Posted: March 23, 2023
During Pennsylvania 4-H Week, March 12-18, the 4-H State Council announced this year's theme: "Build: Inspire, Influence, Impact."
According to the State Council team, the theme emphasizes the importance of building a personal legacy. 4-H members can consider the impact they want to make in their lives and how 4-H can help them achieve that. State Council is encouraging members to use 4-H to develop new skills and explore new projects and activities over the next year. They urge members to seize the opportunity to create their own legacy.
Jeanette Stackhouse, 4-H teen program manager with Penn State Extension, serves as advisor to the State Council. She explained that the theme — which will carry through the State Leadership Conference and SLC Junior events — focuses on inspiring and encouraging others to try new things, supporting each other in a positive way, and leaving a lasting impact on the world.
For instance, 4-H members may consider applying for State Council, becoming a state project ambassador or giving back in other ways this year.
The council is a premier group of young people selected from around the state as the official spokespeople for the Pennsylvania 4-H program.
"State Council is the highest youth leadership opportunity in Pennsylvania 4-H," Stackhouse said. "These young people give a year of their time to serve a program that has had an impact on them."
Throughout their yearlong term, these individuals plan state-level events, such as the 4-H State Leadership Conference and SLC Junior, and travel the state to represent the nearly 100,000 youth served by 4-H in Pennsylvania. They discuss the program with government officials, industry representatives, community organizations, Penn State leadership and external stakeholders. In addition, they promote opportunities to current 4-H members and volunteers, while also working to grow the program and introduce it to new families.
Council members serve as role models in teaching their peers and younger members about leadership and engage in professional development opportunities to enhance their own skills.
The council's goals for this year include filling all 100 attendance spots at SLC Junior — a conference aimed at 4-H members ages 10-13 — and ensuring everyone leaves with an experience to take back to their club; promoting State Council's work to other members in 4-H; and developing further skills in public speaking, time management, learning about government and team building.
More information about the 4-H State Council is available on the Penn State Extension 4-H website.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a nonformal educational youth-development program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring, and contributing citizens. To find your local program, visit the Penn State Extension 4-H website.
