The Hoard’s Dairyman website was redesigned late last fall, and included an overhaul on the youth quizzes section. We know this is a favorite location for dairy youth to visit while they prepare for competitions. We recently completed the first phase of the youth quizzes section. Much of the dairy knowledge being tested in the quiz bowl contests and career development events (CDE) can be found on the pages of Hoard’s Dairyman.
Our editorial staff writes questions from material in the magazines' 20 issues each year, posting quizzes online and an end-of–the-year quiz in both print and online. The questions cover basic dairy knowledge along with current topics and are intended to foster learning and understanding of the industry without being too trival.
There are 10 questions in each online quiz and 50 in the end-of-the-year quiz. All questions are multiple choice and can be viewed on a single page without needing to click to the next question. Once all questions have been answered and submitted, the results are tabulated. It shows both your answer, and the correct answer, on a printable page.
The quizzes are posted on a new youth quizzes page. It is also available directly on the home page’s youth tab where dairy judging, youth organizations, scholarships, and college details can be found.
In addition to just providing questions, we have included video interviews with youth that have successfully competed in contests to give advice for newer competitors and coaches on how to prepare.
For youth trying to logically work their way through the possible answers it is a good exercise in critical thinking. This involves reading the question, removing the illogical choices, and then making a sound judgment. If they are unsure of an answer, and get it wrong, no harm, no foul. Their brain was fully engaged in thinking . . . not just memorizing an answer. If they answer incorrectly and want to understand the subject material, they can refer to the magazine or better yet, have a discussion with fellow teammates and coaches at the next practice. Then, go back and take the test again and see how well you retained the knowledge learned. This helps young people understand the material so they can apply it to other areas, not just the “question in, answer out” rote memorization that can plague some teams.
I often receive calls from coaches just wanting the “questions and the answers.” That is not how the Hoard’s Dairyman quizzes are designed. The quizzes can be printed with all possible answers and given to students to take as a test or to use as “homework,” as the Hoard’s Dairyman page number is listed with the question. To get the answers, just take the quiz!
We will continue to add new quizzes from current issues, as well as quizzes from previous years. Some information may be time-based, and eventually become outdated. We do not go back and update or change those questions.
Get a head start on studying by purchasing a print subscription to Hoard’s Dairyman for yourself, a coach, or a student. It is a great investment at less than $1 per issue.
If you have any feedback, feel free to email us. We are always looking to improve on this valuable resource for our dairy youth.
The upcoming webinar is January 9, 2017:
The author is the online media manager and is responsible for the website, webinars, and social media. A graduate of Modesto Junior College and Fresno State, she was raised on a California dairy and frequently blogs on youth programs and consumer issues.
