Citizenship Washington Focus in Action
Hello from Washington D.C.! This week I am traveling in our Nation’s Capitol with a group of local 4-H members. Twenty-seven youth from six counties are learning about government processes in the vibrant, living classroom of the nation’s capital as part of Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), an intensive 4-H civic engagement program for high-school youth held at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, MD. The counties represented in our delegation are York, Polk, Hamilton, Merrick, Boone and Nance.
For more than 50 years, National 4-H Youth Conference Center has invited 4-H members from across the country to travel to Washington, DC and participate in civic workshops, committees, and field trips before returning home to make positive changes in their own communities. CWF not only strengthens young people’s understanding of the government’s civic process, but it also boosts their leadership skills, communication skills, and overall confidence.
During CWF, youth get a behind-the-scenes look at the nation’s capital while meeting with Members of Congress to learn more about how their government works. At the end of the program, youth draft step-by-step action plans to address important issues in their communities.
This week, they are also challenged to think about four important congressional issues. These issues include, cell phone encryption regulation, hydraulic fracturing, campaign finance reform, and GMO labeling. The delegates will come together in a congressional session to debate these issues and ultimately decide on where they stand on each one.
“CWF is a great opportunity for young people to come together, talk about the problems they see in their communities, and identify solutions to make their communities stronger,†said Donald T. Floyd, Jr., National 4-H Council President and CEO. “The experiences these young people gain during CWF gives them the proper tools and confidence to become successful, articulate leaders in the future.â€
I attended CWF when I was in high school and still remember it as a significant life event. Through the program, I learned how to work on a team, have respectful debate and meet new people. I made friends with 4-H kids from other counties and other states. I truly enjoyed the spotlight on our nation and seeing all the monuments and memorials.
About 4-H:
4-H is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of 4-H National Headquarters at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA. The 4-H programs are implemented by the 111 land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System through their 3,100 local Extension offices across the country. Learn more about 4-H at www.4-h.org.
