The Virginia 4-H Livestock Judging Team placed first and the Virginia 4-H Livestock Skillathon Team placed third at the recent North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky. The event is the world’s largest purebred livestock show.

The Livestock Judging Team competed against 34 other teams in the 91st National 4-H Livestock Judging Contest and was the highest scoring team overall, with 2,525 points, followed by teams from Illinois and Georgia. As the 2015 National Champion 4-H Livestock Judging Team, the team is eligible to represent the United States at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland in June, along with the second-and third-place teams.

The Virginia team also placed first in cattle, fifth in swine, third in sheep and goat, and third in reasons.

Individual awards were garnered by Blake Hopkins, who placed fifth overall, eighth in sheep and goat, and 12th in beef cattle; Hannah Craun, who placed third overall, second in beef and performance cattle, and 11th in reasons; and Sarah Harris, who placed eighth in reasons, ninth in beef cattle, and 17th overall. Craun, Hopkins, and Harris were also named All-Americans for placing in the top 20 overall.

“The teams performed phenomenally well overall and individually,” said David Roper, 4-H youth livestock Extension specialist with Virginia Cooperative Extension and coach of the Livestock Judging Team. “I am very proud of all the work the students put into this competition and how they represented the state.”

The livestock team will travel to Europe in June 2016 and will be fundraising for the trip until then. In addition to participating in the Royal Highland Show, the group will have the opportunity to visit several other European countries to learn about their agriculture systems.

The Livestock Skillathon Team also performed well at the North American. The team placed second in identification and quality assurance, sixth in evaluation, and third overall.

Individually, John-Robert Hensley placed first in quality assurance, second in identification, and third overall; Hailey Shoemaker placed eighth in quality assurance and 10th overall; and Gracie Bailey placed 18th overall.

The Virginia 4-H Foundation’s 4-H Livestock Youth Development Endowment provided support for the teams’ travels this past fall.

The 2015 Virginia 4-H Livestock Judging Team from left, front row: Hannah Craun, Blake Hopkins, Sarah Harris, and Caley Ellington. Back row: Doyle Wolverton, sponsor; David Roper, youth livestock Extension specialist; and Todd Conway, a sponsor from Westway Foods.

With generous support from the Dominion Foundation, the 4-H Energy Program has expanded by building on the long-standing 4-H Electric Project popular with junior members and school partners. Recently, middle and high school 4-H and FFA members were introduced to the basic concepts of green energy. Students also learned about the role that coal and natural gas play in our state’s energy mix.

The 4-H Electric Project develops project and life skills such as decision-making, science and technology, teamwork, and communication. The project also motivates youths to explore careers in related fields. Fun-filled, hands-on learning experiences teach students and volunteers about various energy sources and help them explore the characteristics of electricity. For example, youths erect solar panels and measure the energy produced. They also construct scale-model wind turbines and perform tests to determine the most efficient turbine designs.

This year, Virginia 4-H introduced the 4-H Electric Challenge, giving youths an opportunity to gain additional energy knowledge and to test their skills through competition. Another popular component is the Youth Energy Fact of the Week, a fun fact about energy that is shared statewide.

By investing in Virginia 4-H, Dominion is helping to create an ongoing, high-quality, statewide, youth energy program.

Dan Swafford, Curriculum Specialist, teaches a group of 4-H youth about solar energy.

In just the second year of 4-H Food Challenge programming, Virginia 4-H again sent a team to the national contest at the Texas State Fair. The Nelson Foodies team — composed of Ryan Adcock, Jasmine Johnson, Olivia Johnson, and Kristyn Underwood — placed fourth overall. They were coached by Nelson County 4-H associate Extension agent Corissa Wilson.

“Our team had really strong leaders who are naturally competitive,” Wilson said. “Food Challenge pushed their teamwork and communication skills. They learned a lot about getting along and delegating tasks.”

4-H Food Challenge is a team event in which participants receive a bag of ingredients and have 40 minutes to prepare a dish, develop a presentation including the recipe’s nutrition and cost, and clean up their area. It’s fast-paced and educational, and it allows for creativity. It also tests time management, teamwork, planning, and execution skills.

Details are important throughout the contest, and each team of three to five youths must figure out how to cook the food item, incorporate at least two items from a standard pantry, practice food safety, and create a presentation that includes all the necessary requirements. One set of judges evaluates the actual preparation and teamwork, while another set listens to and scores the presentations. Presenters share information about the food groups and nutrients in their recipe. Artful arrangement of the food matters too.

Kaci Daniel, 4-H Extension agent in Orange County, served on the National 4-H Food Challenge planning team and judged the 2015 event. “It was very helpful to be on the other side of the contest, especially to see the caliber of teams at nationals,” Daniel said. “I’ve been a coach and contest organizer. Being a judge was a great professional development opportunity, allowing me to continue helping Virginia youth and volunteers improve.”

Along with Daniel, Madison County 4-H agent Kelly Mallory has been key to helping the 4-H Food Challenge spread throughout Virginia. “It’s nice to see this take off so quickly,” Mallory said. “We doubled participation from the first to the second year, and we are active in 4-H camps, clubs, special interest, and military programs. Food Challenge is relevant and accessible to urban and rural audiences, and builds the critical life skills of planning, problem-solving, and working with others.”

The Nelson Foodies’ 4-H Food Challenge career has ended, so what Virginia 4-H youth team will excel in 2016? We’ll find out at State 4-H Congress, because that’s where nationally eligible teams are decided.

Nelson Foodies Team- 4-H Food Challenge.