Youth get in-depth look at D.C. during Texas 4-H Leadership Conference

Contact: Dr. Darlene Locke, 979-845-6535, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Eighteen Texas 4-H members got a firsthand look at the nation’s capitol and toured many of its sites during the Texas 4-H Leadership Conference, which took place Nov. 23-28.

“Youth participants earned this opportunity as recognition for a first-place 4-H record book on the state level,” said Dr. Darlene Locke, 4-H youth development specialist, College Station.

Texas 4-H is administered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, an educational outreach agency of the Texas A&M University System.

Locke said 4-H members document their project activities, leadership and service and submit their record books for evaluation at the county level. The record books are then entered in one of 29 4-H project areas such as clothing and textiles, beef, rabbit or foods and nutrition, as well as science, engineering and technology.

“From the county evaluation, one book for each category advances to district competition and then onto state, where approximately 300 books are evaluated,” she said. “Achieving a state-level first-place record book is quite an accomplishment. The leadership conference tour recognizes that accomplishment and also serves to challenge the youth to continue their leadership and citizenship experiences.”

She said the trip was financed through participant registration fees and, in some cases, private or corporate scholarships solicited by individual 4-H members.

“The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also provides significant monetary support,” Locke said.

This year’s youth participants included: Clara Steglich, Bell County; Abigayle Williams, Brazos County; Kristi McAlister, Castro County; Kenzy Hoffmann, Comal County; Haley Bertsch, Fayette County; Benjamin Bozeman, Hale County; Emily Robinson, Hockley County; Emily Brite, Hood County; Reagan Ellison, Johnson County; Katelyn Peggram, Lamb County; Kamry Keese, McCulloch County; Rush Hoelscher and Joshua Wigley, Nueces County; Winston Lagergren, Somervell County; Ember Reed and Jerik Reed, Swisher County; Seth Chapman, Tarrant County; and John Jones, Waller County.

Eleven additional 4-H youth who earned first-place honors with their record books but were unable to participate were: Synghyn Beasley-Vasquez, Childress County; Christian Dieterich and Jared Mayfield, Denton County; J. Burns Cowley, DeWitt County; Anneka Dahle, Guadalupe County; Patrick Dean, Milam County; Daniel Sharon, Montague County; Jayna Grove and Hayden Steagall, Nueces County; Tate Jones, Tom Green County; and Shelby Lepley, Walker County.

The group arrived in Washington D.C. on Thanksgiving Day. The week’s itinerary included visits to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington National Cathedral, National Zoo and Capitol Building.

“Participants also had an opportunity to visit with Texas A&M students currently serving in Congressional intern positions,” Locke said. “Through a panel discussion and briefing, they learned about the intern program and what goes on in various offices at the federal level. These intern opportunities are provided not only by Texas A&M, but also Texas Tech, Sam Houston State, Texas State and many other colleges throughout Texas.”

An additional session was held with James Glueck, a Texas 4-H alumnus from Randall County now serving as the staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

Participants also toured Arlington National Cemetery, where they watched the changing of the guard, laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited other notable gravesites and Arlington House. They also toured the Pentagon, where they learned about the duties and responsibilities of the nation’s top military leaders.

The group also dined at Old Ebbitt Grill, saw a production of the Nutcracker at Kennedy Center and got a tour of Ford’s Theatre and the Petersen House, where President Lincoln spent his final hours.

“The week provided an outstanding opportunity for these 4-H youth to broaden their experiences as well as enhance the leadership and citizenship skills they already possess,” Locke said.