ADA Accommodation

Should you need an ADA accommodation to participate in Caldwell 4-H, please contact 4-H agent Jana Bennett at 318-649-2663.

4-H Pledge

I pledge my Head to clearer thinking, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, my Health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

Leaf Identification Contest

Members submitted 37 entries for the 2025 Leaf Identification contest. Entries were judged on number and variety of leaves, correct identification of leaves, and neatness. Harper Ates won first place, Jase Rollins second place, Brylon White third place, Rylan Perot fourth place, and Drake Richmond fifth place in the Fourth and Fifth Grade category. Blue ribbons were awarded to Grayson Boyde, Kinslee Coghlan, Harmony Cross, Ava Foy, Emoree Graham, Elizabeth Hatten, Madalynn Helfrick, Sadie Housley, Adelyn Jones, Mason Kerr, Nolan May, AnnaK McGuffee, Kinadee Meredith, Joshua Morgan Jr., Destiny Robinson, Collin Smith, Patrick Smith, Liam Vinson, and Reagan Wallace. In the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade category, Ty Primm won first place, Myra Meredith second place, and Mabry Meredith third place. Blue ribbons were awarded to Marley Crain, Jase Hillestad, and Ella Tarver. In the Ninth to Twelfth Grade category, Chase McBroom won first place, AnnaBeth Strickland second place, and Lauren Barnhill third place. Blue ribbons were awarded to Blake Adams, Macie Hall, Tucker Richmond, and Sawyer Watts.

Fall Foods Festival and Consumer Foods Judging

Fifty-five dishes were entered in nine commodity categories for the Fall Foods Festival. Judges sampled and scored dishes based on taste, use of commodity, appearance, and recipe format. Participants also tested their decision making skills in the Consumer Foods Judging contest. Dishes winning first place are eligible to compete in the Area Cookery Contest to be held in 2026.

In the Quick and Easy Ground Beef category, Anne Marie Norrell won first place, Ella Tarver won second, and Sawyer Watts won third. Blue ribbons were awarded to Blake Adams, Presley Wallace, and Aubree Whitten. Main Dish Beef category winners were Jase Hillestad first place, Paislee Dunn second place, and Ty Primm third place. Jase Rollins was awarded a Blue ribbon.

In the Sweet Potato category, Marley Crain won first place, Lander McCann won second, and Jase Hillestad won third. Blue ribbons were awarded to Avery Dumas, Henry Owens, Makayla Owens, and Gracie Waller.

In the Chicken category, Ella Tarver won first place, Tyler Broussard won second, and Sadie Clair Busby won third. Harmony Cross was awarded a Blue ribbon.

Pecan category winners were Bridger McCann first place, Grace Spangler second place, and Ella Tarver third place. Blue ribbons were awarded to Mason Dunn, Ava Foy, Kathryn Fuller, Axel Miller, Makayla Owens, and AnnaBeth Strickland.

Egg category winners were Paislee Dunn first place, Tanner Fuller second place, and Cora Cook third place. Blue ribbons were awarded to Blake Adams, Avery Dumas, Anne Marie Norrell, Henry Owens, Rylan Perot, Ella Tarver, and Sawyer Watts.

Rice Main Dish cateogry winners were Paislee Dunn first place, and Ella Tarver second place. Rice Any Other category winners were Tanner Fuller first place, Ava Foy second place, and Chase McBroom third place. Mason Dunn was awarded a Blue ribbon.

Corn category winners were Mason Dunn first place, Kathryn Fuller second place, and Chase McBroom third place. Blue ribbons were awarded to Blake Adams, Maverick Cook, Avery Dumas, Macie Hall, Jase Hillestad, and Makayla Owens.

Best of Show was awarded to Jase Hillestad for his Jalapeno Popper Meatloaf.

Consumer Foods Judging for Grades 4 and 5 awards were first place Cora Ann Cook, second place Rylan Perot, and third place Ava Foy. Blue ribbons were awarded to Maverick Cook, Jacie Copeland, Anne Marie Norrell, Makayla Owens, Jase Rollins, and Grace Spangler. Winners in the division for Grades 6 to 8 were Marley Crain first place, Cooper Denison second place, and Tanner Fuller third place. Blue ribbons were awarded to Tyler Broussard, Mason Dunn, Paislee Dunn, Jase Hillestad, Kyleigh Jeffery, Victoria Lasiter, Vivian Lasiter, Ty Primm, Ella Tarver, Erin Volentine, and Aubree Whitten. Winners in the division for Grades 9 to 12 were first place Sawyer Watts, second place Blake Jolly, and third place Gracie Waller. Blue ribbons were awarded to Blake Adams, Avery Dumas, Kathryn Fuller, Macie Hall, Kain Lively, Bridger McCann, Lander McCann, Henry Owens, Chase McBroom, and AnnaBeth Strickland.

