ATTENTION!!!

MAJOR CHANGES TO 2008 ILLINOIS STATE FAIR 4-H GENERAL EXHIBIT SCHEDULE

Due to uncertainties with state budget funds and increasing gas prices, the 4-H General Exhibit Schedule has been revised from what is printed in the 2008 ISF Jr. Department Premium Book:

There will be NO GENERAL 4-H EXHIBITS at the Illinois State Fair on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 8-10. All 4-H Contests scheduled for that weekend have been moved to each of the County Exhibit Days, scheduled for August 11-17. This includes Public Presentation Contests, Fashion Revue, Food Demonstrations, and Club/Group exhibits in Intercultural and Public Adventures 4-H projects.

The Bicycle Rodeo has been rescheduled for Saturday, August 16.

Stephenson County's Day at the State Fair will be Tuesday, August 12, 2008.

This change DOES NOT AFFECT any of the Jr. Department Livestock Shows on August 8-10 – those will proceed as scheduled.

4-H Events still occurring on August 8-10 will include:

Illinois Building 4-H Window Displays

Jr. Home Economics Building 4-H Window Displays (Front Hallway)

4-H Displays and Action Presentations, Exposition Building Mezzanine

4-H Performance Showcase – Sunday, August 10

Contact Kim or Pam for detailed information on check-in and judging times for each project area.

Food & Nutrition Displays

Passport to the World

If you are bringing a project in either Food and Nutrition Display OR Passport to the World, please bring a small card table to display your project.

Late Entry Form:

If your form was late, this will be indicated on the judge's sheet, and you will not be eligible for State Fair, Trophy, Champion, or Reserve Champion. Please understand that in order to get all of the paperwork done in time for the shows, and to ensure fairness in our program, we must adhere to the deadlines. Sorry! Please also keep in mind that if this does affect you, it is still important that you take the time to show your project; if not only for the premium money, but also for the learning experience that it will provide you! Remember that 4–H isn't just about winning; it's about learning by hands-on experiences!

Check in Times:

ALL projects must be checked in with the Recorder of each area by 10:00 a.m. This will let us know that you are there and will be coming back to have your project judged. If you are not showing in an area that you originally signed up for, please go to that area, and let the Recorder or Superintendent know that you will not be showing. This will save us time in trying to locate a 4–H'er that is not showing, and will allow the judge to make a final decision. NO PROJECTS WILL BE RELEASED UNTIL 11:00 a.m.!

If you are showing at General Project's Day, you've got a neat experience ahead of you! You will have the opportunity to participate in "conference judging". This unique type of judging gives you the chance to talk to the judges so they can find out what you've learned! The judges will consider what you've told them when assigning your rating ribbon and choosing champions! Here are some things to remember as you prepare:

Your exhibit offers a display of what you are capable of doing. The judges will be looking for positive learning. Tell them about your exhibit and other things you have done and learned in your project this year.

The judge will be evaluating your exhibit and what you've learned—not YOU as a person.

Your project will be evaluated against the blue ribbon standard. You won't be competing with others for your blue, red, or white rating ribbon. Competition is only involved when the Champion, Reserve Champion, Trophy, and State Fair winners are selected. Your biggest competitor is YOU!

Most importantly, READ the rules and guidelines in your 4–H Program Book. Be certain you've followed the established rules for the class you've entered.

Questions the judge may ask you:

? Did you enjoy working on this project? Why?

? What was the easiest or hardest thing you did?

? Why did you choose this exhibit?

? Who assisted you with this project?

? Tell me about the kinds of materials you used.

? How did you do this exhibit?

? What part of the exhibit do you feel you could improve? Why?

If you prepare a neat and creative exhibit, you'll be ready to tell the judge a lot, and if you've followed the rules in your Program Book, you have nothing to worry about! Conference Judging will be a fun learning experience for you!

If you are planning to attend the State Fair and wish to purchase gate admission tickets for $1.00 and/or car passes for $4.00, you MUST reserve them by Wednesday, July 16. After that date, you will have to purchase them at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for $3.00 per person and $7.00 for a car pass..

If your project is chosen to go to State Fair, you will need to visit the State Fair Table at General Project's Day (whether or not you choose to send your project)! We'll need your paperwork if you are going and if you choose not to go to State Fair, we need that information as well. Please begin thinking about if you would like to go in one of your projects to the State Fair ! Good luck at General Project's Day, and don't forget, if you are State Fair eligible, to stop at the State Fair Table!!!!

Federation Pop Stand at the Livestock Sale!

Federation will be selling pop at the Jr. Livestock Sale on Saturday, August 23^rd. Please stop and help support the 4–H Federation!

PIZZA, PIZZA! The 4–H Federation will again be selling Pizza Hut Pizza and Pepsi products at the County Fair in the 4–H Building during lunch and dinner hours. Please call the Extension Office to sign your club up for working a shift. Club members who work will receive a coupon for purchases at the stand and each participating club will earn a percentage of the total profits, plus earn points towards the Club Feud. With your help, the pizza sales will be a success again this year! We look forward to working with you!

