4-H Members advance to State Congress Public Speaking Competition
By BILL HAMMOND, Coweta County 4-H Extension Agent
Georgia 4-H Project achievement empowers young people with skills for a lifetime. Students choose a project area of interest, research the topic, and write and present a presentation. Beginning in the 7th grade, 4-H’ers keep a record of their accomplishments in a 4-H Portfolio. This year, four Coweta County 4-H members placed first in their respective project areas at the district competition and have advanced to the state competition held in July at Georgia 4-H State Congress in Atlanta. Representing Coweta County is Aurora Cadman, Adalynn Jordan, Avery Pruett, and Natalie Zern.
Aurora Cadman competed in the Dairy project. In the Dairy project, 4-H’ers explore the dairy industry including establishing and managing dairy cattle and milk goat enterprises, dairy by-products, and dairy end products.
She demonstrates and teaches the importance to cleanliness, sustainability, and veterinary care in goat milking. When speaking about her experience with her goats, Aurora said, “I have always loved animals. When our family moved to some land, we got a few dairy goats. They are fascinating. Each goat has its own personality and quirks. I enjoy spending time with my goats, milking them, helping them raise their babies, and making their environment enriching. I decided to focus my DPA presentation on the dairy category to share my passion for these important animals and help others learn more about them and how we can better care for them.
Adalynn Jordan competed in the Robotics project. In the Robotics project, 4-H’ers explore the areas of robotics and technology systems related to robotics. Using science process skills, she will showcase and demonstrate problem-solving and logical reasoning through robotics. By creating robotic solutions for industrial challenges, she can explore robotics as a potential career path. While speaking about why she chose the Robotics, Adalynn said, “I have always been drawn to robotics. The field incorporates aspects of engineering, math and science, all things that I truly have passion for. Participating in the robotics category has allowed me to bring two things that are very close to my heart, robotics and 4-H, together into one.”
Avery Pruett competed in the Horse project. In the Horse project, 4-H’ers explore the equine industry including establishing and managing equine enterprises, owning, and caring for horses and the impacts of the equine industry. When speaking about her experience with horses in 4-H, Avery said, “I have participated in many educational horse competitions through 4-H including Quiz Bowl, Judging and Hippology. So, choosing Horse as my category was an easy choice. I wanted to learn more about developing pastures and good forage for horses. I also enjoy developing the connection between me and my horse through horsemanship and riding.”
Natalie Zern competed in the Sports project. In the Sports project, 4-H’ers explore leisure activities which are competitive physical activities that aim to maintain and improve physical ability and skills. Natalie has demonstrated her mastery of Cross Country and honed her skills while considering its historical and economic value. Natalie’s presentation explores the intricacies of cross country’s history, rules, and variations. While speaking about her project, Natalie said, “Sports require a lot of my time, so when I was looking for a project, I realized I almost exclusively had project work for cross country! It’s a tough category but being able to combine two of my passions (cross country and public speaking) is definitely the highlight of my year. I love running cross country because it’s different from anything else I’ve ever done. Every day is a new challenge, and every challenge is a new opportunity for improvement!”
Congratulations to Aurora, Adalynn, Avery, and Natalie and good luck at State Congress!
