Thirty-four youth ambassadors from the Nebraska 4-H program visited the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s East Campus for a day of team-building, leadership development and service-learning experiences. The event brought together middle and high school students from Cass, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Hamilton, Merrick, Sarpy, Thurston and Washington counties to help them grow as leaders and advocates for Nebraska’s youth.
“In a world of rapid change, young people need the right mix of knowledge, skills and experiences to effectively transition from education into the workforce,” said Angela Abts, one of the Nebraska Extension educators who helped organize the event. “Events like this empower youth to lead with purpose, serve their communities and make informed decisions about their futures. Nebraska 4-H helps them become beyond ready.”
The day began with interactive team-building activities guided by interns from the 4-H Thrive Lab, and a leadership discussion facilitated by Lindsay Hastings, a professor of leadership in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. The youth then connected with student ambassadors from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources over lunch.
After working in the Backyard Farmer gardens as part of a service project where they prepared the garden for spring planting, they concluded their day with an ice cream from the Dairy Store and a meet-and-greet with officials from the Nebraska 4-H Foundation and Nebraska State 4-H Office.
Ambassadors Emily Muntz and Molly Lambert, both from Cass County, enjoyed their visit and are looking forward to implementing what they learned about leadership from Hastings back with their clubs in their own county.
“I really like the leadership aspect of it, when she talked about hope [and how] our generation is what gives the most hope and motivates the community,” said Muntz. “I think that sometimes as youth, we forget that people do listen to us, even though we’re younger than they may be, so I think reminding our county clubs . . . what an impact they can have.”
“I feel like she did such a great job and just [explaining] . . . how can you make a difference in your community,” said Lambert. “But instead of it just being that one time, like how can you consistently make a difference and always be looking for that opportunity to make a difference and positively impact your community?”
While not every county in Nebraska offers a formal 4-H ambassador program, many have similar opportunities — like Junior Leaders or Teen Councils — that help youth develop critical life and leadership skills. To learn more about how Nebraska 4-H is preparing today’s youth for tomorrow’s world, visit 4h.unl.edu.
4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly 6 million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. Through Beyond Ready, 4-H will increase that number to 10 million youth annually. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.
