Improvising at The Big E: 4-H’ers Win Milkshake Contest
Rauri and Charlotte display their winning milkshake.
At work, if you have a major presentation and forget your notes, you still need to present. Whether you are prepared or not, the show must go on. Two 4-H’ers found themselves in this situation at The Big E’s Milkshake Competition when they forgot a key component of making a milkshake: a blender! Read on to see how they rose to the challenge.
4-H’ers Charlotte Mancuso and Rauri Phelon competed in “The Extreme Milkshake Competition,” part of the New England 4-H Dairy Program at The Big E (Eastern States Exposition) after participating in and winning the same contest at the Massachusetts State 4-H Dairy Show in August. The youths, who were attracted to the fun nature of the contest, had long participated in the 4-H Dairy Program. Charlotte, a 14-year-old freshman at the Norfolk Aggie from Dorchester, is a member of the Farmtastic 4-H’ers Dairy Club. Rauri, a 17-year-old from Westfield, is a member of the Wyben 4-H Dairy Club and has participated in Massachusetts 4-H for 12 years.
The girls were coached by Stephanie Chaffee, a 4-H volunteer. Chaffee also coached youth for the Massachusetts 4-H Dairy Grilled Cheese contest. Chaffee explained that the 4-H’ers prepare year-round for the contest, which provides them with a welcome break from their animal projects. “They get to experience something fun but still work on public speaking,” explained Chaffee.
The “Shark Attack” milkshake helped Rauri and Charlotte secure the win at The Big E.
The team prepared by learning to make milkshakes at 4-H Dairy Academy. They also met via Zoom and reviewed contest checklists. The team selected a milkshake recipe called “Shark Attack” which consisted of milk, vanilla yogurt, strawberries, raspberries, blue cupcake frosting, whipped cream, and gummy sharks. “I thought we should try something new,” said Rouri. “It was clever, but not too strong a taste. It was perfect.”
During the contest, the team realized that while they had all their ingredients, they had forgotten to pack a crucial tool: a blender! The team was not sure initially what to do. “We were worried, but we weren’t going to drop out,” emphasized Charlotte. “We worked to get there.”
Chaffee suggested hand mixing the milkshake to the 4-H’ers. “We needed to quickly improvise,” explained Charlotte. “We decided to hand mix, and we were timed too.” Since they had to ensure the ice cream melted, they darted to the back of the judging line.
Charlotte and Rauri work on their milkshake at The Big E.
When the contest results came in, Charlotte and Rauri were declared the winners out of the five participating teams. “I was just so proud of them,” said Chaffee. “They were really excited for that win.” Charlotte believed their friendliness toward the contest judges helped them to prevail. Chaffee said the day’s warm weather helped the milkshake blend too.
Andrew Samuelson, Massachusetts 4-H’s Animal Science Specialist who worked at The Big E, believes the lessons from the experience outstripped the win. “Sometimes, in life, things happen and we have to figure out how to keep moving forward,” said Samuelson. “A blue ribbon feels good; however, the real reward is the knowledge of how to navigate the unexpected.”
