2008 Year in Review

Illinois 4-Hers Head to National 4-H Congress

Tonja Egan

Tobi Drilling

4-H delegates from across the nation will gather in Atlanta, Georgia for National 4-H Congress from November 28 – December 2. Illinois will be represented by 30 teens that include from Whiteside: Tonja Egan, Deer Grove, Animal Science; and Tobi Drilling, Tampico, Home and Family

National 4-H Congress offers states an opportunity to send outstanding 4-H youth to this event and provide them with an expanded educational experience through seminars, community service projects, and tours sponsored by local and national 4-H program donors. Highlighting this year’s event will be presentations by Dan Thurmon, Dan Clark, Dr. Barbara Chamberlin, and Miss America 2008, Kirsten Hagland. All Congress delegates will participate in special cultural programs such as the International Dinner & Dance and a night at the Atlanta History Center. This year’s Congress Gala will be held at the Georgia Aquarium. Other educational experiences during National 4-H Congress include delegate participation in workshops focusing on cultural differences, team leadership development, and the power of youth. Several delegates will have the opportunity to tour locations around Atlanta, such as CNN, the Georgia World Congress Center, Georgia Aquarium, Turner Field (home of the Atlanta Braves), Cyclorama, The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and more.

Accompanying this year’s delegates will be chaperones Deanna Roby, Kane County Unit Educator, Youth Development; Curt Sinclair, Manager of Memorial 4-H Camp; and Carol Ann Tibbs, 4-H Volunteer from Logan County.

Throughout the year, over 260,000 University of Illinois Extension 4-H Youth Development participants can receive recognition for their involvement at the local, county and state level. County nominations for curriculum area winners are sent to the state selection process in January to begin an intense selection process that includes application judging, 4-H story judging and interviews. The process helps judges select the top 4-H members in various curriculum areas. Many of these winners are selected for a trip to this national event.

National 4-H Congress is conducted by Cooperative Extension Service staff on behalf of the Cooperative Extension System of the state land-grant universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
November 4, 2008