Marissa Hurst, 4-H Youth Development Agent

Photo Courtesy of RVED

When people think of the county fair, they usually think of carnival rides, food trucks, and an assortment of animals, but in the 4-H World, the County Fair is so much more. The county fair is the largest opportunity that our youth have to showcase the projects that they have been working so diligently on for the last nine months to their family, friends, and community members. But exhibiting projects means so much more than just earning a ribbon to these 4-H members.

Exhibitors entering their projects at the county fair get the opportunity to work on communication skills. When they enter a project, they are expected to meet with a judge in a consultative manner. This means that they are expected to have a conversation with an individual that they do not know by talking to them about the work that they put into their project. This increases their public speaking skills and, in turn, also gives them a boost in confidence.

The county fair is a fantastic showcase of support for youth. One example of individuals supporting 4-H members includes judges that donated their time to make sure that youth have a positive judging experience by giving them feedback to allow them to improve in their projects, taking the time to listen to the youth talk about the effort that they put into their project, and creating a space where youth feel free to fail and grow more in their projects. There are also project leaders that have been working with youth for the entirety of their 4-H year and guiding them and teaching them along the way and they finally get to see the culmination of their efforts at the fair. Volunteers also give their time to ensure that fairs go smoothly. Families, friends, and community members are also seen throughout the fair doing all the behind the scenes work and being cheerleaders for the youth. Youth truly learn who is there to support them at the county fair and in so many different ways.

Youth showcase a sense of pride at the county fair. These 4-H members have been working towards the deadline of the county fair for the majority of the year, and this is where everyone can see their hard work and dedication to their projects. Whether its 3 hours a day in the scorching heat working livestock, or practicing a stitch over and over again, that hard work pays off, and youth take pride in the blood, sweat, and tears they put in. This is an opportunity for community members, families, and friends to see how proud youth are to show off what they have been working so hard towards for the past 9 months.

Thank you to all of our 4-H members who participated at the County Fair and congratulations to those of you who qualified to move on to the Kansas State Fair! If you have the chance, make your way to Hutchinson, KS to support our River Valley Youth September 5th – 14th.

For more information about 4-H, contact your local River Valley District Extension Office. Belleville at 785-527-5084, Clay Center at 785-632-5335, Concordia at 785-243-5335, and Washington at 785-325-2121