Mitchell County 4-H’ers Bella Chapman, Mylee Chapman and Parker Hughes earned the right to travel to Raleigh for the recent annual state 4-H presentation competition and represented the 22-county Western District as they competed with up to 10 competitors who had placed first or second in their respective categories.
Bella Chapman, the youngest presenter and daughter of Randall and Kellie Chapman of Spruce Pine, competed in the 8-10-year-old Foods and Nutrition division and made pizza, shared nutrition facts and talked about the different foods that make up pizza.
Bella’s confidence and presentation skills earned her a Silver Medal and a $75 cash award. Bella is a student at Greenlee Elementary.
Science and Technology is often the most competitive of the 4-H Presentation categories and the 2003 year was no different.
Parker Hughes, son of Stacy and Sarah Hughes of Bakersville, competed in the 8-10-year-old category with the maximum number of competitors possible (10). Topics were as varied as the number of participants.
Hughes asked, “Is There Life…On Mars?” and shared cutting-edge technology on the subject. He even showcased an image of Mars that had been sent back to Earth in early June.
For his efforts, Hughes was named a Bronze Medal Winner and will receive a $50 cash award. He goes to Bowman Middle School.
Mylee Chapman, an experienced competitor, applied her outdoor cooking skills to the Beef Car Grill category. Participants in the outdoor cooking categories must set up their tables and information boards, start their grills by using a chimney to start their charcoal and prepare their spices and rubs.
Mylee chose to prepare steak on the grill and had to show where the cut of beef was located on a model animal and explain why it was a good cut. She also had to prepare her sides while checking the temperature of her steak.
At the end of the cooking cycle, Mylee had to present her final product to judges and make a presentation about nutrition, selection of cut, cooking technique and other areas. The judges complimented the quality of her meal and presentation.
Mylee brought home a Silver Medal and $50 cash prize. She is also the daughter of Randall and Kellie Chapman of Spruce Pine and a freshman at Mitchell High.
To learn more about 4-H presentations or any component of the 4-H program, contact the Mitchell County Cooperative Extension Service at 688-4811 and ask to speak to a professional about how to get involved in 4-H Youth Development.