4-H and FFA Opportunities for Non-Farm Kids: Life Skills

As previously mentioned in another blog, agriculture-based youth programs include opportunities

Group of students judging a class of Hereford cattle.

including livestock programs with show projects and judging teams. Not many people know the life skills that are taught behind the scenes. The journal article by Chad Martin and Clint Rusk also details life skills provided through these programs, specifically livestock judging. It states "They learn to develop a thought process through the assimilation of concepts identified with proper evaluation practices. Through active preparation for the contest situation, called "work-out" sessions, participants become associated with and learn to adjust to pressure situations." Oral reasons are a great example of a life skill as it provides public speaking skills while defending their decisions. Oral reasons describe contestants' thought process in the selection of the livestock or cuts of meat. Additionally, "participation on livestock judging teams is credited with improved critical thinking, improved organization, delivery, and accuracy of written and oral communication processes." 

Another journal article written by Larry D. Gutherie and J. Lee Majeskie detail Dairy Judging in more detail. They describe livestock judging to have benefits in "personal growth: team skills, interpersonal relationships, critical thinking skills, self-discipline, situation analysis, decision-making skills, organizational skills, verbal expression, and defense of decisions." Whether students grew up with an agricultural background, "nondairy farm youth learn about the importance and magnitude of the dairy industry, and many of them continue their involvement in the dairy cattle judging programs as volunteers." Given these points, not only are students learning the information needed to identify an ideal animal or cut of meat, they are learning more about each industry within agriculture along the way which teaches them to be logical agricultural advocates. Students coming from a non-agricultural background to being in a judging team of four will be a great experience for anyone. Are there other clubs that teach life skills? Yes. Will my child learn these same skills in another club? Possibly. As someone who grew up with an agricultural background, I think it is amazing when my classmates grew up in the city and have come to UT to major in agriculture. It shows how wonderful the agriculture industry really is because it teaches so many things including the life skills needed for the workforce.