The 4-H Life Challenge contests focus on Family and Consumer Science project areas.
COUNTY CONTEST
The 2021 county Life Challenge contest was held in-person on June 5. Fifteen youth demonstrated their knowledge in the areas of Foods & Nutrition, Personal Finance, Child Development, Clothing & Textiles, Healthy Lifestyles and Home Environment. Emily Bauman was the Junior Champion and Vanessa Peterson was the Junior Reserve Champion. Senior Champion was Clare Bauman and Abby Kruse was the Senior Reserve Champion.
STATE CONTEST
The 2021 state Life Challenge event was held on University of Nebraska–Lincoln East Campus June 28–29. Fifteen Lancaster County 4-H’ers formed four teams. Teams applied information they had learned during the county contest, a prep session and through their 4-H projects to bring solutions to real-life problems. During the Foods & Nutrition Challenge, teams developed a plan to help a family who was food insecure. During the Design Challenge, teams designed an additional space for the East Campus Union in 2035 to encourage social connections, mental well-being and educational needs. The final challenge, Adulting, tasked each team to prepare a weekly schedule and monthly budget for a college student. The successful Lancaster teams won six top awards! Photos are on Flickr at https://go.unl.edu/21palc.
The Extreme Green Team of Mindy Bartels, Clare Bauman, Bridget Clarke and Mollie Clarke each won a $1,000 scholarship from the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences and a $50 cash award for their 1st Place rankings in both the Food & Nutrition and Design Challenges. This team also received 2nd Place in the Adulting Challenge.
The Five Star Team of Abby Kruse, Sarah Lange and Emmy Sheldon received 2nd place in the Food & Nutrition Challenge and the “Most Creative Use of Space” award in the Design Challenge.
The Clover Power team of Emily Bauman, Morgan Gabel, Emma Thomson and Kamryn Wanser received the Peer Choice award in the Adulting Challenge.
Smith & Company of Noah Babcock, Jacob Bauman, Christopher Moore and Pierce Smith also represented Lancaster County well with high scores and very creative PowerPoint Presentations.