Health and Safety

Local Teen Opportunity: Youth Action Committee with the Fairfield Co. Health Department

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Through their tobacco use prevention and cessation program, the Fairfield County Health Department is recruiting youth to join our Youth Action Committee! The focus of this year will be for youth to lead a youth nicotine prevention Policy, Systems or Environmental (PSE) change project! They will work together throughout the school year to build support for the change project they decide on. Youth ages 13-18 are welcome to join!

Please pass along this exciting opportunity to youth for them to get involved to improve the health of their peers! We will be offering community service, volunteer hours, and more for those who participate throughout this school year.

Congrats to 2025 Ohio State Fair Project Winners (non-livestock)

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The non-livestock results from the 2025 Ohio State Fair are posted online. Click here to see a complete list by day. Congrats to all youth who participated in the Ohio State Fair. Outstanding of the Day rosettes are awarded to the top 20% of projects in each class. The overall winner in each class receives the Clock Trophy. We are so proud of you!

Health Day: July 23, 2025

  • Andrew Jones, First Aid in Action (Jr), Outstanding of the Day
  • Scarlett Sims, Relationships 101 (Jr), Outstanding of the Day at Clock Trophy Winner
  • Kendall Wild, Relationships 101 (Sr), Outstanding of the Day

Creative Arts Day: July 24, 2025

  • Eliana Riley, Scrapbooking (Sr), Outstanding of the Day
  • Maebri Kim, Self-Determined Creative Arts, Outstanding of the Day

Companion Animal Day: July 25, 2025

  • Evelyn Miller, Pet Rabbits (Ages 8-10), Outstanding of the Day
  • Gracie Weber, Pet Rabbits (Ages 11-13), Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Penelope Twehues, Cavies (Ages 8-13), Outstanding of the Day
  • Jackson White, All About Dogs (Ages 8-10), Outstanding of the Day

Vet Science Day: July 25, 2025

  • Gracie Weber, All Systems Go! (Vet Science 2), Outstanding of the Day

STEM Day: July 26, 2025

  • Lee Davis, ATV Safety, Outstanding of the Day
  • Beatrice Mosley, Bicycling for Fun, Level 1, Outstanding of the Day
  • Elijah Hess, Investigating Electricity, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Braeden Neff, Not Just Knots (Sr), Outstanding of the Day
  • Alexander Broecker, Science Fun with Dairy Foods, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Kristen Wild, Science Fun with Kitchen Chemistry, Outstanding of the Day
  • Kendall Wild, Young Engineers in Solar Energy, Outstanding of the Day

Photography Day: July 26, 2025

  • Brennan Linard, Next Level Photography (Book 2), Outstanding of the Day

Leadership Day: July 27, 2025

  • Cora Bell, Leadership Self-Determined, Outstanding of the Day
  • Kendall Wild, Diversity: Source of Our Strength, Outstanding of the Day

Natural Resources Day: July 28, 2025

  • Kinsley Taylor, Beekeeping (Jr), Outstanding of the Day
  • Josiah Edwards, Insect Adventures, Level 3, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Andrew Broecker, Exploring Ponds, Outstanding of the Day
  • Isaac Davis, Ohio Birds, 2nd Year, Outstanding of the Day
  • Amelia Walters, Grow Your Own Vegetables (Jr), Outstanding of the Day
  • Kristen Wild, Be a Sustainability Hero, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Makenna Lybarger, Farm to Table to Career, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner

Home Decorating Day: July 29, 2025

  • Kristin Wild, It’s My Home, Outstanding of the Day

Clothing Day: July 29, 2025

  • Halle Eastep, Dress Up Formalwear, Outstanding of the Day

Food and Nutrition Day: July 29, 2025

  • Lydia Jones, Yeast Breads on the Rise, Outstanding of the Day

Clothing Day: July 30, 2025

  • Jenna Carroll, Sew for Others (Senior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Kaylee Smith, Sew Fun (Junior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Kendall Wild, Look Great for Less (Senior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Julia Luallen, Overall Award Winner – State Harbage Clothing Award

Food and Nutrition Day: July 30, 2025

  • Teagan Ross, Racing the Clock to Awesome Meals (Senior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Emma Spillers, Star Spangled Foods (Senior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Dominic Messerly, Sports Nutrition Ready Set Go! (Junior), Outstanding of the Day

Workforce Prep Day: July 30, 2025

  • Rachel Sponseller, You’re Hired!, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Gracie Weber, Mock Job Interview (Intermediate), Outstanding of the Day and Cash Prize Winner
  • Brin Leigh Hoisington, Mock Job Interview (Senior), Outstanding of the Day and Cash Prize Winner
  • Rachel Sponseller, Mock Job Interview (Senior), Outstanding of the Day

