High school students dig into Iowa State research and their personal interests during State 4-H Conference.
Hundreds of high school students are experiencing life on Iowa State University's campus this week as they participate in workshop projects and take on leadership roles. They are the 740 young Iowans attending the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference June 27-29.
The teens stay in the residence halls and attend conference sessions held in campus facilities an
d led by Iowa State faculty, staff, and community professionals. The conference opens the doors to a complete college environment.
Iowa 4-H Youth Development and the State 4-H Council follow the principles of experiential learning to create the conference. They set an agenda where youth are given opportunities to solve problems and meet challenges while learning skills and participating in experiences that help them make positive choices.
For three days conference attendees participate in team building activities and explore areas of personal interest -- everything from dance to beekeeping to geographic information systems.
Some have chosen to explore the archival profession and are researching and preparing an exhibition.
Others are measuring nutrient concentrations in surface water around campus and monitoring stream health.
A group of young people working with ROTC cadets is learning how to assess leadership attributes both personally and collectively in order to best utilize the skills within a team.
Another group is focusing on fighting hunger and learning about professional development opportunities available in the U.S. and abroad through the World Food Prize.
This morning, participants gave back to Iowa State and the Ames community by taking part in service projects -- many of which can be replicated in their home communities.
Very intentionally, conference-goers are developing skills they will take back to their communities and apply while in high school and throughout their lives.
Did you know?4-H Youth Development builds skills in young people to improve their college and career readiness, close the educational achievement gap, and encourage young professionals to commit to rural Iowa. Last year the program reached nearly 100,000 K-12 youth.
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Iowa State's Mission: Create, share, and apply knowledge to make Iowa and the world a better place.
The Alliance for Iowa State is a coalition of Iowa State alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends. The Alliance advocates Iowa State University's land grant mission throughout Iowa while focusing its advocacy on state legislators and public policy makers.
