incidentals while in college. The more you can pay upfront the less your monthly loan payments will be when you graduate. For more tips on how to save money visit our site americasaves.org.

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America Saves, managed by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), is a non-profit research‐based social marketing campaign that seeks to motivate, support, and encourage low- to moderate-income households to save money and build wealth. Learn more at americasaves.org