World's Largest Conversation

Auburn, Oct. 10---A conversation involving more than 100,000 youth and adults from every county in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and five territories is being initiated by 4-H to launch its second century in youth development.

The National Conversation on Youth Development in the 21^st Century, patterned after successful national conferences on small business and aging, culminates in Washington, D.C., in Feb. 2002. As a result of the upcoming National Conversation,

4-H will capture the best ideas and programs for youth development in the 21^st century and present them to the President of the United States, his Cabinet and Congress.

Moving ahead, 4-H intends to engage the nation in positive youth development programs, addressing youth problems, building youth skills, generating civic involvement and creating better communities.

"With nearly 7 million American youth involved in the 4-H program, spanning the nation from rural to urban communities, 4-H can uniquely set the agenda for youth development in the new century," says Alma C. Hobbs, deputy administrator, Families,

4-H, and Nutrition at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "There are no barriers to participation by any young person who wants to be engaged in 4-H."

The National Conversation will begin in each of 3,067 counties where 4-H'ers, adult leaders and community participants will follow a learning guide to share ideas about youth development needs and successes in their local communities. The county meetings will lead into statewide gatherings, which will lead into the national gathering.

"We want the nation to know that we are not building a granite monument to our

4-H centennial," says Don Floyd, president and CEO of National 4-H Council. "Instead, in the tradition of 4-H, we're creating an action plan for families, youth leaders and communities across the nation to guide us in the coming century. In addition, young people will be making a civic commitment to be involved in their local communities."

Four-H is one of the nation's most diverse organizations, including people from all economic, racial, social, political and geographic categories. Young people are given opportunities to engage in activities that hold their personal interest, while being guided by adult volunteers. Youth development professionals, employed by the nationwide Cooperative Extension Service, provide direction and program leadership in each county.

Originally focused on agricultural projects, 4-H has followed the needs and interests of young people into urban and suburban communities. The participation of young people in developing and governing 4-H has been a key to its continuing success. Like other leading modern organizations, 4-H draws strength from its participants by sharing decision-making responsibilities at levels ranging from local clubs to national programs.