Dwarf hamsters, food safety, homemade hand cream and economics were all demonstration topics presented by Liberty County 4-H’ers at the Cloverleaf District Project Achievement in Alma on March 18.
Twenty Cloverleaf 4-H’ers in fourth through sixth grade competed against 236 other students from 16 other Southeast Georgia counties that competed.
"Project Achievement is one of the core programs in Georgia 4-H," Liberty County 4-H Agent Kasey Bozeman said. "It’s great because the kids explore topics that they choose and want to learn more about."
All 20 local members placed first, second or third in their categories. And Liberty County won first place county for highest percentage of winners. A grant from Coastal EMC Foundation paid for competitors’ trips.
Participants present four- to six-minute presentations about a topic that interests them. Students gather information, write a speech and create visual aids for their speeches.
"It’s an entire process, not just an end result with a physical project," Bozeman said. "Youth learn research skills, how to organize information, how to create effective visual aids and then how to orally present their information to an audience."
Participants, by schools, were:
Diamond Elementary
Jackson Daniel, time and money management, second
Frank Long Elementary
Ethan Richardson, dairy foods, first
Dallas Spencer, companion animal Science, second
First Presbyterian
Haylee Dotterer, human development, second
Amiyah Durrence, food safety and preservation, first
Joanna Kinsey, general recreation , third
Joseph Martin Elementary
Lily Stamps, plants, soils and fertilizers, second
Lewis Frasier Middle
Desdemona Battle, forestry and wood science, first
Starcee Deronvil, environmental science, first
Aliyah Harvey, general recreation, second
Quintashia Jamison, safety, second
Melvin Kimble, geology, first
Jaidyn Mosby, science of engineering and mechanics, first
Liberty Elementary
Christian Cahoon, communications, third
Tatyana Dates, companion animal science first
Midway Middle
Zoey Dates, international, second
Makayla Nash, international, first
Treasure Payno, performing arts, second
Taylor’s Creek Elementary
Gabe Alvarado, workforce preparation, first
Richard Hayes, paleontology, first
Teen leaders, 4-H’ers in seventh-12th grade, attended to help chaperone the event. They were Jonathan Adams and Monice Battle. Adult volunteers were Cheynelle James, Shaun James, and DeQuan Rogers. Extension staff in attendance were Bozeman and Gypsy James.
Students ages 9-19 can participate in Project Achievement, and the 4-H staff is already preparing for next year’s contest.
Bozeman said. "This 4-H competition really allows young people to develop much-needed life skills, such as research, writing and public speaking. We are so thankful for our parents, teen leaders, volunteers and Coastal EMC for supporting this event."
For more information about Liberty County 4-H, call Bozeman at 912-876-2133 or uge3179@uga.edu.
