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TheTrue Citizen, Wednesday, October 5, 2011 — Page 23
National 4-H Week
October 2 — 8, 2011
Poultry Judging
By Jessica Dixon, 4-H'er
Competing in the poultry judging competition has taught me decision making,
public speaking, and enabled me to take better care of my own chickens. As a
member of the poultry judging team, we learned how to distinguish a healthy
chicken from a sick chicken by checking the chicken's cone and the brightness of
its eyes. A healthy chicken's cone will be bright red and firm and have bright
eyes while a sick chicken's cone will be very dull red and its eyes will be dull. We
also learned to grade eggs for external quality, candle eggs to make sure they are
edible, and grade the chicken's meat for quality. This year at the district contest
the Junior Team placed fifth. Team members were Michaela Pollex, Kristen
VanDeRyt, Kaitlin Phillips, Taylor Mizelle, Jessica Dixon, Rebekah Ramey, Amanda
Durant, Christopher Ramey, Victoria Douglas, and Layanna Abrams. Jennifer
McDaniel competed as an individual in the Senior competition and did very well.
Going to the poultry judging competition was a great experience and I cannot
wait to do it again this year.
Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging
By Meridith Franks, 4-H'er
The Burke County 4-H Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging teams competed at the
district contest last November in Statesboro and are practicing hard for this
year's contest. In the contest each participant must use their knowledge to judge
four classes of consumer products. They must also give a set of oral reasons to
defend their placing on one of the classes. Items judged last year were cereal,
gift cards, umbrellas, and athletic shoes. Juniors also prepared a poster to
promote cotton and used the poster to present a thirty second cotton
commercial. Seniors must present a ninety second public service announcement
on cotton. The Junior team placed third at the district contest. Members were
Michaela Pollex, Jessica Dixon, Taylor Mizelle, Kristen VanDeRyt, and Anna Marie
Blackburn. Senior team members were Meridith Franks and Derrick Dixon.
4-H Pledge
I Pledge my Head to
clearer thinking, My Heart
to greater loyalty, My
Hands to larger service,
And my Health to better
living - For my club, my
community, my country,
and my world!
Kouitry Judging leam. rront row: Layanna Aorams, cnristopner
Ramey. 2 nd row: Michaela Pollex, Jessica Dixon, Amanda Durant,
Kaitlin Phillips. 3 rd Row: Taylor Mizelle, Jennifer McDaniel,
Rebekah Ramey, Kristen VanDeRyt, Victoria Douglas.
Livestock Show Team
Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging Team. Seated: Anna Marie
Blackburn, Kristen VanDeRyt. 2 nd Row: Jessica Dixon, Michaela
Pollex, Meridith Franks, Taylor Mizelle, Derrick Dixon.
Forestry Judging
By Bryce Dillard, 4-H'er
By Cynthia Eberly, 4-H'er
I have been showing commercial dairy heifers as a member of the Burke
County 4-H Livestock Show Team for the last four years. Members of the team
show beef and dairy heifers in shows across the state. Showing livestock is a
lot of fun, but it also requires hard work and dedication. First, we pick out our
heifers and feed and care for them daily. Then we work with them every day
to train them to do two things: lead on a halter and set up for the judge.
Setting a heifer up involves teaching them to place their feet in a certain
position and is different for both beef and dairy heifers. Once these two things
are mastered, we are ready for the show. There are several shows for both
beef and dairy during the spring and fall show seasons. On show day, we wash
our heifers and clip their hair. Right before entering the ring, we make sure that
the heifers are clean, well groomed and are looking their absolute best.
Livestock shows consist of showmanship, where we are judged based on our
ability to present the animal to the judge, and weight class, where the animals
are judged based on their conformation. I love showing dairy heifers; I have
learned patience when training them, diligence when feeding them, and good
sportsmanship when I am showing.
Forestry is a very important part of 4-H. In forestry we learn about the different
trees in Georgia and about the insects and diseases that affect these trees. We
also learn how to use a Biltmore stick to get the diameter of a tree and estimate
the number of 16 foot logs that can be harvested from each tree. In addition,
we learn how to use a compass to plot an area of land. At the district
competition, they challenge our minds in four events: tree identification, insect
and disease identification, compass and pacing, and tree volume estimation. In
August, Burke County 4-H earned first place in both the Junior and Senior district
contest and brought home first, second, and third place individuals in both
contests. The junior contest high individual was Lelan Eberly, second was
Kristen VanDeRyt, and third was Michaela Pollex. High individual in the Senior
contest was Jennifer McDaniel, second was Kitty Shepherd, and third was
Brenden Eberly. The Senior team competed in the state contest at Rock Eagle
4-H Center and earned second place! The contest is not just about winning. We
get to hang out with our friends and learn some interesting things about our
world. Forestry is a fun part of 4-H and I enjoy being a part of it.
Blackburn, Michaela Pollex, Meridith Franks
Heretord neiter. otnerteam members are
Rebekah Ramey and Sally Kate Blackburn.
Dairy Judging
By Meridith Franks, 4-H'er
The Burke County 4-H Dairy Judging team traveled to the state contest on April
8, 2011 in Athens. It was the first time in many years a team from Burke County
participated in the contest. Dairy Judging is a comparative evaluation of cattle
in which the animals are placed based on their dairy confirmation. Contestants
must give oral reasons supporting their placings. Many life skills are gained
through dairy judging including observation, decision making, and public
speaking. The Junior team, comprised of Anna Marie Blackburn, Michaela
Pollex, and Sally Kate Blackburn, placed fourth overall. Meridith Franks
competed as an individual in the Senior contest and placed sixth overall. The
team also competed at the UGA Commercial Dairy Heifer Show Judging Contest
in February.
This Community 4-H News is
Sponsored by
Frank Carter, M.D. and
Senator Jesse Stone and Family
Forestry Judging Team. Front Row: Louisa Shepherd, Kendall Eberly, Lelan Eberly, Marcus Dixon,
Michaela Pollex, Amanda Durant. 2 nd Row: Kristen VanDeRyt, Cynthia Eberly, Kitty Shepherd,
Taylor Mizelle. Back Row: Jennifer McDaniel, Brendon Eberly, Bryce Dillard.
Citizenship Washington Focus
By Jennifer McDaniel, 4-H'er
From meeting my congressmen to walking through the Rotunda in the Capitol,
Citizenship Washington Focus in Washington, D.C. was an experience I will
cherish forever. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to tour our nation's
capital with a small group of Georgia 4-H'ers. While staying at the National 4-H
Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, 4-H'ers from all across the country
participated in a variety of activities and classes that focused on bill writing,
government committees, and leadership in the community. In between our
workshops, we had the opportunity to experience firsthand America's greatest
symbols of democracy: the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial,
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and many others. Seeing the monuments in
Washington connected the history I had learned in school with the citizenship
and leadership skills we learned in the workshops. As I reflect on the
experience, I remain grateful for the opportunity and will remember it forever.