New Jersey 4-H 2013 delegates visit Capitol Hill.
New Jersey 4-H Members learned about government processes in the vibrant, living classroom of the nation’s capital as part of Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), an intensive 4-H civic engagement program for high-school youth held at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The New Jersey 4-H delegation of 30 youth and three adult chaperones attended the conference from July 7-13.
The delegates attending this year’s conference were:
Atlantic County: Daniel Kelleher and Matthew Schreiber
Burlington County: Kirsten Jeansson, Jennifer Miller and Derek Sennstrom
Cape May County: Rebecca Thompson
Cumberland County: Ian Parr and Robert Smith
Gloucester County: Cecilia Floyd, Victoria Hepler and Zachary Herndon
Hunterdon County: Jonah Dabb, Michaela Gardiner, Kathryn Majorossy, Matthew Majorossy, Anna Piparo, Kevin Sievers, Madison Spinelli and Anne Szmul
Mercer County: Alexander Byrnes, Scott Hoffman
Middlesex County: Jared Huang and Evonne Scott
Monmouth County: McKayla Tyrrell
Morris County: Kimberly Luofen Cronin
Somerset County: Kimberley Duffy, Emily Ma, Julia Meier and Mellissa Smutko
Salem County: Megan Sharp
For over 50 years, the National 4-H Youth Conference Center has invited 4-H members from across the country to travel to Washington, DC, to participate in civic workshops, committees and field trips before returning home to make positive changes in their own communities. CWF not only strengthens young people’s understanding of the government’s civic process but it also boosts their leadership skills, communication skills and overall confidence.
During the conference, youth get a behind-the-scenes look at the nation’s capital while meeting with Members of Congress to learn more about how their government works. At the end of the program, youth draft step-by-step action plans to address important issues in their communities.
“CWF is a great opportunity for young people to come together, talk about the problems they see in their communities, and identify solutions to make their communities stronger,” said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., National 4-H Council President and CEO. “The experiences these young people gain during CWF gives them the proper tools and confidence to become successful, articulate leaders in the future.”
The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Its educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis. Visit the New Jersey 4-H Program website to learn more.
