Camps and Conferences

Colorado Leadership Conference (CLC)

November every year

CLC is a state-wide gathering in Glenwood Springs. Youth stay in a hotel, attend workshops, and practice their dancing skills at the Saturday night dance!

Who is eligible? Youth in grades 6-9

Leadership Development Conference (LDC)

January every year

LDC is a weekend state event that develops leadership, teamwork, and presentation skills. The conference includes a visit to the State Capitol to experience “Colorado 4-H Day” in both legislative chambers.

Who is eligible? Youth age 14-18

YouthFest

February or March every year

This conference helps younger members strengthen their leadership, teamwork, communication and citizenship skills. In addition, youth have the opportunity to make friends with other youth from diverse backgrounds.

Who is eligible? Youth ages 11 to 13

District 10 Retreat

Springtime

At this fun camp, youth gather with other 4-H members from “District 10” in Western Colorado. (District 10 includes Gunnison, Mesa, Delta, Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, and Hinsdale counties.) The retreat features lots of recreation, team building, and life skills, as well as the ever-popular dances. District 10 elections are held during a business meeting. Teens can take on leadership responsibilities by running for District President and Vice President and by helping to plan the retreat.

Who is eligible? Youth age 8-18

State 4-H Conference

June every year

Participants at State Conference have the opportunity to compete on a state-wide basis and/or attend a wide variety of educational workshops.  They also will develop leadership skills through decision making, critical thinking, teamwork, and independence.  Youth elect state officers at this event, and they form friendships with youth from all over the state.

Who is eligible? Youth age 14-18

Leadership Opportunities

Developing leadership skills is an integral aspect of 4-H. Below are a few ways for members to build their leadership abilities.

Club Officer

The club officer, with support from their 4-H club leader, will lead club meetings. Officers are generally selected by elections, which occur each fall, typically in September or October. President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Council Reps are the most common offices.

Council Officer

4-H Council unites the 4-H clubs in Gunnison County under one governing body. Council meets five or six times a year, and each club sends at least one elected representative and a club leader, though any member, parent, or leader is welcome to attend. Council makes decisions that guide the local 4-H program and plans events throughout the year.  A slate of officers is elected each new 4-H year in October.

4-H Council typically meets the fourth Wednesday of November, January, March, April, September, and October.

Want to step it up a notch and develop stronger leadership skills?  Consider running for a Council Officer position!  Officer positions available include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Game Leader.  Elections take place at the October Council meeting. To run for office, review the Council Officer Expectations, and fill out a Council Application.

Committee Member

Youth representatives are chosen to sit on the Horse Committee, Junior Livestock Committee, or the General Projects Committee.  Committee Members help plan events such as horse clinics and shows, Cattlemen’s Days, and Project Review.  Committee members are elected at the October Council meeting.

To run for a committee member position, review the Council Officer Expectations, and fill out a Council Application.

State Officer

For senior 4-H members who want to travel, be a part of a dynamic team of other youth from throughout the state, and develop advanced leadership skills, running for a state officer position is a great opportunity.  The Colorado State Officer Team plans and directs statewide events, including CLC, LDC, YouthFest, and State Conference.  They work together to provide statewide guidance for the Colorado 4-H program.  And they attend leadership retreats geared towards strengthening their own leadership skills.

Colorado is broken up into ten districts, and each district elects a District President to serve on the State Officer Team.  Gunnison County is part of District 10, which elects its District President at the District 10 Retreat each year.  Additionally, a State President and Vice President are elected each year at State Conference.

Contests

Contests provide opportunities for 4-H members to develop new skills and demonstrate mastery of those skills through friendly competition.

The state 4-H program offers a variety of contests during the summer. Many of these contests serve as qualifying events for participation in national events. For more information, contact the Gunnison County Extension office.

State Conference Contests

The following contests are held at the State 4-H Conference in June. Participants must be 14 years old to participate in these events.

