The Town ‘N Kountry Kids Red Group 4-H Club presented a Special Foods Workshop and a Public Speaking Workshop last week, with the purpose of teaching 4-H members about these youth in action activities and encouraging them to participate.
In the Special Foods Contest, 4-Hers will learn to provide meals and healthy snacks that satisfy aesthetic, psychological, nutritional and individual needs by choosing and preparing a recipe from any one of the five food groups.  They also prepare a place setting based on the menu, and are interviewed on nutritional knowledge.
The recipe choice, menu planning and knowledge requirements become more difficult from the beginner to the junior to the senior level.  A beginner may choose to make a nutritious drink such as a smoothie
At the Special Foods workshop, Senior 4-H member Megan Linke demonstrated how to make a smoothie, explaining the steps to teach correct measuring and preparation techniques, as well as food safety. Megan then demonstrated how to make a casserole, using a simple recipe that could be used at the junior level. Participants also learned how to prepare a place setting and reviewed the nutrition knowledge requirements.
The goal of the Public Presentations Contest is to teach public speaking skills through a demonstration, illustrated talk or public speaking presentation. The major difference by age level is the minimum length of the presentation.  One of the keys for a successful presentation is to have an attention-getting introduction. Bailey Feistner presented various examples of introductions that may be used, including the use of apparel and visual props.
Acaiya Schultz presented a beginner level illustrated talk on one of her favorite project areas, sheep. The purpose of an illustrated talk is to show how something is accomplished using a combination of speaking about and showing one or more visual aids, such as Powerpoint or real objects. Often, personal experiences are used.  Acaiya used Powerpoint for her presentation.
A presentation always includes an introduction, the body and a summary.  Shaun Snedeker presented an example of the “body” of an illustrated talk on golfing, with himself as the visuals for showing how to golf.
The intent of a demonstration is to show a step-by-step process of actions and explanations that results in a finished project. Nathan Linke presented a beginner-level demonstration on making brownies, which resulted in brownies to share and eat.
Xavier Baysinger rounded out the night of public presentations, with his junior-level illustrated talk on poultry showmanship.  He used a combination of a Powerpoint as well as his live Speckled Sussex chicken to explain how to show a chicken in 4-H.
The Town ‘N Kountry Kids 4-H Club looks forward to having some new participants in the county contests!

…See pictures of the meeting in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal.