[Image: Ascension Parish 4-H U Participants]31 Ascension Parish 4-H'ers attended the 95th annual 4-H University June 23-25, 2009, at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 4-H'ers participated in contests, educational programs, Clover College, assemblies and night dances.
Most of the first-place or state winners in more than 40 different contests were awarded educational trips or opportunities to compete in regional or national events. The competition came in areas ranging from agricultural demonstrations to wildlife habitat judging and from career preparation to consumer decision making.
Ascension Parish had 19 members who placed in the various contests. Brittany Babineaux won first place in the Nutrition Illustrated Talk contest and was awarded a 4-H Congress trip to Atlanta, Georgia. For the Nutrition Illustrated Talk Contest, youth present an illustrated talk promoting awareness of and/or causes/solutions to food security issues in Louisiana. Scott Braud, Katie DeVeer and Elaina Vercher won first place for the Consumer Food Judging Contest and were awarded a 4-H Congress trip to Atlanta, Georgia. The Consumer Foods Judging Contest is designed to see how well the 4-H'ers have learned to make food choices. Arielle Sutton and Bryan Broussard won third place in the Sports Broadcasting Contest where they were had to broadcast a sporting event. Cody Lowery and Franki Sotile III took fourth place in the Automotive Contest. Participants were expected to properly identify 10 truck parts; detect 10 unsafe and/or hazardous conditions on an automobile; answer 50 questions on automotive topics from the 4‐H automotive project books; and demonstrate skills in the handling of a motor vehicle. Cody also won a blue ribbon in the Automotive Contest for high placing individual.
Other blue ribbon winners were: Joseph Babineaux and Ryan McDonald, Computer Simulation; Alley Castrogovannie, Ashley Earls and Allie Braud, Consumer Food; Shawn Fox, Dog Care; Megan McDonald, Fashion Review-Creative Choice; Adam Barrilleaux, Livestock Judging; and Whitney Bell and Kayla Magee, Solutions Unlimited.
Also participating were: Amber Reaves, 4-H Has Talent; Destiny Bourgeois, Child Development; Jason Burns, Dog Care; James Vercher, Insect ID; Tyler Braud, Nicholas Murphy, Ronald Bourgeois and Jessica James, Livestock Judging; Brett Brown, Taylor Gentile, Outdoor Skills; Leslie Decoteau, Lindsey Fryoux, Solutions Unlimited; and Bryan Broussard, Sports Broadcasting.