No Freeborn County 4-H’ers were attending the Minnesota State Fair when health officials sent home 120 students after four confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu.

However, eight Freeborn County 4-H’ers left Albert Lea for the fair in Falcon Heights a few days later. One opted not to go.

The local 4-H’ers who left for the state fair Friday stayed at the non-livestock encampment. They’ll have judging and interviews for projects and then have free time to spend at the fair, said Freeborn County Program Coordinator Megan Thorson.

Health officials on Thursday sent 120 students in the 4-H Arts-In and Ambassador programs home early to avoid infecting the new crop of 4-H’ers. That came after 17 4-H’ers developed flu-like symptoms and were sent home. Tests confirmed four of the sick children had H1N1, fair officials said in a statement.

Individual 4-H families chose whether to attend the fair. Some parents in other counties decided not take their children because they’re afraid of the flu spreading further with schools starting after Labor Day, Thorson said.

One student went up for a leadership project, and others attended for things like flowers and clothing. After the judging, students get to spend time at the state fair.

They can go to the fair overnight or the day, but one Freeborn County 4-H’er chose not to go to the fair.

“What they’re doing now is twice a day they’re doing the swabs of the throat, and if anybody has any symptoms like a scratchy throat, sore throat, headache, possible temperature. … If they are confirmed they have it, they isolate them, and their parents have to come get them right away,” Thorson said.

Health officials recommended people with such symptoms not attend the fair.

The students in the Ambassador and Arts-In groups typically stay at the fair during its 12-day run and live in a dormitory known as the 4-H Hilton. The rest of the roughly 6,200 4-H members stay for just a few days at a time, said Wendy Huckaby, a spokeswoman for the University of Minnesota Extension’s 4-H program.

“Our commitment is to keep our 4-H youth safe,” said 4-H State Program Leader Dorothy McCargo Freeman. “Minnesota 4-H is very concerned about the health and well-being of its members. We will continue to monitor our youth very closely and will take appropriate action when necessary. With the exception of some leadership and performing arts programs, all other 4-H activities will continue as scheduled.”