Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging Team Wins Second Place at Area Contest, Head to State

The four member senior team from Gordon County 4-H won second place in their division at the area Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging contest. Team members were Hannah McElrath, David Niles, Gabrielle Ralston, and Jazmine Ralston, and the team is coached by Gordon County 4-H Program Assistant Becky Pass. The contest was held in Acworth on October 30. Prior to the contest, participants learned in-depth information about four consumer items: bathrobes, sleeping bags, wearable technology, and breakfast granola bars. At the contest, team members were given scenarios and four sample items in each category, and had to rank the four items based on the criteria set forth in the scenario. Participants also had to give reasons to a judge as to why they placed the items in the order that they did. Finally, participants had to give a 90 second commercial about cotton, as the contest is sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission. Gabrielle Ralston, Hannah McElrath, and Jazmine Ralston earned 3rd, 4th, and 5th spots respectively in the placing and reasons competition, and Gabrielle Ralston and Hannah McElrath were in the top five for their cotton commercials. Overall, Gabrielle Ralston was the 2nd place individual of the contest, with Hannah McElrath placing 5th and Jazmine Ralston placing 6th. The team came in second place behind Walker County 4-H, and both teams will advance to state competition on Saturday, December 9.