Local News

Judge’s School Offered

Jul 18, 2017

WSU Okanogan County Extension is hosting a Judge’s School on Thursday, July 27, 2017, starting at 8:05 am and finishing by 11:30 am, in the County Extension office located in Room 101 at the county courthouse in Okanogan.

Jean Berney, Home Economist will be instructing. Registration is not required but it would be helpful for providing plenty of materials for everyone.

Judge’s School will cover all aspects of judging county fair exhibit items primarily focusing on non-animal exhibits, by following the Danish system.

In the Danish system (sometimes called the “group method”), exhibitors are measured against standards of quality not ranked against other exhibitors. In this system, the judges do not judge one person's work by comparing it to another's. Instead, a judge determines whether the exhibitors meet or exceed standards. A scorecard, available from the county 4-H office, is used to help the judge group exhibitors consistently.

You are probably already familiar with the Danish system from school where A, B, C, D, & F grades are given. There might be 7 students with an A (meets excellent levels of ability) 12 with a B (above average levels), 14 with a C (average levels), etc. This, grouping by standards, is the Danish system. BLUE (excellent or A), RED (good or B), WHITE (average or C). Since more than one exhibitor can meet each level of standards, many more ribbons are handed out.

It’s not just about picking winners, the Danish system in judging helps exhibitors to learn how to improve their projects, skills, recognize their own efforts and accomplishments, develop standards for future self-evaluation, encourage them to continue in their projects and advise them on what they might learn next.

Information: Call WSU Okanogan County Extension 509-422-7245 or email okanogan.county@wsu.edu