Consumer Choices Contest – Contestants judge various consumer item classes and give reasons for their placement of the items.
Consumer Bowl – Teams participate in a quiz bowl on topics related to consumerism.
FCS Skill-a-Thon – Teams identify family consumer science-related items, judge classes, and complete a live skills oral presentation.
Hippology Contest – Teams demonstrate their equine science and management knowledge through an exam, stations, judging, and a team problem.
Horse Bowl – Teams participate in a quiz bowl on equine topics.
Horse Demonstration Contest – Individuals or teams present demonstrations or illustrated talks relating to the horse industry.
Horse Judging Contest – Teams judge horse classes and give oral reasons.
Horse Public Speaking Contest – Individuals present speeches relating to the horse industry.
Impromptu Speaking Contest – Individuals present impromptu speeches from 3 to 5 minutes in duration on topics related to today’s youth.
Livestock Quiz Bowl – Teams participate in a quiz bowl on livestock topics.
Livestock Judging Contest – Teams judge livestock classes and give oral reasons.
Prepared Speaking Contest – Individuals present speeches on topics related to today’s youth and 4-H.
Parliamentary Procedure Contest – Teams present a model meeting incorporating items and business and motions from a provided problem, and answer judges questions on parliamentary procedure.

State Fair Contests 

Cake Decorating Contest – Contestants demonstrate their cake decorating skills at an on-site competition.
Creative Cooks Contest – Contestants plan a menu, table setting, and food item for an on-site competition.
Public Presentation Contest – Youth prepare and deliver demonstrations, interpretive readings, or illustrated talks at an on-site competition.
Fashion Revue Contest – Youth model garments made as part of their clothing construction and artistic clothing projects.
Colorado 4-H Photo Contest – Youth submit photos taken in Colorado in this state-wide photo competition.
Robotics Challenge Tournament – Robotics teams compete in a competition to design, build, and program a robot to face a themed challenge.
Rocket Fly Day Contest – Kids launch model rockets for accuracy and performance. Youth knowledge of rockets is also tested.

Other Contests

Various projects also offer state contests, such as the State Dog Trials, Colorado State Fair Horse Shows and Livestock Shows, Shooting Sports Shoots, and a Meat Judging Contest.

Scholarships

Teri Bell Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 1st

This scholarship is offered by the Teri Bell family, in honor of Teri’s commitment to 4-H. The $500 scholarship is designed to support 4-H youth who are taking a livestock or horse project. The application is open to all 4-H and FFA members in the following projects: Horse, Market Swine, Market Sheep, Market Beef, or Market Goat. All applications must be handwritten by the youth applying.  Teri was a longtime supporter of 4-H, and we’re glad the family chose to remember her with a great innovative scholarship.

Teri Bell Scholarship Application

Glen George / Harry Miller Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 15th

This livestock-oriented scholarship has been established to honor local residents Glen George and Harry Miller for their many years of service to Gunnison 4-H/FFA youth involved in livestock projects.  A minimum of $500.00 will be awarded each year at the Junior Livestock Sale. Applicants must be a 4-H or FFA member in good standing, a graduating senior, and a resident of Gunnison County. Candidates need to have completed a livestock project for at least four years and be currently enrolled in a livestock project their senior year. Candidates must have acceptance to any institution of higher learning prior to fall term of year scholarship is awarded. Candidates need to have demonstrated leadership, citizenship, community involvement experiences and show character and responsibility.

Glen George / Harry Miller Scholarship Application

4-H Forever Fund Need-Based Support

For more than 80 years, 4-H has been making a positive impact in the lives of Gunnison County’s youth through hands-on education, 4-H leadership programs, community service activities, and after-school programs.  Private donations made to the Gunnison 4-H Forever fund are intended to help the 4-H program succeed in its mission and provide opportunities for youth.  These opportunities may be supported by providing scholarships to state and national citizenship conferences and programs; supporting innovative projects to youth; supplementing expenses to contests and camps that develop leadership, public speaking, and career development skills.  4-H members and families needing monetary assistance can access these helping funds. Filling out this application supports accountability to the 4-H Forever Fund and its donors.  All applications will be kept confidential and filed in the Extension Office.

4-H Forever Fund Need-Based Support Application