Citizen Staff
A must-see display in the Youth Building is one featuring Dodge County 4-H'ers who received special Merit Awards at the Wisconsin State Fair. Entries submitted were those that received special Merit Awards at the 2006 Dodge County Fair. Laura Schoenike, a member of the Juneau Victorians, is pictured with the twice award winning tooled leather folder she created to carry assignments to and from school. Schoenike is the daughter of Jim and Sally Schoenike and a freshman at Oconomowoc High School
To see the best of today's youth, take time at the Dodge County Fair to browse through the Youth Building.
In the words of Sally Schoenike, 4-H Youth Development Agent, "No trip to the Fair is complete without a stop in the Youth Building. It is a tribute to 771 kids who have 5,178 exhibits on display."
"The fair is the culmination of a year's planning, organizing, learning, meeting, experimenting and perfecting skills. It is an opportunity for 4-H and FFA members to demonstrate their knowledge, display their best work, and compete for awards and honors," Schoenike said.
According to Schoenike, entries are about the same this year in plan/soil science, at 498; flowers/house plants, 139; photography, 375; and food/nutrition, 249.
"The largest department with the most entries is Cultural Arts and Communications with 881 entries," she said.
This year's fair has 328 dairy cattle entered; 199 beef cattle, 190 swine, 145 sheep, 121 goats, 128 horse/pony, 186 poultry, and 305 rabbits.
Schoenike was enthusiastic about the quality of this year's exhibits.
"The quality continues to be really good, especially when you look around and realize how young the exhibitors are," Schoenike said.
Bearing out that point, Schoenike cited the display of items selected at the 2006 Dodge County Fair that were entered in this year's Wisconsin State Fair, with several receiving special merit awards at that level.
The theme of the 4-H Promotion Booth is "Go Bananas With 4-H." That booth features games and puzzles, and is designed to recruit new members.
Schoenike cited the second annual silent auction of donated items for the Endowment Fund that will be used for building improvements. Proceeds raised will be matched by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Auction items and bid forms are on display just inside the door at the Youth Building.
Flower planters designed by 4-H Clubs and FFA members and put on display in their respective communities, will be on the fairgrounds. The beautification projects sponsored by Big Sky Greenhouse and the Dodge County Fair Association.
Schoenike expressed thanks to the many volunteers who work many, many hours before, during and after the fair to make it an educational and enjoyable experience.
"Without their dedication the fair wouldn't take place," Schoenike said.