What do I need to remember about Ottawa County activities and events? 

• Guidelines for county activities and events are posted in the “Shared Files” section of ZSuite and on our county website. Read the guidelines and develop your project or projects.
• Quality work takes time, preparation, and practice.
• Members, parents, and leaders will be notified of changes, corrections, special programs, updates of county activities and events, as well as livestock updates, through the county website, Facebook page and the monthly newsletter.
• Entry information for all county events and activities is available on the county website https:// extension.okstate.edu/county/ottawa/ and ZSuite.
• All deadlines are final. Entries or exhibits not received in the Extension Office by the deadline in the handbook will not be considered for awards. Incomplete entries will not be considered. 
• Learning responsibility in meeting deadlines is an important life skill 4-H teaches.
• Each event listed in this book will be briefly explained. Guidelines will be posted online prior to the event.
• Good 4-H work can be done anytime, but GREAT 4-H work requires you to make yearly goals and plans.
• Plan the work and work the plan! The handbook can help you do that.

 

 

“Plan the Work! Work the Plan!” 

• 4-H project work is more than the county activities in this book. It is participation in your local club activities, community service and beyond. It is also the work that takes place at home.
• The lack of quality project work is evident but can be made fantastic with a little planning. Planning means not waiting on someone else to do it for you and following through with the plans you make.
• 4-H members who plan are more likely to learn important life skills, find what they are passionate about and maybe even win a scholarship someday.
• The end goal of 4-H is to create well-rounded individuals who can be a contributing member of society. 
• It’s not about what you’ve won, it’s about what you’ve done and learned through the process. 

 

Beginning in September, after fall enrollment, start outlining the plan month-by-month in general terms, of what you plan to do each month.

 

For Example

September: Do one Community Service Project and 1 more project related to project area.

 

October: Leadership Project related to a 4-H promotional event. This is a simple thing to pencil in because National 4-H Week and Oklahoma 4-H Month are held in October. There are lots of opportunities to promote4-H through displays, posters, flyers, speeches, etc.

 

November: Community Service Project (This should be very simple to accomplish because November and December provide many opportunities for community service.)

 

December: Present a speech or workshop at local club meeting, provided you planned ahead and asked to be on the agenda.

 

January/February: Begin researching and writing a speech related to your project area. Do one Leadership Project and 1 project related to project area.

 

March: Participate in Public Speaking Event with speech prepared in January and one more project related to project area.

 

April/May: Do one Community Service Project and 1 more project related to project area. Complete county or state Record Book.

 

June/July: Participate in a County Activity – Camp. Do 2 more projects that are crafts. Attend workshop (summer day camp, livestock judging camp, etc.) and 2 more projects related to project area.

 

August: Participate in County Event – County Fair exhibiting 12 items (projects) made over the past 11 months (1-2 projects at a time).

 

With an outline/plan, look at what can be accomplished without a lot of hassle and last-minute pressure. The key is planning your work and work your plan!

 

 

Ottawa County Events 

*Community Service Project 

 

• Ottawa County Fair

  OCF is a free fair for all Ottawa County residents. Livestock shows/exhibits and competitions are only open to youth to enter; however, indoor exhibits are open to the public to enter. Classes for the fair can be found in the Annual Ottawa County Fair Book. This book is available on the county website and in the Extension office. The OCF is held in August.

• Youth in Action

  YIA is a teen leadership conference held for the Northeast District. It is open to 7th-12th graders. YIA has tons of leadership building workshops and activities. There are motivational speakers at each session of the conference. YIA is a wonderful place to meet new friends during the day activities and the nightly dances. YIA is held in October.

• *Tractor Supply Paper Clover Campaign

  The Clover Campaign is just over a week full of 4-H promotion. TSC hosts this event to raise funds for 4-H programs nationwide. During the week, our county puts up a display booth at TSC and offers our help to the customers. We also give out information to anyone interested in joining or volunteering with our county.

• *Park of Lights

  POL is a Christmas light display set-up at the Twin Bridges State Park. Many businesses and non-profits from around the area set up displays recognizing the holidays and promoting their party. 4-H has been a part of this display for many years. From setting up the display to working the entry and exit gates, POL offers many ways to be involved with and service the community while promoting 4-H. Park of Lights set-up is in November and the gate openings are in December.

