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Thurston County 4-H Pack Goat Challenge Set For June 3rd – Register By June 1st!

Emily Killeen

4-H youth enrolled in the Utility Goat/Pack Goat 4-H project are invited to participate in the Thurston County 4-H Pack Goat Challenge.

When:  Saturday, June 3
Where:  Thurston County Fairgrounds, East Arena
Cost:  Entry Fee: $10.00
Time:  Check-in between 10:30-11:00 a.m., Challenge to begin at 11 a.m.
Sponsored by the 24 Carrots 4-H Club

Exhibitors will take their goat through a ten obstacle, simulated trail course and answer questions about goat health/care, breeds, packing, hiking safety, and 4-H. Multiple judges will be stationed throughout the course, so exhibitors will be going through sections of the course at the same time. Exhibitors will receive a score for their knowledge, hike readiness, and ease of traversing the obstacles with their goat. Prizes will be awarded to the top exhibitors in all age groups except Cloverbud. All Cloverbud exhibitors are non-competitive and will receive a participation award.

Rules:

  • Washington State 4-H Policies and Procedures will apply.
  • All exhibitors must keep their goat on a halter/collar and lead at all times. Halters are preferred on horned goats as leading a horned goat by the collar can result in injury.
  • Cloverbud Exhibitors (5-7 yrs. as of Oct. 1, 2022) must use a novelty or pygmy goat.  A novelty goat is defined as a small goat that is purebred or crossbred lineage; is up to 23 inches in height and weighs no more than 65 pounds.
  • Exhibitors must wear appropriate hiking attire/footwear and carry a backpack with the ten essentials.
  • Goats must wear a pack: soft pack or cross buck. Goats under one year are not required to wear a pack.
  • Horned goats must have their horn tips covered. Scurs (horn regrowth) over 1” must be covered. Goat horn tip covers must be constructed of materials that offer adequate protection (such as foam pool noodle, pipe insulation, tennis balls, or other padding combined with vet wrap). Vet wrap alone does not offer enough horn tip protection.
  • Goats exhibiting unsafe behavior will be asked to skip an obstacle and/or excused from the arena.
  • No intact males over six months of age.
  • For pack goat training and youth contest information please refer to the North American Packgoat Association Guidebook https://napga.org/packgoat-guidebook/

Questions?

Please email tc4h@co.thurston.wa.us and cc 4-H volunteer, Jenny Taylor, at jenny4h@ymail.com

Registration:

Please complete the Google Form to pre-register: https://forms.gle/Uh4JcdhDAQSjrp9dA

Exhibitors coming from a county other than Thurston County should bring a printed copy of the Member Health Form

(printed from 4-HOnline).

Registration payment by cash or check (payable to 24 Carrots 4-H) will be made at check in.
Registrations must be received by Thursday, June 1, 2023.
No day-of registrations will be accepted.

Download the event flyer HERE.

Alaska to Host 4-H Summit in 2024 – Workshop Proposal Descriptions Due June 1, 2023!

 

 To All members of the 4-H community,

I am a volunteer 4-H leader in Fairbanks, Alaska. We have missed our Western Regional 4-H Leaders Forum for the last several years and so we decided to put on a similar event ourselves. However, we realize there are people all over the US doing 4-H that we have not had the privilege of meeting yet, so we want to invite you to come to our 2024 4-H Summit. It will be held on Feb. 29-March 1 in Fairbanks, Alaska. We have plenty of daylight by then so you can enjoy meeting fellow 4-H leaders while staying cozy inside or get outside to view the Aurora and enjoy other outdoor activities.

Utah Ambassadors are coming up to lead a teen track for members 14 and older.

The registration cost will be $300. Rooms are available right now to reserve your spot at the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks.

Check out our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086504940112 ) to keep current with new developments.

Also, our web page is up and running, still under development but that is where to find the workshop call for proposals- https://friendsofalaska4-h.com/2024-summit/

We are looking for fun interactive workshops, descriptions are due June 1.

We already have the code for the room discount so you can book your room and the Alaska Airlines code so you book your flight.  Don’t wait! We only have room for 300 participants.

Please plan to join us with your family and friends. We are so excited to share the great state of Alaska with you and learn about 4-H in your state.

