The teen has done well with both projects this year. She qualified for the Ohio State Fair with both and is exhibiting in Columbus this week. Next week, when the Miami County Fair opens, she plans to be quite busy exhibiting and helping with the Junior Fair.
Libby, who will be a junior at Troy High School this fall, is in her seventh year of 4-H, and has qualified for the Ohio State Fair for six of those seven years. Last year, in addition to the food and nutrition projects she’s usually taken, she added an archery project.
The teen said she became interested in archery while a seventh-grader at Troy Junior High School. The sport was offered as part of physical education.
“That was really exciting,” she said. “I really liked it.”
When an archery team formed the following year, she joined. She now competes with the high school team.
Last year, she took a basic archery 4-H project that covered archery basics, history and safety rules. This year, part of her project involves keeping records on her archery practice and shooting scores. The teen also used her skills and helped teach archery to younger 4-H members who were attending 4-H camp.
When I met with Libby last week, she was preparing for State Fair judging. The judging included an interview where the judges will ask about her projects and information in her project books, she said.
The trip to Columbus was expected to be a family affair. Libby’s mother, Kris who also is a 4-H adviser, is a judge for the Ohio State Fair’s adult culinary division, and was planning on judging the pie and SPAM competitions.
Once they return from Columbus, Libby expects to be busy preparing for the Miami County Fair. As a member of both the Concord Odds and Ends 4-H Club and the Indian Creek 4-H Club, she will help set up booths inside the Junior Fair Building.
The teen also serves on the Miami County Food and Fashion Board and will assist with the Junior Fair food cook-offs, modeling reviews and awards ceremonies. She also may have a few duties in her role as first runner-up in the Junior Fair Queen Contest.
Libby said she enjoys 4-H because it offers a wide variety of projects.
“There’s always something that can interest you,” she said, adding that if someone finds a project area he or she enjoys, they can continue taking more advanced projects in the coming years.
Contact this columnist at (937) 448-0101 or sears@erinet.com.
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