Do you enjoy shopping? Do you look for great buys? Like to check out garage sales, thrift stores, or consignment shops? Have you ever brought your own special touch to an outfit that makes it unique and individually you?

What You Will Do

• Shop in new places.
• Save money.
• Put together a great outfit.

What You Will Learn

• To choose clothing that makes you look good.
• To use good shopping skills.
• To communicate clearly.

Levels of Competition

Junior Level I: 9 to 11 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year (compete only at local and regional levels).

Intermediate: 12 to 13 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year (compete only at local and regional levels).

Senior Level I: 14 to 15 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year.

Senior Level II: 16 to 18 years old on December 31 of the current calendar year.

Rules for the $15 Challenge

1. Don’t spend more than $15 on an outfit that covers the entire body. That means a top and bottom or one piece (such as a dress).

2. Receipts are required; they can be handwritten from garage sales.

3. Accessories and shoes are not part of the $15.

4. Outfits must come from garage sales, consignment stores, or thrift stores.

5. Senior Level 4-H members must complete a community service report. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

6. 4-H’ers must complete a $15 Challenge Report.

Refer to Alabama 4-H Competitive Events on the Alabama Extension website (aces.edu) to review the Competitive Events General Policy and the Age & Eligibility Chart.

Identification of Entry

Name, county, and level of participation should be displayed with each entry. An introduction at the beginning of your time would be appropriate.

Community Service

Telling a great story, showcasing projects at a community library, speaking at a local nursing home, or organizing a community cooking or building blocks workshop are great opportunities to serve others. Serving others helps you build academic skills, learn civic responsibility, and develop leadership. It may also give you a good opportunity to meet new people, publicize 4-H, and practice your communication skills. Alabama 4-H is now requiring all Senior Level 4-H members to add a community service component to all 4-H Competitive Events. Each Senior Level 4-H member will have to complete the 4-H Community Service Report as a part of his or her project. 4-H members will be disqualified if the community service report is not included.

You must decide what service you can provide and not have a parent or 4-H leader make this decision for you. Groups of young people are encouraged to work together to discover how they can serve their community.

Other Documents

View the challenge report, score sheet, and other documents related to $15 Challenge in the corresponding PDF download below.

Joy Scott, Extension Specialist, 4-H and Youth Development, Auburn University.

Revised July 2024, $15 Challenge, 4HYD-2241-A