CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/04/22

Cobb County team wins first at State 4-H Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging Contest

By Josie Smith
With the help of 4-H agent Brittani Lee (far left) and 4-H program assistant Kathleen McElroy (far right), Cobb County 4-H'ers Sandhya Rajesh, Stefan Saboura, Kshitij Badve and Haya Fatmi earned the status of Master 4-H’er with their first-place win at the state level.

Four high school students from Cobb County took home top honors at the 4-H State Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging contest on Nov. 11, 2021, at Rock Eagle in Eatonton, Georgia. Sandhya Rajesh, Kshitij Badve, Haya Fatmi and Stefan Saboura earned the status of Master 4-H’er with their first-place win at the state level. Alyssa Haag from Oconee County also received Master 4-H’er status as the overall high individual in the contest.

The Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging competitions are made possible by the Georgia Cotton Commission and are part of the Georgia 4-H Healthy Living Program. Participants gain essential critical thinking and public speaking skills and learn the building blocks of consumer economics through decision-making scenarios. Additionally, youth are exposed to the role that cotton plays as an agricultural commodity in Georgia.

The contest includes judging four classes with situations that require participants to rank choices based on the need of a hypothetical consumer. The 2021 contest included athletic shoes, frozen meals, bicycles and cell phone plans. Contestants present oral arguments that defend their placing of a chosen class.

Each participant is also required to write and deliver an advertisement that highlights the significant role of cotton in society. Youth are educated on key elements of the importance of cotton and base their presentations on the knowledge they gain.

“Consumer judging combines all the best parts of 4-H programming into a contest that leaves students with knowledge they can use for their entire lives,” said Courtney Brown, 4-H specialist with University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. “I often hear stories of 4-H alumni who utilize skills they learned during this contest to make decisions about college or even when purchasing their own home.”

Prior to the state contest, teams qualified to attend at area contests around the state. The first- and second-place teams from each area contest are invited to attend the state competition, along with a selection of wildcard teams. The state contest is open to Senior 4-H’ers, who are in grades nine through 12. Area contests are open to 4-H’ers in grades five through 12.

The first-place team from Cobb County was coached by 4-H agent Brittani Lee and 4-H program assistant Kathleen McElroy. The team will represent Georgia 4-H in the Consumer Decision Making contest at the Western National Roundup in Denver, Colorado next year.

Second place in the team competition went to Robie Lucas, Alyssa Haag, Leah Szczepanski and Lilly Ann Smith from Oconee County. The third-place team included Lydia Belflower, Lucy Wiegert and Veronica Lee from Bleckley County.

The second place overall high individual was Robie Lucas from Oconee County and third place went to Sandhya Rajesh from Cobb County.

Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 225,000 people in a typical year through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.

For more information about how to get involved with 4-H as a student, parent or volunteer, visit georgia4h.org or contact your local Extension office.

Josie Smith is the public relations coordinator for Georgia 4-H.

Authors:
Josie Smith
Experts/Sources:
Courtney Still Brown
Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism. CAES News
UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera
On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24
The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.
Honorees at the 2024 State 4-H Congress included 4-H Green Jacket Award winner Jay Morgan, Master 4-H’er Vidhi Patel, Warnell Associate Dean for Outreach Nick Fuhrman for Warnell accepting the Friend of 4-H Award on behalf of the college, Georgia 4-H State President Kingston Ryals, William H. Booth Award winner Patrick Willis, and Ryles Rising Star Award Laura Mirarchi. CAES News
Outstanding youth, supportive adults celebrated at Georgia 4-H State Congress 08/14/24 Josie Smith
Accomplished 4-H youth and the adults who empower them gathered at the 81st Georgia 4-H State Congress in Atlanta July 23-26. The weeklong event for top 4-H’ers features state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action competitions and recognizes youth development professionals and community supporters contributing to the success of 4-H in Georgia. More than 200 youth delegates competed in 50 Project Achievement areas and eight youth delegates competed in the Leadership in Action contest during annual event.
LiceCheck CAES News
A back-to-school guide to the nitty-gritty on head lice 08/12/24 Allison Johnson
As students return to school, head lice often become a common concern for administrators and parents. Understanding how to prevent and manage head lice infestations is crucial for maintaining healthy environments in schools and at home. Allison Johnson, the Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator for the University of Georgia, provides essential information and advice to help mitigate the spread of this pesky pest.