Atlanta, GA - A delegation of 18 North Carolina 4-H youth and 3 adults representing 15 counties including Orange County, attended the one-hundredth annual National 4-H Congress, held in Atlanta, Georgia, November 26-30, 2021.  More than 800 youth and adults representing 4-H youth development programs across the country gathered to participate in educational, service, and recreational opportunities.

Orange County was represented by 4-H student leaders Lauren Hoesli, Anastasia Smith, and Austen Stinson-Miller.  This year’s theme was “A Century of Empowering Youth.”  The conference included workshops designed to develop 4-H’ers leadership skills, plenary sessions with outstanding speakers and entertainers, a Service-Learning experience during which delegates participated in hands-on service projects, as well as tours and cultural opportunities throughout the city.

National 4-H Congress was originally designed to recognize state and national winners. As the 4-H program has changed to meet the needs of youth today, so has National 4-H Congress adapted to provide a 21^st Century experience for our nation’s youth. This year’s event, like the ones that preceded it, not only recognized excellence but also provided an outstanding educational opportunity for attendees.

For more information on the 4-H program in Orange County, call the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Orange County Center at 919-245-2050 or visit online.