4-H Wisconsin

2010 Youth Conference

By Jackie Askins

New members of 4-H are likely to hear about 4-H & Youth Conference from more experienced members. Wisconsin State 4-H & Youth Conference, which has been held for 90 years, is open to 4-H members in 7^th-10^th grade. The 2010 Wisconsin State 4-H & Youth Conference was held at UW-Madison June 21-24.

Around 500 people from all around Wisconsin were at Youth Conference this year. As in years past, youth attended daytime seminars, heard from keynote speakers, enjoyed performances by the Wisconsin 4-H Drama Company and Showcase Singers and had a chance to experience dorm life for a few nights. Youth Conference is also designed to help youth strengthen their communication and leadership skills to help them better serve their home communities and 4-H clubs.

The 2010 Youth Conference offered something different, though. In addition to the usual range of seminars about radio and video production, public speaking, STEM activities and water seminars like sailing and windsurfing (which, I’m told, are perennial favorites), everyone attending Youth Conference this year was required to take a service learning seminar. Many of the seminars addressed the conference’s theme – “4-H…We’ve Always Been Green”—and focused on environmental issues. These seminars taught lessons on conservation and healthy living that youth will bring back to their home communities; with everyone participating, 4-H Youth Conference donated over 800 hours of community service to Madison in the process.

2010 Youth Conference seminar at Dream Bikes

Seminars at the UW Arboretum and Lakeshore Nature Preserve had youth doing some damage control on invasive species in both areas. They pulled out invasive plants and helped restore the areas’ natural ecosystems—in the process, they learned how to address invasive plant issues in their own communities. In another weeding-related seminar (taught by Madison Community Gardens), youth tended to community gardens that serve low-income populations in Madison. While there, they learned about cultural differences in gardening, and how to plan a community garden to include culturally sensitive foods—for instance, planting bok choy rather than iceberg lettuce.

In a seminar meant to address healthy living and the environment, youth hopped on bikes to Madison’s west side to Dream Bikes, a non-profit staffed by the Boys & Girls Club. They helped repair used bikes for Madison children while learning bike safety and some of the benefits of biking versus driving.

2010 Youth Conference Drama Company

Drama Company even got in on the go-green action with their Tuesday night presentation. What started out as a whirlwind history of important trees (think George Washington and the cherry tree, activists in redwood forests and others) ended with a strong message about human impacts on nature. Using a combination of jokes, facts and literary quotes, they imparted lessons about conservation, activism and the importance of trees to the world today.

All week, the atmosphere at Youth Conference was crackling with excitement and enthusiasm, and youth seemed genuinely happy to be in Madison, learning new skills and making connections with new friends from around the state. Even after 90 years, Youth Conference remains an exciting, educational way to forge connections and find ways to enrich local communities with lessons learned at the state level.