This summer, three youth members from Oceana County 4-H had the special chance to attend Citizenship Washington Focus, a national leadership program held in Washington, D.C. The program gave them a deeper understanding of government and helped them grow as leaders.
Kenai Kokx, Lillian Wasson, and Alayna Hammerle participated in workshops that taught them about how the government works. Kenai said she especially liked the classes about the amendments to the Constitution and a mock protest where they learned about the history and importance of peaceful demonstrations. Her group also worked on a project to create a summer language program to help people who speak different languages improve their English.
The youth visited many important monuments in Washington, D.C. One of their favorite experiences was the Night Tour of the National Monuments. They saw the Lincoln Memorial, which honors President Abraham Lincoln and is known for its beautiful architecture and the famous “I Have a Dream” speech location. They also visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a moving wall that honors soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War. The group toured the World War II Memorial and the Washington Monument, which stands tall in the center of the city and represents the nation’s first president, George Washington.
Lillian shared that visiting these monuments and the Smithsonian museums made history and government lessons from school come alive. She was especially impressed by the stories behind each memorial and how they represent important parts of America’s past. This was her first time in Washington, D.C., and she is excited about the future. Lillian plans to apply for the State 4-H Youth Leadership Committee and hopes to attend another national leadership conference called Ignite.
Alayna enjoyed the workshops where they learned about how the government operates. One memorable activity was when her group created a pretend presidential candidate named Bob. Bob listened carefully, saw people’s problems, and smiled to show he was happy. Bob even won the election until he was jokingly impeached for building a water slide in the White House. She also enjoyed visiting the aSmithsonian National Zoological Park and seeing the many animals there.
Thanks to funding from grants, sponsors, and fundraising, these Oceana County 4-H members were able to attend this trip without worrying about the cost. Some of the major sponsors of this event were: The Gerber Foundation, Oceana County Farm Bureau, Hart Area Lion’s Club, Shelby Rotary Club, True North Community Services, and our local Oceana County 4-H Large Market Committee. The members returned home ready to share what they learned and become leaders in their community.
Organizers are proud of Kenai, Lillian, and Alayna for representing Oceana County 4-H and look forward to seeing how they use what they learned to help others.
For more information about Citizenship Washington Focus, visit 4-h.org/events/citizenship-washington-focus.