This is a reminder that, approved protective head gear, with safety harness (fastened and buckled), are required BY ALL RIDERS WHENEVER MOUNTED. Helmets must meet ASTM/SEI standards. This goes for all horse clinics and horse shows for Stephenson County 4-H.

The Superior Young Producer Contests will again be held during the Illinois State Fair. Exhibitors must enter and show at the Illinois State Fair Junior Department in the respective specie area in order to be eligible for the scholarship award. Awards include: $1000 scholarship and plaque to the "top 5" individuals overall in each species. Species include: BEEF, DAIRY, HORSE, SHEEP, AND SWINE. Complete rules and regulations can be found in the Junior Department Premium Book on the Illinois State Fair website: http://www.illinoisstatefair.info/

A reminder that all entries for the Stephenson County Fair 4–H Shows are due Monday, July 14^th by 4:00 p.m. at the Extension Office!!!! If the form is received or postmarked after the deadline, the 4–H'er is not eligible for State Fair, Trophy, Champion, or Reserve Champion. Please plan ahead and get those forms in as soon as possible. The sooner, the BETTER!

Remember, if you are planning to sell your animal at the Jr. Livestock Auction, you must enter and exhibit at both the 4–H and Jr. Open Shows. Be sure to check the Stephenson County Fair Book for the Jr. Open Show deadline. Animals that can be sold at the Jr. Livestock Auction include: steers, swine, goats, poultry, rabbits, and sheep.

In order to increase the public's awareness about the wide variety of amazing projects our 4-H'ers do and to help promote 4-H, we will continue with the show change from 3 years ago:

· All general projects need to be brought to the Fair for display in the 4-H club booths on Friday, August 15 and Saturday, August 16, excluding projects too large for club booths. 4-H'ers with projects too large for display in the booths are asked to make a poster with a picture of the project, their name, club name, project name, and the answer to one of the following questions:

What was your favorite thing about your project?

What was one thing you learned from your project?

· Fair tickets will be distributed upon delivery of projects.

· Youth with State Fair projects must bring their projects on Friday or Saturday to put in the State Fair booths in order to get their Fair tickets as well.

· If you are unable to deliver your own project, you may give written permission to another 4-H'er, parent, or volunteer to drop off your project and get your ticket. The form is below.

· 4-H'ers can make their own animal project poster OR clubs can make one poster for each animal species project area. The poster should include a picture of each member's livestock project. Kids in dogs and cats should make a poster too.

i.e.: Beef project poster, Dairy Cattle project poster, etc.

· 4-H'ers whose ONLY projects are Livestock or Dogs will receive their Fair ticket prior to Fair when the office receives their Fair Enrollment Form.

· Those 4-H'ers showing ONLY Food or Horticulture projects will receive their Fair ticket on Monday, August 21, when their projects are shown.

FAIR PASS PICK-UP PERMISSION

I _________________________ of ________________________________

(member) (club)

give _____________________ of ________________________________

(member or leader) (club)

permission to pick up my Stephenson County 4-H Fair Pass when he/she delivers my project on building clean-up and set-up day Friday, August 15 or Saturday, August 16.

My phone number is: ________________.

His/her phone number is: ________________.

4-H Member's Signature __________________________________

Preparing for the 4-H Fair

Creating Posters

As 4-H Fair season rolls around, you may be getting ready to prepare posters about some of the work you have done in one or more of your projects. If so, you will want to do all you can to make sure that your poster looks good. Here are some tips:

· Make sure your poster is attention-getting! Remember you want people to take the time to read about what you have done.

· Include information that is brief and easy to read.

· Make it neat! Even if you have really great information on your poster, no one is going to take time to read it if it is messy!

· Watch out for clutter!

· Include pictures or charts if they help explain your project work.

· Check your spelling and then check it again. Misspelled words can be very distracting.

· Use intense colors. Try dark lettering against a light background. This is usually easiest for people to read.

Before you begin designing your poster, make sure that you read through the exhibit guidelines for your project found in the fair book. Pay special attention to any size requirements. Make sure that you understand what they are asking for. Often the guidelines suggest that you report on an activity or experiment that you completed as part of your project. If that is the case, consider what is most important from that particular activity and what people are likely to want to know.

Begin work on your poster by sketching out a few rough drafts on plain paper.

Ask your family, which draft they like best and then begin work on your poster.

On the next page you will find a small version of a poster with some additional tips.

Prepared by: Lisa Woessner, Youth Development Educator, 6/01

As 4–H'ers plan and prepare their exhibits for the 4–H show, we would like to encourage parents to remember to allow the members to do their own work. While it is ok for mom and dad to give a few suggestions, or maybe a little help, it is even more important to allow the 4–H'er to do his or her own work. Judging is a time for judges to see the work of the 4–H members, not the parents. Our judges want to know what the 4–H'ers have learned, and how they completed the projects, not what they watched their parents complete. Please remember, 4–H is for youth, and your 4–H member will only gain from the experience if they do their own work. While the 4–H program is a family organization, this is one of those times where the family should show their support through their words of encouragement! Let's help our 4–H members grow and blossom!

Please, Please, Please remember to review your Program Book BEFORE the day of the show. Many projects change from year to year, so please make sure you are up-to-date for all exhibit requirements.