More Than Just an Exhibit: 4-H at Fair

As a non-4-H’er growing up, my annual visit to the Los Angeles County Fair was about the food, carnival rides/games and entertainment. Little did I know the hard work and learning that went on for 4-H’ers before and during the County Fair. My family and I would stroll through the 4-H exhibits and be fascinated with the craftsmanship or the amount of care needed to raise the livestock, but I never realized that there was more to it than just an exhibit of projects and ribbons. Let's take a deeper dive into the key benefits of this event.

The 2020 4-H Summer Fair Showcase have to look different for the safety of our 4-H'ers, families, volunteers, and the community. However, we want to celebrate the 4-H'ers' achievements and dedication to learn and grow. For 4-H’ers, the Fair experience is about learning, building relationships, and more.

Mentorship & Guidance: The Fair is an event where all 19 4-H clubs in Johnson County, our volunteers and the community come together to provide a memorable experience for the 4-H’ers. 4-H’ers receive feedback, guidance, and support from volunteers and other families on their progress and improvements for the future.

Teamwork and Collaboration: 4-H Clubs host the 4-H Food Stand, the largest fundraiser for their county program. It is an opportunity for 4-H’ers to demonstrate their club’s ability to work together while developing real-life skills such as customer service, financial management and teamwork.

Community Support: The Fair is an event where 4-H’ers feel supported by the community’s acts of generosity. Adults volunteer their time, families and organizations sponsor their awards, family and friends visit the exhibit to see the product of their hard work. The event demonstrates the support and love the community has for helping them develop into strong, community-minded leaders.

Leadership: You can see 4-H’ers demonstrate leadership throughout the Fair experience. 4-H’ers help out the judges, work with younger 4-H’ers, educate the public about their projects and more. 4-H’ers develop communication skills while sharing their story.

Persistence, Dedication, and Hardwork: The projects on exhibit are not the product of an overnight effort. The 4-H’er might bake over 20 batches of the same cookie, adjusting the recipe and baking techniques for months to finally produce the best batch to share with the judge. The exhibits are a display of their persistence, dedication, and hard work throughout the year and that day!

The 2020 Johnson County Fair will look and feel different this year but we are dedicated to providing a positive learning experience for our 4-H’ers. We greatly appreciate your continued support for developing leaders of tomorrow.