COLUSA, CA (MPG) – The Colusa County 4-H Youth Development Program celebrated the final day of 4-H week in 2024 with its Countywide Presentation Day.
The event at Colusa High School on Saturday supports and challenges youth to build the public speaking skills essential for personal, professional, and academic life.
Several dozen youths were evaluated by judges on demonstrations and informative speeches related to their 4-H projects, a first-time requirement for the annual competition.
“I kind of liked it when it was open because there were some really nice presentations,” said Max Jacob Vann, who competed at the state level last year with a presentation on photography. “Two years ago, I heard a presentation about AI and stuff. It was a really good presentation, and I doubt it had anything to do with their actual project.”
Vann, a member of Arbuckle 4-H, gave a first-place winning presentation on Saturday by combining his swine project with his passion for cooking, giving the audience all but his dad’s secret ingredient to his spice rub for perfect barbecue ribs.
Elizabeth Wills, whose project in Princeton 4-H is a pygmy goat, gave a presentation on making goat milk soap, also winning first place.
Nicole Marshal-Wheeler, Colusa County 4-H Youth Development Advisor, said intermediate, junior, and senior members winning first and second place for their presentations on Saturday will advance to regional competition, in March, where a “gold” finish there would take them to state competition in May.
Last year, Wills advanced to the state competition with an informative talk on clouds.
Third place and primary participants on Saturday gained the experience of public speaking, practicing important presentation skills such as eye contact, pacing, and use of visual aids.
Ayleen Alcaraz, 9, a member of Colusa Community 4-H, is a third year 4-H member who has shown rabbits and goats but will participate in the Colusa County Fair for the first time in 2024 with a market hog.
Alcaraz gave her presentation on Saturday on the shelter and care of pigs.
“I was a little nervous,” she said. “But it was fun.”
The Colusa County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 16 proclaimed the fourth week in January (Jan. 21-27) as Colusa County 4-H week. Several clubs participated by decorating windows throughout the community.
The Colusa County 4-H program was established in 2024, leading to numerous projects and clubs being formed in communities throughout the county.
“By 1962, one in three youth in Colusa County were involved in the 4-H program,” said Board Chairman Gary Evans.
Anyone interested in volunteering with or enrolling a child in the Colusa County 4-H program should reach out to the UCCE Colusa County 4-H office at (530) 458-0570.