STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Nearly 600 young people descended on State College, Pa., during the last weekend of January. They were all in town for the Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference. The weekend provides the opportunity for 4-H members to come together for leadership training, networking and learning experiences.
The weekend, themed “LAUNCH: Leaders All Unite for Necessary Change to Happen,” kicked off with a welcome address by Director of Pennsylvania 4-H Dr. Joshua Rice and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding.
Saturday was a full day of leadership workshops which included topics such as goal setting, interview skills, conflict resolution, parliamentary procedure, stress management and more.
Saturday keynote Matt Bellace entertained the teens with his comedy and message about finding natural highs — those traits that make young people feel empowered to make positive change in their lives and communities.
The event concluded on Sunday with speaker Brandon Rumbaugh, a Marine and Pennsylvania native who lost both legs in an IED explosion while deployed, who shared his story with the 4-H members. His story exemplified leadership, service and strength to take what life puts in your way.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a community of more than 6 million young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. For more information on Monroe County 4-H, call 570-421-6430 or visit us at http://extension.psu.edu/monroe.
— Penn State Extension, Monroe County