Photography Contest

• Entries are due to the 4-H office by 4:00 p.m., Friday, December 12.
• Photographs must be taken by the 4-H member during the 2025 calendar year.
• Each category consists of 5 to 6 photographs equally spaced on a 22 inch by 28 inch sheet of poster paper.
• The three categories are A Story or Series, Plants or Animals, and People, Structures, or Buildings.
• Include a short caption under each photograph.
• Entries in A Story or Series category must have 5 or 6 different photographs telling a story or showing a series of steps.
• Entries in the Plants or Animals category must have photographs of 5 or 6 different plants or 5 or 6 different animals.
• Entries in the People, Structures, or Buildings category must have photographs of 5 or 6 different people, or 5 or 6 different structures, or 5 or 6 different buildings.
• Members may enter one category, two categories, or all three categories, but only one entry per category.
• Include your name, school, grade, and category on the back of the poster in the upper left corner. Entries that do no include category will not be eligible to place and will automatically receive a ribbon.
• Entries submitted after December 12 will not be eligible to place first, second, or third or win cash prizes.

Beef Poster Contest

Entries for the 2026 4-H Beef Poster Contest are due by 4:00 p.m., Friday, January 16. Participants will learn more about the beef industry, meat science, and nutrition while developing marketing, communication, organization, and research skills. The 2026 Beef Poster Contest theme is Raising the Steaks.

• Entries must be on 22 inch by 28 inch poster board only and must include the participant's name, address, age, grade, and parish on the back upper right corner of the poster.
• Poster should generate positive images and promotion of beef, not live cattle production, using the indicated theme and should promote beef without projecting any negative messages towards other agricultural commodities, for example chicken, pork.
• Do not use copyrighted pictures, clip art, logos, cartoon characters, advertisements, or other materials. You can pull ideas from magazines, parents, friends, nutrition bulletins, Beef Ambassador Fact Sheets, meat publications, the American Meat Institute, and National Livestock and Meat Board, but the end concept should be original and not copied material.
• First place posters will be sent to Baton Rouge to compete in the State Beef Poster Contest.

Communication and Career Contest

• Please preregister for this contest by calling the 4-H office at 318-649-2663 by 4:00 p.m. on January 21.
• Contest will be held 9:00 a.m., Monday, January 26 at Union Central Elementary.
• This contest consists of demonstrations and career preparation interviews.
• Demonstrations can be presented by an individual or a team of two contestants.
• Demonstrations have a time limit of five to seven minutes. It must be at least five minutes but no longer than seven minutes.
• Points will be deducted for demo's that are shorter than five minutes, and for every minute over 7 minutes.
• Demonstration must be a method demonstration and can be on any subject.
• A Method Demonstration is showing how to do something while telling how to do it.
• Career Preparation Interview participants should dress appropriately for a short interview with judges that will last 5 minutes or less.

Character: Responsibility

Responsibility means doing what you are supposed to do, even when it is hard or no one is watching. In 4-H, responsibility helps members grow into dependable leaders and role models. What does Responsibility look like:

• completing tasks on time and with care
• owning your actions - good and bad
• helping others when needed
• taking care of animals, equipment, and spaces
• being prepared and showing up ready to participate

Why Are Forests Important?

Forests provide many of the resources that we use in our daily lives. Just look around your house. How many things are made from wood or other forest products? Many common household items such as furniture and books are derived from forest resources, as well as floors, doors, and siding. Timber is the primary material used to construct homes in many parts of the world. Additionally, many families rely on wood to heat their homes.

Club Meeting Schedule

Caldwell 4-H Calendar of Events

Membership and participation in activities and events are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, veteran status, or disability. If you require an ADA accommodation to participate, please contact our office at 318-649-2663. Louisiana 4-H is an educational program of the LSU AgCenter. The LSU AgCenter and LSU provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.