NORA GARZA: 4-H'ers ring up big win at district consumer contest

Hidalgo County 4-Hers know a thing or two about making smart decisions when it comes to shopping.

They made a great showing at the district Consumer Decision Making Contest on Sunday at the Kleberg-Kenedy County Fair in Kingsville.

The Intermediate Team, a group of kids aged 11 to 13, won, and the Junior Team, of kids aged 8 to 10, placed second.

Claudia Martinez, Vanessa Martinez, Matthew Salinas and Amanda Salinas are on the Intermediate Team. Anixa Hernandez, Beth Quintanilla, Elyssa Rodriguez and Timmy Bradford make up the On the Junior Team. The Senior Team members — ages 14 to 18 — are Clarissa Olivarez and Onelisa Garza.

The Intermediate Team will compete at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition in February.

The 4-H Consumer Decision Making Contest is a competitive activity that requires kids to rank four products or services based on the particular situation of a hypothetical consumer. The second part of the contest is providing oral reasons to a panel of judges.

This year, they learned about printers, cellphones, nutritious snacks, jeans, photo printing, computers, watches, digital cameras, digital media players, televisions, green cleaning products and movie rentals.

The activity was a big hit with the youths and their parents.

“It was very educational and definitely life-oriented,” said Twila Bradford, Timmy’s mother. “It’s definitely a life skill. We all have to shop.

“It made them aware (of) what their parents have to go through when we say no and look for a better price or a different brand to make (the) best use our money.”

During practice sessions, competitors learned about basic nutrition, and how to read labels and figure price by serving. They also learned how to compare features of the different products and services.

“I’ve learned that you can learn how to figure out what you want to buy depending on what you want and what other people need,” Timmy said.

By buying only as much as you need, “you don’t have to waste too much money,” he said.

Timmy said the activity was fun, although there was a lot of information to read.

“It was fun to learn something you can really use,” Timmy said.

He enjoyed working with a team to help him learn the material.

“It’s not just you all alone,” he said.

The coordinator for the Consumer Decision Making project is Edna Martinez, president of the First National Bank in Mercedes and mother of Claudia and Vanessa. Edna got the project started last year when she saw the opportunities for learning valuable life skills and scholarships.

To find a 4-H club in your area, please call the Texas AgriLife Extension Service at (956) 383-1026.

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Nora N. Garza is a County Extension Agent with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Hidalgo County, a part of Texas A&M. She can be reached at (956) 383-1026.