Citizens and 4-H members first met at the county level, as shown here
in Page County, to discuss opportunities for youth.
Gathering community
service pledges was another part of the 4-H conversation movement. Iowans
have pledged more than 51,000 hours and that number is growing.
Youth development priorities are a nation's gift
Since last October, folks around Iowa have been preparing
a “gift” for the nation as they accepted Iowa State University
Extension’s invitation to participate in 4-H centennial conversations.
“I’m an ambassador for the conversations’ priorities because
I believe we can make a long-lasting impact on youth development. I have
seen the successes when youth and adults work together. That’s what
the conversations are about,” said Brett Moffitt, a Union County
4-H’er.
Speaking several times during ISU Extension radio reports, Moffitt has
told listeners that as Iowa youth and adults talked, a list of priorities
has developed. Those priorities describe actions to be taken in the next
three to five years to create the kind of future wanted for youth. This
list includes more before and after school and summer programs for youth;
youth representation on local, county and state boards; and more media
coverage of youth working with adults and of youth having a positive impact
on communities.
Local and state conversations have made a statement about the importance
of youth development and are moving people into action.
Barbara Oldham, a long-time Mahaska County 4-H leader, is working through
her club and other county groups to spread the word of the conversations
and the priorities identified. Locally, she’d like to see a center
created that would match community service opportunities and mentors with
youth seeking service work.
Moffitt, Oldham and 17 others made up Iowa’s delegation that participated
in the national conversation Feb. 28 to March 2.
A conversation summary will be given to the State of Iowa Youth Action
Committee, a group appointed by the Governor, to help that committee know
what is being said across Iowa. 4-H delegates shared the key points of
the conversations at Iowa 4-H Day at the Legislature on March 26. The
Youth Policy Institute was represented at the state conversations and
is interested in addressing the priority that asks for stepped-up use
of communication networks to increase awareness of existing youth organizations.
Ashley Glade is an ISU freshman and former 4-H’er who worked to
get legislative sponsorship of the bill supporting the 4-H centennial
conversations. She summed up the effort this way.
“We started locally, proceeded to the state then national level with conversations in order to have a plan created by youth and adults,” Glade said. “President Bush said in his state of the union address that we need more volunteerism, more plans for recruiting community service. Well, in a couple of months 4-H will have a plan for him.”
Check the recommendations from the 4-H Centennial State Conversation on Youth Development. For more information about 4-H in Iowa, check the ISU Extension 4-H Youth Development Web site.
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Nineteen Iowans participated in the national 4-H Conversation on Youth Development. The local, state and national conversations celebrated 100 years of 4-H nationwide. |
Contact Laura Sternweis, editor, lsternwe@iastate.edu.
Visit the ISU Extension homepage.
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Last update: April 2002