Situation and Background Competitive events are one of a number of important educational methods in 4-H Youth Development education. For example, participation in such events helps 4-H ers to make and defend decisions, speak publicly, gain knowledge and skills in subject matter, and learn to deal with competitive situations.
Events also promote learning about diversity, as young people from across the nation interact.
It also establishes a set of operational procedures that Contest Management Committees are encouraged to use in planning and conducting the event. These policies and guidelines do not apply to regional events, except those designated Eastern National and Western National, but the regional Management Committees are encouraged to establish similar policies and guidelines for their regional 4-H events. Eastern and Western Divisions of a particular National Event are permissible. Only one such event may be conducted on each side of the Mississippi River in each program area. If only one contest is conducted, it will simply be called National.