Jan Hanscom
2024 4-H Summit

Linn-Benton CC (Oregon) Presents Livestock Judging Camp – Register By June 1st!

Paul Kuber

Hello everyone,

I am the judging coach at Linn-Benton CC in Oregon. Last year we had a handful of Washington kids participate in our camp and I’m hoping to see more next month. We are hosting our camp June 26th through 28th in Albany, Oregon. I have included our registration/schedule. Registrations are due by June 1, 2023.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sierra J. Meyers
Agriculture Science Faculty
Livestock Judging Coach
Linn-Benton Community College
Office: WOH 127C (541) 917- 4770

Grow Your Digital Knowledge and Support The Washington 4-H Tech Changemaker Teens!

 

Please support our Washington State 4-H Tech Changemaker (TCM)* Program Teens today! Our seven-partner site** TCM teens have reached more than 2500 Washington citizens, in person!

Please view our videos, which assist us in meeting our virtual education goals. Each video watched contributes an additional $40 to our WA TCM project from our funders, if viewed in the month of May! 

We are proud of our youth and their work advancing public understanding of the digital world! (Videos are 4-10 minutes long)

Give us THREE more minutes and complete a survey on your impressions of the video(s) you watched!

https://4hcouncil.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_57pa913cL7N188K

Visit our State 4-H TCM website at: 4-H Tech Changemakers | 4-H Youth Development Program | Washington State University (wsu.edu) 

*The funders included Microsoft; Land O’ Lakes, Inc.; Tractor Supply, and Verizon. The National 4-H Council administers the project.

**Partner counties include Spokane, Ferry, Whatcom, Chelan, Grays Harbor, the Kalispel Tribal site, & Wahkiakum.

Gary F. Varrella, Ph.D.
WSU Spokane County Extension Director & 4-H Educator
509-477-2163 (office) 509-435-3369 (cell)

Visit our web page: http://extension.wsu.edu/spokane/4h/

Like 4-H Facebook: spokane4h‎

Like WSU Extension on Facebook: wsuextensionspokanecounty

Pierce County Leaders Council Hosts Small Animal Fun’Raiser On June 10th!

Mike Seiber

Get practice showing your animals for the upcoming Fair season. The Pierce County Leaders Council invites all youth to an open Cavy, Rabbit, and Poultry show on June 10, 2023 at Frontier Park, 21606 Meridian E, Graham, WA 98338.  The show will take place in the Rabbit Barn at the back of the park near the large parking lot.  Rabbits and Cavies will begin at 9:00 a.m. with Poultry following at 11:00 a.m.  The show will include showmanship and judging for each species.

The fee is $10 per animal payable at the door.  The funds generated by the Fun’Raiser go toward grants and scholarships for Pierce County 4-H Members.

4-H Military Teen Adventure Camp Volunteer Help Needed!

Ashley Hernandez-Hall

 Hello 4-H Volunteers!

Is going to summer camp a memory you cherish? Would you like to help teens create summer camp memories? Your help is needed to facilitate an awesome camp experience for teens of military families this July in beautiful Darrington, Washington.

Hosting teens free of charge and providing an excellent camp experience is a tangible way we can say Thank You to our military families all across the country. To date, we have hosted teens from almost all of our fifty states. To meet appropriate camper/counselor ratios with our current camper demand, we are in need of more overnight counselors, mentors, and activity leaders and co-leaders. No military affiliation is necessary. Training is provided. Come share your passion and enthusiasm with teens for one or both sessions of camp: Session One: July 12-16, 2023 | Session Two: July 17-21, 2023

To learn more about the camp or to apply to volunteer, visit: https://extension.wsu.edu/4h/youth/camps/military-teen-adventure-camps/

You may also contact our Camp Coordinator at 4h.militarycamps@wsu.edu

Ashley Hall, Ph.D.
she/her/hers (curious why is this here?)
4-H Assistant Professor
Washington State University
Snohomish County Extension
C: 425-521-0357 (voice and text)
a.hernandez-hall@wsu.edu

Statewide 4-H Photo Club Virtual Contest Entries Due By June 11th!

Pam Watson

Washington State 4-H Virtual Photo Club Contest – Entries and RULES 

Entries are DUE by midnight June 11th

Send them via email to pwatson@wsu.edu, you MUST put “Virtual Photo Contest” in the subject line.