• *Area Parades

  Ottawa County 4-H participates in many of the local parades. We have a float in, and our horse club rides in the Veteran’s Day and Christmas parades. 4-H’ers help decorate the float and are encouraged to ride the float in as many of the parades as they want. This is a great opportunity to promote 4- H and participate in our local communities. Parades are held in November and December.

• 4-H Achievement Celebration and Fundraiser

  Our annual achievement celebration is an event that celebrates the accomplishments of our members who completed a Record Book from the previous year. Ottawa County 4-H also takes the time to recognize the volunteers and leaders who worked hard for the 4-H cause during the past year. During the event, 4-H hosts a dinner and fundraiser for the sponsors of 4-H and the community. The achievement celebration is held in November.

• *American Farmers and Ranchers Food Drive and Dinner

  The AFR Food Drive is held annually. Local FFA clubs and Ottawa County 4-H clubs collect donated items to go to an organization of their choice. AFR recognizes the top collections at their annual dinner. 4-H’ers help serve during this dinner and represent the club. The food drive lasts throughout November and is turned in at the annual dinner in December.

• Bright Nights Science Museum Trip

  This science trip is a state-wide event held in February. It is held at the science museum in Oklahoma City. Participants can spend the night at the museum and enjoy many science and space related activities. Activities vary yearly so watch Facebook for this update.

• Discovery Unlimited

  Discovery Unlimited is a STEM and leadership overnight camp open to 4th-6th graders from the Northeast District. Delegates participate in character building activities that enhance their STEM skills and knowledge. It is held in March or April. Watch Facebook for updates.

• County Contests

  Our county contests consist of the following:

  Public Speaking - speeches given to a group of peers and a judge. There are many different categories to participate in, including a Cloverbud category.

   

  Photography - participants can submit photos they have taken since the beginning of the 4-H year, which is August 1st .

   

  Graphic Design - participants can submit a flyer, brochure, card, or invitation that they made since they have made since the beginning of the 4-H year.

   

  Educational Poster - youth can submit a poster they created since the beginning of the 4-H year. There are multiple different categories to choose from.

   

  Impressive Dress - members are given the chance to show off an outfit they put together or bought. There are five categories, Casual Wear, Active Sports Wear, Western Wear, Dress Wear, and Formal Wear. Participants explain what the outfit is made of and how to wash and dry it. Then, they can present their outfit to the outfit during a “Fashion Show”.

   

  Design and Construction - 4-H’ers can enter any garment, home accent, bedding, stuffed animal, or upcycled furniture they have made since the first of the 4-H year. The guideline packet is posted on the ZSuite website and county website. The guideline packet is derived from the Ottawa County Fair Book, all entries in the contest can also be entered in the fair. The entry form can also be found there or at the Extension office. The Danish system of awarding is used for this contest, which gives each entry a blue, red, or white ribbon depending on the quality of the project. A Champion and Reserve Champion ribbon are awarded within each category. Plaques are awarded to the top two entries in each age division. Our county contest is hosted in March. Watch Facebook for entry deadlines and contest updates.

   

  4-H Food Contests - Our county hosts many of the Oklahoma 4-H cooking competitions. Oklahoma 4-H offers Dutch Oven Cooking, Food Showdown, and Cupcake Wars. The guideline packet is posted on the ZSuite website and county website. The entry form can also be found there or at the Extension office. This contest is treated as a workshop, however with enough participation, placings may be given. The food contests are held in teams of three or four.

   

  Dutch Oven Cooking - The Dutch Oven Cooking contest uses cast iron pots, Dutch Ovens, to cook a meal. All the cooking must be done inside of a Dutch Oven; no pre-cooked foods are permitted unless they are from a store-bought package. All prep must be done during the contest as well. Charcoal briquettes are used to heat the ovens. Depending on the oven's size, a certain number of briquettes are placed underneath the oven and on top of the lid. This method of cooking has been used for many years in the past, learning it through 4-H keeps the tradition alive.

   

  Food Showdown - The Food Showdown is like many of today’s TV cooking shows. Participants are given a clue to decipher for the type of cuisine (Italian, Mexican, Chinese, etc.) their dish must fall under and are given three ingredients that must be used in their dish. Contestants are to create a single serving dish for the judges. After the cooking, participants write out their recipes, the estimated nutritional value, and the cost of the dish. This contest increases nutritional knowledge and provides an environment for 4-H’ers to show off their cooking skills.

