On the 4-H Gratitude Challenge Calendar, today’s challenge is to make a social media post highlighting a person for whom you are grateful.
Over the last two weekends, I have had a lot of 4-H families to be grateful for! A week ago, we held our virtual Achievement Celebration and over seventy of our families logged on for our “Vegging Out Together” celebration. Was it the type of celebration we are used to? Nope! Was it scary trying something new? Yes! Was it worth it to see smiling faces and hear club leaders or presidents share exciting things that their clubs had accomplished in this weird year? Absolutely!
Celebrating our successes is an important part of the 4-H learning process. We set goals and plan; we execute those plans and make necessary adjustments along the way; we learn about ourselves and the world around us; and we celebrate the learning and successes along the way!
One of my favorite parts of planning the virtual celebration was that the theme came from one of our 4-H members who said “If we are stuck at home, we might as well have fun with it!” That is a great attitude and a reflection of the resilience and leadership that she is learning.
This past weekend, we had the opportunity to team up with Ellis County, Midway Extension District of Russell and Ellsworth counties, and the Post Rock District to present 4-H Officer Training. If you have ever held an office in an organization, you know that there are a lot of details that go into running a smooth and effective meeting. Knowing how to develop and follow an agenda, present comprehensive minutes, and provide a thorough financial report are life skills that our 4-H members start learning as eight- or nine-year-old youth as they take on junior offices and watch older members model effective leadership. I am grateful for fellow agents who work together to line up presenters and impactful workshops!
We also held a 4-H Ambassador Training this weekend. 4-H Ambassadors are older 4-H members who live the 4-H Pledge and have a goal of promoting the
benefits of 4-H through events and activities! Ambassadors apply and interview for their role and it is a great way to hone their leadership skills while enthusiastically sharing the things they love about 4-H! We teamed up with Ellis County and the Midway Extension District for this energetic morning with a focus on social media platforms, engaging in a virtual world, and reaching new audiences. Two 4-H alumni were excellent presenters and set the stage for each local group to spend some time planning their focus for the year.
I am grateful for each of the youth who participated in both trainings for their investment in themselves and our communities!
To check out more of what our 4-H members are up to be sure to check out K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood Extension District or Cottonwood 4-H – Barton County on Instagram.
Who in your life are you grateful for? Have you taken a moment to let them know?
Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.
Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.