Issue date: 6/9/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Stephen Fogg Toby Lepley has worked for 4-H for 11 years. This is Lepley's final year as Round Up coordinator. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Jon Eilts 4-H member Emily Wisher and her mom Cindy look at winning photographs of the 4-H Roundup Monday in the MSC Flagroom. [Click to enlarge]

Texas 4-H, an educational organization for third through twelfth graders, will have its 63rd annual State Round Up at Texas A&M, starting 7 a.m. today, and ending Friday.

"[Round Up] is our highlight event of the year and this is such a great opportunity for our students to show off their knowledge and skills of what they have learned throughout the year," said Texas 4-H Youth and Development Program Director Chris Boleman. "They get to show off their leadership, citizenship and life skills, and show who it is that they represent."

Round Up is a state competition in which students ages 14 to 18 demonstrate their skills and knowledge in 39 different areas such as public speaking, decision making, leadership and community service.

Livestock judging and other judging contests require decision-making skills, and Share-the-Fun, a talent contest, allows the contestants to demonstrate their singing and acting abilities.

The four "H's" of 4-H are head, heart, hands and health and stand for qualities 4-Hers have.

"This is our last big hoorah of the year and when the senior 4-Hers come to Round Up, they can see their future in it," said Texas 4-H Council President Michael Edwards. "I'm excited about that because they'll experience what Texas 4-H is all about."

Round Up is 4-H's biggest event of the year and is the largest 4-H competition in the world.

"The competitions provide great learning experiences and are very career building," Edwards said. "I am now studying agricultural economics because of what I learned in 4-H."

Contests and activities will be scattered throughout 17 locations on campus but will be centered around the Rudder Theatre complex.

The size of the event makes A&M the perfect place to hold Round Up, said Round Up coordinator Toby Lepley.

Two million dollars in scholarships will be awarded at the Round Up scholarship ceremony Friday, Lepley said. The first scholarship presented 50 years ago was $100 at the Livestock Show and Rodeo.

"We will award scholarships to 225 and a large percent of those are future Aggies," Lepley said. "It's safe to say more than 25 percent of the students will be Aggies."

Round Up educates, but also offers tremendous opportunities, Edwards said.

"As a participant, we like to emphasize the presence Texas 4-H has in scholarships," Edwards said.

Round Up expects more students than last year but the swine flu has had an effect on their total numbers, Edwards said.

"Council first met three months ago to start planning," Edwards said. "I'm on a council with 31 other wonderful individuals. The stuff we put on wouldn't be possible without such a great group."

As part of AgriLife Extension program, Round Up has taken place at A&M since it started more than 50 years ago, Lepley said.

"We are actually celebrating our 101st anniversary in Texas and 50th anniversary to present 4-H scholarships," Lepley said.

For more information visit www.texas4-h.tamu.edu/events/roundup/index.html.

Round Up
Texas 4-H Round Up will be in Rudder Theatre and the MSC. Some of the contests include dairy and cattle judging, fashion, public speaking and meat judging. It starts at 7 a.m. today and ends Friday.

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