SHEEP CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR COOKEVILLE

4-H members, parents and volunteer leaders who have an interest in the sheep project should plan to attend the Tennessee 4-H Sheep Conference in Cookeville on May 31. Sheep Conference is a family conference designed for those who want to learn about the 4-H sheep project. The event provides hands-on learning experiences, as well as opportunities to meet and make new sheep friends from across the state. The location is the Hyder-Burks Arena on the campus of Tennessee Technological University. Participants are encouraged to bring a washed lamb to use in their enhanced “hands-on” learning activities.

Important - We need a count! We just need: name(s) of those attending in your group and years of sheep project experience for each 4-H member. Contact Ben Powell at 615-237-0300 or benthomaspowell@gmail.com; or Dwight Loveday at 865-974-7344 or hloveday@utk.edu. Cost for the conference is $10 per person payable when you arrive. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. CDT, and the program should be completed by 5:30 p.m. Program details can be found on the 4-H Web site at http://4h.tennessee.edu/sheepconf/.

Teen leaders are needed for 4-H Sheep Conference. Teen leaders will have the opportunity to take an active teaching role in the conference. Teen leaders will need to be willing to teach skillathon stations, grooming and showmanship and to bring a lamb and equipment for teaching. Teen leaders must be nominated by May 15 by a county 4-H agent or Tennessee Sheep Producer Association member. Send nominations to Ben Powell or Dwight Loveday.

4-H agents and/or volunteers are needed to work with Dwight Loveday to develop skillathon stations (2-4 learning activities per topic) and serve as resource person for that station. In addition to the skillathon activity, a teaching guide for the teen leaders is needed. Teen leaders will use materials to “teach” learning activity topics. Contact Dwight Loveday if you are interested.

Location: Hyder-Burks Arena is located in Cookeville at 2390 Gainesboro Grade. Take Exit 286 from I-40 onto Willow (Hwy 135 N). Go 3.3 miles and turn left on 12th Street (Hwy 290 W). Go 2.2 miles and look for the large arena on the left. A map is available from the Hyder-Burks Web site at http://www.tntech.edu/hyderburks/.

Steve Sutton
Extension Specialist
4-H Youth Development
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