- Author: Livia and Adeline Vertucci
"Fashion My Way" was the theme for the 2019 Ventura County 4-H Fashion Revue held at UC Hansen Agricultural and Research Center (HAREC) in Santa Paula on Saturday, March 23rd. It was a beautiful day at the farm!
Ten 4-H members from two clubs, Conejo-Simi and Loma Vista, were judged by two community members, a teacher and an artist, who are also seamstresses. Participants were evaluated on their Self Esteem, Poise, and Posture, Personal presentation, and Grooming, Verbal Communication and Interaction with Evaluators. On their garment they were judged on choice of style, fit, Workmanship as it relates to outside appearance, and how the whole look was coordinated.
This year's categories included: Traditional, where participants construct any type of garment; The Box Challenge, where participants create a garment that contains 3 colors – red, white, and blue and an extra component, such as a zipper, buttons, or trim; Retro/Historical Challenge, where participants create a garment that is inspired by or looks like an old design, from before the year 2000, using new fabric and notions; and the Consumer Science Purchased, $40.00 Limit, where participants shop for an entire outfit with the total cost not to exceed $40.00, including shoes but not sales tax.
Participants showed off their creations to family and friends in the pre-awards ceremony fashion show, where they were escorted to the gazebo stage by 4-H members Sammy Belik, Andrew Pyler, Kelly Quinn, and Matthew Ziegler. The day ended with everyone enjoying delicious chocolate cake!
And the winners are...
Senior Division, Traditional: Adler Striegel, Loma Vista, medalist and county winner
Senior Division, Retro/Historical Challenge: Livia Vertucci, Loma Vista, medalist and county winner
Intermediate Division, Box Challenge: Adeline Vertucci, Loma Vista, medalist and county winner
Intermediate Division, Traditional: Alexander Bloomquist, Loma Vista, medalist and county winner
Intermediate Division, Traditional: Olivia Bloomquist, Loma Vista, blue ribbon
Intermediate Division, Traditional: Malia Maldonado, Loma Vista, blue ribbon
Intermediate Division, Consumer Science Purchased: Rachel Lipscomb, Loma Vista, blue ribbon
Intermediate Division, Consumer Science Purchased: Irelyn Kennedy, Conejo-Simi, medalist and county winner
Junior Division, Traditional: Rossilyn Buchanan, Loma Vista, blue ribbon
Junior Division, Traditional: Chloe Pickett, Loma Vista, blue ribbon
Best Fashion Revue EVER thanks to Consumer Science PDC Chair Rachel McClanahan! Everyone had a wonderful day at the farm!
/h4>/h4>/h4>- Author: Claire B., Santa Rosa Valley 4-H
The Southern Youth Summit (SYS) is sponsored by the state 4-H and the theme this year was “Bee the Change.” I have been to SYS for two years and it is a wonderful experience where I have learned leadership skills and met other 4-H youth leaders. I enjoy choosing from a menu of presentations that are offered at the event. The two that made the most impact on me this year were the Mindfulness and the Futurist presentations. Both of them have concepts that are important for me not as a leader, but also personally as I lead a healthy life.
The Mindfulness session allowed our group to define Mindfulness. The presenter gave a funny description of when she ate a whole box of cookies, but didn't even realize it because she was watching television. The two presenters then gave strategies that we could use to be mindful and we took a hike in the beautiful area surrounding Pathfinder Ranch, the location of SYS. I found the techniques useful and look forward to attending the Mindfulness Retreat in November.
Chet Sisk, the Futurist, helped me see what the future has in store and how I can make a difference right now. He inspired me to look at civic education and what I can do to make a changes in my community a step at a time and how they will impact the world globally. He was a captivating speaker.
SYS is a wonderful experience that gives ideas and strategies to support leadership. I encourage everyone to attend next January!
- Author: Sammy Belik
On February 23, I went to the State Avian Bowl Qualifier in Fresno with my team to represent Ventura County. Our team name was the “Bird Nerds.” Our team included Scarlet James, our Captain, Olivia Willoughby, and myself, Sammy Belik. Scarlet and Olivia are in Santa Rosa 4-H club, and I am in Conejo Simi 4-H club.
