Despite the blustery weather last week and the early morning wake-up the 4-H centennial required hundreds of 4-H youth, adults, volunteers, and staff from all over of Wisconsin arrived in Madison awake, alive and enthusiastic!
The day began with a variety of 4-H youth, volunteers, state representatives and legislators speaking to the immense influence 4-H has had historically, globally, in his or her own presonal life, within its plethora of youth and respective communities. Youth and adults alike were instructed to devise an elevator speech, a speech no longer than 10-15 seconds introducing him or her self and conveying the importance of 4-H within their community and nation, then share it! We then had a break for lunch and the opportunity to speak to other counties and learn what programs they are conducting. Then we learned a variety of camp songs (Old Lady Leary, Wisconsin Milk Song, Tarzan, Squeegee Hunt, etc.) that we would sing upon arrival in the Capitol’s rotunda.
We marched proudly hoisting our respective county signs from the Concourse Hotel to the Capitol, abuzz with excitement to speak to state assmebly members and senators. The rotunda echoed the hundreds of voices of youth, volunteers, mentors and staff as we sang in a haphazard harmony. There was a poster fair also happening in the rotunda to highlight the mass variety of programs and opportunities 4-H provides to its youth and respective communities.
My group of doe-eyed and eloquent young ladies, had the pleasure of speaking with Senator Chris Larson’s chief of staff, Justin Sargent, who was so impressed with their interests in gender equality issues that hhe insisted we make time to see his wife and state assembly member, Melissa Sargent. The young ladies were thrilled at the opportunity to speak with state assembly member Melissa Sargent. We even had the chance to meet with Senator Chris Larson himself! Pictures to follow shortly.
In all, it was a wonderful and insightful day at the Capitol with my group of young ladies who were the epitome of eloquence.
