It's my last day in D.C. and I'm really sad to leave. I made a lot of great friends this week from around the nation, and have already planned out a few road trips for the summer. At the conference I had the opportunity to exchange ideas about 4-H with 43 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. One idea that we came up with was to hold a "4-H Healthy Living"Conference in our home states where 4-Her's would be able to compete in sporting events and learn how to eat and live healthier. I also had the opportunity to meet with my state legislators, including Congressman Glenn Thompson. At my meeting with Congressman Glenn Thompson, we discussed 4-H in the Commonwealth, and how it could be improved. Congressman Thompson also informed us that he was once a member of his local 4-H in his hometown in Pennsylvania. This conference was a real blast, and it was very educational and inspiring. I highly reccomend any 4-Her's to apply to this program and go in the upcoming years.

4-H Conference Comes to a Close

Wednesday was a busy day in our Nation's Capital for all of the delegates. The morning started out at the USDA Building where Azeem Ahmed delivered the delegates message to the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak. I am hoping to have a copy of the presentation to link here with the blog, check bag. His message was there are 6 million 4-H members, 600,000 4-H volunteers and 5,000 4-H Extension Educators we are waiting for your call to serve, we are waiting to serve!

From there we had 3 meeting with our representatives. From Senator Casey's office we meet with Kasey Gillette, from Senator Specter's office Adam Tarr and Jim Youn and we meet with Congressman Glenn Thompson. Nathaniel spoke with each about the mission mandates of 4-H, state programs, local programs and priorities and thanked each for their past support and continuing support of 4-H and Cooperative Extension. Between visits we had time to go to the Library of Congress and visit the House Gallery. Dinner was rounded out with a dinner cruise and dance aboard the Odyssey which traveled down and back on the Washington Channel. It has been a great 6 days meeting with teens and volunteers across the country, Canada and Puerto Rico. I would like to Thank Lisa Hampton, Eddie Mentzer and the program committee for all of their hard work and patience for the last week. They did an incredible job in moving a delegation of more than 300 around DC. Thank You!

One of the pictures above is from a small area about 5 minutes from the 4-H Center, called Kenwood. A 4-H Educator from the University of DC told us about the area where there are Cherry Blossom trees lining both sides of this area. A small group of us took a drive down and was indeed spectacular, thanks. The dog in the picture with Congressman Thompson and Nathaniel is Truman, the Congressman's dog.

What a day! The teens were busy in professional development workshops and roundtables all day. Nathaniel will catch everyone up to date with what has occurred when he has time. The surprise for tonight was the International Spy Museum. It was a pretty cool place to see and recommend it to others.

Good Morning, here are the activities for today- Tuesday, March 31

8AM Delegation Meetings
8:30 Assembly
9:30 A.I.D Sessions A
11:15 A.I.D Sessions B
On Saturday when the delegates arrived they had to select two A.I.D sessions to participate in. A.I.D (Acquire, Inform, Deliver) The sessions are to offer delegates a professional development experience and present information that will stimulate thought and provide resources to encourage young people to develop and implement additional programs in their local communities.

Sessions include:
A- Jump out of the box: Crazy ideas of teens to Get Communities Physically Active
B- Climate Change and Children's Health: A Campaign for our Nation's Youth
C- Serving Those Who serve: 4-H's work with Our Nation's Military Children
D- Service Learning: It's Fun and Funable
E- The Hidden Face of Childhood Hunger in America: How it Impacts Us and How You Can Impact it at a Local Level

12:45 Lunch
2:15 Focus Groups
3:45 Roundtables
5:00 Dinner
7:00 Evening Activity- we have no idea yet what it is, they are keeping it a secret.

Hi Everyone, We are back from our 40 mile hike around DC. Ok, maybe it was not 40 miles more like 7, but it felt like 40. The Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom and beautiful. We are very lucky to be here at this time. Enjoy the pictures. The one picture of Lincoln's head, can you see the profile of Robert E. Lee in the back? The one of the 6 teens is my small group for the day- Angelyn- Puerto Rico, Thyra- Maryland, Ron- Kentucky, Kreig- Wisconsin, Brett- New York, Andrea- Maryland. They were great teens to be with for the afternoon. We ended our afternoon at Arlington National Cemetery where we got to watch the laying of the wreath and the changing of the guard. Not much will be happening tonight, everyone is exhausted! More tomorrow!

