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4-H Youth Development

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Family and Consumer Science Classic

What in the world is family and consumer science? Well...

Have you ever met someone who ate microwave dinners every night, simply because they weren't confident enough to cook foods they like? Are you tired of buying clothes from Target that just weren't designed to suit your body?

Family and Consumer Science is for you!

Find, join, or start a local project by contacting your local Extension office. Once you're enrolled, you can learn and show off your skills at your county fair, Oregon State Fair, and even the National FCS Classic in San Antonio.

The Family and Consumer Science (FCS) Classic is open to all members enrolled in FCS project areas (Clothing and Textiles, Foods and Nutrition, Home Environment, Knitting, and Crocheting). The FCS Classic consists of several contests and is supported by a National event. Members aged 15 and above can qualify to represent Oregon 4-H at the FCS Classic held in San Antonio, Texas, in January 2024.

The National event contests include:

  1. Fashion Revue
  2. FCS Presentations
  3. FCS Bowl
  4. FCS Skill-a-thon
  5. Consumer Decision Making

Oregon 4-H will choose members to represent Oregon in each contest:

Fashion Review

  • Fashion Revue – Participants qualify for the State Fashion Revue through their county. Then during the State contest held during the Oregon State Fair, the judges will identify the top construction contestants who will be offered the opportunity to represent Oregon. To clarify: the youth representatives will be chosen from the fashion revue contest where they have sewn their outfit or garment.

Educational Presentations

Can you teach your friends, teachers, or community something new? Get confident and learn public speaking skills that will serve you throughout your whole life by joining the presentations contest, starting with your county or community clubs.

  • Presentations – Participants qualify for the State contest through their county. Then during the State contest held during the Oregon State Fair, judges will chose individuals or team to represent Oregon at the National FCS Presentation Contest. Individuals wanting to be considered for the FCS Classic’s Presentation Contest must sign up for a judging spot during one of the first three days (usually the first Saturday, Sunday and Monday) of presentation judging.

FCS Skill-a-thon

  • FCS Skill-a-thon –This contest will be offered at the State Fair for intermediate and senior contestants. The top individuals (4 persons) will qualify for the National event.
    This contest will consist of one Foods and one Clothing judging class, three Identification classes (one for sewing, one for foods and one for Home Environment) and a life-skills presentation (which takes the place of oral reasons).
    A Life Skill presentation is part of the FCS Skill-a-thon contest that is completed as a team from a pre-determined topic. Three topics are chosen annually and the study guides will be posted on this site. The participants will be given a scenario, determine best options as they relate to the scenario, then present on their decision.

FCS Bowl (A quiz bowl)

  • FCS Bowl – This contest is a knowledge bowl that follows the same rules and guidelines as other knowledge bowls (i.e. Horse Bowl, Dog Bowl). The team members chosen for this contest will be determined from the members qualifying at the state level in the FCS Skill-a-thon. Intermediates and Senior members sign up individually and will be assigned to a team at State Fair.

Consumer Decision Making

  • Consumer Decision Making – This contest uses decision-making skills in determining best choices for the situation. This contest will be offered at State Fair for intermediate and senior contestants. The State contest includes three situational statements with four possible answers/items, one class of oral reasons, and a group work class. The group work is where teams of 3 or 4 youth will be given a situation that they read and evaluate the problem, discuss their solution, and present a final statement of their decision to the judge.

Study materials and supporting documents are available for all FCS Classic contests. For more information, contact your 4-H County Extension Educator or Jan Williams, Clackamas County 4-H Faculty.

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