Clothing Day: July 31, 2025

  • Peyton Patridge, em-bel-lish, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Scarlett Sims, Ready, Set, Sew Active, Outstanding of the Day

Food and Nutrition Day: July 31, 2025

  • Madeline Sheridan, Take a Break for Breakfast (Junior), Outstanding of the Day

Shooting Sports Day: August 1, 2025

  • Jonathan Robberts, Rifle (Junior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Walter Mosley, Archery (Junior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Madison Menke, Archery (Senior), Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner
  • Gracie Weber, Living History, Outstanding of the Day and Clock Trophy Winner

 

Self-Determined Day: August 3, 2025

  • Alice Berger, Self-Determined (Junior), Outstanding of the Day
  • Makenna Lybarger, Self-Determined (Senior), Outstanding of the Day

Summer Judging Results – Available Online!

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All results from this past week are/will be posted online. Click here for all results.

Congrats to all 4-H members who completed their projects and participated in judging this week! You all did a great job… keep up the great work!

All award winners will be invited to attend Summerfest to receive their awards. Summerfest will be held on Sunday, August 17th at 6:00 p.m. at the Old General Sherman Building. Emailed invitations will be sent to county award winners in a few weeks.

Tick Safety Video from OSU Extension

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This Tick Safety video was recorded with OSU Extension and American Electric Power’s Safety Division and is hosted on YouTube.  It is not as long as a full webinar and focuses the most on keeping our families and our animals tick safe.  As we go into Camp Season, it would be a good thing to review and to share to your families as the heaviest spikes of Lyme Disease are from June to August and the number one and number two most diagnosed Lyme disease cases in Ohio are our children aged 5-9 and 10-14.  Please share this out via social media and consider showing this to your camp counselors so we can increase tick safety in our kiddos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az-1VK9mlGs

4-H Summer Judging – Scheduling will open the week of June 16th

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Hello 4-H Members! We hope that you are busy working on your 4-H projects this summer. Here are a few important updates to be aware of:

  • All Summer Judged Projects will be judged on the following days: Monday, July 14th and Tuesday, July 15th. Scheduling for these dates will open the week of June 16th (watch email/blog posts for the scheduling link). Please be aware that certain projects will be judged on certain days – please review the 2025 4-H Member Handbook to determine your project judging day(s). Writing Projects have been moved to Monday, July 14th.

If you cannot attend judging during this week, you can:

  1. Attend Late Judging on Tuesday, July 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by calling 740-653-5419 to schedule an appointment. Participation in Late Judging receives a grade only and is not eligible for county awards or state fair consideration.
  2. Advisor Completion – Talk to your club advisor as they can work with you to review your project for completion only. No grades or awards will be given with this option.

Please review the 2025 4-H Member Handbook as you complete your project(s) and prepare for judging.

Youth enrolled in the Tractor Maintenance Club or Shooting Sports Club do not need to complete summer judging if they met all completion requirements at the club level for Small Engine/Tractor Projects and or 700 level Shooting Sports disciplines (Shotgun, Rifle, Archery). However, if they wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair for any of these projects, they must attend summer judging for each project.

Youth enrolled in Cake Decorating have the option for summer judging completion or county fair completion. If youth wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair, they must complete summer judging.

Food and Nutrition Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Menu Planning Worksheet and Food Project Insert packet. Members WILL NOT bring food to judging.

Clothing Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Style Revue Card and Clothing Project Insert packet.

  • Clothing Project Members plan to attend the Style Revue at Liberty Union High School, July 14th, 7:00 p.m. This is a required part of judging to be eligible for county awards and State Fair participation.

Meet the Authors of 4-H Project Books – KITCHEN BOSS and SUPERHERO YOU!

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Would an experienced 4-H member you know like to learn boss-level cooking skills, or would you like a youth to discover their superpowers? If so, plan to join National 4-H’s next Meet the Authors Webinar!

Authors Emily Marrison, Rhonda Williams, and Christy Millhouse will showcase the Ohio 4-H projects, Kitchen Boss and Superhero You in back-to-back sessions.

Register for the webinar today at go.osu.edu/4hmta and mark your calendar for May 28, 2025, at 3:30 pm!

Teen Opportunity: Anti-Vaping Video Contest (win prizes!!)

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Attention Fairfield County Teens – the Fairfield County Health Department needs your help! Help put together an anti-vaping video.

Contestants will have the chance to showcase their creativity, compete for prizes, and make a positive impact in their community!

Details:

  • Youth ages 12-18 who reside in Fairfield County
  • Submission deadline: May 1st
  • Prizes: AirPods, various gift cards, and more!

Please share this opportunity! Attached is a flyer with additional information for distribution and a sign-up link.

