On March 19th, the Union County 4H held their Achievement Day at HMMS. Students in the competition attend Maynardville, Luttrell, Paulette, Big Ridge, and Smoky Mountain Homeschool elementaries, and were in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. There were 30 categories that students could compete in. The ones they picked were Companion Animals, Creative Arts and Design, Outdoor Recreation, Animal Science: Horses, Science, and Animal Science: Poultry. The TN State University (TSU) 4H agent, Harley Brummit, arranged the competition and judges.

It was interesting that all the competing students chose a different group for the competition. Judging was very difficult and precise. The students were evaluated on their presentation, posture, speech clarity, and knowledge of their subject. The judges (Carol Aldrich, Marilyn Toppins, Keyshown Garner, Brooke Cox, and Shirlee Grabko) were encouraged to ask the students questions to assess their comprehension and proficiency.

Cassie Shipley (5th grade) chose the topic Companion Animals. She presented information on proper dog grooming. She explained how and why to secure them on a grooming stand, the importance of using a spray to protect their skin, and the many techniques used for cutting hair.

Makenna Jackson (5th grade) chose the topic of Science. She taught us the basics of making slime, something all parents and grandparents need to learn. She explained what products she used and how to correct the mixture if it was too thick or too thin.

Drake Armstrong (5th grade) has a passion for Outdoor Recreation and the TN VOLS. He loves baseball and described the various stances a pitcher takes when throwing a ball. He demonstrated different hand positions for throwing a fast ball and a curve ball.

Cambree Perry (4th grade) chose Creative Arts and Design as her topic. She bought a little crochet kit a while back and now can’t stop crocheting! She showed the judges the different yarn thicknesses and mentioned that a specific number printed on yarn packaging indicates not only the thickness but also the correct-sized needles to use. Cambree brought several interesting examples of her work.

Raylan Capps (4th grade) knows a lot about horses, so her competition project was Animal Science: Horses! She described the various grooming tools needed for a horse and the techniques for each. Additionally, she had a detailed drawing of the many parts of a horse and discussed how to saddle and bridle a horse.

Oliver Fritz (6th grade) competed in Animal Science: Poultry. He used props to demonstrate the correct way to bathe a chicken in preparation for a show. Bathing a chicken was a whole new concept for the judges, and Oliver went through the steps of washing, rinsing, and drying the bird. He then showed a short, hilarious video of his very first chicken bathing experience.

All contestants received blue ribbons for their topics and will advance to the sub-regional 4H competition.
Assessing the students in this competition was a difficult task for the judges. All the contestants were knowledgeable and presented their topics well.