Ignite by 4-H Summit in Washington DC
This March students in the 4-H program traveled to DC for the Ignite by 4-H Ultimate Teen Summit.
The 4 day conference was designed for high-school aged teens to connect, make memories and ‘find their spark’ by exploring the best 4-H has to offer in STEM, Agriscience, Healthy Living, Career Readiness and Emotional Well-being.
Students were able to choose workshops and seminars to participate in, in the areas of S.T.E.M., Healthy Living, and Agricultural Science. Seminar themes and activities included: fruit and vegetable D.N.A., beekeeping, sustainable farming, community enhancement and development, and panels with YouTube-influencers focusing around modern, agricultural, healthy living, and engineering who each have more than 2 million viewers.
Program Leader, Jason Palomo shared,
“I believe our students gained a greater understanding of the diverse nature of teenage, American life by meeting and conversing with so many different teenagers from around the country. They certainly learned more about the many fields and opportunities that are potentially available in the future for the realm of food systems and agriculture.”
In addition to self directed learning, each group took part in planning meetings, called “Community Change” where they were able to discuss and brainstorm solutions to problems and challenges in their local communities. Students in our group decided that their project will be called, Washington County Youth Development Program, and that they will, “address the issue of recreational starvation, brain drain, and a aging population by creating periodic festivals/markets in a safe and engaging space for teens and their families to come together to express and enjoy themselves through art exhibitions, fun competitions, talent displays, and youth-targeted vendors.” Students will start to work on this project this Spring and Summer, and are already planning to volunteer at community activities and events in Downeast Maine.
In addition to spending time at the conference, our group was also able to explore DC, and visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Korean War Memorial, the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, the Old Post Office Clock Tower, and the Washington National Zoo!
Now that the conference is over, students are going to continue to build on their learning and skills developed at the conference, Jason shares:
“Next, our teens will rally together to help younger youths at Milbridge’s Dia de los Ninos by manning a craft table, which will satisfy some of the required hours needed for them to receive their honorariums. They will also do the same thing at Maine’s “4-H Days,” which is an opportunity for 4-Hers to camp with their families at the Windsor fairgrounds. All of this is in preparation for their teen-teaching training that takes place just before they practice their new teaching skills at Blueberry Harvest School.”
To learn more about the 4-H program visit our website, and email info@manomaine.org for with any questions.
