February 14 is the deadline for the Pennsylvania Jersey Cattle Association (PJCA)'s youth awards including the Youth Achievement Award, First Year Project Award, Youth Production Contest, Scrapbook Contest, Scholarship Award and Jersey Queen Contest; while the Speech and Dairy Jeopardy Contest applications are due March 14. All Pennsylvania Jersey youth are eligible to participate in the youth activities sponsored by the PJCA if they or their families are members of the PJCA. The Pennsylvania Jersey juniors represent one of the largest, most active state junior Jersey associations in the country.

Join the excitement of the Jersey breed and apply today for a number of these awards and contests. Prizes are awarded to the winner of the Achievement, First Year Project Award, Youth Production, Scrapbook, Scholarship and Jersey Queen contests, and to the top three participants of the Speech and Dairy Jeopardy contest. This year's meeting will be held in Gettysburg, Pa., March 27 and 28, 2015.

The PJCA Board of Directors and Youth Committee is once again excited to offer the divisional winners of the Speech and Dairy Jeopardy contests the opportunity to attend the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) Annual Meeting in East Peoria, Ill., by compensating the winner's registration fee to participate in the youth events. Come to the PJCA annual meeting to compete in the Speech and Dairy Jeopardy contest to earn this unique opportunity.

Youth Achievement Awards

The Youth Achievement Awards are given to recognize the youth's accomplishments with Registered Jersey cattle. Applicants must be the owner of one or more registered Jersey cattle and between the ages of 9 and 20, as of January 1, 2015. Awards will be given in three different age categories: Junior division, 9 to 12 years of age; Intermediate division, 13 to 16 years of age; and Senior division, 17 to 20 years of age.


First Year Project Award

An outstanding First Year Project Award contest is open to active Jersey members of an organized 4-H club, who are 8 to 12 years of age. Only juniors that completed their first project year in 2014 are eligible to apply for this award. Contestants are required to submit the application along with a handwritten story entitled, "Highlights of My First Jersey Project Year."

Youth Production Contest

Junior owners of Jersey cattle are eligible to compete in the state's youth production contest. Jersey juniors (ages 8 to 20) can nominate their registered Jerseys on official DHI or DHIA test for these awards. To submit an entry, members must present an official individual cow record that bears an issue date from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. This form is required to give contest officials a 305 2x mature equivalent value for the records submitted. All submitted records will be judged on mature equivalent (ME) protein production, with the top record earning the Jacob Brunges Production Award. Contestants are only allowed to enter one record per year.

Scrapbook Awards

The PJCA selects outstanding scrapbook awards in three divisions: Junior division, 8 to 11 years of age; Intermediate division, 12 to 15 years of age; and Senior division, 16 to 20 years of age. The scrapbooks are to pertain to the contestants' Jersey project(s) during the 2014 calendar year. All scrapbooks will be evaluated on both the quality and quantity of their contents along with the artistic skill and creativeness shown in their development. Scrapbook must be completed solely by the applicant.

Scholarship Awards

Two $500 scholarships will be awarded to Jersey youth attending a college or who are high school students planning to enroll in a college program within one year of high school graduation. Applicants must have been actively involved with Jersey cattle. Previous scholarship recipients are eligible to re-apply for these scholarships.

Jersey Queen Contest

Pennsylvania Jersey breeders annually select a state Jersey Queen to represent the Jersey breed at various functions and events throughout the state. The Queen Contest will be held in conjunction with the junior recognition banquet at the annual meeting. To be eligible to compete, the Pennsylvania Jersey Queen contestants must live in Pennsylvania, be a daughter or granddaughter of a Jersey breeder or own one or more Jerseys, and be a member or have a family membership to the PJCA. Contestants must be at least 16 years of age, but not older than 22, on January 1, 2015.

Speech Contest

Youth attending the annual meeting can compete in the speech contest by delivering a speech that focuses on any phase of Jersey business, including current affairs and dairy industry trends. Judges will evaluate the speaker's personal interest in the topic, as well as its appropriateness for a general dairy audience. Participants will compete for prizes in one of three age divisions: Junior division, 8 to 11 years of age; Intermediate division, 12 to 15 years of age; and Senior division, 16 to 20 years of age. Winners of each division will be asked to deliver their award winning speech at the youth banquet.

Dairy Jeopardy

The Dairy Jeopardy contest is a dairy knowledge competition that gives youth the opportunity to compete as individuals in two age categories: Junior division, 8 to 13 years of age; and Senior division, 14 to 20 years of age. Similar to the popular television game show, contestants are asked questions about the dairy industry. The contest is coordinated and conducted by the Penn State Dairy Science Club.

Submissions

To be eligible to apply for the awards youth must be a PJCA member or their parents must have an active membership. To become a member please visit the PJCA's website http://pennsylvaniajerseys.usjersey.com.

Contact Renée Norman-Kenny at norman.renee@gmail.com or 570/419-5188 to request an application form or with any questions about an award or the PJCA youth program. All ages are as of January 1, 2015. Applications for the Youth Achievement, First-Year Project, Youth Production, Scrapbook, Scholarship and Jersey Queen must be postmarked by February 14, 2015. Entry forms for the Speech and Dairy Jeopardy contests must be submitted by March 14, 2015. Submit applications to Renée Norman-Kenny, 749 McClain Road, Enon Valley, PA 16120. No applications will be accepted by e-mail or fax and all applications must be submitted by the deadline.
Return to Industry Buzz.

1.15.2015