Contest Coordinator

Thank you for serving as the 4-H Food Showdown Contest Coordinator. This contest allows youth the opportunity to gain food and nutrition knowledge, express creativity, and gain leadership skills while working as a team. The 4-H Food Showdown is more than a contest, participants will gain life skills to last a lifetime. A successful 4-H Food Showdown requires advanced planning and assembly prior to the contest to ensure that all ingredients are assembled and resources are placed with the contest materials. However, once the contest starts, it is fun, for the 4-H members, contest coordinators and volunteers. We hope this guide will be useful as you begin planning your contest.

 

Purpose

Provide structured learning experiences and project opportunities for 4-H members with an interest in Food and Nutrition projects. Work with Food Showdown committee members to plan and conduct a Food Showdown event on the county and/or district level.

 

Benefits

• Opportunity to work with youth and/or adults providing positive support and growth
  experience.
• Gain and/or enhance knowledge and skills in the Food and Nutrition subject area.
• Opportunity to share your skills, talents, and interest.
• Experience personal growth while serving as a caring adult.

 

• Primary Responsibilities
  • Study, understand and practice the purpose and philosophy of the 4-H youth development program.
  • Actively seek volunteers and youth from diverse backgrounds in your community, county and/or district to assist with the contest.
  • Commit to enhancing the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development Program.
  • Conduct at least one educational workshop or series of workshops that enables adults/youth to become more knowledgeable or more prepared for the 4-H Food Showdown.
  • Communicate regularly with county Extension Educator, Parent-Volunteer Association, club leaders, clubs, families, and members.
  • Provide positive learning experiences for youth interested in the Food and Nutrition subject matter area.
  • Become acquainted with the project and activities related to the Food and Nutrition project.
  • Serve as a resource to provide project related information.
  • Follow the behavioral guidelines while serving as a positive role model for youth.
  • Become acquainted with the project and activities related to the Food and Nutrition project.
  • Recruit and coordinate committee members.
  • Provide event notification.
  • Plan 4-H Food Showdown.
  • Collaborate with committee members to determine:
    • Facility
    • Judges
    • Ingredient selection
    • Publicity
    • Prizes
    • Conduct orientation sessions or appoint trained volunteer for:
      • Participant
      • Safety
      • Judges
• Extension Educators and Extension agree to
  • Provide orientation to the Oklahoma 4-H program’s mission, purpose and goals as they relate to youth development and programming.
  • Provide orientation, educational programs and resource materials to develop an individual’s understanding and management of volunteer assignments.
  • Effectively communicate and encourage opportunities for continuing education on the district and state levels.
  • Set educational tone and direction for 4-H and Extension programs. Serving as a resource person on the basic philosophy of the 4-H youth development program and 4-H organizational structure.
  • Complete annual evaluation of volunteer.
  • Provide access to educational materials and resources for programming.
  • Provide position descriptions for leadership roles and committees for use at the local and county level.
  • Maintain sound working relationship with volunteers and parents involved in the 4-H program providing assistance, support and encouragement.
  • Give recognition for time and energy devoted by volunteers at all levels of the 4-H program.
  • Inform volunteers in a timely manner of events and activities via social media, newsletter, general correspondence, by telephone or text.
  • Provide educational support for program planning and evaluation.
• Qualifications
  • In good standing as a OK 4-H certified volunteer.
  • Individual who is knowledgeable of the county 4-H program and seeking a means for sharing their time, talents and resources outside of a local club/unit.
  • An appreciation of informal education.
  • Interest and desire to educate and develop life skills through positive youth development, programs and activities.
  • Able to provide 4-H members with positive encouragement and support.
  • Good organizational and communication skills.
  • Enthusiasm, patience and understanding
  • High level of personal integrity.
  • Dependable transportation, phone and Internet access are desired, but not required.
• Time Required
  • Commitment of 3 to 6 months negotiable annually.
  • 1-3 committee meetings per year; 1-2 hours per meeting.
  • Regular reports to the county Educator and Parent-Volunteer Association.
