MOUNT VERNON — While 4-H is typically known for horses, livestock, and typical farm projects, there is also a large creative and crafty side to the organization. From cake decorating to clothing design and production, the program offers numerous hands-on projects for members to create and enter in the Knox County Fair and the Ohio State Fair if they qualify.
The Knox County 4-H held its countywide clothing judging Thursday at Mount Vernon High School. Forty participants aged 8 to 18 from 20 different 4-H clubs from across the county had their projects judged. According to Andrea Rees, 4-H educator, participants can pick from 17 different clothing projects to complete.
“We give them several things they can make or do, and there are guidelines that go along with those. They go and pick their pattern, they pick their own material and all of those things,” Rees said. Participants typically receive their books in March and can then pick which project they want to create, giving them around four months to complete the project. After being judged at the county level, participants have the option to participate in the “style revue,” where they can qualify to go to state level at the Ohio State Fair in August. Peyton Harris, 10, of Frazeysburg, decided to create a maxi dress made of a pure cotton material for her project.
“It was just the easiest material to work with, and I think it’s pretty. It took me five hours,” Harris said. Harris received guidance from her aunt and great-grandmother, but did all of the hands-on work herself.
“I liked it, but it was really hard so I won’t be doing it again for a few years. I think I did kind of bad, because it’s my first year,” Harris said. Despite the lack of confidence, Harris received an A on her project, the highest grade available.
Kenzi Staats, 10, of Danville, made a mid-length floral dress for her project.
“It looked like fun, and I like how it’s tight up top and loose at the bottom,” Staats said. The project took her a total of around two weeks, and while the project was a little hard, judging didn’t scare her and she said she thinks she did well. Staats also received a 2019 4-H State Fair Award for her woodworking project “Measuring Up” at the junior level.
Phoebe Hults, 9, of Mount Vernon, made a floral skirt, hair bow and hand bag, along with a matching skirt for her doll.
“I thought this would be a good beginner project because it’s my first year, and I liked this pattern,” Hults said.
“I got my book in April and started working from then. I thought it was really fun to watch it turn from a piece of fabric to a skirt. I had to make some alterations, so that was a bit harder, and the bow in the back of the skirt was hard, it probably would have been easier just to make a strip,” Hults said.
Despite being nervous, she thinks she did OK, and will be aiming to go to state with her project. She will already be attending the Ohio State Fair with a cooking project titled “Everyday Food & Fitness” she was previously judged and received an Ohio State Fair Award.
All of the judged projects will be on display at the Knox County Fair, July 21 through 27.
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Projects receive state fair awards
Joshua Morrison/Mount Vernon News
Cassandra Dickhoff, left, hands Jocelyn Tabor a ribbon for her 2019 4-H State Fair entry “Let’s Bake Quick Breads” during the State Fair Awards on Thursday night at Mount Vernon High School.
The annual 4-H Awards Program and Style Revue was held in the Mount Vernon High School Theater and youths brought clothing, creative arts and all kinds of non-farm animal projects out to be judged.
Those receiving State Fair awards include:
•Airplanes — Jack Wallace, Science Fun With Flight.
•Archery — Dallas Krabill.
•Athletics — Thomas Caputo, You’re the Athlete - Sr.
•Cake Decorating — Ava Snively, Junior-Intermediate Level; and Ally Helmick, Senior-Advanced Level.
•Creative Arts — Sierra Shields, Get Started in Art-Jr.
•Demonstrations — Aiden Nichols, Intermediate.
•Dogs — Alexa Jones, All About Dogs.
•Fishing — Ethan Swendal, Beginners; and Alexandra Back, Intermediate.
•Food & Nutrition — Elizabeth Waddell, Let’s Start Cooking; Jocelyn Tabor, Let’s Bake Quick Breads; Isabella Adrian, Yeast Breads on the Rise; Clara Amstutz, You’re the Chef; Heloisa Vasquez, The Global Gourmet; Olivia Ferguson, Grill Master; Ella Conway, Star Spangled Foods; Phoebe Hults, Everyday Food & Fitness; Phoebe Mussard, Snack Attack; and Micah Phillips, Fast Break for Breakfast.
•Gardening — Madison Bender.
•Genealogy — Brant Stockberger, Family History Treasure Hunt, 1st Year.
•Graphic Design — Andrew Conway.
•Gun Safety — Nolan Bender.
•Healthy Lifestyles — Jedidiah Farmer, First Aid in Action-Jr.
•Home Decorating & Design — Alena Bender, Makeover My Space-Jr.
•Insect Adventures 1 — Tyler Miller.
•Laundry — Reece Lander.
•Leadership — Alexa Freeman, Finding Your Voice-Sr.; and Madison Swick, My Hands to Larger Service.
•Natural Resources — Ethan Swendal, Explore the Outdoors; Sophie Shultz, Geology: Can You Dig It?; and Cooper Ferguson, Ohio Birds-1st Year.
•Quilting — Natalie Harris, Quilting the Best Better.
•Photography — Elizabeth Diehl, Mastering Photography.
•Rockets — Eiley McCardel, Rockets Away (2-Liter Bottle); and John Divelbiss, Rockets Away (Estes).
•Science Fun — Levi Leach, Kitchen Chemistry.
•Scrapbooking — Kristen Cobb, Junior-1st Year.
•Self-Determined — Tyler Spreng, Junior; and Laura McDonald, Senior.
•Shooting Sports — Kayla Ferrell, Rifle-Jr.
•Small Animals — Tess Shultz, Cat 3-Leaping Forward.
•Small Engines — Madison Seng, Crank It Up.
•Veterinary Science — Caroline Nash, Vet 1-From Airedales to Zebras; and Tess Shultz, Vet 2-All Systems Go.
•Welding — Mikayla Hinton.
•Woodworking — Kenzi Staats, Measuring Up-Jr.; Isaac Wittel, Nailing It Together-Jr.; Mason Huffman, Nailing It Together-Sr.; and Zechariah Sprayberry, Woodworking Master.
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