Minnesota 4-H held the Central Region Building Leadership and Understanding leadership workshops were held Feb. 1-2 at Camp Friendship in Annandale; 70 youth from our local areas attended, including members of the Meeker County 4-H’ers.
In February, youth from across Minnesota gathered to participate in the annual 4-H Building Leadership and Understanding (BLU). BLU was facilitated by youth leaders from the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador program. The events were also supported by a team of adult chaperones.
This year’s theme was, “The Art of Leadership!” and gave youth the opportunity to dive into hands-on activities that break down stereotypes, open minds to fresh perspectives, and spark creativity. They discovered how art and -mental wellness connect, and made an impact through creative stations for local causes. Youth participated in hour-long workshops on a topic of their choosing ranging from STEM to performing arts.
BLU is for youth in grades 6 and up. Using a youth-teaching-youth model, the 4-H BLU leadership workshops are developed and led by 4-H State Ambassadors, Minnesota 4-H youth who have been selected to serve as spokespeople for 4-H. Their purpose is to educate youth and adults about the importance of youth development, leadership, citizenship, service, teamwork, and other invaluable life skills.
Meeker County 4-H’er Avery Lougheed shared, “I had a very good time. There were a lot of nice people. I learned a lot about how to treat others well, and about food and nutrition. I can’t wait to go back.”
Meeker County 4-H had three youth participate, one as a State Ambassador facilitator, and two as youth attendees:
• Henry Lemke, Valley Victors, and Minnesota 4-H State Ambas-
sador
• Avery Lougheed, Valley Victors
• Nora Magedanz, Valley Victors
To learn more about 4-H in Meeker County, contact 4-H Extension Educator Cassidy Martin at (320) 693-5275 and visit the website, www.4-H.umn.edu.
About Extension 4-H
4-H is a youth development program of the University of Minnesota Extension. Available for youth grades K through one year after high school, 4-H’ers participate in hands-on learning experiences in STEM, citizenship and leadership, animal science, creative arts, and much more. Through this unique learn-by-doing process, youth obtain essential life skills such as problem solving, decision making, coping, and communicating that help them succeed in their school, college, community, and career. Research shows that youth who participate in 4-H have better grades and are more emotionally engaged with school, are more than twice as likely to be civically active and contribute to their communities, and are 47% less likely to have risky or problem behaviors.