It was a lovely Sunday evening on July 10th, 2011 when 4-H delegates from all over B.C. ages 14-15 came together at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops to take part in Youth Action. From Vancouver Island to the Central Interior and Yellowhead West, I was joined by thirty-nine outstanding 4-Hers, where we began our journey to becoming better and more confident leaders. The conference ran from July 10th to July 14th and over the course of those five days we got the chance to learn about leadership in our clubs, communities and everyday lives. We also had the opportunity to improve our communication and teamwork skills during the fun group sessions and activities that had been planned.

The theme of our conference was “Running the Race”. At the beginning of the week, we were all honestly a bit confused how that applied to being a leader, but by the end of the week, we knew just how it did. Each day during our group activities we tested and improved our leadership skills. I truly got to know everyone quite well when doing these fun group program sessions. Whether it was figuring out how to get all of my team through a hula hoop in the air, without touching it or skiing across the grass field with three people attached to each ski attempting to figure out the best and most successful technic! We also learned a lot about what kind of leader we think we are and what kind of leader we want to be.

Over the course of the week, we slowly figured out that “Running the Race” meant that there are different steps we must take to become successful in any leadership role. Each step holds its own importance such as Program Session 1: “Lacing our Shoes” was the start where we learned about how to begin and prepare yourself to be a leader. Another good example is Program Session 5: “Picking Up the Pace-Taking a Run at Leadership” where we each had to lead our small groups indifferent activities that suited our individual leader types. One big thing we all learned was that being a leader does not always mean stepping up and standing at the front. A smart leader knows how to step back, but still lead by supporting ideas and helping initiate good plans. We also learned that there are many different kinds of leaders out there and each type comes with its own strengths.

The week was finished up with an awards presentation, a fantastic dance and last but not least a powerpoint presentation to look back at all the fun things we did together and everything that we had learnt. Going into Youth Action, we were forty regular kids. After the conference, it is safe to say that we are now forty enthusiastic, dynamic and positive thinking kids. We are ready to make a difference and help out in any challenge we are faced with. We are confident to step-up to any leadership role. We are now a group that is on our way to becoming outstanding leaders wherever we go. So look out for us because we are ready to make a difference and make a change!

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

They are faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. They are the delegates who attended Youth Action 2009 hosted at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. From July 8-12, fifty-eight BC 4-H members from across the province met at Youth Action to find out for themselves what it means to be a leader. This program takes a look at important youth issues, develops leadership skills and self-esteem while building new friendships in a fun filled week.

The theme for the conference was "Heroes Live Here". Throughout the week delegates participated in various hero-themed activities to learn about topics including communication, teamwork, and decision making. This year we had a special guest speaker, Iha Farquhar, from the Heroes Live Here program for 2010 Legacies Now. She presented three sessions on the topics Discover, Celebrate and Act. In these sessions delegates learned about characteristics of a hero, people whose strong leadership skills have made a difference in their schools, communities, or even around the world, and how they can be a hero in their community. On Friday the delegates had to team up with some superheroes to "save the world" from Dr. Conundrum. After working as a team to complete the heroic challenges they faced in the dry desert heat, the group took flight to the Canada games pool facility to splash around and cool off. Youth Action came to an end with small group presentations that summarized the week, followed by an awards dinner and dance.

Pictures:

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Quotes:

• "Youth Action was a great, fun, team building 4-H experience! It helped me become a better leader and work better with a team, and I encourage anyone who is able to go to Youth Action to take the opportunity without hesitation!" Michelle Kulchar
• "I met some amazing people, I did some amazing things, and I had an amazing time. Youth Action definitely was the highlight of my 4-H year!" Lauren Bevandick
• "Youth action was a great experience. I met tons of new friends and had a great time doing all the activities. I'll never forget the amazing time I had." Tori Preddy
• "Youth Action 2009 was absolutely amazing. I met so many new friends, which I'm sure I'll keep in touch with forever. The program had in it many team building activities and challenges that our small groups had to overcome together. The experience of team building and making strong relationships was absolutely incredible! It seemed so odd that meeting and spending time with new friends for 5 days could make foundations for great friendships, but it happened. I can't wait to go on other 4-H trips and opportunities in the future!" Jennifer Hetland
• "Hello, my name is Katelynn Harness and I was one of the lucky people who was chosen to go to Youth Action held at Thompson River University in Kamloops. The theme of this event was "Hero". We would play games that would help with teamwork, friend making and lots more. This experience has made me a stronger person mentally. Thank you so much for making this happen." Katelynn Harness
• "Thank you for sponsoring the 2009 Youth Action. I will never forget the friends I made and the skill I learned." Stacy Weinhardt
• "Hi my name is Amanda Harness. I would like to thank you for the wonderful time I had at Youth Action. This will definitely be an experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The venue was very relaxing, clean and was big enough to hold all the activities that we did. The food was very yummy. The friends I have made are amazing. Youth Action is one of the most exciting and fun events I have ever gone to. Without your support, Youth Action wouldn’t have been a reality for the other 60 kids who went with me on this experience. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Amanda Harness

Celebrate 4-H Hero Stories:

• Caroline Westarp submitted by Nicole Berthelot
• Nick Jansen submitted by Connor Sobolik
• Terry Prehara submitted by Megan Graham

4-H Hero Recipe:

1 ordinary person 1 cup of passion Dash of bravery

Handful of goals 4 cups kindness 1 message

4-H Hero Challenge:

Delegates were challenged at the end of the program to be a hero in their communities. Submit your stories to shawne@bc4h.bc.ca by Nov 30th to be published on our website and be entered to win some cool prizes!