Club Opportunity: 2024 4th H Club Challenge is live!

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We pledge our “health to better living,” but do we actually practice it? Practicing healthy habits and choices has lifelong effects on the health of youth, and the 4th H Club Challenge promotes this by encouraging Ohio 4-H Clubs to learn, practice, and advocate for healthy choices and behaviors at 4-H club meetings.

Each club that completes the challenge before the deadline will be entered into the $100 voucher drawing for their region, with the winning club receiving funds to purchase items like project books, educational tool, or other resources for their club.

How does it work? Apply three healthy practices per meeting (see list below) at six or more 4-H club meetings between Jan. – Dec. 2024.

  1. Register and complete pre-survey. https://go.osu.edu/4thHClubChallenge
  2. Record the dates and activities in the 4th H tracker link. (tracker link will be provided after registering)
  3. Share a picture of your club doing a healthy practice on social media. Be sure to include the official hashtag #Ohio4thHClubChallenge.
  4. Submit all activities to the tracker link by Dec. 31, 2024.

If your club already does some health practices, great! We encourage you to challenge yourselves with different or new health practices for your club.

2024 Summer Judging Results

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Wow! 403 project judged in two days at 4-H Summer Judging! This includes 273 of our 4-H project members! We are so proud of all members who worked so hard on these projects (additional photos coming soon!).
In the meantime, RESULTS ARE POSTED! go.osu.edu/fcsummerjudgingresults
(sort by division or search by name).
If selected as an Ohio State Fair Participant – please confirm your participation by picking up your OSF packet as soon as possible at the Extension Office (831 College Ave, Suite D). If you can not attend OSF, please notify the office so that we can reach out to the alternate! We need to finalize OSF participation by Monday, July 22nd.
Award winners will receive information later this month about 4-H Summerfest (scheduled for Sunday, August 18th at 6:00 p.m. at the Liberty Center).

Scheduling for 4-H Summer Judging is OPEN!

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We hope that you are busy working on your 4-H projects this summer. Here are a few important updates to be aware of:

  • All Summer Judged Projects will be judged on the following days:
    • Monday, July 15, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment).
      • Food & Nutrition NEW FOR 2024-NO FOOD IS BROUGHT TO JUDGING
      • Genealogy
      • Home/Money
      • Creative/Fine Arts (including Cake Decorating)
      • Healthy Living
      • Collecting
      • ALL Self-Determined Projects
      • Clothing
    • Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (by appointment).
      • Animal Science
      • Robotics
      • Communications/Leadership/Citizenship
      • STEM
      • Nature/Gardening
      • Woodworking

If you cannot attend judging during this week, you can:

  1. Attend Late Judging on Monday, July 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by calling 740-653-5419 to schedule an appointment. Participation in Late Judging receives a grade only and is not eligible for county awards or state fair consideration.
  2. Advisor Completion – Talk to your club advisor as they can work with you to review your project for completion only. No grades or awards will be given with this option.
  • Please review the 4-H Member Handbook as you complete your project(s) and prepare for judging.
  • Youth enrolled in the Tractor Maintenance Club or Shooting Sports Club do not need to complete summer judging if they met all completion requirements at the club level for Small Engine/Tractor Projects and or 700 level Shooting Sports disciplines (Shotgun, Rifle, Archery). However, if they wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair for any of these projects, they must attend summer judging for each project.
  • Youth enrolled in Cake Decorating projects have the option for summer judging completion or county fair completion. If youth wish to qualify for the Ohio State Fair, they must complete summer judging. All Pies, Candies and Pastries are judged at fair only.
  • NEW FOR 2024! Youth enrolled in Gardening and Crop projects must complete summer judging. Project books should be up to date and as complete as possible regardless of timing of harvest.
  • Food and Nutrition Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Food Project Insert packet.
  • Clothing Project Members should also review their project book inserts. These were tucked inside your project book if books were purchased at the Fairfield County Extension Office. If needed, you can download these here: Style Revue Card and  Clothing Project Insert packet.
  • Clothing Project Members plan to attend the Style Revue at Liberty Union High School, July 15, 2024, 7:00 p.m. This is a required part of judging to be eligible for county awards and State Fair participation.  A practice session will be available on Monday, July 15, 2024, at 6:30-7:00 p.m. at Liberty Union High School.
  • Scheduling is now open!
    • We ask that you schedule an appointment that works best for you by using this link: http://go.osu.edu/fcsummerjudging
    • Scheduling will be open through MIDNIGHT, Thursday, July 11th. 
    • If you have more than one project, please be sure to schedule an appointment for EACH PROJECT and allow time between appointments to complete each interview.

Please contact the Extension Office if you have additional questions about project judging! We can’t wait to see you!