Project Record Judging=Lobster

  Ever wonder what happens to your project record and portfolios after you turn them in to the 4-H office in January?  Well here is the behind the scenes, nitty gritty of the process.
  Each and every book is reviewed by your 4-H staff to make sure it is suitable to move forward for judging.  Not all books are, and those that aren't don't pass go and do not have the opportunity to receive money.  Those that are suitable get logged into a spreadsheet that has all the tracking information we need to follow it through the process.
  The 4-H staff coordinates with the 4-H staff in Bladen and Cumberland Counties and we have a record book judging day.  On that day volunteers and staff from each county come together to judge books.  The secret of this is that volunteers cannot judge any books from their own county.  So Robeson County Volunteers can judge Bladen and Cumberland, while Bladen County Volunteers can judge Cumberland and Robeson and Cumberland county volunteers can judge Bladen and Robeson.  What makes this day so much fun is reading what you, the 4-H member writes.  Our judges love your stories, funny anecdotes, and seeing what you have learned.  Each and every word is gone over by two judges before ribbons can be awarded.   You might wonder why our volunteers do this.  Well the truth is they do it out of the goodness of their heart, love of our 4-H members, and wanting you to get something out of this program.  A few find the free food (we feed them lunch) and enticing opportunity, and well there is one who is holding out for lobster...but that's a whole other story.
  Once all the judging has taken place and ribbons awarded the books go back to their counties and the agents get the first and second place books in each division into the state registration system and then physically deliver them up to the state 4-H office.  In April, volunteers from around the state will read all the award winning record books and portfolios to determine who is the best of the best.  Will it be someone from Robeson County?  We will have to wait and see.