Avian Bowl is an avian knowledge contest. My team studied for two to three months to get ready. We learned about many things including Raising Game Birds, Eggcyclopedia, and Avian Body Systems. In Eggcyclopedia I learned that a scotch egg is a hard boiled egg, covered in sausage, breaded, and deep fried! My favorite subject was Contributions of Poultry to the Development of Science where I learned things like where B-Lymphocytes come from and what an attenuated vaccine is. There are two divisions in the contest, the Juniors and the Seniors. The Seniors that win first place in the Qualifier get to go to Kentucky to represent California at the National Avian Bowl.
The rules are strict, so it was very hard, and it made me very nervous until we started playing. The rounds are twelve questions each with a bonus question if everyone on your team answers a question correctly. We can't talk to our teammates unless it is a bonus question. It was double elimination, but our team was undefeated! We won first place out of all the Juniors and earned belt buckles. At the end, we played Junior Champions vs Senior Champions twice. And still we were undefeated! Our team is going to Orange County fair next to compete in Avian Bowl.
I started doing avian bowl two years ago at Ventura County Fair when I had never studied before, so it's okay to be a beginner and start at Ventura County Fair. This year the Fair won't be able to allow show birds because of the New Castle outbreak, but there will be an avian bowl. It's really fun! Everyone should try it!
- Author: Adeline Vertucci
The 2019 Ventura County 4-H Food Faire was held on Saturday, February 2nd at Will Rogers Elementary School in Ventura. Nineteen members participated from three clubs: Conejo-Simi, Loma Vista, and Somis.
There were three food categories to enter: main dish, appetizer, and dessert. Members also entered decorated cakes and cupcakes. There was also a table setting category. There were 11 food items, 4 decorated items, and 1 table setting entered. Two Oxnard College Culinary Academy teachers were judges.
There were lots of things for members to do during the judging. Adler Striegel of Loma Vista prepared a vegetable judging station with veggies donated from Underwood Family Farms.
Livia Vertucci of Loma Vista 4-H prepared a spice guessing station. Adeline Vertucci from Loma Vista 4-H club created two tasting station: apples and store-bought salsa.
Reyna Lane made a healthy living station where members had to match the amount of sugar contained in different foods and drinks. It was amazing to see how much sugar there is in foods that are considered healthy, like granola and orange juice.
Reyna's mom brought chocolate fondue, a treat popular in the 1970s, for members to dip marshmallows, pretzels, and graham crackers.
The community service activity was to donate money and make thank you cards for José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, the group that came to feed firefighters and others during the Thomas Fire and during other disasters around the world. We collected $40 to donate to World Central Kitchen along with our cards.
The most exciting part of the day was the ‘Iron Chef' competition where 16 attendees were placed into groups to take random ingredients, such as Spam, sponge cake, and kalamata olives, to create one appetizer and one dessert in 45 minutes. The appetizers and desserts that were made were interesting and creative.
Thanks to Rachel McClanahan (Livia and Adeline's mom) and Julie Salomonson (Adler's mom) for organizing this event. We can't wait until next year!
- Author: Samuel Belik
I went to the 4-H Rock Paper Scissors Event at Hansen Agricultural Center. More than twenty
kids attended the event! There were a lot of arts and crafts tables. We made the crafts to give as
gifts to our family and friends.
I made a necklace, bean soup in a jar, lavender bath salts in a bottle, molded soap, and a candle. I painted a snow chicken on a wine bottle that had lights in it. I am going to give the bottle to my dad. It will make a great decoration on dad's desk. At the potpourri table you could put miniature pumpkins that smelled good in your jar. My favorite table was making lavender bath salts in a bottle. It was my favorite because I liked mixing and shaking the ingredients. I think my family will appreciate the handmade gifts I made for them.
Arts and crafts people everywhere, I recommend that you go to the 4-H Rock Paper Scissors Holiday
arts and crafts event!