4-H at the Montana State Fair

Please contact Jennifer Volkmar, Cascade County MSU Extension 4-H and Youth Development Agent, at (406) 454-6980 or jennifer.volkmar@montana.edu with 4-H Fair questions.

4-H Schedule of Events

Times and Events are Subject to Change

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4-H Fair Interview Judging & Scoring

Judging

4-H members use goal setting, problem solving, and ingenuity skills to create an exhibit that demonstrates what they have learned about their 4-H project over the last year. They then meet with a volunteer judge to communicate goals, challenges, and use of creative thinking. Through this process, 4-H members will grow and learn to be confident, skilled, and introspective individuals.

Volunteer judges will ask questions to learn more about an exhibitor’s project and what they have learned throughout their year in 4-H. The more details an exhibitor provides about the display of knowledge gained, the more likely it is exhibitors will earn more interview points.

Exhibitors should expect judges to ask these questions but must be prepared for any other question a judge may ask.

1. What is your name, age, and number of years you've been in this project and project level?
2. What were your project goals at the beginning of your 4-H year?
3. Did you meet your goals?
   1. If no, why not?
   2. If yes, what made you successful?
4. How do you feel you did with this project?
5. What are your future plans for this project?

Scoring Guide

Each bullet point within a scoring category may not directly reflect the individual and their exhibit(s), but as a general collection of points. Each placing is comprised from a total of 20 possible points, 10 points from the interview and 10 points from the exhibit.

Blue Ribbon Placing: Above Average

Red Ribbon Placing: Average

White Ribbon Placing: Below Average

  Judging Levels and Expectations 

1. Excellent
   • Member brought their project book but the activity for which they are entering their exhibit is complete. (Only required if exhibitor is entering "any project from project book." Not valid for any other project, exhibit, poster, or open exhibit.)
   • Excellent eye contact.
   • Clear speaking.
   • Shows enthusiasm.
   • Excellent knowledge of project.
   • Excellent responses to questions.
   • Clear explanation of goals, challenges, and lessons learned.
   • Neat and tidy appearance appropriate for an interview.
   • Exhibit shows a great deal of details and/or creativity.
   • Member has gone above and beyond to complete an excellent exhibit.
   • Quality of exhibit exceeds expectations of the member's project level and/or age division.
2. Above Average
   • Member brought their project book but the activity for which they are entering their exhibit is complete. (Only required if exhibitor is entering "any project from project book." Not valid for any other project, exhibit, poster, or open exhibit.)
   • Good eye contact, clear speaking, and enthusiasm.
   • Good knowledge of project, able to explain what was done.
   • Shows above average learning in project.
   • Good response to interview questions.
   • Quality of exhibit meets or exceeds expectations of the member's project level and/or age division.
3. Average
   • Member brought their project book but the activity for which they are entering their exhibit is complete. (Only required if exhibitor is entering "any project from project book." Not valid for any other project, exhibit, poster, or open exhibit.)
   • Decent eye contact.
   • Fair knowledge of project, mostly able to explain what was done.
   • Shows growth or learning in project.
   • Decent response to interview questions.
   • Has room for improvement but good overall.
   • Quality of exhibit meets the expectations of the member's age and/or project level.
4. Below Average
   • Member brought their project book but the activity for which they are entering their exhibit is not complete. (Only required if exhibitor is entering "any project from project book." Not valid for any other project, exhibit, poster, or open exhibit.)
   • Some or little eye contact.
   • Needs leading by interviewer to answer questions.
   • Little to no knowledge of project, but somewhat able to explain what was done.
   • Shows some growth or learning in project.
   • Quality of exhibit does not meet the expectations of the member's age and/or project level.
5. Inadequate
   • Member did not bring their project book. (Only required if exhibitor is entering "any project from project book" entry. Not valid for any other project, exhibit, poster, or open exhibit.)
   • Little to no eye contact.
   • Responses were vague.
   • Little to no growth or learning.
   • Not dressed appropriately for an interview.
   • Poor response to interview questions.
   • Overall, very unprepared and disengaged.
   • Quality of exhibit does not meet the expectations of the member's age and/or project level.
   • Project completed through means of excessive parent or other adult help.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status. Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dr. Cody Stone, Director of Extension, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717.