DELEGATES — Thirty Arkansas 4-Hers represented the state at National 4-H Congress in Atlanta. (UADA photo)
Thirty Arkansas 4-H members had much to be grateful for over the Thanksgiving break: the opportunity to attend National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, the premier leadership event for senior 4-H members.
The event, held Nov. 28 – Dec. 2, brought together more than 900 4-H members from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Arkansas’ delegation included 4-H members, 4-H staff, extension agents, and volunteers from 15 counties.
“Congress provides opportunities for skill development, service learning, and exploring how 4-H works in other states,” said Debbie Nistler, head of Arkansas 4-H and Youth Development for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “Italso provides opportunities to explore careers within their project passions and beyond.”
Benton County 4-H member Brooklyn Luedecke said 4-H Congress inspired her to not only better herself as a leader, but also to help others become leaders.
“It was a very meaningful trip because I got to see how much other leaders from across the nation care about 4-H and how they also want to better the program in their communities,” said Luedecke, whose main 4-H project is leadership. “My favorite memory from Congress was getting to meet people from other states and find out what things were different while also realizing that many things were the same, because 4-H was our common ground.”
The group left the morning after Thanksgiving from Little Rock National Airport and Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Fayetteville. Once in Atlanta, they heard from several keynote speakers, including New York Times best-selling author Dan Clark and John Beede, an Everest mountaineer who shared his success strategies.
“My most enjoyable experience was the talented comedian and juggler who cheers up children at a local hospital in Atlanta,” Pulaski County 4-H member Isaiah Breshears, 18, said. “He reminded us that we are loved by our friends, valued by our clubs, and that suicide is never the answer.”
The Arkansas 4-H members also worked on variety of community service projects in the Atlanta metro area — from landscaping Piedmont Park and the Atlanta History Center, to reading to elementary students, to sorting and packing books for Children in Africa, for which Breshears volunteered.
The teens also did some sightseeing in Atlanta with stops at the Atlanta Zoo, College Football Hall of Fame, World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, and Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves.
Breshears, who has 4-H projects in Workforce and Career Development and Environmental Science, said his favorite stop was Truist Park.
“We got to visit the press box, dugout, and the field,” he said. “I learned a lot about the important role sports management and mass communications play in nationally broadcast sporting events.”
All of the Arkansas delegation earned their trip to 4-H Congress by winning advanced record book contests in their respective projects.
“This trip is a culmination of years of work on their projects, building skills, and preparing for life after 4-H,” Nistler said. “These are some of the hardest working, strongest young people you’ll meet.”
The Arkansas 4-H Foundation paid for their trip.
“Arkansas 4-H stands out as one of the few states that fully funds every delegate’s trip to National 4-H Congress,” foundation Managing Director John Thomas said. “That tradition is made possible by donors who believe in our young people and want to celebrate the dedication, service, and leadership it takes to earn this honor.”
Attendees include the following:
• Benton County — Lydia Brown, Kolby Campbell, Krystal Edith Estrada, Zachariah Hinojosa, Zoey Hinojosa, Emily Jackson, Brooklyn Luedecke, Bailey Malone, Emma Millsap, Gracelyn Moore, Ramsey Puryear, Addison Robins and Lillian Swarengin
• Carroll County — Andrew Rexwinkle
• Clark County — Blakley Thompson
• Columbia County — Dawson Dooly
• Howard County — Anna Kate McKinnon
• Independence County —Annaleigh Mead and Logan Wiltrout
• Lonoke County — Kaitlyn Caswell Mogish
• Madison County — Andrew Hendricks and Vallie Yancey
• Montgomery County — Opal Samons
• Pulaski County — Isaiah Breshears
• Sebastian County — Mary Dunn and Royston Drake Slate
• Washington County — Joshua Bailey and Alyosha Wood
• White County — Sadie Lillard and Delyia Sanderlin
The group was accompanied by 4-H staff member Breanna Wade; Howard County staff chair Samantha Horn; Garland County 4-H agent Sara Jackson; Madison County volunteerJeneal Yancy and Benton County volunteer Nicole Swarengin.
For more information about 4-H, visit https://4h.uada.edu/ or contact your local county extension agent at uaex.uadca.edu/counties.
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