August is time to shine in 4-H

Thursday, Aug. 15 through Sunday, Aug. 18, more than 120 youth from Carlton County will showcase their learning and achievements in 4-H at the Carlton County County Fair.

4-H at Minnesota county fairs is more than just fun annual events. Every summer, tens of thousands of 4-H youth participate in county fairs to showcase the knowledge and skills they've gained throughout the year, and to continue their learning experiences. 4-H youth spend months working on projects designed to equip them with essential life skills such as problem solving, decision making, project management, communications and public speaking. 4-H'ers then share their accomplishments and educate the public about their projects at their local county fairs. They also lead visitors on tours of the 4-H buildings and barns, and conduct workshops and hands-on demonstrations for the public. 4-H'ers who demonstrate the highest achievements are then selected to participate in 4-H at the Minnesota State Fair.

Carlton County 4-H activities will begin with static exhibit judging 1-6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, two days prior to the opening of the fair. From photography exhibits to robots, the 4-H building will be filled with the creativity and hard work of Carlton County's 4-H youth. Static exhibits will remain in the 4-H building throughout the fair.

Livestock shows will be held throughout Thursday and Friday, Aug. 15-16. The 4-H Horse Drill Team will perform at 6:30 p.m. Friday night, with the 4-H Horse Show taking place throughout the day on Saturday.

"The Carlton County Fair is an opportunity for 4-H youth to reflect on how far they have come with their projects, be recognized for their incredible achievements, and start to dream about the next big challenge," said Dylan Kelly, Carlton County 4-H program coordinator.

Kelly said 4-H programs are available for youth, from kindergarten through one year after high school. 4-H'ers participate in hands-on learning experiences in STEM ( science, technology, engineering and math), citizenship and leadership, animal science, creative arts and much more. Through this learn-by-doing process, youth obtain essential life skills such as problem solving, decision making, coping and communicating that help them succeed in school, college, community and career, he said.