Monday’s Schedule

7AM Breakfast
8:30-9:15 Assembly
9:30-10:30 Roundtable IV
10:30AM Load Buses for DC
11:00-4:00PM Citizenship Excursions
7-8:30PM Roundtable V
8:30-11:00 In-House Entertainment
11:45 Curfew


Delegates will be walking a 5 ½ mile trek through DC touring all of the monuments. Groups will start either at Arlington National Cemetery and end Jefferson Memorial.

I’m having a great time at National Conference, today was our first real roundtable. A roundtable discussion is a group of teenagers from around the nation who are gathered into a room to discuss issues that are happening in their state, and brainstorming ideas on how to address and fix these issues. On Wednesday we will meet with our different legislators to discuss these issues with hopes of having them resolved in the ongoing year. During this time we also do a lot of icebreakers to get to know each other and make connections. Monday night we toured the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The highlight of the night for me was the space section where they had a real space shuttle and various satellites on display. Nathaniel

When you come to DC you definitely need to check out the National Air and Space Museum. The museum has more than 163 aircraft on display. You get the chance to see the Concorde, Boeing 707, the Enola Gay, Lockhead Blackbird and the Space Shuttle Enterprise. You can also view several IMAX films. We were able to see Fighter Pilot. A movie that puts you in the cockpit of an F15-Eagle. The tower offers views of Washington Dulles Airport runways. While in the tower you are able to listen into the control tower. Plan on spending a couple of hours here.

Day 2 is off to a great start. This morning everyone had the opportunity to join in the 5k Fun Run/Walk. The weather was a bit drizzly but in the low 40's so it was not bad.

The afternoon got started off with an assembly that had the group playing Human Scavenger Hunt, 4-H Jeopardy- National 4-H Conference Style and a presentation on another Essential Element- Independence by Claire Carlson from Kansas. Teens are once again in the roundtable discussions all afternoon. Nathaniel will catch us up on what is going on there- as no adults are allowed!

Saturday Night Highlights and Sunday Schedule

Hi Everyone, we made it. You definitely have to be careful or you will drive right by the 4-H Center! . There are 43 states, Canada and Puerto Rico represented here this year. Saturday evening kicked off with an Opening Assembly speaker Darrien Pierce 4-H member from Virginia who spoke on the Essential Element of Belonging. He spoke on what attracted youth to gangs was poverty, boredom, and peer pressure. He encouraged 4-H’ers to continue to expand 4-H clubs so others could benefit from a group that includes everyone, offer youth something to do, positive peer pressure and learn how to make and manage money. The planning committee was introduced and then off to Roundtables.

Discussion at the youth roundtables, lead by Collegiate 4-Hers and where no adults are allowed, will stimulate thought around key matters and moving delegates to action in their local communities. A change for this year in the message to the Secretary of Agriculture will not be on what are the issues of youth, but one of we know what the issues are and 4-H is waiting to be called on to meet those challenges. One of the goals in the roundtables and other sessions is that the message is one that will be easily replicated in the states and local programs.

Sunday will be a day where delegates and chaperones will be meeting two of National 4-H’s Mission mandates of Healthy Living and Citizenship. All participants will be taking part in a 5K Fun Run/Walk at Greenbelt Park, a 1,100 acre National Park inside the beltway. After the run, trash clean-up will round out the morning.

Once returning back to the 4-H Center, delegates will continue in their roundtable discussions. The evening highlight will be a Night at the Museum. 4-H’ers will be given a private tour of the new National Air & Space Museum. This museum is much larger than the original in DC. It is large enough to hold the original space shuttle and a 747. We will be able to go into the IMAX theatre and to the simulation air craft control tower that overlooks Dulles Airport. We will be able to listen into the actual conversations between the aircraft and pilots and watch the planes land! We are all looking forward to this great night.

Keep following us as we meet others from around the country, share in discussions and tour DC!

Saturday Conference Schedule
7:30 - 8:30 PM Opening Assembly
8:30-10:30 PM Roundtables

Roundtables
The Roundtables discussions are an integral part of National 4-H Conference. Delegates are randomly assigned to a Roundtable and will work with their assigned group throughout conference. The discussions are led by Collegiate Facilitators, most of whom are former 4-H’ers, who continue to volunteer support to 4-H and have a shared interest in the 4-H ideals.
Delegates will explore various programmatic aspects of 4-H and how 4-H is delivered across the nation. Each Roundtable session will have specific tasks focused on developing recommendations to share with those who determine 4-H programs- including the Secretary of Agriculture, Land-Grant and Extension program leaders, and others.
In 2009, delegates will explore specific objectives of President Obama’s Administration and make determinations as to how 4-H programs can support these objectives and develop young people to meet the challenges of the future.

Saturday, March 28, 2009