Where has the summer gone? It is already time for the Washington County Fair in Arlington.
There are many aspects of the fair that everyone can participate in. From exhibiting projects to taking in the night attractions, there is for sure something that you and your family can enjoy. We encourage everyone to go out and see all the exhibits our Washington County 4-Hers have spent the last year perfecting.
Alongside every project entered at the fair, the youth will receive ribbons, plaques or medals according to their level of expertise in the project. The sole purpose of ribbons is not to make youth feel insufficient with the ribbon color, but instead, it recognizes the work they have completed with the Danish System of Recognition. This system acknowledges purple ribbons as superior or exceeding the average standards of the class; blue ribbons signify excellent projects that exceed the average with a few flaws compared to purple ribbon winners. While red ribbons resemble the average of the project area, white ribbons do not meet the standard and exhibit poor workmanship. This Danish System of Recognition is to help youth “make the best better” and not dismiss the thoughtful work they have done.
All in all, 4-H strives to make healthy and positive youth development by creating, sharing, and judging projects to help build confidence, knowledge, and life skills. Ribbons do not show the public eye all the work, learning and even trial and error that has gone into one individual project. Receiving less than a purple ribbon does not mean a child did not try or should not enroll in that project for next year, but research how to improve through judges’ comments and another year of learning to build on what can be altered or learned.
To get involved in the 4-H program, contact the Nebraska Extension in Washington County Office at 402-426-9455. Or contact your local Nebraska Extension Office. To stay up to date on what’s happening in the Washington County 4-H program, follow our social media pages! Facebook: Nebraska Extension- Washington County. Twitter: @WCNE4H.