Show different things that you have learned through live or recorded viewing of virtual photo club. You can find the links to the recordings (5 sessions) in previous issues of the WA 4-H Tuesday News and on our Explore 4-H with WSU Extension Facebook page.

All entries will receive feedback for each photo by the week following July 4th.

Cloverbuds will receive a certificate of participation.

The top Junior, Intermediate and Senior photo will receive a gift certificate toward an arts & craft supply store.

We will do our best to publish the photos and their placings in the Washington  4-H Tuesday News and on our Explore 4-H with WSU Extension Facebook page.

RULES: 

Three (3) entries maximum per youth

You must title or caption each of your entries (please name each photo file entry with the title/caption that you use so we can match them up) and answer the following questions for each entry:

  1. Type/format and name of camera used (if it was a phone or tablet or camera let us know that and the name of the device)?
  2. What technique(s) are you showing or demonstrating with this photo?
  3. What did you do to arrive at your final photo (crop, lighten, darken, in camera or using a computer, etc.)?
  4. What was your F-stop/aperture (this info should be recorded in your meta-data)?
  5. What was your shutter speed? (this info should be recorded in your meta-data)?

Thank you for learning with us!

Pam Watson, M.Ed.
WSU Lewis County Extension, 4-H and Poultry
4-H Youth Development Agent, WSU Faculty

Washington State 4-H Teens Awarded National 4-H ‘Lead to Change’ Mini-Grant!

Somer Meade

Following a trip to Washington DC for the 4-H Teen Ignite Conference, six Youth Advocates for Health (YA4-H!) Teen Teachers are helping organize a state-wide service project called Kind Care Kits. These kits will include social-emotional activities for siblings who have a brother or sister who is sick and spending time at Ronald McDonald House (RMHC) and Children’s Hospital locations across our state.

In March, these dedicated  4-H teens helped develop the project and submit a grant proposal to National 4-H Council to help fund the project. In early April, they found out their project was selected to advance to the next stage, and in late April, they gave a presentation over zoom on the merits of their project.

Last week, they got the great news that their 4-H ‘Lead to Change’ proposal was accepted, and they will receive $2,000 to put towards supplies for the Kind Care Kits. WSU 4-H is also matching the $2,000, so they will be able to make a total of 400 kits to disperse to three RMHC sites. To help fill any gaps, they are also working with the libraries in their communities to seek donations of art supplies.

Help us congratulate these six teens on their success, as we look forward to taking the project state wide, where teens attending the state conference in June will have the opportunity to help with kit assembly.

    • Stella Marsh, Spokane County 4-H
    • Taegan Flake, Spokane County 4-H
    • Abby Hepting, Spokane County 4-H
    • Kaelynn Schultz, Skamania County 4-H
    • Ruth Rausch, King County 4-H
    • Sylvia Corey, Snohomish County 4-H

WS4-HA State Award Winners Move On To Regional Competition!

Pam Watson, WSU Lewis County 4-H, WS4-HA Awards Chair

Do you know a hard-working WSU 4-H County Faculty or Staff person? Have you absolutely loved a program or promotional item they have shared in the county? Some of our industrious faculty and staff have taken the time to apply for national awards through our professional organization. The awards are judged by their peers – first at the state level, then onto regionals (13 states in the Western Region), and from there, four applications are reviewed for top honors in each category at the national level – in order to select the very best. Awards are received at our national conference each fall.

The following applicants and awards have been moved forward to the Western Regional level. Congratulations to all of our applicants, reviewing the applications is always fun because we get to see what others are doing around the state. A big thank you also to all of our reviewers for taking the time to go through the applications, make comments, and score each item.

In the Specialty Awards Category: 
4-H Military Partnership Innovating for Success Award- Gary Varrella and team
First Time Attendee- Melanie Greer
Excellence in Natural Resources- Linda McLean
Denise Miller Innovator Award- Michael Wallace and team
Excellence in Shooting Sports- Ashley Hernandez-Hall and team

In the Communicator Awards Category: 
Media Presentation- Brian Brandt
Radio/Audio Program-Melanie Greer
Promotional Package- Team- Brian Brandt and team
Promotional Piece- Team- Brian Brandt and team
Published Photo- Linda McLean
Social Media Piece- Team- Brian Brandt and team
Social Media Package/ Campaign – Team- Brian Brandt and team
Exhibit- Linda McLean
Feature Story- Linda McLean
Educational Piece -Team- Brian Brandt and team

Congratulations!

Pam Watson, M.Ed.
WSU Lewis County Extension
4-H Youth Development Agent, WSU Faculty

Updated PNW Horse Judges List Is Now Available!

Jennifer Leach

An updated PNW Horse Judges List is now available. It can be found at https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2050/2023/05/PNW-Horse-Judges-3.14.23..pdf

Counties are encouraged to select 4-H Horse judges off the PNW 4-H horse judges list. However, in Washington our policy is not to mandate that judges come from this list. However, if a county choose to hire a judge that is not on the PNW 4-H horse judge’s list—we encourage the counties to select a judge that understands 4-H youth development, has access to the PNW 4-H Horse contest guide, understands and judges according to the Danish system of judging and understands the value of providing positive comments in judging. The philosophy in the Washington 4-H program in horses—is that the “judge is an educator”.

In regard to the PNW 4-H Horse Contest Guide—Washington is still waiting for the final version from our PNW partner, Oregon. In the meantime, we are working on an “addendum” to specifically outline the very minimal changes to the PNW 4-H Horse Contest Guide.

Questions? Please reach out fto Jennifer Leach, State Contact for 4-H horses at jleach@wsu.edu

Enter the Washington State 4-H Fair Patch Design Contest – Closes May 30th!

 Live Link: https://extension.wsu.edu/4h/fairs/state-4-h-fair/

Download the Contest Rules and Entry Form HERE

Celebrate Pride Month With A 4-H Pride Shirt!

 

Washington State 4-H PRIDE shirts are for sale through Monday, May 22nd. The shirts will arrive the first week of June, in time for PRIDE Month. All proceeds go to supporting youth programming and community outreach for our State Teen Equity & Inclusion Ambassadors. https://www.customink.com/fundraising/wa-4-h-pride-23

2023 State Horse Bowl Results Reported

Kim Baker

Congratulations to the thirty-eight participants from six Counties who participated in the 2023 Washington State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest on May 6th at Grant County Fairgrounds.

Thank you to all the officials for their contributions of time and knowledge in making the Contest possible:

  • Ann Vondereau was the Senior Moderator, with Jennifer Leach and Ramona Leber as judges, along with scorekeepers Laura Harding and Miquela Rogers and Timer Carolyn Russo.
  • Kim Baker was the Intermediate Moderator, with Julie Hartz as the Judge and Sarah Koll and April Lightner as scorekeepers and Maria Kollin as Timer.
  • Special thank you to Carolyn Russo for arranging for such an excellent facility and to Pat Pehling for coordinating an excellent contest!

Results:

Seniors:

Champion Team – Snohomish
Reserve Champion Team – Skagit
3rd Place Team – Spokane

Top Ten Individuals

1st with Gold Medal – Alice Cottrell-Steen – Snohomish
2nd with Silver Medal – Norah Gilbertson – Spokane
3rd with Bronze Medal – Kierstan Dotzauer – Skagit
4th – Claire See – Skagit
5th – Katie Johnson – Snohomish
6th – Rachel Greiner – Skagit
7th – Stella Marsh – Spokane
8th – Lillie Hedge – Snohomish
9th – Hunter McKittrick – Snohomish
10th – Cassidy Pruiett – Skagit

Intermediates:

Champion Team – Spokane
Reserve Champion Team – Snohomish
3rd Place Team – Thurston
4th Place Team – Whitman
5th Place Teams – Skagit and Grant

Top Ten Individuals:

1st with Gold Medal – Case Friesen – Snohomish
2nd with Silver Medal – Alice McFarlane – Snohomish
3rd with Bronze Medal – Annika Warren – Spokane
4th – Leah Andreassen – Thurston
5th – Kashley Brown – Spokane
6th – Jason Dodge – Spokane
7th – Courtney Lightner – Skagit
8th – Emma Matter – Snohomish
9th – Sophia Belmer – Thurston
10th – Corbin Kuster – Spokane

Of course, the County Coaches deserve recognition for their commitment to serving the youth in their counties to prepare them for and support them in the Contest:

Skagit – Sharrie Nelson and Hannah Brown
Snohomish – RA Mazzola, Hannah Kruchek, Erika Kapur and Jaeden Kapur
Thurston – Molly Pestinger
Spokane – Cheryl Paz, Shannon Lawson and Sarah Gilbertson
Whitman – Ashley Alred and Kailub Whitman
Grant – Kristen McCrae

2023 State Hippology Contest Results Report

Kim Baker

Thirty-six 4-H members representing six counties from around our state competed in the Washington State 4-H Hippology Contest this past weekend at the Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake. We were so happy to see some new counties giving the contest a try! A huge thank you to Carolyn Russo, Grant County Fairgrounds, and anyone who had a hand in hosting this event! It was the perfect venue.

Many, many volunteers and officials are needed to put on a hippology contest and we appreciate everyone who stepped in to fill all the spots! Thank you!!

Congratulations to all our 4-H contestants! You were amazing!! We hope you had fun, learned some new things while demonstrating what you have learned so far, and are inspired to keep your knowledge base growing! We hope to see you back again next year! And a special thank you to all the coaches!

Senior Results:

State Champion Team – Snohomish
Reserve State Champion Team – Skagit/Thurston
3rd Place Team – Spokane

Senior Individual Placings:

Top Individual, Gold Medalist, and High Point Exam – Norah Gilbertson, Spokane
Reserve Individual, Silver Medalist, and High Point ID Stations – Madison Erickson-Corp, Snohomish
3rd Place Individual and Bronze Medalist – Kierstan Dotzauer, Skagit
4th Place Individual – Vivian Rice, Snohomish
5th Place Individual – Claire See, Skagit
6th Place Individual – Hannah Wold, Snohomish
7th Place Individual – Saige Bosworth, Spokane
8th Place Individual – Maria Kollin, Thurston
9th Place Individual – Ashleigh Neihart, Snohomish
10th Place Individual – Sophia Lawson, Spokane

Intermediate Results:

State Champion Team – Snohomish
Reserve State Champion Team – Spokane
3rd Place Team – Thurston
4th Place Team – Skagit
5th Place Team – Whitman
6th Place Team – Grant

Intermediate Individual Placings:

Top Individual, Gold Medalist, and High Point ID Stations – Emma Matter, Snohomish
Reserve Individual, Silver Medalist, and High Point Exam – Case Friesen, Snohomish
3rd Place Individual and Bronze Medalist – Annika Warren, Spokane
4th Place Individual – Alice McFarlane, Snohomish
5th Place Individual – Courtney Leightner, Skagit
6th Place Individual – Jason Dodge, Spokane
7th Place Individual – Sophia Balmer, Thurston
8th Place Individual – Leah Andreassen, Thurston
9th Place Individual – Kashley Brown, Spokane
10th Place Individual – Aerin Cuff, Snohomish

Remember that everyone is welcome to attend our Virtual State Equine Q & A to ask questions about any equine topic, including hippology and horse bowl. Our next meeting is scheduled for May 25th from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The Zoom meeting ID is 452-082-9765 with no passcode.

You must have a zoom account to participate.

Practice Horse Judging Contests Available Online!

 

See below about two on-line Practice Horse Judging contests that would be great for your 4-H or FFA Horse Judging teams. Each course is only $20 with unlimited access for 90 days (from your date of enrollment). Each contest has 6 classes with 2 halter and 4 performance.

There are questions, officials, and critiques at the end of each class.

Follow the links below or QR code to enroll.

Practice Judging 1 Live Link: https://catalog.extension.org/product?catalog=HorseJudgingContest

Practice Judging 2 Live Link: https://catalog.extension.org/product?catalog=1676909671DNE4F

Submitted by Jennifer Leach, 4-H Faculty Liaison State Horse Committee

Q and A Sessions for the Washington 4-H Horse Program Continue – Now On First Wednesdays!

 

Have questions about the Washington 4-H horse program? Our monthly Q and A for leaders, parents, members, and staff will now be meeting on the first Wednesday of each month via Zoom from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. beginning June 7th.

Zooms are structured around the theme/parameters of horses and youth development. They are more than “what are the rules.” There is also time set aside for input on future topics for subsequent Zooms. The Zoom meeting ID is 452-082-9765 with no passcode. You must have a zoom account to participate.

The meeting will be facilitated by Jennifer Leach, WSU Extension 4-H State Fair Board Staff Liaison.

.Feel free to contact Jennifer with any questions at LeachJ@co.cowlitz.wa.us.

Save the Date: 2023 Washington State 4-H Meat Judging Contest

Paul Kuber

The inaugural Washington State 4-H Meats Judging Contest will be held Saturday August 12th, at the Meats Laboratory in Pullman, hosted by Dr Foraker and the Department of Animal Science. The date was chosen as an opportunity to qualify teams early for the 2023 National 4-H Meats Judging Contest held during the American Royal in a Kansas City in October. Please share with those interested. Information for registration and contest format will follow.

In 2024, the contest will be held earlier in the year, in late May or early June.

State 4-H Ambassadors Present the 4-H Youth of the
Month for May!

 

The Washington State 4-H Ambassadors recognize the 4-H Youth of the Month honoree for May, Hailey Mack of Whatcom County! The Ambassadors are proud to highlight 4-H youth monthly throughout the year!

If you have any questions about the State Ambassadors, or are interested in joining, please email wa4hsa@gmail.com. We hope to hear from you!

Ask Dr. Universe: Is There Snake Venom In Antivenom? Raagini, 10, New York

 

I want to know how snake venom in the antidote makes sense!

Raagini, 10, New York

Dear Raagini,

One of my roommates is a corn snake named Buddy. He’s not venomous. But he’s a very private individual and really likes his space.

Buddy and I talked about your question with my friend Blair Perry. He’s a biologist at Washington State University. He’s an expert on snakes and venom.

Perry told me antivenom doesn’t contain actual snake venom. It’s made with antibodies to snake venom.

Antibodies are proteins. They’re part of your immune system. They travel in your blood to fight germs or dangerous molecules—like those in venom—that could hurt you. Sometimes we get vaccines to boost our antibodies so they’re ready when something harmful shows up.

But that’s not enough for snake venom.

“With a snake bite, we get so many venom molecules injected all at once,” Perry said. “Plus, they act really, really fast. There’s not enough time for the body to produce those antibodies. Even if we had antibodies from a vaccine, it probably wouldn’t be enough to respond quickly and to a large enough degree.”

So, scientists turn to big animals with strong immune systems—like horses—to make antivenom. First, they take venom from snakes. They inject horses with teeny amounts of that venom. It’s not enough venom to hurt the horse. But the horse’s body begins cranking out antibodies to the venom. Eventually, scientists can take some of the horse’s blood. They clean it up in a lab to pick out the antibodies and make it safe for people. That’s antivenom.

Antivenom works because those horse antibodies stop the venom from doing more damage to your body. They also show your own antibodies where to go and how to fight the venom.

There isn’t just one antivenom though.

“Antivenoms are specific to different types of snakes,” Perry said. “Antivenom for one kind of rattlesnake might work for other rattlesnakes or viper species with similar venom. But it might not work for cobras because cobra venom is so different.”

That’s not a problem in the United States. There aren’t many kinds of venomous snakes here. If a snake bites you, you should go to the hospital calmly and quickly. Doctors will give you antivenom if you need it.

But it’s a huge problem in other parts of the world. Some places have lots of venomous snakes. Some of those places have few resources like hospitals and labs to make antivenom.

Scientists want to make a new kind of antivenom. It would be made in a lab without snakes and horses. Hopefully, it would be easier to get this antivenom to people who need it most.

That’s why biologists like Perry study how venom works. Or why some animals—like the opossum—aren’t hurt by snake venom.

Of course, most snakes are nonvenomous like Buddy. Venomous or not, it’s important to give snakes lots of space. If you see a snake in the wild, admire it from a respectful distance.

It’s the best way to ssssstay sssssafe and sssssupport sssssnakes at the same time.

Sincerely,
Dr. Universe

Do your eyeballs grow? – Ashlynn, 8, Utah

Dear Ashlynn,

I was the cutest kitten. I bet you were an adorable baby, too. Like me, you probably had a big, round head with chubby cheeks and huge eyes.

The fact babies have big eyes made some people think babies are born with adult-sized eyeballs. I talked about this with my friend Edward Johnson. He teaches classes about the human body in the School of Biological Sciences at Washington State University.

“It’s a very good question because there’s a lot of misinformation about it,” Johnson said. “Eyeballs do grow—but not very much compared with other parts of the body.”

He told me to think about the thigh bone—also called a femur. That bone grows a lot. The average newborn baby has a 3-inch thigh bone. The average adult has an 18-inch thigh bone. That means the thigh bone gets about six times bigger. That’s a huge change.

Eyeballs don’t grow nearly that much. Johnson told me adult eyeballs are about one-and-a-half times as big as baby eyeballs. The average newborn baby’s eyeball is 0.6 inches in size. The average adult eyeball is 0.9 inches.

Some scientists think babies have big peepers because traits like chubby cheeks and big eyes make babies cute. Looking at that cuteness turns on the brain’s reward system. That makes it feel good to take care of a baby—or even just look at one.

So, does any part of the body stay the same size from birth?

“As far as I know, all organs and tissues grow from birth up until adulthood—with the possible exception of a couple middle ear ossicles,” Johnson said. “If any structure doesn’t grow, those would be candidates.”

The middle ear ossicles are three teeny bones that sit in the middle ear. Their names are the malleus, incus and stapes. As sound travels from outside the ear through the middle ear, the bones vibrate. That makes the sound louder as it moves into the inner ear. There, it changes into a signal that goes up a nerve to the brain.

It makes sense middle ear bones don’t grow—or only grow a little bit. They’re the tiniest bones in the human body. They’re also stiffer than other bones. That helps them vibrate better.

From itty-bitty ear bones to eyeballs, your body is amazing. If you think about it, asking big questions about our world is another way of growing. You’re doing that beautifully!

Sincerely,
Dr. Universe

P.S. Did you know goldfish can have surgery? Check out the latest episode of the Ask Dr. Universe podcast to meet a fish veterinarian and learn all about fish medicine.

Get more questions and answers here!

Know a kid with a science question?
Help them submit it for a chance to be featured in a future Q&A.

Submit a question!

2023 Washington 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest Update

The 2023 Washington 4-H State Livestock Judging Contest is scheduled for June 24, 2023, and will be held at the Ardell Pavilion, centered on the Grant County Fairgrounds.  Contest guidelines and rules with NEW for 2023 updates are linked in this article and are up for viewing on the Washington 4-H website.   Additionally, the travel guidelines document and  fillable registration forms specific to Junior, Intermediate and Senior contest registrations are linked below.  Again as in 2022, the 2023 contest has NO Requirement for Qualifying, just come and participate.

This will be our second year hosting the Livestock Judging Contest at the Grant County Fairgrounds in Moses Lake, WA.   The committee is looking forward to another successful contest year. in 2022 we had three senior teams that traveled to national 4-H contests representing the Evergreen state.

New for 2023:

  • There will be a registration deadline this year for early registration.  June 9, 2023 – all registration materials signed by the county extension professional (specialist, educator, coordinator, administrative, etc.) will be due by end of day to qualify for early registration fees ($15/team; $5/individual).  Late registrations will be accepted with a late fee charged ($10/individual).  All fees (check, credit or cash) will be collected the day of the contest.
  • Teams and coaches will need to be prepared to identify the contests they would like to travel to by the end of the state contest.  If the first place team has not determined that when asked then they will forfeit first choice and so on.  So – coaches and parents PLEASE be prepared before you come to the contest to compete.
  • Also new will be a dress code (see guidelines appropriate dress). Key no hats, torn or ripped or frayed jeans, no shorts, and no t-shirts with graphics or written sentiments.

Registrations will need to be sent to Robert.kestell@wsu.edu and CC pskuber@wsu.edu by end of day June 9, 2023.  Late registrations will be charged a late registration fee.  Any questions about the contest? Please contact Paul Kuber pskuber@wsu.edu.

