Junior Contest Ideas

[Sharon Yorks]

I would like to have some sort of junior contest at the national meet next year and would like to get some ideas. Anyone have any creative ideas?

[Mike Gilbert]

Here is one idea.   ABC could sponsor an essay contest for juniors, to be handed in and evaluated at the show.   Subject matter could be a choice of, say, "Why I like Ameraucana bantams," or "How I Condition my Ameraucanas For Exhibition."   Something like that.    I would donate a bantam breeding trio to the winner.
I'm sure others will have better ideas, but that should get the ball rolling.

[Sharon Yorks]

That is very generous of you, Mike. Thank you for offering to participate. I'm very excited about next year's national meet and I plan to have several different types of contests and awards for things such as:

Junior contest of some sort (Check!)
Award for which exhibiting member traveled the furthest
Member who shows the most varieties
Top 3 highest bids on fundraiser birds (Check!)
(Still trying to think up more stuff) 

If anyone is planning to make a cash, bird, or product donation, it would be very much appreciated if you would let me know through e-mail. I would be happy to share my ideas with you and where your donation might be best served.   

As far as a junior contest, Caylum just got home from school and came up with another idea he'd like to throw out there. He said, "How about a 'dress your chicken up and take a picture' contest." I'm pretty sure I know where he came up with that idea  (Pictured below) Not a bad idea, though. Sounds like fun and a big picture board of dressed up chickens would sure get people over to the ABC table. What does everyone think about that idea? Still open to suggestions.

[Debbie]

I like the dress your chicken photo contest and essay. How about an Ameraucana Art Contest? Photos of winning art exhibits in the following bulletin? That would encompass photos, drawings, paintings, sculpture, ect...

I'd love to donate something also... not sure what though.

[Bamtech]

I think the more different types of contests that are put on would get more involved. Some will participate in essay, some will participate in pictures and art, and some with dress up. I would assume the size of the award would be associated with the amount of involvement needed to participate. Example award of a lengthy essay may be bigger than a picture. I am just thinking, so don not take it as a must. There are only so many things that we could sponsor. The youth is a place we need to focus on. Keeping the youth involved also keeps the parents involved. Hopefully the youth will continue raising birds as they get older. I am done rambling for now. 

[Sharon Yorks]

Good point, Matt. I guess I also need to get some ideas of what kind of awards the juniors would like to receive. What type of award would motivate the juniors to want to participate in contests?

[Sharon Yorks]

Any thought or ideas on what kind of awards the juniors would like to win? I really like Matt’s idea of having multiple contests so that there would be a variety of things to choose from. And when he said,

“Keeping the youth involved also keeps the parents involved. Hopefully the youth will continue raising birds as they get older.”

That comment led me back to Mike’s generous offer of donating a bantam breeding trio. That’s a great way to keep them involved! I know I’d write an essay in hopes of winning his nice birds. You have no idea how many times I kick myself for not jumping on the blue bantams he sold and delivered at Lucasville last year.

Mike – If your offer is still available, I’d like to pursue your idea. It's a really good one! Have you thought anymore about it? Would you like to figure out the topics, rules, and guidelines?

[Sharon Yorks]

SUBJECT TO A FEW CHANGES - Let me know what you think.

[Bamtech]

This should be a fun project for the kids. This is a good prize for the kids based on the amount of effort they have to put in to the project. My kids have some fun ideas already.

[Sharon Yorks]

Thanks, Matt! I appreciate your response. I think it will be a lot of fun, and thankfully there is plenty of time for the kids to be thinking up ideas.

Mike - Have you thought anymore about the essay contest? If you want to give me some specifics, I'd be happy to make up a flyer.   

[Debbie]

Cute! I see some chicken and child bonding in our future.  It will be fun to see what everyone comes up with. Poor Snapple, I also see more chicken torture coming her way, haha.

[Mike Gilbert]

Mike - Have you thought anymore about the essay contest? If you want to give me some specifics, I'd be happy to make up a flyer.

I would go with a choice of the two topics I mentioned earlier.  Essay open to all juniors up through age 17 at the time of the show.  Between 200 - 300 words.    Information and knowledge to count 75%, spelling and punctuation 25%.   Submit to yours truly by September 1, 2014, along with first choice of varieties available.    Can't think of anything else right now.   I doubt very much I'll be able to attend, but I'll try to send the trio with Jerry and Jake if they have the room, or perhaps someone else coming from this way.   I won't guarantee the variety at this time, but it could be brown red, wheaten, buff, or white.  The latter would be from Walchak birds recently acquired - some of the best in the land, along with Jerry's of course.   I am not aware of any better brown reds either, as far as that goes.   Winning essay would hopefully be printed in the newsletter. 

[Sharon Yorks]

That sounds great, Mike. I will work on a flyer and send it to you for critiquing before we post. Thank you for your donation and support! It is very much appreciated 

[Debbie]

I was thinking if we did a photo/art type contest we could have the entries submitted prior to the national meet, then have people attending the show who drop by the both vote for thier favorite. Or post the entries on the ABC fb page and ask for votes?

[Mike Gilbert]

I will add one more stipulation to the essay contest.  No "help" from parents or other adults.  That gets to be a slippery slope.   The work is to be done and submitted by the junior only.