Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador
Hi!
My name is Adri B., and I am from Kandiyohi County. Now that BLU and TEEL are over, the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are changing gears and focusing on YELLO.
Meet 4-H'ers across the state at YELLO
YELLO stands for Youth Exploring Leadership and Learning Opportunities, and this year, it will be held at the University of Minnesota Morris from June 12 to 15.
It is a four-day, three-night conference with many different opportunities to interact with others and learn about leadership.
It is open to all youth in grades 7 and up. BLU and TEEL are regional leadership workshops; however, YELLO is statewide. You will meet 4-H members from around the state and make lifelong friends that you will continue to see at different 4-H events.
The state ambassadors plan, promote and host YELLO. This year, the theme is “A Universe of Leadership.” We will teach youth about teamwork, group dynamics and self-awareness. Youth will also have the chance to learn about specific topical areas in STEM, agriculture, outdoors and more. The state ambassadors and I hope to see you there! Registration opens on April 1.
Thank our volunteers during National Volunteer Week
April is Global Volunteer Month, during which volunteers worldwide are recognized for their efforts in “To Make the Best Better.” This year, National Volunteer Week is April 21-27.
Minnesota 4-H would not be possible without volunteers. Volunteers help run club meetings, county and state fairs, leadership workshops and everything else 4-H offers.
Throughout my time at the club, county and state levels, I have been influenced by all sorts of volunteers. They have taught me about different project areas, leadership, parliamentary procedure and so much more.
Volunteers push members to be the best they can be. Personally, volunteers have encouraged me to take up different leadership roles at the club and county levels. My volunteer club leader is the reason I am a state ambassador.
During April and National Volunteer Week, thank all of the volunteers who make 4-H possible. 4-H would not be the amazing program it is without volunteers.
Learn more about different volunteer events around the country.
Conserve pollinators for the statewide service project
During the winter months, many pollinators migrate south or hibernate for the winter. With the warmer weather, many are returning to us. This spring’s statewide service project focuses on pollinators.
A few ways to conserve pollinators include limiting pesticides, planting pollinator gardens and planting native plants.
The second challenge for spring is soil conservation. When planting and growing season comes, soil health is extremely important to many people with gardens and fields. You will be surprised by how much your garden can produce when the soil is full of nutrients.
A few ways of increasing this include creating windbreaks with trees and shrubs, utilizing crop rotations and planting cover crops.
When you complete a service project, we invite you to share it to be recognized. Personally, I love to see the impact youth make on their community. Service projects not only preserve a community, but they can teach leadership skills and advocacy.
Apply to be a state ambassador
Are you or someone you know ready to take the next step in leadership? I highly recommend becoming a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador. The state ambassador team is a group of youth who love to make an impact on the world around them. Throughout the year, the state ambassadors create workshops for BLU and YELLO, volunteer at different events across the state and promote 4-H.
I chose to be a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador because I wanted to challenge myself. I was already involved at the club and county levels, and I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and meet a lot of new people.
Being a state ambassador has truly changed my life and perspective on how I look at the world. Through the ambassador program, I have had the amazing opportunities to meet 4-H members across the state, advocate to the public about 4-H, and teach others about leadership and their potential. I also had the opportunity to attend the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, where I met youth from around the country.
Applicants can be anyone in grades 10-12. This is a very diverse group of youth from all areas of the state, backgrounds and project areas. Whether you have been in 4-H for your whole life or just a few years, I invite you to learn more and apply to join this amazing team. Applications are due April 15.
Best wishes,
Adri B., Kandiyohi County
Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador