By: Keith Rogers
Last week, four Kentucky 4-H members participated in one of the premier events held by 4-H, the National 4-H Conference. Representing Kentucky were; McKenzie Gearheart – Pike County; Meagan Harper – Calloway County; Marketta Lawless – Russell County; and Josh Robinett – Lawrence County.
The National 4-H Conference is a working conference held at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, MD, right outside Washington D.C. The conference is the premier professional and leadership development event for 4-H members ages 15 to 19. This event brings together youth, volunteer leaders and Extension staff from across the United States and its territories. Deemed “the Secretary’s Conference” this experience upholds a tradition dating back to 1927 and is the Secretary of Agriculture’s premier youth development opportunity. The conference is administered by the National 4-H Headquarters which is part of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
National 4-H Conference was first known as “National 4-H Club Camp” where in the early days, delegates slept in tents on the grounds of the National Mall in front of the Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C. Since 1927, it has been held annually, except for a few years during World War II. In 1958, the name was changed to National 4-H Conference and in 1959 the conference was moved from the National Mall to the National 4-H Center.
Delegates attend conference sessions to strengthen leadership skills and gain knowledge, visit general assemblies to motivate and inspire action, and have the opportunity to meet with our nation’s leaders. The purpose of this conference is to engage 4-H youth in personal development. It gives them a platform to discuss topics that affect youth and 4-H programming, and empowers and mobilizes the delegates to create positive change in their communities. National 4-H Conference encourages youth to step out of their comfort zones while meeting new people from different backgrounds and making new friendships that can last a lifetime.
Our four delegates this week met with Congressman Ed Whitfield and Congressman Hal Rogers where they discussed the Kentucky 4-H program, how it reaches youth,and 4-H’s impact on their lives and future careers. Each delegate focuses on a topic area — McKenzie focused on Bully Prevention; Meagan on Feeding the Global World and Women’s Role; Marketta on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics); and Josh on Promoting Agriculture.
Since 2009, Farm Credit Mid-America has been the sponsor for the Kentucky delegation to National 4-H Conference. On behalf of the 4-H Foundation and this year’s delegates, I want to thank them for the tremendous support. It’s truly considered one of the top honors in 4-H to attend National 4-H Conference. If you are a former delegate to National 4-H Conference or National 4-H Club Camp, I would like to hear from you about your trip and experiences while in our nation’s capital.
About Farm Credit Mid-America:
Farm Credit Mid-America is a $19 billion agriculture lending cooperative serving more than 95,000 farmers, agribusinesses and rural residents throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Loans are available for farm real estate financing, operating loans, and equipment and livestock loans. As a lender serving rural America, we also offer crop insurance and a full line up of leasing options. We also offer financing for people who want to live in the country, whether it’s for purchasing a home or purchasing land to build a home later. Talk to the rural lending experts today!