  • Time necessary to plan and conduct educational workshops in the area of Food and Nutrition for other volunteers and/or youth. (1-2 times per year)
  • Facilitate planning and implementation of the 4-H Food Showdown. Including securing facility, contacting judges, purchasing supplies for the event, securing prizes and set-up/clean-up. (15-20 hours)
  • 3-6 hours the day of the event coordinating volunteers and judges for an event.
• Before the contest
  • Review all Contest objectives, Participant Rules, Food Showdown Supply Box items, Suggested Common Pantry Items, Rules of Play, Rules for Kitchen Safety and Participant Orientation. All of these items are found in the member portion of the 4-H Food Showdown manual.
  • Select dishes/ingredients that require approximately 20 to 30 minutes for preparation AND cook time so that teams can prepare the dish in their 40-minute time-frame.
  • When selecting secret ingredients and items in the common pantry, consider adding one or two unique ingredients. Also try to focus on healthy dishes and ingredients.
  • Thoughtfully divide secret ingredients among teams to help keep costs down. (i.e. 2 ribs of celery per team vs. entire celery stalk)
  • Keep in mind teams will not have access to ovens and will be limited to cooking sources and utensils in the team’s supply box.
  • Consider using pre-cooked proteins that can safely be heated quickly and served for younger youth.
  • Review and print all of the resources for each team. Suggest placing in a folder.
  • During event pre-registration, ask participants if they have any food allergies or religious practices that should be considered when participating in a 4-H Food Showdown.
  • When setting up your Common Pantry place in a central location for teams. Include an ice chest to hold cold items. Provide small plates, condiment size cups, etc. to help reduce ingredient waste.
  • Allow plenty of time to set-up the contest tables, prepare secret ingredient bags/kits and to organize the common pantry.
• Judge’s orientation
  • Provide introductions. Divide judges and judge’s helpers into judging groups (Junior and Senior if applicable).
  • Review objectives of the 4-H Food Showdown:
    • Provide opportunities for participants to exhibit their food and nutrition knowledge, skill, and creativity when preparing and presenting food.
    • Provide opportunities for participants to learn from other team members, while promoting teamwork.
    • Give participants opportunities for public speaking and leadership.
    • Give 4-H members the opportunity to participate in a competitive event.
  • Review proper participant dress code.
  • Teams are made up of a maximum of three members from the same county.
• Procedures
  • Each team will bring their supply box that will be used to create and prepare a dish. Only items on the supply list are allowed in the supply box. Contest volunteers have screened boxes during check-in and judges should not have look for non-compliant utensils.
  • Each team’s preparation table will have their four secret ingredients covered, an educational resource packet to aid in presentation.
  • Teams must use some of each secret ingredient provided in their dish.
  • Creativity is encouraged.
  • Teams can use any items in the common pantry.
  • Proper kitchen safety should be observed throughout the contest and considered part of the evaluation.
  • Teams will prepare their dishes and presentation during the allotted 40 minutes. At the conclusion of the 40 minutes teams will present one portion/serving of their created dish to the judges and give a 5- minute presentation, followed by three minutes of questions from the judges.
  • Each member of the team must contribute to the presentation and all members must participate.
  • Judges are encouraged to taste the food but will do so at their discretion. Judges will be provided clean plates and plastic-ware for each recipe presented.
  • Judges will collaborate to rank the teams.
  • Judges’ results are final upon announcement.

   

  Judges should be given a list of the secret ingredients provided and an educational resource packet.

• Resources for presentation
  • Each team has a packet of resources to use for the presentation. They include What’s on Your Plate, Food Safety brochure, Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures, Food & Nutrient Needs at a Glance, Healthful Recipe Substitutions, Kitchen Safety, and 4-H Food Showdown Worksheet.
  • Presentations should include items outlined on the Food Showdown Scorecard, as well as, additional information the team may feel the judges should know about their dish.
• Scorecard
  • Teams will be ranked. No numerical scores are given.
  • Provide comments for each team to help them improve their future presentations and participation in the Food Showdown. Constructive feedback provides young people a positive learning experience.
  • Review the scorecard prior to start of contest and determine what you will need to consider when ranking the teams.