   

  Cupcake Wars - The Cupcake Wars competition is like baking shows on TV but has its own twist. Participants in this contest are given three bare cupcakes to decorate. The contest does not allow students to bake their own cupcakes. Some contests have a theme for the decorations while others do not. Contestants are given a set amount of time to prepare and decorate their cupcakes. They must work as a group during the decorating and the presentation to judges. This contest teaches youth teamwork and cooperation.

• Oklahoma Youth Expo
  OYE is the largest youth event in Oklahoma. OYE is an eleven-day livestock show. It also offers many other contests for youth in Oklahoma. OYE awards nearly $2 million to exhibitors and competitors every year. OYE is a wonderful showman opportunity. OYE is held in March.
• 4-H Day at the Capitol
  This daylong event gives youth in Oklahoma 4-H the opportunity to visit with the legislative leaders of our state. Every county is permitted to have two delegates for the event. Delegates converse with legislators from their district about their 4-H story and projects. This event grants youth interested in legal careers the chance to learn more about our state’s legislative system. Participants can view the State Senate and House of Representatives galleries (and possibly the floors) during the visit. 4-H Day at the Capitol is held in April.
• NED Horse Show
  The Northeast District Horse Show is open to any Ottawa County 4-H'er with a horse project to enter, however, members who participate in the Rachel Wright Memorial Horse Show will have their entries paid for by the OCHC club. The NED show has participants from all the counties in the Northeast District. The top ten placings in each event of this show qualify for the State 4-H Horse Show. Winners also receive rosettes and buckets for placing. This show is typically held in May/June.
• NED Contest Days
  The Northeast District Contest Days complies many of Oklahoma 4-H's contests together into a three-day event. Participants compete individually or in groups against other counties in the Northeast District. The top three winners in each contest receive medals.
• Pecan Cooking Day and Show
  The Pecan Cooking Day is an opportunity for Ottawa County 4-H'ers to learn pecan recipes and make dishes to enter later in the Oklahoma Pecan Grower’s Food Show. The cooking day takes place a few days before the food show which is typically held the first weekend of June. Dishes that are entered into the show are kept at the Extension office to be transported to the food show.
• Ottawa County 4-H Day Camps
  4-H Day Camps are daylong workshops and activities for Ottawa County 4-H members and Cloverbuds. Each day is different, but all provide an opportunity to make entries for the Ottawa County Fair in August. Youth may go on tours during these day camps. The camps are typically held in June and July. They may be every week or every other week. These camps are a great opportunity for county members to meet their peers and learn about different projects that Ottawa County has to offer.
• Oklahoma State 4-H Horse Show
  The state 4-H horse show is only available for qualifiers from district shows to compete in. At the state show, the top ten placings are recognized with rosettes and buckets. The 1st place winner of each event also receives a buckle. The show is held in July.
• Oklahoma State 4-H Judging Contests
  OK 4-H offers many different judging contests. The contests are held in the spring. They include meat judging, livestock judging, and horse judging. There are also smaller contests for each of these project areas throughout the year. The contests are announced in the monthly newsletter and published on Facebook. If you are interested in participating in any judging contest let the Extension office know so that arrangements can be made.
• Big Three Field Days
  The “Big 3” is a three-day livestock judging competition for FFA chapters and 4-H counties/clubs from all over the U.S. The contest is held in Stillwater, OK. Participants judge multiple classes of swine, cattle, sheep, and goats. This contest offers over 100 awards and scholarships to the competition's winners and the Joe Hughes Memorial Traveling Trophy. This contest is held in July.
• Oklahoma State 4-H Round Up
  The state 4-H round up is a 4-H conference for the teens of Oklahoma 4-H. Round Up is full of educational workshops, motivational speeches, fun activities, and so much more. It is a great chance to meet 4-H’ers from all over the state. State Record Book winners are awarded scholarships during this event. State service projects such as “Change for Change” and the pop tab collection are gathered up from the counties for donation. State Round Up is held in July.
• Tulsa State Fair

  The Tulsa State Fair is held the last week of September and first week of October. 4-H’ers who placed first in the indoor exhibits at the Ottawa County Fair will be automatically entered in the TSF (excluding a few classes). Livestock and horses can also be entered in the TSF shows. Livestock must be nominated. The link and information for doing so is made available on the county website. The TSF Horse Show entries are separate and do not require nominations. Watch the Facebook page for when these entries and nominations are open.

   

  There are also many other events throughout the year for 4-H’ers to enjoy at different levels in the state. The ones listed above are just some of the contests our county often participates in. All upcoming opportunities are posted on the Extension office Facebook page