4-H gives it the old college try

Evangeline Parish was again well represented at LSU in Baton Rouge for the 103rd Annual 4-H University. Thirty-four students from the parish went in all, and 14 came back placing at the state level in their competitions.
“4-H University is a state wide competition where 1,543 4-H members from throughout the state competed in many different categories or participated in Clover College,” said Assistant Extension Agent Kim Deville.”
4-H University was previously known as Short Course, and even though the name has changed it still offers some of the traditional competitive events like Entemology and Family Consumer Science. There are also several new events such as Teens Driving Teens for Safety and Solutions Unlimited.
“Teens Driving Teens for Safety is where the kids try to do a presentation convincing teens to drive more defensively,” Deville said. “Solutions Unlimited is where they are given a city problem, and they have to figure out solutions to what would help the city to solve their problems.”
First place finishers in every competition win a trip for their efforts. “Poultry Judging and Meat ID are more traditional,” according to Deville, “and they go on to a national competition which is in Kentucky. Then there’s a Dallas trip where there are some educational aspects to it, but it’s more of a fun trip as a reward. The Fashion Board takes their kids to New York to go to the garment district.”
Winning a trip to Dallas for their first place finish in Computer Simulation were Evan Miller and Samuel Hollier from Sacred Heart.
Other state-wide finishers from Evangeline Parish are as follows: Jade Alfred and Rayna Fontenot- Certificate Winner in Clover College; Gabrielle Fontenot - Blue Ribbon Winner in Fashion - Casual; Madison Fontenot, Drew Latour, and Samuel Gil- Fifth Place in Horticulture Judging; Hallie Daire- Fourth Place in Photography; Moira Parks- Fifth Place in Public Speaking; Ethan Jose Deshotel and James Wilson- Fourth Place in Teens Driving Teens to Safety; and Reid Eastin and Sean Eastin- Fifth Place in Teens Driving Teens to Safety.
The following seven students from Evangeline Parish were also elected to a state board: Alyson Fontenot- Executive Board; Madison Fontenot- Citizenship Board; Iyana Freeman- Fashion Board; Callie Pitre- Shooting Sports Ambassador; Drew Latour and Samuel Gil- Science, Engineering and Technology; and Gabrielle Fontenot- National Conference Delegate.
“Accompanying these 4-H’ers were adult volunteer leaders James Barnes, Angie Fontenot, and Pam Fontenot, along with 4-H Agents Todd Fontenot and myself,” Deville said.
“We would like to congratulate these 4-H members for their hard work, effort, and dedication to preparation for their contests. A thank you goes out to parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and the community for encouraging and supporting these 4-H’ers in their quest during state competiton. Also a sincere thanks to the people in our community like Angie Fusilier and Monique Fontenot and to the staff of the Evangeline Parish Cooperative Extension Service for helping train these young people and for the cooperation and support that was given.”