4-H Contests are held throughout the year. These are great opportunities to develop life skills and have fun!
4-H Photography – September/October
Show your photography skills!
Club contests are held in October and November.
Other contests are available to enter your photos throughout the year. Such as the Hamblen County Great Smoky Mountains Fair.
4-H Public Speaking – October/November
Public Speaking is a skill that will help youth as they continue to college and careers. 4th-12th grade students can participate in the annual 4-H Public Speaking contest. Students compete against other students in the same grade level.
Club contests are held in November and December. Top winners are selected to compete in the Hamblen County Public Speaking Contest in January. First place winners at the county contest are invited to a Sub-Regional or Regional Contest to represent Hamblen County. Hamblen County is part of the Big 9 Sub-Region.
4-H Poster Art – October/November
Show your artistic talents! Create a poster about 4-H on posterboard and turn it in at your club meeting.
Club contests are held in November and December. First place winners are selected to compete in the Hamblen County Poster Contest in January. First place winners at the county contest are sent to the Regional Contest to represent Hamblen County.
4-H Piggy Bank Pageant – November/December
The Tennessee Save, Share and Spend program encourages youth in K-12th grade to set savings goals and strive to achieve those goals. Youth are encouraged to construct a piggy bank from recycled materials to enter in the Hamblen County Piggy Bank Contest.
Club contests are held in January and February. Top winners are selected to compete in the Hamblen County Piggy Bank Pageant.
4-H Demonstrations (4th & 5th grade) – January/February
Demonstrations (4th-5th grade) are a fun, hands-on approach to learning and teaching for students.
Fourth and Fifth grade participants are asked to conduct an educational, hands-on, show and tell, “how to” demonstration that lasts up to 5 minutes. Participants use pictures, posters, or displays to conduct a “how to” presentation for the class, group, or judge illustrating a skill, hobby, or other interest related to a 4-H project.
Club contests are held in February and March. Top winners are selected to compete in the Hamblen County Achievement Day in May. First place winners at the county contest are invited to a Sub-Regional Contest to represent Hamblen County.
4-H Interactive Exhibits (6th, 7th & 8th grade) – January/February
Interactive Exhibits (6th-8th grade) are a fun, hands-on approach to learning and teaching for students.
Sixth through eighth grade participants are asked to create a tri-fold project exhibit. They are asked to speak for 2 min and will then be asked questions about their project board.
Club contests are held in February and March. Top winners are selected to compete in the Hamblen County Achievement Day in May. First place winners at the county contest are invited to a Sub-Regional Contest to represent Hamblen County.
4-H Dairy Poster – March
2024 State Winner: Owen Reuschel
Due in April. The Dairy Poster contest is sponsored by The Dairy Alliance. Students learn about dairy farming and the benefits of dairy products and create a poster (on posterboard or on the computer) to turn in to the Extension Office by April.
The County winner will receive a t-shirt with the year’s theme. State winners will receive $550 (1st place), $300 (2nd place) and $200 (3rd place). Winning posters will be in the possession of the Dairy Alliance for one year to use for display and promotional purposes and then will be returned to the students.
4-H Portfolios
A 4-H portfolio is a collection of an individual’s work that shows their knowledge, skills, goals, meaningful experiences and accomplishments. The portfolio is added to every year and keeps track of what you do within 4-H and outside of 4-H.
One goal is for youth to learn the importance of keeping accurate financial records, setting goals, and managing your time.
Another goal is to have one spot to keep all of the information that you will eventually need to apply for scholarships, college, jobs, etc. Youth who have done portfolios for multiple years always say they are invaluable tools when working on applications.
There are several trips and awards that are awarded for portfolio completion and submission each year. Visit our Awards & Scholarships webpage for more information.
Hamblen County offers a regular portfolio workshop to assist with putting your portfolio together. Please contact the 4-H office for the next workshop date.
- Hamblen County workshop
- Junior and Junior High (4th-8th grade)
- Senior High (9th-12th grade)
4-H Fair Contests
4-H members may enter crafts, canning, baked goods, artwork and much more in local fairs. Most of the monthly contests in the clubs can be entered in the fairs.
Please visit each respective fair for the entries that are available.
Hamblen Co. 4-H can assist with getting your entries to and from the fairs.