Instead of traveling to Denver, Colorado for a national competition, a team of 4-Hers traveled all the way over to the AgriLife Extension office in Cameron to compete.
The team qualified for nationals, but COVID-19 complications made the competition stay local. They won the national 4-H consumer decision-making competition which they qualified for by being one of the top two teams in Texas.
“I would describe it as bitter sweet,” said Grant Widner of his experience in the ZOOM competition earlier this month. “In a normal competition, I would be attending in Denver, Colorado, but unfortunately due to COVID, my teammates and I decided to make the best of the opportunity.”
One of his teammates found winning the national title while staying home created a distinct memory.
“I would say that my experience at the national level competition was unique, because of the circumstances we now find ourselves in regarding public gatherings and social distancing. Although it was not our first virtual consumer contest, it still felt like a new experience with the various complications we experienced with our computers. Fortunately, we were able to gather as a team, and we did follow the COVID-19 protocol while we were in each other’s presence. While I did hope to have a physical competition, I was still very thankful and thrilled for the opportunity to compete at the national level,” Colby Green wrote in an email.
Abbigail Miller and Mallory McDaniel were also on the national championship team.
Miller who is now at The University of Texas is a veteran in the consumer-decision making category.
“I’ve been in CDM for eight years, and each year expanded my knowledge of the contest. Our coach, Micah Holcombe, would always prepare and review scenarios with us before competitions, while also practicing giving oral reasons, which are memorized justification of our plac-ings,” she wrote in an email.
McDaniel explained what the competition was all about.
“Consumer is about learning how to make smart decisions as a consumer based on your needs and wants,” McDaniel, who is a junior at Rockdale High School, wrote in an email. “We are required to place classes of consumer products, including sunglasses, tents, backpacks, and athletic wear, based on how good of a buy the product will be based on a scenario. We then have to give two sets of reasons, which is basically us explaining why we placed the class how we did. At the national level we are required to do a group think, which is where the judges watch our team judge a class together and then give a short presentation over it.”
“CDM requires a lot of knowledge on various products, from cookware to athletic shoes to toothpaste. You’re given a scenario and told to rank four solutions based on what the consumer is looking for. As a college student, learning how to get the best quality for your price is extremely beneficial. Giving reasons was also challenging, and helped me overcome a fear of public speaking,” added Miller, who attended Milano High School last year.
The four put in a lot of work during the year prior to the competition.
“We prepared for each competition both as a group and individually. Our county extension agent, Micah Holcombe, would schedule practices for us to attend with her and each other, where she would give us helpful resources and information to study. After meeting as a group, it was expected that you reviewed these materials on your own. Every practice, we would put at least a few hours into strictly reviewing materials, practicing different aspects of the contest. Practice was not mandatory, but it was strongly advised that we attend them if at all possible,” wrote Green, who is a senior at Yoe High School in Cameron.
Widner who is a senior at Thorndale High School said Holcombe drilled the team members on giving oral reasons as to why they made decisions.
“I think this was the key,” he said of the team’s success.
“I have to say the one thing about this team is that they are from all over the county. I think that’s what makes this team so special and so cool. They can come together and work together to do a 4-H project and win,” said Micah Holcombe, AgriLife Extension agent who also served as the team’s coach.
This was Holcombe’s fourth time to coach a nationals team, she said.
“I have coached two teams from Bell County and two teams from Milam County,” Holcombe said after the victory announcement.
This year’s team was the second one from Milam County to win at the national competition in the consumer category.
The coach for the other Milam county team that won nationals was Holcombe’s aunt Cheryl Walker, who was the former AgriLife agent in Milam, Holcombe said.
Milam County teams have gone to the national competition four times in the consumer category, she said.
“This is extremely rare to go to nationals as they have to beat around five teams at district and over 30 teams at state. This year was the only year they were able to send the top 2 teams,” Holcombe added.
All the team members said 4-H played a big part in their lives so far,
“Being in 4H, I’ve met some of my closest friends and have made amazing relationships. I love my coach dearly; it’s amazing to look back and see all of the time and support people have poured into preparations for showing and contests. 4-H helped me academically by almost paying my way through college, and also gave me valuable life skills such as public speaking, self confidence, a heart for service and community, and a strong sense of responsibility,” said Miller, who also won first in reasoning.
“Being involved in 4-H allows for people to gain practical, helpful experiences such as this contest type. I have learned an abundant amount of knowledge regarding shopping, choosing items and decision making as a whole. Being in 4-H also allows for people to help their community through various acts of giving and community service. I have been blessed enough to be a part of these various acts throughout my career as a 4-H member, and I truly believe that nothing but good can come from being a member in 4-H,” Green said.
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