Document Links:

2023 Livestock Judging Contest Rules and Guidelines

2023 Livestock Judging Team Travel Guidelines

2023 Livestock Judging Registration Form – Intermediate

2023 Livestock Judging Registration Form – Junior

2023 Livestock Judging Registration Form – Senior

See you on June 24th!

Dressage Clinic Coming to Franklin County in June!

Please mark your calendars for a dressage clinic with Abby Welch on June 18th in Franklin County.

The clinic is open to 4-H horse members and is great way to receive practice and guidance in preparation for the Washington State Junior Horse show.

For  more information, contact Sue Duffy, 4-H Horse Superintendent for Benton/Franklin County. Sue’s email address is smarieduffy@gmail.com.

Read Abby Welch’s Bio HERE

2023 Dressage Show Entry Form is HERE

Entry Form for Dressage Clinic with Abby is HERE

Submitted by Jennifer Leach, State 4-H horse contact.

Announcement of Dressage Tests for the 2023 4-H State Fair

 

The dressage tests for English dressage at the 2023 4-H State Fair will be Test 3 for both Training Level 1 and First Level.

Western Dressage has come back for the 2023 4-H State Fair and Test 3 for both Basic Level and Level 1.

4-H horse members will only be able to ride either English Dressage or Western Dressage, but not both, due to time constraints related to arena time.

These tests are available on the respective governing organizations—United States Dressage Federation (USDF) for English (https://www.usdf.org/) and the the Western Dressage Association of America for Western dressage (https://www.westerndressageassociation.org)

The Western Dressage Association of America is the governing body for the Washington State 4-H Horse program. The information in the 2015 PNW 4-H Horse Contest guide on page 20 is outdated. In Washington, we do not use the North American Western (NAW) dressage tests.

Submitted by Jennifer Leach, WSU Extension 4-H State Fair Board Staff Liaison. E-mail Jennifer at LeachJ@co.cowlitz.wa.us.

Reining Pattern for 2023 4-H State Fair Now Available

 

The 4-H State Fair reining pattern is now posted on the horse page on the WSU 4-H webpage located at https://extension.wsu.edu/4h/projects/animal-science/companion-performance/horse/

Reining will once again be offered at State Fair for Seniors only. The reining pattern is the same as last year to encourage participation since this is only the second year of 4-H reining. And also includes the scoresheet as an educational and judging tool.

There will be additional reining patterns for county level use that are reflective of basic reining and/or introductory reining. More to come next week.

For those who do reining–it is a series of circles, stop, back, figure 8, flying changes, roll backs, and/or spins. And based on skill level and/or complexity of the series of movements.

Submitted by Jennifer Leach, Chair of the “Ad Hoc Reining Committee” and 4-H State Fair board 4-H Staff Liaison. E-mail Jennifer at LeachJ@co.cowlitz.wa.us.

Fifth and Final State 4-H Virtual Photo Club Meeting  Recording Now Available!

 

We held our fifth and last meeting for this 4-H year for the State 4-H Photo Virtual Club on May 14th, 2023. Our fifth meeting theme/focus was on matting, mounting, fair entries, scorecards, photo labels, and our virtual contest entries.

You can find the recording at https://bit.ly/42FPuSL

We are trying a new system for capturing data on our post-workshop survey. Please use the link in the video to take the survey when you finish watching the recording.

There is an announcement of our Virtual 4-H Photography Contest in this recording and stay tuned for the full advertisement of the contest in next week’s 4-H Tuesday News!

Learn something new with us!

Pam Watson, M.Ed.
WSU Lewis County Extension
4-H Youth Development Agent, WSU Faculty

March 26th 4-H Market Poultry Zoom Recording Now Available!

 

If you are working on a Market Poultry Project and need to get some basics or more advanced info, check out our recording from March 26th, 2023. We covered fryers, turkeys, ducks, and geese, with the focus being on fryers and turkeys. This program is available to all, not just 4-H youth.

Find the link to the recording below.
http://bit.ly/3ze4SbT (WSU Zoom Recording)

Please take our post-workshop survey after viewing the recording at (WSU Qualtrics) this link is also in the recording. http://bit.ly/3LRPppq

Thanks for watching our workshop!

Pam Watson, M.Ed., pwatson@wsu.edu
WSU Lewis County Extension
4-H Youth Development Agent, WSU Faculty

Updated May 23, 2023