Show and Tell starts youngsters in 4-H

WELLINGTON — The best of the best have to start somewhere, and for many 4-Hers, that's at the Cloverbud Show & Tell. Long before the ribbons and trophies, these young men and women were little boys and girls, just learning what this "showing at the fair" thing was all about. "They get real life experience, sitting down and talking with a judge about their project or whatever they brought in," said Becky McDonnell, Cloverbud Show & Tell coordinator. "We don't judge them at that age, and they are able to get more comfortable with the process." Cloverbud Show & Tell takes place the Saturday before Fair Week starts. Cloverbuds, ages 5 to 8, prepare something they care about or are interested in and take it to the fair. A team of eight judges sees 200 to 300 kids in a two-hour period and hear from those kids about a variety of projects —- baking, collections, poster projects, pictures they've painted or colored, dogs, cats, hamsters, mice, snakes and reptiles — to name a few."Some of the kids, based on their age, really, really like to talk," said McDonnell, who has been coordinating the event for more than 30 years. "Other kids really need the judges to ask them questions. At the end of their presentation, they get their premium when they leave." Each child gets $1. While that may not sound like much, to the little one that just presented for the first time, it's priceless. Mary Aungst, who has served as a judge for 20 years, still remembers the little girl who made her lemonade. "It was so adorable," she recalls. "She made homemade lemonade with lemons and had it on this little tray that was decorated. She had two mason jars and these adorable straws. She made the lemonade in front of me and poured herself a glass and poured a glass for me. The presentation was so cute. It just really stood out to me." In addition to lemonade, Aungst has seen just about every type of lizard, a miniature horse, lots of Lego creations and many craft projects. One year, a little boy brought in homemade butter that he made and a loaf of bread from the store. "He buttered himself a piece of bread and me a piece of bread and told me about making butter," she said. It's not so much what they bring, or even what they talk about. It's about getting them comfortable. "When they're 9, they start taking things to the fair to be judged," McDonnell said. "That's when it's competitive. This gives them experience talking about what they have." Alison Gott, 18, of New London, recalls taking her sister's pig to the Cloverbud Show & Tell before she was old enough to show herself. The Brighton Buckeyes 4-Her even helped her younger cousin before she was old enough. "They can bring anything and they get experience talking to the judge and showcasing something they are proud of," Alison said. A member of the Junior Fair Board special events committee, Alison said it the program helps build confidence in the young Cloverbuds. "I have some friends who never really did it and you can definitely tell the kids who did," she said. "It gave them a little bit more of an edge. It's a great way to teach them how to talk about their project and talk to an adult. Even if it's just a stuffed animal, it gets them to showcase something they care about." Courtney Miller, the Cloverbud coordinator for Lorain County, said each child gets a 5-minute Q&A with a judge who asks basic questions, such as what the project is about, how long they worked on it and how old they are. The projects, which can be group or individual projects, are then displayed at the Cloverbud booth in Barn 14 or in their individual club booths. "If someone doesn't have an agriculture background or they don't think they have the ability to be part of 4-H because they don't have acres and acres of land or barn space, they can," Miller said. "There are so many projects out there they can work on and it can start with just a fun way for kids to talk about what they are interested in." The Cloverbud Show & Tell takes place from noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Expo Center. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.