National 4-H Council Welcomes 4-H’ers Back to Washington, D.C. for In-Person Events

By National 4-H Council September 29, 2022

4-H members returned to the nation's capital for Youth Summits, True Leaders in Equity Institute, and Citizenship Washington Focus

CHEVY CHASE, MD (September 30, 2022) - For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, teen leaders from across the country gathered in the nation's capital through a series of 4-H youth events. Between April and July 2022, over 1,200 youth and 185 4-H educators participated in National 4-H Council's Youth Summits for Agri-science and Healthy Living, True Leaders in Equity Institute, and Citizenship Washington Focus summer program in Washington, D.C. After a two year hiatus, the return of these events gave 4-H youth the opportunity to collaborate on important issues facing their generation, speak with current leaders in the field, and network with other young leaders across state lines.

Comments received by youth participants were overwhelmingly positive. "The workshops were absolutely amazing, and I got a lot out of them!" said a young attendee of the Agri-science summit. "I really enjoyed meeting lots of people from around the U.S. I loved getting to learn about each other's state likenesses and differences. All around it was one of the best experiences I have participated in!"

Youth events are integral to the mission of Cooperative Extension's 4-H program. They provide opportunities for young people to develop the critical skills needed to succeed in their future careers and lives. National 4-H Council's youth events are made possible through support from ADM, Bayer, CHS Foundation, Corteva, Nationwide, Nutrien, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Saputo, Walmart Foundation, and WK Kellogg Foundation.

After the success of this year's events, National 4-H Council is looking forward to hosting a combination Youth Summit for Agri-science, Healthy Living, and STEM for 4-H'ers in Washington, D.C. next spring.

4-H'ers from around the country take part in National 4-H Council's Healthy Living Summit on Friday, April 22, 2022 in Bethesda, Md. (Kevin Wolf/AP Images for National 4-H Council)

ABOUT 4-H

4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA, and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

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